Irvine, California-based AST Research Inc got plenty of publicity from the fact that Dell Computer Corp turned to AST for OEM notebook computers to fill a nasty gap in its product line, but AST wants to remain in the limelight now that Dell is making a splash this week with the first of its own new generation notebooks (see front), and accordingly it rushed out new models in the Bravo cheapo and Premmia high-performance desktop lines: a fully configured Premmia MX 4/100t using an 8086DX4 processor with 8Mb memory, 256Kb cache, 420Mb disk and CD-ROM drive has an estimated street price of $3,000; the Bravo MS 4/66d with 8Mb of memory, 420Mb disk, 1Mb video RAM and a dual-speed CD-ROM should go for $2,300.
