ThinkPad 500
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The IBM ThinkPad 500 is a subnotebook from the ThinkPad series released by IBM in 1993.
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| Manufacturer | IBM |
|---|---|
History
The ThinkPad 500 (type 2603[1]) was announced on 16 June 1993. It was the first subnotebook by IBM,[2][3] made and registered with the FCC by their then-recent spin-off, Lexmark.[4]
The next subnotebook by IBM was the IBM ThinkPad 701 series, which John Karidis influenced after using a 500 and feeling the keyboard experience could be improved by making it wider than the screen.
It was announced at the same time as the IBM ThinkPad 350.[5] The New York Times noted that IBM challenged companies like Zeos, Dell, Zenith Data Systems and Hewlett-Packard who developed computers in the same class as the 500.[6]
The ThinkPad 500 has a Lexbook counterpart called Lexmark SE10 (codename "Enchilada"). The main difference is that instead of using a TrackPoint, its keyboard has a mouse-key button.
The ThinkPad 500 was the earliest known IBM portable computer to use an IBM Model M6-1 buckling sleeve keyboard assembly, a minor revision of the original Model M6 and descendant of the IBM PS/2 Model L40 SX's Model M3. M6 and M6-1 were used on many early IBM (and all Lexmark) laptops and were even produced for other companies like AST, Apple and Tadpole.[7]
Specifications
- 50 MHz 486SLC2
- Cirrus Logic WD90C26 Video chipset
- 7.24" Monochrome STN Display with 256-shade graphics and a maximum resolution of 640x480
- 1 x PCMCIA Slot
- 1 x 3.5" External Floppy Drive
- 85 or 170mb Seagate Caviar Hard Drive
- 2.5 hour battery
- 12mb of RAM
- Windows 3.1 and IBM PC DOS 5.02
- PC Speaker for Sound
- VGA monitor Out, Parallel/Serial ports
- Came with an external floppy drive included[5]
Reception
Successor
In March 1994 the ThinkPad 510 was announced, which contains the 486 DLC by IBM and a 7.7" colour display.[10]
The ThinkPad 510 looks very similar to the 500, but with notable differences in design being a colour "IBM" logo indicating the use of a colour LCD and that the 500's blue brightness and contrast buttons have been moved to 'hot keys' on the keyboard.