Work anywhere! – includes related articles on cellular telephone terminology, portable options on the market and product resources – Cover Story
Daniel Grotta
Take a moment and think of how much you’re away from your home office during business hours. Perhaps you commute twice a week to a client’s headquarters, or pick up the kids from school every afternoon, or shop for food each Thursday. You may go out of town or out of the country, attend a trade conference or a sales meeting, or actually take a vacation.
For some of you, leaving your home office for an hour, an afternoon, or even a week is a harmless, perfectly acceptable practice. You can reschedule a couple of appointments or deadlines and turn on the answering machine. After all, do you really need to continue working or to always be reachable during that time away? Wouldn’t you rather relax and enjoy yourself?
But in today’s tough economic environment, most of us simply cannot afford to miss a deadline, lose a contract, or fall behind competitors just because we must be away from the office or aren’t available to make or take a call.
As a photographer-writer team, my wife Sally and I travel approximately four months a year on various assignments, and we couldn’t stay in business if we were unavailable to our editors for long. Interestingly, that time away from home–much of it spent in hotel rooms, on highways, in airplanes and airports, and on cruise ships–is usually our most productive and, consequently, our most profitable time. That’s because we’ve learned to combine an array of commonsense techniques with state-of-the-art technologies in order to keep up with the work load and to stay in constant contact with editors and clients.
In this guide, we’ll cover the most vital productivity and communications technologies for travelers–portable computers, electronic mail, faxes, and cellular telephones. And we’ll show you various ways to use those tools effectively. Because while you may never have to travel as far or as frequently as we do, you still don’t want to worry about losing business whenever you’re on the road.
PORTABLE POINTERS
Without question, the portable computer is our most important tool for working away from home. We use our one-pound Poqet computer to take notes during interviews (tape recorders just don’t cut the mustard unless you have someone to transcribe all those notes), write articles and books, keep records for photo captions, maintain our schedule, hold our telephone database, track expenses, communicate electronically with other computers, and more. It doesn’t matter whether we are at a research station in Antarctica, in a publisher’s office in Manhattan, or simply driving down the highway, since we’re able to work almost anywhere.
Operationally, there’s no real difference between what today’s IBM-compatible or Macintosh portables can do and what their desktop siblings can–except that portables can function almost anywhere. Most of today’s portables feature hard-disk drives and standard-size screens, just like their desktop counterparts, and are able to run the exact same software, and are able to run the exact same software, including Windows programs. (See “Portable Options” for more about these units.)
Computer comparison. Compared with desktop systems, most portable computers have:
* Somewhat smaller keyboards.
* Harder-to-see monochromatic screens (color screens are expensive).
* Limited memory (special low-power RAM chips for portables cost three to five times more than the desktop variety).
* Slower hard-disk drives (in order to conserve electricity, most battery-powered portables automatically shut off the hard drive when it’s not in use so it takes a few seconds to power back up when you need to access it).
* One half-size slot for various peripherals (instead of the eight full-size expansion slots typically found in most desktop computers).
Shopping tips. What should you look for in a portable computer? Ideally, what we–and millions of other people–want is a portable that is powerful but inexpensive, fast and easy to operate, and capable of running all our favorite software and interfacing with any desktop system. Also, it must be able to churn for many hours on batteries alone, and yet be small and light enough to fit into a briefcase or camera bag. Alas, such a critter doesn’t exist–yet!–so we select the best available computer for our needs and pocketbook.
Since Sally and I often live out of suitcases for weeks at a time, our most important criteria in selecting a portable are size and weight. Our first IBM-compatible unit was a 10-pound Datavue Spark, a good laptop that did everything our desktop could. But because of the Spark’s clunky weight and awkward shape, we invariably chose to leave it in hotel rooms rather than take it along on interviews. Although our Poqet palmtop with a WordPerfect program card lacks many of the conveniences and functions of larger machines, the fact that it’s tiny enough to fit into a jacket pocket has made it our most-used portable.
You may not need such a featherweight unit. Select a portable based on how you’ll use it the most:
* If it’s going to be your primary system–you’ll carry it to different offices, using it at a desk–look for a portable that offers maximum power and expandibility.
* If you need a unit to work on planes, trains, and in waiting rooms, check out notebooks that feature long-life or instantly interchangeable batteries.
* If you plant to run graphics-intensive software, such as a paint program or Windows, insist on a portable that offers, at minimum, a high-resolution VGA-compatible screen, 2MB of memory, and a 386SX microprocessor.
