<s>
The	O
RoadRunner	O
(	O
sold	O
to	O
OEMs	O
as	O
the	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
100	I-Device
)	O
was	O
an	O
early	O
laptop	B-Device
computer	I-Device
designed	O
by	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
Systems	I-Device
Technology	I-Device
and	O
introduced	O
in	O
1983	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Weighing	O
roughly	O
and	O
featuring	O
a	O
battery	O
able	O
to	O
power	O
it	O
for	O
up	O
to	O
eight	O
hours	O
,	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
clamshell	O
notebook	B-Device
computers	I-Device
ever	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
of	O
magnetic	O
disks	O
for	O
fixed	O
and	O
removable	O
storage	O
,	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
relied	O
on	O
CMOS	B-Device
RAM	I-Device
and	O
ROM	B-Device
cartridges	O
for	O
storing	O
and	O
loading	O
data	O
and	O
software	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
laptop	B-Device
was	O
equipped	O
with	O
a	O
CP/M	B-Application
-compatible	O
operating	O
system	O
in	O
its	O
built-in	O
ROM	B-Device
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
an	O
address	O
book	O
and	O
a	O
scheduler	O
that	O
took	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
laptop	B-Device
's	O
ability	O
to	O
keep	O
time	O
with	O
its	O
real-time	O
clock	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
external	B-Application
modem	I-Application
allowed	O
it	O
to	O
communicate	O
with	O
a	O
mainframe	B-Architecture
and	O
wake-on-ring	B-Device
to	O
submit	O
data	O
remotely	O
and	O
automatically	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Primarily	O
the	O
brainchild	O
of	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
co-founder	O
James	O
P	O
.	O
Dunn	O
,	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
November	O
1983	O
to	O
positive	O
reception	O
by	O
computer	O
journalists	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
remained	O
on	O
the	O
market	O
until	O
1985	O
when	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
was	O
acquired	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
RoadRunner	O
is	O
a	O
clamshell	B-Device
laptop	I-Device
measuring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
laptop	B-Device
's	O
liquid-crystal	B-Device
display	I-Device
measures	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
resolution	O
of	O
480	O
by	O
64	O
directly	O
addressable	O
pixels	O
,	O
or	O
80	O
columns	O
by	O
8	O
rows	O
of	O
text	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Text	O
characters	O
are	O
formed	O
by	O
a	O
5	O
by	O
7	O
dot	B-General_Concept
matrix	I-General_Concept
with	O
an	O
additional	O
row	O
and	O
column	O
of	O
dots	O
separating	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
dot-matrix	B-General_Concept
letterforms	O
feature	O
no	O
descenders	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
laptop	B-Device
was	O
built	O
into	O
a	O
clamshell	O
form	O
factor	O
both	O
to	O
protect	O
the	O
screen	O
from	O
abrasion	O
and	O
to	O
allow	O
for	O
aftermarket	O
display	O
upgrades	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
replacement	O
display	O
assemblies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
laptop	B-Device
overall	O
weighs	O
roughly	O
—	O
of	O
which	O
is	O
taken	O
up	O
by	O
the	O
nickel	O
–	O
cadmium	O
battery	O
,	O
which	O
can	O
power	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
for	O
up	O
to	O
8	O
hours	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
RoadRunner	O
's	O
keyboard	B-Device
sports	O
73	O
keys	O
,	O
14	O
of	O
which	O
are	O
reserved	O
for	O
function	B-Application
(	O
colored	O
light	O
tan	O
and	O
dark	O
tan	O
,	O
respectively	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
key	O
switches	O
are	O
full-travel	O
and	O
of	O
the	O
linear	O
variety	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
keyboard	B-Device
layout	O
is	O
modeled	O
after	O
that	O
of	O
the	O
IBM	O
Selectric	O
typewriter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
RoadRunner	O
carries	O
a	O
CMOS-based	O
Zilog	B-General_Concept
Z80A	I-General_Concept
processor	O
clocked	O
at	O
2.5MHz	O
;	O
its	O
performance	O
was	O
rated	O
on	O
par	O
with	O
NEC	O
's	O
PC-8201	O
portable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
laptop	B-Device
has	O
16KB	O
of	O
built-in	O
read-only	B-Device
memory	I-Device
,	O
burned	O
onto	O
which	O
is	O
a	O
custom	O
implementation	O
of	O
version	O
2.2	O
of	O
the	O
CP/M	B-Application
operating	I-Application
system	I-Application
with	O
added	O
background	O
printing	O
capability	O
;	O
a	O
phone	O
book	O
application	O
;	O
a	O
basic	B-Language
text	O
editor	O
;	O
a	O
VT100-compatible	O
terminal	O
emulator	O
;	O
and	O
a	O
scheduler	O
utility	O
that	O
takes	O
advantage	O
of	O
the	O
computer	O
's	O
real-time	O
clock	O
to	O
alert	O
the	O
user	O
of	O
an	O
event	O
at	O
a	O
set	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
laptop	B-Device
also	O
has	O
48KB	O
of	O
