Microwriter Systems Plc, Mitcham, Surrey has launched a facsimile modem for its Agenda palm top computer – an electronic personal organiser cum word processor that measures 7 by 3 and weighs 10oz. The facsimile modem, which is just larger than a king size cigarette packet, uses an Agenda serial interface which plugs into the Agenda to form a single assembly. The modem also doubles as a standard modem for sending material to personal computers, and as a hands-free dialling facility. Ease of use is what Microwriter is plugging most – a document is prepared in the Agenda as if for normal printing, then the modem is plugged into the Agenda and into a telephone point and the print function sends the document to the remote facsimile machine. The modem, which is avilable from Microwriter for UKP350, has a built-in speaker for checking that the transaction has been completed successfully, has a standard V24 Hayes modem, is portable but can also be powered from the mains. To date, Microwriter, which has had a chequered history since it started trying to pioneer a revolutionary typing system with just five keys, has sold 12,000 Agenda computers, which cost UKP150 for the 32Kb version, and UKP200 for the 64Kb model.