* If you’re buying a portable Mac for graphics work, get at least the PowerBook 140–the model 170 if you can afford it.
* If your most important application is a huge database or spreadsheet, make sure that your portable comes with a 40MB, 60MB, or even a 100MB hard-disk drive.
* If you’ll be using the portable in hostile environments–like on a factory floor or in a war zone–get a “ruggedized” model (metal casing, membrane-coated or sealed keyboard, shock-resistant hard-disk drive or no hard-disk drive) such as the Tusk All-Terrain SuperTablet.
Care on the road. Actually, normal life can often be a hostile environment. Many portable computers are encased in lightweight plastic and can easily be damaged if knocked about. That’s why we always . . .
* Carry our portables in padded cases.
* Take our portables on board (nearly all portables are small enough to put in airplane overhead racks or beneath the seats).
* Take along a set of backup floppy disks and a bootable DOS disk (just in case something happens to the hard-disk drive or we accidently overwrite a file).
* Save irreplaceable work in two places (not just on the hard-disk drive, but also on a single floppy disk, which we then store elsewhere).
* Register our foreign-made portable with U.S. Customs when we leave the country (otherwise, we could be forced to pay duty upon our return if we couldn’t prove that we had bought the portable in the States).
* Etch our name, address, and Social Security number on the computer where they can’t be defaced or removed (etching reduces the portable’s resale value, but it also makes the unit far less attractive to would-be thieves).
* Glue special anchor plates, available at most computer stores, to all of our portables (except for the pocketable Poqet); we can then secure them to a radiator or other fixture by means of a steel cable and combination lock (while that may not defeat a determined burglar, it does prevent the casual thief from making off with the computer).
* Carry computer insurance from Safeware (it’s very affordable protection that will compensate us at replacement value, minus a $50 deductible).
Printer and accessories. Unless we’re on a very short trip, we take along our Diconix 150 Plus, a three-pound, battery-powered printer. It lets us print out notes, rough drafts, letters, and other files (it’s always easier to work from hard copy than from the computer screen). Also, we occasionally run into situations where we need to produce something quickly on paper. And even when we don’t take the printer, we pack a standard printer cable so that if we need to produce hard copy, we can use one of the hotel’s printers. Other portable printers to consider include the Citizen PN48 (reviewed in the January 1992 issue), the Star Micronics StarJet SJ-48, and the Canon BJ-10 BubbleJet.
Along with our portable computer and printer, we always carry a grab bag of accessories, the most important of which are:
* Printer cables
* Spare ink cartridges
* Paper
* Spare batteries
* An AC transformer/battery charger
* Instruction booklets for whatever hardware we’re carrying, as well as command cards or templates for the software
* A null modem cable (absolutely indispensable if we expect to exchange data directly with another computer)
* A paif or gender changers (which connect male-to-male or female-to-female interfaces) and a 9-pin to 25-pin adapter (for computers that use the larger interface)
* An English or European plug adapter (if we are going abroad)
If you have a Mac, consider carrying a cable with an 8-pin (serial port) plug and a 25-pin plug, for use with external modems.
Incidentally, when overseas, don’t use a Radio Shack–type transformer converter to power your computer or printer (although you might be able to use it to charge batteries). All appliances and devices made for the American market are designed to run on 60-cycle electricity, while most of the rest of the world uses 50-cycle power. A converter only steps down the voltage from 220V to 120V. What this means is that your compute or printer won’t work properly (or may not work at all), and the wrong converter may in fact seriously damage expensive circuitry.
Software to go. Some earlier portable models, stripped-down inexpensive units, and palmtop computers lack a hard-disk drive or sufficient memory to run a standard version of large programs such as dBase IV or WordPerfect. If you own one of these, you can buy special downsized editions of popular programs–such as WordPerfect’s LetterPerfect or 1st ACT! (reviewed this month), a companion to the popular contact manager, ACT! (Contact Software International). You could also pack more punch into one program by using an integrated package such as LotusWork or Microsoft Works.
But because prices are dropping to the point where most portables come equipped with at least 1MB of RAM and a 20MB hard-disk drive, fewer downsized software versions are being marketed. So, unless you have a palmtop or a portable without a hard-disk drive, don’t bother with downsized sofware; just use the same version you have on your desktop system.
