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Digital HiNote

{{Short description|Laptops by Digital Equipment Corporation}}

{{good article}}

{{Infobox computer

| name = Digital HiNote

| logo = Logo of Digital HiNote.svg

| logo_size = 220px

| logo_upright = 0.5

| logo_caption =

| image = DEC HiNote Ultra CS450, picture 2.jpg

| image-size =

| caption = Digital HiNote Ultra CS450

| invent-date =

| invent-name =

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| designfirm =

| developer = Digital Equipment Corporation

| manufacturer = Compal Electronics

| releasedate = November 1994

| discontinued = January 2002

| cost =

| type = {{hlist|Laptop|subnotebook}}

| processor = {{hlist|Intel 80486|Intel Pentium|Intel Pentium II}}

| predecessor = DECpc 433SE Color

| frequency =

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| website = {{web archive|url=http://web.archive.org/web/19990116231115/http://www.pc.digital.com/products/products.asp|title=pc.digital.com}}

}}

The Digital HiNote was a series of laptop computers manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) from 1994 until 1998 and by Compaq from 1998 until 2002. It was generally positively reviewed by technology journalists. The series consisted of the VP and Ultra models which were based on the i486, Pentium, Pentium MMX and Pentium II. After Digital was acquired by Compaq in 1998, the series was phased out.

History

Digital introduced the HiNote brand of laptops in November 1994 as a successor to their x86 laptops marketed under their DECpc brand. The HiNote was introduced simultaneously with the Venturis brand of desktop and towers, which similarly replaced those form factors of x86 computers that bore the DECpc name.{{cite news|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/256485841/|title=Digital Equipment announces new lines for notebook PCs|date=November 11, 1994|work=Austin American-Statesman|publisher=GateHouse Media|page=D6|via=ProQuest}} The initial lineup comprised a full-sized laptop simply named the HiNote and a subnotebook named the HiNote Ultra; Digital later separated the two sub-brands by designating the former as VP units. Digital offered the initial lineup with either monochrome or color passive-matrix LCDs or color active-matrix LCDs, 33 MHz Intel 486SXs to 50 MHz 486DX2s, and a hard drive capacity between 120 and 340 MB. The standard HiNote included a built-in 3.5 inch floppy drive which could be removed and fitted with a second lithium-ion battery pack in its place, while the drive for the Ultra was external only. Both the original HiNotes proper and Ultras included built-in trackballs as its pointing device of choice.{{cite news|last=Lee|first=Yvonne L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bTgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA47|title=Digital rolls out portable line|date=November 11, 1994|work=InfoWorld|volume=16|issue=46|publisher=International Data Group|pages=47|via=Google Books|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062637/https://books.google.com/books?id=bTgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA47|url-status=live}}

{{external media

| float = right

| video1 = {{YouTube|uLIhLWMydCc|1995 commercial for the Digital HiNote Ultra}}

}}

Technology journalists singled out the HiNote Ultra for its sleek industrial design and modularity, which attached the lithium-ion battery to the back of the laptop with a latching mechanism instead of being inserted in the bottom case as was customary for laptop designs.{{cite news|last=Lee|first=Yvonne L.|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/256485841/|title=Digital Equipment announces new lines for notebook PCs|date=November 11, 1994|work=InfoWorld|volume=16|issue=45|publisher=International Data Group|pages=1, 120|via=proQuest.com}} This battery could be rotated to prop up the Ultra at a position more comfortable for typing for long periods of time and allowed it to accommodate the external 3.5-inch floppy disk drive underneath it when placed on a desk. It weighed 4 lb (1,8 kg) and measured only an inch (2,54 cm) high.{{cite news|last=Brandel|first=Mary L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AcDPzRXuvqsC&pg=PA20|title=DEC notebooks fashionably late|date=November 14, 1994|work=Computerworld|volume=28|issue=46|publisher=International Data Group|pages=20|via=Google Books|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062638/https://books.google.com/books?id=AcDPzRXuvqsC&pg=PA20|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Brian |date=1998-10-01 |title=Digital HiNote Ultra 2000 |url=https://www.itprotoday.com/compute-engines/digital-hinote-ultra-2000 |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=ITPro Today: IT News, How-Tos, Trends, Case Studies, Career Tips, More |language=en}} Digital advertised on television the Ultra's thin and light stature by pulling it out of a manila envelope—an approach replicated by Apple nearly 15 years later, when it advertised its MacBook Air in 2008.{{cite magazine|last=Beschizza|first=Rob L.|url=https://www.wired.com/2008/01/dec-hinote-the/|title=DEC HiNote the First Laptop to Be Pulled from a Manila Envelope in an Ad?|date=January 16, 2008|magazine=Wired|publisher=Condé Nast|access-date=March 16, 2021|archive-date=December 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222073729/https://www.wired.com/2008/01/dec-hinote-the/|url-status=live}}

