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 image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware oc_id source M10 /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_2.jpg /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 469 title subtitle text image M-10 /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_1.jpg title subtitle text image FRONT VIEW /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_front_1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_rear.jpg title subtitle text image REAR CONNECTORS /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_rear_1.jpg title subtitle text image UNDER We can see here the battery cells compartment, system bus trap and the optional ROM & RAM sockets. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_under_1.jpg 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. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_rams_1.jpg title subtitle text image SYSTEM BUS (40 PINS) /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_system-bus_1.jpg 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. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_inside_1.jpg 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. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_samehard.jpg title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT ''The Best'' /media/museum/pubs/olivetti_m10_pub_the-best.jpg title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT ''Olivetti M10, the portable professional micro-computer, here comes why." /media/museum/pubs/olivetti_m10_pub_the-best_2.jpg title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT (JUNE 1985) /media/museum/pubs/olivetti_pub_docile-compatibles_2.jpg 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. /media/museum/hardware/olivetti_m10_coupler_1.jpg 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...