In its first ever announcement, the IBM Personal Computer Company yesterday duly launched its new family of PS/1 computers and three models of a new IBM PS/note notebook – and seems to have come a lot closer to getting the things right than its forerunner has for a very long time. The PS/1 desktop systems are grouped into three lines with six models per line, each targeted for a different type of user. The PS/1 Essential line is for small business, the Expert line is for more advanced buyers that may already own a personal computer, and the Consultant line is for people that do business work or school work at home, and there is also a PS/note model for each user type. The desktop systems range from 25MHz 80386SX models to 33MHz 80486 models and come fully configured – none of the usual IBM nonsense of making essential items like the keyboard separately-priced options. The come with system unit, Super VGA or VGA colour Photo Graphic monitor, IBM Selectric Touch keyboard, mouse, modem and software, and no assembly is required. The 80386SX and 80486SX desktop models come preloaded with MS-DOS 5.0 and – no, not OS/2, but Microsoft Windows 3.1 and Microsoft Works for Windows, plus Prodigy and IBM exclusive software, such as the PS/1 Club, PS/1 Fitness – includes a virus checker, PS/1 Index, PS/1 Tutorial and Promenade. If you want OS/2 2.0 pre-loaded, you have to go for the full 80486 models without the maths co-processor disabled, and you still get Microsoft Works for Windows, the PS/1 Club and Prodigy with those. And there are separate bundled applications for each of the three user categories – QuickBooks and Express Publisher for Essential, Address Book Plus and Calendar Creator Plus for Experts, Quicken for Windows and The New Print Shop for Consultants. All the desktops are AT bus and have three slots and three bays or five slots and five bays. All models of the PS/note, aimed at users buying their second personal computer, (no, not their fifth or tenth) come preloaded with MS-DOS 5.0, Windows 3.1, Prodigy, Promenade and WinFax Lite for sending and receiving facsimile messages. They have full-function 85 key IBM keyboard, TrackMan portable mouse and a 2,400bps modem with 9,600 bps send-4,800bps receive fax capability. A deluxe carrying case is available free! In the US, IBM has arranged over 40 remarketers to sell them at over 3,000 outlets Essentials through office warehouse stores such as Office Depot, Experts at superstores such as Computer City and BizMart, Consultants through general merchandise and department stores such as Montgomery Ward, Sears and Circuit City. Desktop models are being shipped now, the PS/notes next month. As with previous PS/1s, the desktop systems are developed in Lexingtion, Kentucky and those sold in the US and Canada are assembled in Raleigh, North Carolina. The PS/note was developed in Lexington and Raleigh and will be assembled in Raleigh. IBM has not given prices for anything: it will take whatever the market allows.