When Compaq acquired Digital in June 1998 for $9.6 billion,{{Cite magazine |agency=Reuters |title=Compaq to Acquire Digital |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/1998/01/compaq-to-acquire-digital/ |access-date=2022-12-03 |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web |title=Compaq will buy Digital |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/01/27/compaq-will-buy-digital/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203180206/https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1998/01/27/compaq-will-buy-digital/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}} they left the design intact but changed the name to Armada 6500. The HiNote-based series was phased out in 2002. Technology writer Brooke Crothers wrote on CNET that its discontinuation was ironic considering that the HiNote received high industry accolades and was "one of the best notebook designs ever and one of the technological gems that Compaq inherited from Digital Equipment."{{Cite web|last=Crothers|first=Brooke|date=January 2, 2002|title=Compaq phasing out HiNote notebook line|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/compaq-phasing-out-hinote-notebook-line/|access-date=March 14, 2021|website=CNET|language=en}}

Models

class="wikitable sortable"

! Line !! Model
no. !! Processor !! Clock speed
(MHz) !! Max. memory !! LCD technology !! LCD size and resolution !! Date

baseline433rowspan="2" | 486SXrowspan="2" | 33rowspan="3" | 20Monochrome passiverowspan="12" | 9.5 in, {{Tooltip|VGA|640 × 480}}{{Start date|1994|11}}{{cite news|last=Sholkin|first=Howard|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/447338522/|title=Digital redefines notebook computers with new HiNote line|publisher=PR Newswire|date=November 11, 1994|via=ProQuest|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062640/https://www.proquest.com/docview/447338522/|url-status=live}}
baselineCS433rowspan="2" | Color passive{{Start date|1994|11}}
baselineCS450rowspan="2" | 486DX250{{Start date|1994|11}}
baselineCT45050rowspan="3" | 24rowspan="2" | Color active{{Start date|1994|11}}
baselineCT475rowspan="2" | 486DX4rowspan="2" | 75{{Start date|1994|11}}{{cite journal|last1=Goldberg|first1=Michael|last2=Weinberg|first2=Neal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dc6E48QmXxwC&pg=PP8|title=Digital trolls for PC users with cost lure|journal=Computerworld|publisher=International Data Group|date=August 28, 1995|volume=29|issue=35|page=6|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062639/https://books.google.com/books?id=Dc6E48QmXxwC&pg=PP8|url-status=live}}
baselineCS475Color passive{{Start date|1995|08}}
Ultra433rowspan="2" | 486SXrowspan="2" | 33rowspan="3" | 20Monochrome passive{{Start date|1994|11}}
UltraCS433rowspan="2" | Color passive{{Start date|1994|11}}
UltraCS450rowspan="2" | 486DX2rowspan="2" | 50{{Start date|1994|11}}
UltraCT450rowspan="3" | 24rowspan="2" | Color active{{Start date|1994|11}}
UltraCT475rowspan="2" | 486DX4rowspan="2" | 75{{Start date|1994|11}}
UltraCS475Color passive{{Start date|1995|06}}{{cite journal|last=Scannell|first=Ed|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uDoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA39|title=Digital adds multimedia options to notebooks|journal=InfoWorld|publisher=International Data Group|date=June 19, 1995|volume=17|issue=25|page=39|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062635/https://books.google.com/books?id=uDoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA39|url-status=live}}
Ultra IICTE5100rowspan="15" | Pentiumrowspan="2" | 100rowspan="12" | 40rowspan="5" | Color active10.4 in, {{Tooltip|VGA|640 × 480}}{{Start date|1996|03}}{{cite news|last=Rohlf|first=Lisa|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/450070658/|title=Digital HiNote notebooks strike new chord with all-Pentium lineup|publisher=PR Newswire|date=March 14, 1996|via=ProQuest}}
