The Computer-In-A-Book (CIAB) was released just after the Microbee 64. This strange
machine was composed of one main unit and at least two 'books'.
The computer was actually not in a book, but in the main unit, a Microbee 64. The first book held the user manual in a ring binder, the second book (Vol. 1) held a - new at the time - 3.5" floppy-disk drive and a power supply unit which supplied the main unit and the drive. This unit could also supply a second slave disk-book (Vol. 2).
The designer's idea was to offer a low-cost and expandable CP/M machine. Up to 4 disk-books could be connected in chain. Even though the idea was original, the day-to-day use of these light units wasn't very convenient. The bad idea was to mount them in a bookcase, between other books, causing PSU to overheat and system failure.
We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system,
please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.
Please consider donating your old computer / videogame system to Old-Computers.com or one of our partners from anywhere in the world (Europe, America, Asia, etc.).
Special thanks to Norm Poulter from Australia who donated us this computer !
There are two of these on display at the Melbourne Museum, hooked up to a 'bee, that Andrew and I saw a while back.
Ah, yes, the Microbee C-I-A-B. my dad and his brother Grahame were the founders of what turned into the microbee user's group. good times, says dad. back when most computers had memory measured in kilobytes instead of gigabytes. i still have some older computers my dad owned, like a Toshiba T-1100 Plus......
andrew
Saturday 30th October 2004
Andrew (Australia)
NAME
Computer In a Book
MANUFACTURER
Applied Technologies
TYPE
Professional Computer
ORIGIN
Australia
YEAR
1985
BUILT IN LANGUAGE
None
KEYBOARD
Typewriter type, 60 keys
CPU
Z80A
SPEED
3.375 MHz
CO-PROCESSOR
6545 video controller
RAM
64 KB
VRAM
Unknown
ROM
4 KB BIOS + 4 KB FDD controller
TEXT MODES
64 x 16 (Microbee BASIC) - 80 x 24 (CP/M)
GRAPHIC MODES
128 x 48, 512 x 256 dots
COLORS
Black & white
SOUND
Built-in loudspeaker, one channel, 2 octaves
SIZE / WEIGHT
35.5 (W) x 23 (D) x 5.5 (H) cm / 1.5 kg (main unit)
I/O PORTS
Power/Video/tape, Expansion/drive Interface, Serial ,Parallel, RGB, user ports
Special thanks to Norm Poulter from Australia who donated us this computer !