There are several programs worth considering that we use solely on our IBM-compatible portable computers:
* No-Squint (SkiSoft Publishing), a great utility that changes the portable computer’s tiny, hard-to-see cursor into a larger and more legible block.
*ProComm Plus (DataStorm Technologies), a not-too-big but handy communications program that helps us connect to any other computer, either directly when transferring files to a desktop system or over the telephone through on-line services such as MCI Mail.
* Stacker (Stac Electronics), probably the most useful program, especially with our overcrowded hard-disk drive. It’s a compression utility that squeezes files in order to free up more disk space. With Stacker, our 20MB drive thinks, looks, and acts exactly as if it were a 33MB drive, and with virtually no loss of speed. (Be sure to buy the software-only version.)
People running the older Macintosh Portable, the Outbound systems, or the current PowerBooks might want to look at these programs:
* WriteNow (T/Maker Software) is the most space-saving word processor, and it’s fast and elegant too.
* DayMaker (Pastel Development) combines a calendar, to-do lists, contact lists, schedulers, and more.
* Disk Doubler (Salient Software) in essence does for the Mac what Stacker, above, does for the PC.
E-MAIL AND FAXES FROM WHEREVER
We couldn’t continue to work on the road without being able to send and receive files over the telephone. E-mail (or electronic mail), as it’s called, is a computer-to-computer telecommunications method that millions of businesses and individuals use to keep in touch.
E-mail essentials. Here are the basics of e-mail:
* The country’s biggest e-mail service is MCI Mail, which is easily accessed by dialing a toll-free phone number. Other on-line services that offer e-mail include CompuServe, Prodigy, and GEnie, to name a few–but you should subscribe only with the service with which your most important clients or customers have an account.
* To make our e-mail connection, we use a small, relatively inexpensive ($75 to $300) battery-powered modem, such as the World-Port from U.S. Robotics, plus appropriate cables and adapters. Some modems, such as the Hayes Pocket Modem (reviewed in the December 1991 issue), don’t even need batteries–instead, they draw power from the computer and the phone line. In the United States, the only cable we need is a standard phone cord, long enough to reach comfortably from the modem to the telephone wall jack. We used to carry an assortment of international adapters for connecting to foreign telephones, but because it was frequently hit-or-miss whether or not they would work, we now carry a $129 acoustical modem adapter that slips onto virtually any telephone handset.
* Using a modem in a hotel room can be quick and painless instead of impossibly frustrating if you follow one simple rule: Always ask the switchboard operator to put your call directly through without intervening. Most hotel telephone systems are designed to automatically route calls through the switchboard, which has the effect of keeping you from getting a true dial tone. This is true even with phones that have a special modem jack on the side.
Modem and fax shopping. If you are thinking about buying a portable modem, consider that:
* External generic units, such as the ones from Practical Peripherals and Complete PC, are usually much cheaper than dedicated internal brand-name units.
* For only a few dollars more, you can buy a fax/modem device, like the DoveFax, instead of a plain data modem. A small fax/modem lets you send (and often receive) facsimile messages through a portable computer.
* A portable fax/modem device more than pays for itself on those few occasions when you absolutely, positively must send or receive a fax from Disney World, Kalamazoo, or wherever and discover that your hotel will bill you an outrageous $5 to $8 per page to do it.
CELLULAR PHONES–A KEY FOR ACCESS
The cellular phone gives you direct access to the telephone system anytime, anywhere. Wit one, you can make on-the-spot, minute-to-minute decisions, quickly confirm sales and purchases, field unexpected problems and crises, avoid time-wasting delays, and be there for those must-take calls when they finally come in. (For more info, see “Cellular Phone Primer.”)
Cellular advantages. We’ve found even more uses for cellular phones:
* If we’re lost or caught in traffic, we can call the local automobile club from our car phone and ask for directions or the best alternative routes.
* If we see a sign for a restaurant or a motel up ahead, we can call and get directions or make reservations.
* If we’re running late for an appointment, we can call ahead.
* We can transmit files or faxes anywhere in the world, while driving, by simply plugging our portable computer and fax/modem device into our cellular mobile phone.
Change the way you work. Having a cellular phone requires some minor changes in the way business is normally conducted:
* Because of the high per-minute cost, calls tend to be shorter and more to the point.
* Routinely announce to secretaries that you’re calling from a cellular phone, and you’ll get put on hold much less frequently.
* We’ve found it much safer while driving to use the mobile phone’s hands-free speaker and microphone than the handset.
