🚀 go-pugleaf

> I must sadly admit that the need for a portable has hit me before Apple's own
> is available. I need something in the sub-$1000 dollar range. A disk drive
> is not essential. Plain text WP is fine. Speed is not a problem.
> 
> All of this has led me to consider the Cambridge Z88 'MacLite' deal. Does
> anyone out there have any experience with this package? Any better suggestions?

I love my MacLite.  I bought it at the MacWorld price of $650, which included
the transfer cable/software and 128k RAM, and some fairly useless Hypercard
software (before anyone flames, I am a Hypercard buff!)

The main software is a program called Pipedream, which can be either a 
spreadsheet, or word document, or a mix!  This is cute, but in practical
transfering to and from the Macintosh, it's better to keep your documents
one type or the other.  The transfer utility also does conversions, so
Pipedream documents can be translated on the fly (between the ML and Mac)
to or from WKS (a format which both Excel and Full Impact support) or
MacWrite 4.5 (Which both Word and Full Write support) format.  This means
that the same program that moves your files to and from your Mac also 
does the conversion.  Makes for very clean operations.

The keyboard is rubberized, and the keys don't "travel" the way most 
keyboards do.  You have to get used to it, but it doesn't take long.
An optional keyboard click sound makes this work easier, but you'll 
probably turn it off once you've gotten used to the keyboard.

The screen is a very readable supertwist lcd.  Six lines by about 
9 1/2 inches wide (this is space used by a menu and an image of the 
document) sounds like it's cramped but works nicely.

System operation is helped by a number of built in "pop up" utilities
(read Desk Accessories.)  There's an Index, which shows you active, 
but suspended, documents.  These can be activated and moved in and out of
in a couple of keystrokes.  A filer lets you manage (copy, rename, delete,
etc.) your files in memory.  There are also scheduler, diary, calculator,
terminal, alarm, BASIC, and a couple of other random utility programs
included in ROM.

I'm a professional writer and my use of the machine is specifically for
writing.  I use a Casio SF 7500 for most of my scheduling, and personal
information management, so I can't speak to the usefulness of these 
utilities.  I have a friend who also has a MacLite who keeps his life
in it, and is very happy with its performance.

I believe that Cambridge gives you 60 days to try the unit out, so your
risk is low.  My only advice would be to write every transaction you
have with them down, as they aren't very organized.  It was very helpful
to me to be able to tell them exactly who I spoke with and when I placed
my order each of the three times I had to call before I got my computer.
(In all fairness, I ordered the machine the week they were moving, and
during a period of time when they claim the machine was backordered.)

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Ric                           "To know him was to love him and to 
Bretschneider                      love him was to know him."
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