NEC MultiSpeed
The MultiSpeed was a line of laptop computers developed by NEC between 1986 and 1988. The inaugural MultiSpeed was the first battery-powered laptop with a 16-bit microprocessor, sporting a NEC V30 clocked at either 4.77 MHz or 9.54 MHz. The clock speed was able to be changed via a DIP switch on the back, hence the name MultiSpeed. The MultiSpeed received positive reviews in the press and performed well in the marketplace, becoming the top-selling laptop in the United States in early 1988, per one survey.
 | |
 Original MultiSpeed in its carrying case | |
| Developer | NEC |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | NEC |
| Type | Laptop |
| Released | December 1986 |
| Operating system | MS-DOS |
| CPU | NEC V30 at 4.77/9.54 MHz |
| Display | Passive monochrome LCD |
| Graphics | CGA |
| Successor | ProSpeed |
The MultiSpeed was a line of laptop computers developed by NEC between 1986 and 1988. The inaugural MultiSpeed was the first battery-powered laptop with a 16-bit microprocessor, sporting a NEC V30 clocked at either 4.77 MHz or 9.54 MHz.[1]: 34 The clock speed was able to be changed via a DIP switch on the back, hence the name MultiSpeed.[2] The MultiSpeed received positive reviews in the press and performed well in the marketplace, becoming the top-selling laptop in the United States in early 1988, per one survey.[1][3]
Models
[edit]| Model no. |
Processor | Clock speed (MHz) |
LCD technology |
LCD resolution |
Notes | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| original | NEC V30 | 4.77/9.54 | Monochrome passive, non-backlit | CGA, 640×200 | December 1986[4][2] | |
| EL | NEC V30 | 4.77/9.54 | Monochrome passive, electroluminescent backlight | CGA, 640×200 | EL upgrade path was available to owners of the original | June 1987[5][6] |
| HD | NEC V30 | 4.77/9.54 | Monochrome passive, electroluminescent backlight | CGA, 640×200 | Sold 55,000 units in 1988[7] | October 1987[8][9] |
| EL Model 2 | NEC V30 | 4.77/9.54 | Monochrome passive, electroluminescent backlight | CGA, 640×200 | Improved EL panel | March 1988[10] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Levitan, Arlan (May 1988). "Taking It on the Road". Compute!. No. 96. ABC Publishing. pp. 31–36 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^ a b Levinson, Sherwin (September 21, 1987). "NEC Multispeed: Laptop Machine Not Just Another Me-Too Product". InfoWorld. 9 (21). CW Communications: 69–71. ProQuest 194248693.
- ^ March, Richard (April 5, 1988). "NEC grabs 42% of lap-top sales; bests Toshiba, Zenith". PC Week. 5 (14). Ziff-Davis: 119 – via Gale.
- ^ Staff writer (November 6, 1986). "Business Briefs". San Francisco Chronicle. p. 32. ProQuest 302035397.
- ^ Somerson, Paul (July 1987). "Road Warriors: 11 Laptops Battle It Out – NEC MultiSpeed". PC Magazine. Vol. 6, no. 13. Ziff-Davis. pp. 217–222 – via Google Books.
- ^ Pepper, Jon; Steve Rosenthal (August 1987). "Letter from Atlanta: nearly every company jumped on the 80386 bandwagon at Comdex-Spring '87". Lotus. Vol. 3, no. 8. pp. 13 et seq. – via Gale.
- ^ Lewyn, Mark (November 14, 1988). "Choosing a Laptop". USA Today. Gannett Company. p. 3B. ProQuest 306132821.
- ^ Angus, Jeff (September 28, 1987). "NEC Extends MultiSpeed Line". InfoWorld. 9 (39). IDG Publications: 29 – via Google Books.
- ^ Rash, Jr., Wayne (June 1988). "A Tale of Two Laptops". Byte. Vol. 13, no. 6. McGraw-Hill. p. 127. ProQuest 217781997 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^ LaPlante, Alice (April 4, 1988). "NEC Shipping New Version of MultiSpeed EL". InfoWorld. Vol. 10, no. 14. IDG Publications. p. 5 – via Google Books.
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