* Although our mobile phone works off the car battery, it’s advisable to have a spare, fully charged phone battery nearby your portable and transportable cellular phones, in case the signal starts fading.
Make the most of cellular. Here are two importants tips for making the most of your cellular phone:
* Let your callers know how to reach you. We printed up new stationery and business cards listing our regular voice, fax, and MCI e-mail numbers as well as our cellular phone number.
* We decided against a $2-a-month call-forwarding option offered by the local phone company, which would have automatically switched people over to our car phone when we weren’t at home. We learned that we would pay dearly for this service. A far cheaper method is to leave your cellular number on your answering machine message. If the call isn’t that important, callers will leave a message for you. If the matter is urgent, callers you can reach you on the mobile number.
Cellular problems. As wonderful and indispensable as cellular phones are, they do come with some significant quirks and limitations:
* Don’t assume that your calls are private. Anyone with a sophisticated radio-frequency scanner can tune in to your conversations. So don’t ever reveal confidential information that you wouldn’t like anyone to have.
* Even with a wide array of available channels, you may encounter difficulty getting a dial tone in high-density areas when many cellular phones are being used at the same time.
* Many parts of the country, especially rural areas and small towns, are not yet wired for cellular transmission. Where there’s no transmitter, there’s no service.
* In theory, you can use your cellular phone almost anywhere in the country (and in some foreign countries that use the same transmission frequencies); in practice, passing from one company’s service area to another–called roaming–may require considerable sophistication and usually incurs significant costs.
Tax and personal benefits. A fringe benefit of working away from home with a portable computer and a cellular telephone is that you can go almost everywhere and claim legitimate tax deductions. For instance:
* If you need to get away to the county for inspiration or professional rejuvenation, and you take your work with you, part of your transportation, lodging, and meals might be tax deductible. Certainly, you can claim your portable computer or cellular phone as business expensess.
* Although no one admits it, cellular technology is considered sexy stuff. Sally and I believe that we’re enhancing our professional reputations by letting our editors and business contacts know that we have and use such an array of communications options. It certainly shows we’re serious about being accessible and responsive to business matters.
FREEDOM TO WORK
Finally, portable technology liberates us from the boredom of staring at the same four walls day after day. We can work anywhere we want, and no one is the wiser, since the person at the other end has no idea where you are or what you are doing. We’ve made business calls on our mobile phone while camping in the Shenandoah National Park, written part of a column on a nude beach in St. Martin, and transmitted an article to a magazine via satellite uplink from a cruise ship on the Mexican Riviera. So long as you are able to get the work done and stay in touch with your clients, it really doesn’t matter if you are lounging in a hammock sipping Mai Tais or driving the kids cross-country to see their grandparents. And that, to us, is what working for yourself is all about.
CELLULAR
PHONE PRIMER
Three types of cellular telephones are presently available: the mobile model for vehicles; the two-piece transportable unit, resembling a shoe box with a receiver; and a compact one-piece portable about the size and shape of a cordless phone. Reputable brands in the cellular market include Motorola, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, and General Electric.
Mobile. The mobile phone and its accompanying antenna must be professionally installed in your car and can’t be easily detached. Unlike portables and transportables, the mobile phone isn’t battery powered but runs directly from your car’s 12V electrical system. This makes it the most powerful type of cellular phone. In turn, by putting out the strongest signal, as well as having the tallest antenna, most mobile phones are capable of greater range and better reception than the other types.
Portable. The portable is small enough to fit into a pocket or purse or be clipped on a belt. There’s a price for this convenience and marvel of miniaturization, however. Besides being the most expensive type of cellular phone, it is also the least powerful and therefore has the most limited range and poorest reception. What this means in practical terms is that your conversation may fade out or you may not be able to receive a call in weak signal areas. Also, its small battery gives it relatively limited life–only 60 to 90 minutes of conversation–before needing recharging.
Transportable. The transportable is a compromise between the mobile and portable phones–bigger and bulkier, but cheaper, and with thre to six times more power and range than the one-piece compact, and able to work for three or four hours before the batteries need recharging. Being battery-powered, it gives greater mobility than the car phone, but its smaller antenna usually doesn’t provide the same range or reception. Some manufacturers produce a modular transportable model that can double as a mobile phone by plugging into an antenna and the car’s cigarette lighter electrical socket.
