website/content/museum/olivetti-m10.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Olivetti M10	Computers	Portable	Italy	1983	Intel 80c85 CMOS	name company company_name specs tabs photos adverts hardware comments oc_id source M10 /companies/olivetti Olivetti label value NAME M10 label value MANUFACTURER Olivetti label value TYPE Portable label value ORIGIN Italy label value YEAR 1983 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Enhanced version of Microsoft BASIC label value KEYBOARD Excellent QWERTY/AZERTY full-stroke keyboard\ 4 arrow keys and 8 function keys label value CPU Intel 80c85 CMOS label value SPEED 3 MHz label value RAM 8 kb, up to 32 KB\ by incremental 8 kb RAM pack on PCB label value ROM 32 kb (up to 64 kb) label value TEXT MODES 40 x 8 label value GRAPHIC MODES 240 x 64 label value COLORS Black & white (LCD screen) label value SOUND Built-in speaker capable of generating different pitches and tones label value SIZE / WEIGHT 30 x 22 6 cm / 1,8 kg label value I/O PORTS RS232c (19200 bauds max.), Parallel port, Tape-recorder (1500 bauds), Barcode reader, System Bus, Phone label value POWER SUPPLY 6v CC (4 x AA battery cells 1,5v or with an external power supply unit) label value PERIPHERALS 300-baud built-in modem (US versions) label value PRICE 800 (France, 84) photos adverts hardware title subtitle text image M-10 null title subtitle text image FRONT VIEW null title subtitle text image REAR null title subtitle text image REAR CONNECTORS null title subtitle text image UNDER We can see here the battery cells compartment, system bus trap and the optional ROM & RAM sockets. null title subtitle text image OPTIONAL RAM & ROM SOCKETS ROM can be upgraded to 64k with only one additionnal ROM chip (32k). RAM can be expanded up to 32k with 8k RAM chips. null title subtitle text image SYSTEM BUS (40 PINS) null title subtitle text image M-10 MOTHERBOARD **The electronic part of the M-10 was made in Japan by Kyocera Cie.** **(1)** System init button (Reset).\ **(2)** Four 1.5v battery cells provide 20 hours of work in running mode, or 80 hours in sleep mode.\ **(3)** Serial RS-232 connector.\ **(4)** Parallel Centronics printer connector. As it is not a standard connector, a special Olivetti cable is needed.\ **(5)** Cassette recorder DIN connector with remote control. Data transfer speed is of 1500 baud (about 190 char./second).\ **(6)** Bar code reader connector.\ **(7)** A 8 Kb. RAM expansion chip can be plugged to each of these three sockets. Originaly, a 8Kb. RAM chip is already mounted on the left one. Thus, a maximum of 32 Kb RAM can be installed.\ **(8)** This socket can receive an additional 32 Kb ROM chip. The original 32 Kb ROM holds the built-in software and the Microsoft Basic interpreter.\ **(9)** 80C85 low power CMOS 8 bits microprocessor, running at 2,457 Mhz.\ **(10)** External power supply unit connector. null title subtitle text image BASED ON THE SAME HARDWARE Like Philips which sold in Europe a part of its products under Radiola or Schneider brands name, or even Sharp which sold its pocket computers under Tandy's name with minor design changes; these three computers (<$475$>Olivetti M10, <$334$>NEC 8201, <$233$>Tandy Model 100) are, in fact the same model, manufactured by Kyocera. If the hardware part is basically the same, external design is slightly different. Olivetti offered a tilting display and Nec added arrow keys. The main purpose of this partnership was to reduce research & development and manufacturing costs. The same model, designed and manufactured by a single company could have been 25% more expensive. null title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT ''The Best'' null title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT ''Olivetti M10, the portable professional micro-computer, here comes why." null title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT (JUNE 1985) null title subtitle text image ACOUSTIC COUPLER Acoustic coupler and TELCOM integrated software allow the M10 computer to send or receive information and files through a telephone line. null author date text LubikCZ (Czech Republic) Saturday 29th February 2020 Hi, I also own this little computer. It remains to be acquainted with him. But it''s a beautiful machine. author date text Rainer Kaufhold (Germany) Tuesday 11th February 2020 Hello everybody,\ rediscovered this Olivetti M10 in a dark drawer after many years. 4 batteries in, turned on ... he left immediately! Great, I''m happy! https://photos.app.goo.gl/pAywNrTL4KhZ7G4E8 author date text Mittal Vora (INDIA) Thursday 2nd October 2014 Hi. I am from India. I recently inherited my dad''s Olivetti M10 Portable computer. If ANYONE still interested let me know. author date text eliot (uk) Monday 10th October 2011 I have an almost brand new M10 with its original case and instruction book.\ I worked at olvetti for 8 years - great place.\ Also had an M20, M24,M240,290 and a 380 tower. author date text dragos (romania) Monday 6th June 2011 hello everybody , today june 06 2011 , i found in a old motorcycle garage , between old carburetors , pipes and other scrap of motors , an OLIVETTI M10 !!!!! yeaaahhh first when i see it , i dont know what i found , after that , i look careffuly at him... do''nt understand what it is ... i am motorcyclist , and a little bit computerist...and i dont know very good computers , but when i see display , i know .."this is an old stuff..." it must be keeped by me i say.. here in romania in year ''90 an old computers made by a comunist plant , it was felix icee , or HC85 , or cubZ.. from that computers i know a little basic programing .... i am very hapy now when i found this old stuff... :))))) author date text Andrew Roach Friday 1st April 2011 Ack! Sorry, I just realized that you posted that offer in 2007. I guess I''m a little late there. You were also offering an M15, not an M10. I blame the months of April. If anyone does have an m10 they want to part with, catchingtech@gmail.com . author date text Andrew Roach (USA) Friday 1st April 2011 Nick, is that m10 still available? author date text Nick Blackburn (isle of man, uk) Friday 10th August 2007 I own an Olivetti M15 laptop, A dual 720kByte floppy based PC. This is possibly the best laptop from the 80's in my opinion! If anyone wants it, its free to a good home, you just need to pay the postage. email me for more details.\ nick 475 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230605024227/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=475 2023-06-05

The Olivetti M-10 is basically the same computer as the Tandy 100 or the NEC PC-8201. All these machines were in fact conceived by Kyocera Corporation (Japan). Thus they all have very similar characteristics.

Olivetti is well known for computers with special design, and the M-10 is not an exception. Compared to the Tandy 100 or NEC PC-8201, the M-10 is quite beautiful. The main physical difference is the LCD screen which can be tilted for user's comfort.

Just like its brothers, the M-10 was used a lot by reporters all around the world. This success was mainly due to its excellent keyboard and large battery autonomy.

The M-10 a some built-in software :
- An Extended Microsoft Basic
- A wordprocessor
- A small spreadsheet (adress files)
- An Agenda
- And a communication program.

The M10 had 4 standard RAM/ROM sockets, whereas all other Kyocera machines had specific RAM or ROM sockets.

The french model doesn't seem to have the modem built-in as it is the case for the "normal" M-10. This is maybe because any Modem sold in France had to be "agreed" by the French Post Office (!), which was a difficult task...