Ultra IICTS5100rowspan="3" | 10.4 in, {{Tooltip|SVGA|800 × 600}}{{Start date|1996|03}}
Ultra IICTS5120120{{Start date|1996|03}}{{cite journal |last=Lin |first=Charles |title=Pentium Notebooks: HiNote VP CSS5100/HiNote VP CTS5100/HiNote Ultra II CTS5120 |journal=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff-Davis Publishing Company |date=August 1996 |volume=15 |issue=14 |page=158 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZV8jJvJv-zYC&pg=PA158 |access-date=2021-08-18 |archive-date=2021-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062638/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZV8jJvJv-zYC&pg=PA158 |url-status=live }}
Ultra IICTS5133133{{Start date|1996|03}}
Ultra II5150150rowspan="7" | 11.3 in, {{Tooltip|SVGA|800 × 600}}{{Start date|1996|08}}
VP57575rowspan="2" | Color passive{{Start date|1996|03}}
VPCSS5100rowspan="3" | 100{{Start date|1996|03}}
VPCTS5100rowspan="2" | Color active{{Start date|1996|03}}
VPLSS5100{{Start date|1996|09}}{{cite web |title=Digital HiNote VP 500 Series Service Guide |url=https://manx-docs.org/collections/mds-199909/cd2/pc/pb1wfsma.pdf |publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation |access-date=August 18, 2021 |date=September 1996 |via=Manx}}
VP520rowspan="2" | 120Color passive{{Start date|1996|09}}{{cite journal|last=April|first=Carolyn A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KDoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA27|title=Digital shifts focus to low-price laptops|journal=InfoWorld|publisher=International Data Group|date=October 7, 1996|volume=18|issue=41|page=27|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062635/https://books.google.com/books?id=KDoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA27|url-status=live}}
VP525rowspan="2" | Color active{{Start date|1996|09}}
VP53513311.3 in, {{Tooltip|SVGA|800 × 600}}{{Start date|1996|09}}
VPVSS5120120rowspan="4" | 80rowspan="2" | Color passiverowspan="5" | 12.1 in, {{Tooltip|SVGA|800 × 600}}{{Start date|1997|03}}{{cite web |title=Digital HiNote VP 550, 575 Series Service Guide |url=https://manx-docs.org/collections/antonio/dec/MDS-2000-01/cd2/PC/PD1WFSMA.PDF#page=95 |publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation |access-date=August 18, 2021 |date=March 1997 |page=A1 |via=Manx}}
VPVSS5133133{{Start date|1997|03}}
VPVTS5150 (545{{cite journal |last1=Venezia |first1=Carol |last2=Cade |first2=Metz |last3=John |first3=Morris |title=Digital HiNote VP 545 |journal=PC Magazine |publisher=Ziff-Davis Publishing Company |date=February 18, 1997 |volume=16 |issue=4 |page=47 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yS8YYaj_giAC&pg=PA47 |access-date=August 18, 2021 |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062634/https://books.google.com/books?id=yS8YYaj_giAC&pg=PA47 |url-status=live }})150rowspan="7" | Color active{{Start date|1997|03}}
VPVTS5166rowspan="13" | Pentium MMXrowspan="4" | 166{{Start date|1997|03}}
Ultra 2000VTS 5166Mrowspan="13" | 144{{Start date|1997|04}}{{cite web |title=Digital HiNote Ultra 2000 Service Guide |url=https://manx-docs.org/collections/mds-199909/cd2/pc/pf1wwuaa.pdf#page=100 |publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation |access-date=August 18, 2021 |date=April 1997 |page=A1 |via=Manx |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062637/https://manx-docs.org/collections/mds-199909/cd2/pc/pf1wwuaa.pdf#page=100 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Digital HiNote Ultra 2000 Service Guide |url=https://manx-docs.org/collections/mds-199909/cd2/pc/pf1wwsma.pdf#page=101 |publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation |access-date=August 18, 2021 |date=May 1997 |page=A1 |via=Manx |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062633/https://manx-docs.org/collections/mds-199909/cd2/pc/pf1wwsma.pdf#page=101 |url-status=live }}