Cellular features. The more expensive and technically advanced cellular models offer features such as 80-number autodialing, electronic lock, signal strength meter, quick-change backup battery, extended antenna, noise reduction engineering, elapsed time counter, illuminated display, the ability to interface with computer devices, and an extended ultrahigh frequency 832 channel range for avoiding phone-use saturation in densely populated areas.
Deciding which type of phone is best for you depends on what you value most in your business. If you’re an on-the-go, always-stay-in-touch executive who requires a reliable link without the fear of fading, your best choice is probably a high-powered transportable. If you want as tiny a phone as possible, or if you normally use your phone in a major metropolitan area where reception is usually execellent, consider buying a one-piece portable. For safety, convenience, and economy on the road, an affordable mobile phone that’s always accessible from your automobile may be the right choice.
PORTABLE
OPTIONS
In today’s market, you can readily find five different types of portable computers suited for business use: laptops, notebooks, palmtops, organizers, and dedicated word processors. Each type of unit comes with its own particular attributes and drawbacks. Here’s a rundown on what they are, and which unit might be most suitable for your specific needs. (For a complete Buyer’s Guide to notebook computers, see the upcoming May 1992 issue.)
Laptop. Much smaller and lighter than the original, sewing-machine-size portables, laptops are defined as one-piece systems, weighing between 7 and 18 pounds, which open up like a clamshell and are 100 percent IBM compatible (except for the original Macintosh Portable). Most laptops work on both AC and battery power, although the most powerful models operate only on AC current. While many laptops have limited expandibility, accommodating only a singly expansion board, some of th latest generation can be plugged into an optional “docking station” that gives them desktop capabilities. These units include the Librex M386SL and M486 models, with their SystemBase expansion station, and Toshiba’s optional Desk Station IV, for its 486-based T4400SX and other computers. Laptops are perfect for people who need both power and portability, and who work at stationary locations such as a hotel room or a client’s desk. Increasingly, many people are buying the more powerful laptops as their primary computer system, and not as a second machine to be used only for travel-related work.
Laptops typically range in price from a little over $1,000 for some models, such as the Bondwell B-310SX, to nearly $5,000 for the color LCD Dell 325NC, to over $8,000 for other color units, such as the NEC ProSpeed 486SX/C. The average street price for a battery powered 386SX model with a 30MB hard-disk drive, such as the eight-pound Compaq LTE 386s/20 Model 30, is less than $4,000. In contrast, the heavier, recently discontinued 15-pound Dell 320LT, with a 20MB drive, retailed for $2,699.
Notebook. This is the hottest portable-computer category. As its name implies, these notebook-size systems, ranging between four and seven pounds, all work on battery power as well as AC, and are truly portable. On one hand, most notebooks are more fragile and less versatile than laptops; on the other hand, they can be used almost anywhere without sacrificing either IBM or Macintosh compatibility and performance. Most notebooks come equipped with a monochrome LCD display and an internal 3.5-inch floppy-disk drive (to save weight, the floppy drive is sometimes not built into the unit, as with the Macintosh PowerBook 100). Most notebooks feature a hard-disk drive, and many can accommodate a single peripheral board. Notebooks are ideal for people who already have a desktop computer and need a full-function portable.
A 386SX-based model is the most common type of notebook; it generally costs between $1,800 and $3,500. For example, the suggested retail price of the Epson NB3 with a 60MB drive is $2,899. The 386SX-based Dell NX20, at $1,899, and the Tandy 1800 HD, at $1,999, both sport a 20MB drive. A comparable Mac PowerBook 140, with a 40MB drive and 4MB of memory, carries a street price of about $2,900. If you can settle for a slower 286-based notebook (for example, if you don’t need Windows), you can spend as little as $1,000. Pick and choose among such models as the Sharp 6220, Tandy 1100 HD, NEC 286F UltraLite, Compaq LTE286, or the Toshiba T1200XE–all with a 20MB drive. The comparable Mac PowerBook 100 sells for about $2,000 in stores.
Palmtop. These are the smallest portable computers that maintain varying degrees of IBM compatibility. Palmtops, weighing a pound or less and the size of a VCR tape or a pocket calculator, sacrifice power, convenience, and features in exchange for ultra-miniaturization. Some models, such as the Hewett-Packard 95LX, concentrate primarily on built-in, but downsized applicantions like Lotus 1-2-3. Other units, such as the Atari Portfolio, are designed to operate specially modified programs. Only one brand, the Poqet, is equipped to run almost any off-the-shelf IBM software.