on-board	O
static	O
CMOS	B-Device
random-access	B-Architecture
memory	I-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additional	O
RAM	B-Architecture
can	O
be	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
laptop	B-Device
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
cartridges	O
inserted	O
into	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
four	O
slots	O
above	O
the	O
keyboard	B-Device
,	O
in	O
16KB	O
,	O
32KB	O
,	O
and	O
64KB	O
varieties	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
RAM	B-Architecture
cartridges	O
can	O
also	O
be	O
purposed	O
by	O
the	O
laptop	B-Device
as	O
RAM	B-Application
drives	I-Application
,	O
each	O
accessible	O
by	O
CP/M	B-Application
as	O
drives	O
A	O
through	O
D	O
(	O
as	O
marked	O
beside	O
each	O
cartridge	B-General_Concept
slot	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
lithium	O
battery	O
in	O
each	O
RAM	B-Architecture
cartridge	B-General_Concept
keeps	O
the	O
contents	O
of	O
data	O
intact	O
for	O
roughly	O
five	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
RoadRunner	O
supports	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
256KB	O
RAM	B-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
Besides	O
RAM	B-Architecture
,	O
the	O
four	O
cartridge	B-General_Concept
slots	O
allow	O
packaged	O
software	O
cartridges	O
to	O
be	O
loaded	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Available	O
at	O
release	O
was	O
a	O
version	O
of	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
BASIC	B-Language
,	O
Sorcim	O
's	O
SuperCalc	B-Application
,	O
and	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
100	I-Device
Editor	O
,	O
a	O
full-featured	O
text	O
editor	O
with	O
character	O
–	O
word	O
–	O
line	O
delete	O
and	O
global	O
find-and-replace	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MicroOffice	B-Device
promised	O
more	O
in	O
the	O
coming	O
months	O
of	O
1985	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
least	O
one	O
other	O
company	O
did	O
deliver	O
third-party	O
software	O
on	O
cartridge	B-General_Concept
for	O
the	O
machine	O
:	O
Distribution	O
Management	O
Systems	O
of	O
Milford	O
,	O
Connecticut	O
,	O
who	O
became	O
a	O
distribution	O
partner	O
of	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
and	O
who	O
developed	O
an	O
electronic	O
mail	O
client	O
in	O
late	O
1984	O
;	O
however	O
this	O
email	O
client	O
was	O
sold	O
only	O
to	O
enterprise	O
customers	O
along	O
with	O
the	O
computer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
back	O
of	O
the	O
computer	O
features	O
a	O
25-pin	O
RS-232C	O
serial	O
port	O
;	O
a	O
37-pin	O
parallel	O
bus	O
port	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
slot	O
for	O
an	O
optional	O
modem	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
modem	B-Application
could	O
transmit	O
data	O
at	O
300	O
baud	O
and	O
was	O
capable	O
of	O
auto-dialing	B-Protocol
,	O
auto-answering	O
,	O
and	O
wake-on-ring	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
latter	O
function	B-Application
was	O
complex	O
enough	O
to	O
allow	O
the	O
laptop	B-Device
to	O
"	O
set	O
to	O
wake	O
up	O
at	O
2:00a.m.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
serial	O
port	O
worked	O
in	O
tandem	O
with	O
the	O
built-in	O
VT100	B-Device
terminal	O
emulator	O
to	O
allow	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
to	O
connect	O
to	O
a	O
desktop	O
computer	O
for	O
offline	O
data	O
storage	O
or	O
to	O
connect	O
to	O
a	O
remote	O
mainframe	B-Architecture
via	O
an	O
external	B-Application
modem	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
James	O
P	O
.	O
Dunn	O
,	O
a	O
former	O
executive	O
of	O
Exxon	O
,	O
co-founded	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
Systems	I-Device
Technology	I-Device
in	O
October	O
1981	O
in	O
Fairfield	O
,	O
Connecticut	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MicroOffice	B-Device
,	O
which	O
was	O
worth	O
2,500,000	O
in	O
early	O
1982	O
,	O
received	O
$	O
500,000	O
of	O
funding	O
by	O
Olivetti	O
in	O
February	O
1982	O
,	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Olivetti	O
's	O
strategy	O
of	O
targeting	O
advanced	O
technology	O
corporations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Olivetti	O
offered	O
suggestions	O
to	O
the	O
laptop	B-Device
's	O
design	O
to	O
coordinate	O
it	O
with	O
Olivetti	O
's	O
line	O
of	O
word	B-General_Concept
processors	I-General_Concept
and	O
other	O
office	O
equipment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Robert	O
F	O
.	O
Weltzien	O
,	O
a	O
former	O
chairman	O
of	O
Timex	O
,	O
landed	O
a	O
position	O
as	O
CEO	O
of	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
in	O
September	O
1983	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
lead-up	O
to	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
's	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Weltzien	O
had	O
discovered	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
shortly	O
after	O
