Will future generations consider the new Macintosh Portable a liberating milestone in computer history? – Stockley Park, West London-based Apple Computer UK Ltd certainly hopes so, for that was the message of yesterday’s theatrical launch of the product, which enlisted the help of Douglas Adams, author of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy to illustrate the cosmic potential of the new laptop; whether future generations will agree depends largely on what present-day users think of the price of the machine, which at UKP4,500 including hard disk and a battery is not cheap; optional extras include the Data Modem 2400 at UKP400, and a 1Mb Memory Expansion Kit at UKP500; Apple justifies the expense in terms of the technology offered – claiming that here is a portable with the performance of a big Macintosh – and by the fact that two substantial orders have been received, with a larger one expected to be announced in the next few days.