Most palmtops have smaller-than-standard screens, use special credit-card size memory modules or RAM disks instead of disk drives, and can communicate with desktop IBM-type computers via a special cable or an optional external floppy-disk drive. While palmtops aren’t for everyone, they’re perfect second or third machines for farmers, real-estate agents, journalists, engineers, consultants, repairpersons, or anyone who works outdoors or at on-site locations and needs ultimate portability. The prices vary from less than $500 for a stripped-down brand to over $2,000 for a fully equipped system, most notably the Poqet.
Organizers. While featherweight, pocket-calculator-size personal organizers such as the Sharp Wizard or the Casio B.O.S.S. lack IBM compatibility, most pack in many built-in functions–clock/calendar, note taker, mini-spreadsheet, telephone/address book, and more. Several organizers can also run a variety of specialized programs and can exchange data with an IBM or Macintosh computer. Organizers are very limited in scope and have practically no expandability. They’re best suited for individuals who watt a tiny, relatively inexpensive device that will perform a few specific functions. Organizers are generally sold through discount electronics stores and department stores–not traditional computer outlets–and the prices vary from $250 to $400. (For more info, see “Can You Really Manage Your Life with an Electronic Organizer?” in the July 1991 issue.)
Dedicated word processors. Designed primarily for a single task–writing or note taking–these devices range from 25-pound sewing machine-size AC powered units, like one from Smith Corona, down to 2-pound, battery-powered clipboard-size models, such as one from Brother. Several units have dot-matrix printers and floppy-disk drives built in, and some have an ability to exchange data with an IBM-compatible or Macintosh desktop computer. The small notebook-type word processors, like the Panasonic KX-WL45, are excellent, inexpensive devices for taking notes in the field, while the larger dedicated word processors should appeal to those who work primarily with words and for whom low price is a fundamental criterion. Portable dedicated word processors normally range in price from $3000 to $650.
PRODUCT
RESOURCES
Here are phone numbers for hardware manufacturers and software publishers mentioned in this article.
Apple Computer, (408) 996-1010, (800) 776-2333 Atari, (408) 745-2000 Bondwell, (415) 490-4300 Brother, (201) 981-0300 Canon, (516) 488-6700 Casio, (201) 361-5400 Citizen, (213) 453-0614 Compaq, (713) 370-0670, (800) 231-0900 CompuServe, (800) 848-8199 Contact Software International (1st ACT!), (214)418-1866 DataStorm Technologies (ProComm Plus), (314) 443-3282 Dell, (800) 426-5150 Diconix/Kodak, (716) 724-400, (800) 242-2424 Dove Computer Corp., (919) 763-7918 Epson, (213) 539-9140 General Electric, (203) 373-2431 GEnie, (800) 638-9636 Hayes Microcomputer, (404) 449-8791 Hewlett-Packard, (415) 857-1501 IBM, (914) 765-1900 Librex, (408) 441-8500 Lotus Development, (617) 577-8500 MCI Mail, (800) 444-6245 Microsoft, (206) 882-8080 Mitsubishi (800) 828-6320 Motorola, (708) 576-4704 NEC, (508) 264-8000, (800) 826-2255 Outbound Systems, (800) 444-4607 Panasonic, (201) 348-7000, (800) 447-4700 Pastel Development (DayMaker), (212) 431-3421 Poqet Computer, (408) 982-9500 Practical Peripherals, (818) 706-0333 Safeware, (800) 848-3469 Salient Software (Disk Doubler), (415) 321-5375 Sharp, (201) 529-9500 SkiSoft Publishing (No-Squint), (617) 863-1876 Smith Corona, (203) 972-1471 Stac Electronics (Stacker), (619) 431-7474, (800) 225-1128 Star Micronics, (212) 986-6770, (714) 768-3192 T/Maker Software (WriteNow), (415) 962-0195 Tandy, (817) 390-3700 Toshiba, (714) 583-3000, (800) 334-3445 Tusk Inc., (407) 881-9050 U.S. Robotics, (708) 982-5010 WordPerfect Corp., (801) 225-5000
DANIEL and SALLY GROTTA live in the Philadelphia area and travel the world frequently as a journalist-photographer team. He wrote our Buyer’s Guide to laser printers in the February 1991 issue.
COPYRIGHT 1992 Freedom Technology Media Group
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