Ultra 2000GTX 5166M14.1 in, {{Tooltip|XVGA|1024 × 768}}{{Start date|1997|05}}
Ultra 2000VTX 5166M12.1 in, {{Tooltip|XVGA|1024 × 768}}{{Start date|1997|04}}
Ultra 2000GTX 5233M233rowspan="2" | 14.1 in, {{Tooltip|XVGA|1024 × 768}}{{Start date|1998|01}}{{cite news|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/448010726/|title=Digital Adds to HiNote Notebook Families New High-Powered Systems with Latest Intel Mobile Processor|publisher=PR Newswire|date=January 12, 1998|via=ProQuest|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062641/https://www.proquest.com/docview/448010726/|url-status=live}}
Ultra 2000GTX 5266M266{{Start date|1998|01}}
VP703166Color passive13 in, {{Tooltip|XVGA|1024 × 768}}{{Start date|1998|01}}{{cite web |title=Digital HiNote VP 700 – Technical Specifications |url=http://declegacy.gomtuu.net/legacysupport/digital/hinote_vp_700_specs.html |publisher=Compaq |access-date=August 18, 2021 |via=Arthur Rinkel |archive-date=August 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062633/http://declegacy.gomtuu.net/legacysupport/digital/hinote_vp_700_specs.html |url-status=live}}
VP717rowspan="2" | 200rowspan="3" | Color active12.1 in, {{Tooltip|SVGA|800 × 600}}{{Start date|1998|01}}
VP725rowspan="6" | 13.3 in, {{Tooltip|XVGA|1024 × 768}}{{Start date|1998|01}}
VP745266{{Start date|1998|01}}
VP710rowspan="2" | 166Color passive (high-performance addressing){{Start date|1998}}
VP715rowspan="3" | Color active{{Start date|1998}}
VP735233{{Start date|1997|11}}{{cite journal|last=Briody|first=Dan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8zsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24|title=Toshiba, HP, and Digital to launch notebooks|journal=InfoWorld|publisher=International Data Group|date=November 3, 1997|volume=19|issue=44|page=24|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062634/https://books.google.com/books?id=8zsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24|url-status=live}}
VP765Pentium II266{{Start date|1998|04}}{{cite news|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/448010726/|title=Digital Announces Powerful New Mobile System Incorporating Intel's Mobile Pentium II Processor|publisher=PR Newswire|date=April 2, 1998|via=ProQuest|access-date=August 18, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818062641/https://www.proquest.com/docview/448010726/|url-status=live}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • {{cite journal |last1=Byrne |first1=Jason |url=https://gcn.com/Articles/1998/08/03/Digitals-latest-and-final-notebook-line-hits-a-HiNote.aspx |title=Digital's latest and final notebook line hits a HiNote |journal=Government Computer News |date=August 3, 1998 |access-date=August 18, 2021}}
  • {{cite journal |last1=Gallagher |first1=Brian |url=https://www.itprotoday.com/compute-engines/digital-hinote-ultra-2000 |title=Digital HiNote Ultra 2000 |journal=ITProToday |date=September 30, 1998 |access-date=August 18, 2021}}

External links

  • {{web archive|url=http://web.archive.org/web/19990116231115/http://www.pc.digital.com/products/products.asp|title=Official website}}
  • Archived legacy product pages provided by Compaq:
  • [http://declegacy.gomtuu.net/legacysupport/digital/hinote_vp_500_abstract.html HiNote VP 500 line]
  • [http://declegacy.gomtuu.net/legacysupport/digital/hinote_vp_700_abstract.html HiNote VP 700 line]
  • [http://declegacy.gomtuu.net/legacysupport/digital/hinote_ultra_2000_abstract.html HiNote Ultra 2000 line]
  • [https://retrohax.net/dec-hi-note-ultra-ii-as-a-retro-laptop/ Digital HiNote Ultra II disassembly and repair]
  • [https://inauspicious.org/hinote/ Running Linux on the HiNote Ultra 2000]
  • [http://www.starringthecomputer.com/computer.html?c=90 Digital HiNote Ultra] in The Peacemaker on Starring the Computer

{{DEC hardware}}

Category:Computer-related introductions in 1994

HiNote

Category:Subnotebooks