website/content/museum/atari-portfolio.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Atari PORTFOLIO	Computers	Pocket	U.S.A.	1989	Intel 80C88	name company company_name specs tabs photos hardware links comments oc_id source PORTFOLIO /companies/atari Atari label value NAME PORTFOLIO label value MANUFACTURER Atari label value TYPE Pocket label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1989 label value END OF PRODUCTION Unknown label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Calculator-type keyboard, 63 keys label value CPU Intel 80C88 label value SPEED 4.9512 Mhz label value RAM 128 kb (up to 640 kb) label value ROM 256 kb label value TEXT MODES 40 x 8 (Supertwist LCD display) label value GRAPHIC MODES 260 x 64 dots label value COLORS Monochrome label value SOUND Beeper label value SIZE / WEIGHT 7.8 x 4 .1 x 1.2 inches / 15.87 ounces with batteries label value I/O PORTS 60 pin expansion bus, RAM Card port label value OS DIP-DOS (compatible with MS DOS 2.11) label value POWER SUPPLY 3 AA alkaline batteries or optional AC adaptor label value PERIPHERALS 32 KB and 128 KB RAM or ROM memory cards label value PRICE Unknown photos hardware links title subtitle text image ATARI PORTFOLIO null title subtitle text image 64 KB RAMCARD Several cards were available: 64 KB, 128 KB and 256 KB. null title subtitle text image 128 KB RAMCARD null title subtitle text image MEMORY EXPANDER + This Adds 256 KB to the main memory and adds an extra memory card slot.\ A second one could be added (as it features an expansion bus, also for a parallel or serial interface) thus increasing the Portfolio's memory to 640 KB. Thanks to **P. Bakker** null title subtitle text image HPC-301 RAMCARD READER This card reader was developped by Atari for desktop PC. It was connected to an ISA card and allowed PC to use the Portfolio Memory cards. null title subtitle text image PARALLEL INTERFACE Allowed the Portfolio to be connected to any Parallel Centronics compatible printer null title subtitle text image SERIAL RS232 INTERFACE null title subtitle text image MODEM INTERFACE Provides the Portfolio with a modem capability using an acoustic coupler. Thanks to **P. Bakker** null title url text 1990 Newspaper article about the portfolio http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/old/08572662.htm title url text Atari Portfolio as a Linux terminal ! http://www.online-center.com/prog/apt_main.htm title url text Atari Portfolio FAQ http://www.blinkenlights.com/classiccmp/portfolio.txt Portfolio Frequently Asked Questions BJ Gleason title url text Atari Portfolio Software Service http://www.gabistapler.de/pofosoft/index.htm Downloads for the Portfolio title url text Die ultimative Seite für den ATARI Portfolio Handheld http://www.palmzip.de/ Some useful info here including software download title url text Mario's Atari Portfolio WWW Page http://gem.win.co.nz/mario/pofo/ title url text The Atari PortFolio WebSite http://www.atari-portfolio.co.uk/ Portfolio info with download section title url text www.pofowiki.de http://www.pofowiki.de Wiki dedicated to the Atari Portfolio (in german) author date text x86vet (UK) Saturday 16th October 2021 "The story behind the creation of the Atari Portfolio" on Amazon may be of interest to some members of this forum. author date text Paul Finch (United Kingdom) Wednesday 11th November 2020 I own and run the only U.K Portfolio Club and have loads of new and secondhand hardware / software for this brilliant pocket p.c.\ I even have an original Atari testboard for this great machine, loads of magazines, books, etc.\ Just contact me,\ Paul author date text Russ Campbell (Canada) Sunday 1st March 2020 I have two Atari Portfolio PCs , have just updated Paul Jolly''s files from his site, they will be made available on my BBS, callable with an Atari Portfolio, and a modem as I have a modem and a land line as well as HTML and Telnet. author date text Daneel (Italy) Wednesday 23rd April 2014 In the early 90s I bought an Atari PC Folio for about 500,000 Italian lire, about 250 €.\ I used a lot of its built-in spreadsheet.\ A beautiful piece.\ It s part of my collection, but do not turn it on for many more years. author date text Fawad Monday 12th December 2011 i have one but i don''t have any idea on how to use it, its a very interesting piece author date text Rolfio (the Netherlands) Sunday 11th December 2011 I have 2 atari portflio''s and i like them always. very nice computer. author date text Mnem (Canada) Friday 16th December 2005 I used to have one of these. Picked it up at a pawn shop for $50 CDN in the early 90's. Good little machine although I was never able to get full use of it since I didn't have a cable to connect it to my home computer. Unfortunatly it got stolen a couple of years back when a landlord of mine decided to do a little raiding at my appartment. author date text Andrew (UK) Wednesday 11th September 2002 Amazing computer then and now. I love these. 356 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230601001742/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=356 2023-06-01

The Portfolio was one of the first, if not the first MSDOS compatible pocket computer. It was fully compatible with the IBM PC standard, although it was difficult to use software because of its very small screen.

Its card drive can accept :
- optional 32K, 64K or 128K memory (RAM) cards,
- 64K or 128K programmable (PROM) cards,
- 128K masked ROM cards,
- and 512K Flash Memory cards.

It had several built-in programs :
- Worksheet: Lotus 1-2-3 File-compatible spreadsheet,
- Text editor with basic word processing funtions,
- Calculator with five memories, four number formats and editable "tape" of calculations,
- Address book with virtually unlimited name and address storage and automatic phone dialing,
- Personal calendar/appointment book with programmable alarms,
- File transfer to upload and download files from compatible PC using optional Smart Parallel Interface,
- Clipboard to move or copy data within a file or between files or programs,
- and an operating system similar to MS-DOS 2.11

A lot of interfaces were developped for this computer including MIDI I/O.

Fun fact: This computer appeared in Terminator 2. It was used by young John Connor to break into an ATM bank machine.

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Malcolm Ramage specifies:
While you have the machine down as originating from the US, the machine was developed by the UK firm known as DIPP, who developed the machine, but did not have the finance or ability to distribute it. As a result, Atari took on the distribution and manufacture of the device, while DIPP provided the groundwork for the new portable Atari's, STylus (ST Pad) and the ST Book.