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Stork prototype gallery

By Chris Williams. Published: 16th Jun 2003, 22:07:46.

Exhibits 1 through 9. No tears please

As a follow up to the recent Stork auction news, seller wooyay has provided a number of new photos for you to oogle.

It really does look like a nice, smart machine, although a translucent case and glowing GCSE Technology grade acrylic panels would go down a treat. It worked for Apple. We could take the time to explore the many what-ifs (cough, RiscStation) but we might end up encouraging all sorts of DIY laptop projects.

So instead, we'll leave you with this piece of history, literally.

Photos



Front facing
The Stork prototype, and note the cool green key labels. So Acorn.

Rear ports
The ports (from left to right) are: port replicator (a replicator is a unit that provides keyboard, mouse, VGA output etc.); parallel port (where the floppy drive connects), and 9-pin serial port. Also, the rounded thing on the left side is actually one of the mouse buttons.

Left side
PCMCIA slot, two mouse buttons and power button.

Right side
Headphone socket and reset button.

Underside
Below the serial number sticker is the internal access panel (see last photo).

Top side
It looks very compact.

External floppy drive
Who needs floppies when one can have ethernet? Oh ok, floppy it is then.

Battery
The laptop battery slides out into view.

Internal access
With the access plate removed, you can get at the two 4MB RAM modules.


The Acorn Stork prototype portable runs RISC OS 3.6 and is driven by an ARM7500 processor. It never made it into production.

Links
Stork portable details
Jason Tribbeck's Stork photos
Stork prototype on ebay

Discussion

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Lovely photos. What HAS happened with the RiscStation? Do people still have deposits down? Sad to hear no news.

-- Andrew Harmsworth, Cambridge. www.gcse.com owner and author

 is a RISC OS Userharmsy on 16/6/03 10:59PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Hmm. Stork 14 - I wonder how many they'd made. Probably between 20 and 50 (nearer the lower end). Anyone got any ideas?

 is a RISC OS Usertribbles2 on 16/6/03 11:56PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Sorry too late on the DIY laptop. Mines almost built. Well it's more of a luggable than a laptop, but it does work.

 is a RISC OS Userajpullan on 17/6/03 2:10PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

If I didn't love my RiscPC so much I would cut it up and make it into a laptop :)

 is a RISC OS UserAndrewDuffell on 17/6/03 6:55PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

The problem with laptopping the RISC PC is the processor card, it sticks up far to much.

Then there's the power supply. Heavy! Thats why mine turned into a luggable :-(

I'd have prefered an Iyonix motherboard, but they arent selling em :-(

Never mind it works fine apart from getting rubbish modem speeds for some reason!

 is a RISC OS Userajpullan on 17/6/03 8:26PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Get a right angled connecter for the cpu card, and a lighter psu.

 is a RISC OS Usermavhc on 17/6/03 10:04PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

One of our RISCOS.be members did something similar : <URL:[link] (Photo (c) Ike Busser).

 is a RISC OS Userjoty on 17/6/03 10:22PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

I've got a failed NC project that would be perfect - nothing sticks up (even memory's at a 30 degree slant), fast ARM7500FE (I think we had them clocked to 64MHz), single power supply (+5v). The only downsides are the board is quite large (33 x 14cm; should be okay), there's no HD connector, no VGA connector and only one PS/2 connector. However, that won't stop me trying to put something together...

 is a RISC OS Usertribbles2 on 18/6/03 8:10AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

most places have monitors, keyboards and mains sockets, stick the computer and mouse into a briefcase, instant portable computer. I present: The BRisc "half space" PC

 is a RISC OS Usermavhc on 18/6/03 4:42PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Hmm! The right angled connector is interesting! Where do I get one? (search time!)

Would be very nice as I'd be able to get a propper keyboard in the case then :-) (Currently have a 'foldable keyboard' from Ebuyer)

I'd worry a bit about reliability though.

PSU I've already oone by swapping it for an AT one. It's smaller and twice the power as well. Next step, powering the monitor from it.

 is a RISC OS Userajpullan on 18/6/03 9:50PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

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