Article title: The Momenta Computer
Publication: PC Computing
Author: PC Computing Staff
Date published: 1991-12-01
When revolutionary technologies come to market, business computer users are faced with two choices: Watch from the sidelines, letting the early adopters take all the lumps, or jump into the game themselves, risking the status quo for potential but unproven benefits. As pen-based computing picks up steam over the next few months, Momenta Corporation, a California-based startup, offers a third alternative-get into the game without the risk.
The company's "pentop" computer lets you explore the potential of pen computing from the safety of an industry- standard 386SX-based notebook PC. The sleek Momenta Computer is a fully PC-compatible DOS-based system with 4MB of memory and a 40MB hard drive. A detachable keyboard and large flip-up VGA display leave the Momenta looking like just another well-designed laptop. But fused to the reflective LCD screen is a digitizer that, combined with Momenta's proprietary DOS- based pen operating software, allows the computer to accept hand-printed characters and pen gestures as input and controls.
The system is a marvel of efficiency. Briefly hold the pen on a drawing or text, and a compass like menu appears. Move the pen in one of the directions on the compass to copy, delete, move, or otherwise manipulate the object. The gestures are easy to learn, and you'll soon find yourself using them without waiting for the compass menu to appear. The system includes Momenta's software for note taking, scheduling, presentations, and communications; other independent developers are working on expanding the list to include spreadsheets and other core applications.
As pen computing takes of, the Momenta can be upgraded to run windows for Pen Computing and likely also Go Corporation's PenPoint operating system. But just as important the Momenta recognizes that for some tasks no amount of clever gesturing with a pen can replace hard and fast pounding on a keyboard. It's a creative blend of the old and the new.
You might expect this sort of have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too system to cost a lot. Not the Momenta. At about $4,000 on the street, this dual-mode system is as affordable as it is interesting, and as practical as it is innovative. And all that adds up to a Most Valuable Product.
The Momenta Computer, $4,995
Momenta Corp.
295 North Bernado Avenue.
Mountain View , CA-94043.
(415)969-3876
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