its	O
formation	O
,	O
after	O
leaving	O
Timex	O
in	O
1980	O
,	O
and	O
helped	O
fund	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
with	O
his	O
small	O
venture	O
capital	O
company	O
to	O
fulfill	O
his	O
ambition	O
of	O
"build[ing]	O
a	O
company	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
was	O
also	O
attracted	O
to	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
's	O
LCD	B-Device
,	O
which	O
"	O
rang	O
a	O
bell	O
with	O
me	O
because	O
I	O
came	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
watch	O
business.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
moonlit	O
at	O
Citizen	O
Watch	O
until	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
had	O
completed	O
its	O
financing	O
in	O
August	O
1983	O
,	O
when	O
he	O
returned	O
full-time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MicroOffice	B-Device
targeted	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
at	O
traveling	O
salespeople	O
and	O
executives	O
,	O
writers	O
and	O
journalists	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
people	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
mobile	O
professional	O
"	O
class	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Richard	O
Howell	O
,	O
manager	O
of	O
marketing	O
,	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
was	O
pitted	O
between	O
the	O
cheaper	O
TRS-80	B-Operating_System
Model	I-Operating_System
100	I-Operating_System
and	O
the	O
more	O
expensive	O
and	O
smaller-screened	O
Gavilan	O
SC	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
laptop	B-Device
was	O
originally	O
designed	O
around	O
National	O
Semiconductor	O
's	O
Z80-based	O
NSC800D	O
microprocessor	O
,	O
but	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
changed	O
this	O
out	O
with	O
the	O
Z80A	B-General_Concept
proper	O
before	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MicroOffice	B-Device
provided	O
the	O
laptop	B-Device
only	O
to	O
OEMs	O
for	O
rebadging	O
or	O
to	O
large	O
companies	O
for	O
fleet	O
sales	O
at	O
the	O
onset	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
promise	O
of	O
direct-order	O
purchasing	O
later	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Federal	O
Data	O
Corporation	O
of	O
Chevy	O
Chase	O
,	O
Maryland	O
purchased	O
a	O
$1	O
million	O
fleet	O
of	O
RoadRunner	O
laptops	B-Device
and	O
accompanying	O
software	O
cartridges	O
in	O
May	O
1984	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
David	O
H	O
.	O
Ahl	O
of	O
Creative	B-General_Concept
Computing	I-General_Concept
gave	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
a	O
positive	O
review	O
,	O
calling	O
the	O
"	O
office	O
on	O
the	O
road	O
"	O
moniker	O
that	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
was	O
selling	O
the	O
machine	O
under	O
"	O
apt	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
linear	O
switches	O
of	O
the	O
keyboard	B-Device
had	O
a	O
good	O
feel	O
and	O
followed	O
a	O
primarily	O
logical	O
layout	O
,	O
unlike	O
the	O
contemporary	O
IBM	B-Device
PC	I-Device
's	O
keyboard	B-Device
,	O
but	O
he	O
disliked	O
the	O
placement	O
of	O
the	O
up	O
arrow	B-Device
key	I-Device
between	O
the	O
period	O
and	O
right	O
Shift	B-Device
(	O
although	O
he	O
appreciated	O
the	O
arrow	B-Device
keys	I-Device
 '	O
inverted-T	O
layout	O
)	O
and	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
placement	O
of	O
the	O
Command	B-Device
key	I-Device
under	O
the	O
right	O
Shift	B-Device
"	O
is	O
all-too-easy	O
to	O
press	O
inadvertently	O
bringing	O
on	O
all	O
kinds	O
of	O
undesirable	O
results.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Ahl	O
found	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
's	O
Editor	O
"	O
more	O
than	O
adequate	O
"	O
with	O
the	O
function	B-Application
bar	O
"	O
understandable	O
and	O
sensible	O
,	O
even	O
without	O
an	O
instruction	O
manual	O
(	O
the	O
ultimate	O
test	O
)	O
"	O
but	O
found	O
their	O
TRS-80	O
100	O
–	O
esque	O
scheduler	O
and	O
phone	O
book	O
applications	O
not	O
"	O
especially	O
useful	O
,	O
particularly	O
since	O
they	O
devour	O
memory	O
like	O
crazy	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
wrote	O
that	O
the	O
laptop	B-Device
was	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
more	O
promising	O
contenders	O
"	O
and	O
quite	O
attractive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Davies	O
disliked	O
the	O
clear	O
plastic	O
plate	O
protecting	O
the	O
LCD	B-Device
,	O
writing	O
that	O
it	O
contributed	O
to	O
reflections	O
and	O
glare	O
,	O
but	O
appreciated	O
the	O
future	O
replaceability	O
of	O
the	O
display	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Davies	O
found	O
the	O
compromises	O
to	O
the	O
keyboard	B-Device
layout	O
to	O
make	O
it	O
portable	O
adequate	O
but	O
found	O
the	O
placement	O
of	O
the	O
Exit	O
key	O
next	O
to	O
the	O
Backspace	B-Device
key	I-Device
user-unfriendly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
additionally	O
found	O
the	O
feel	O
of	O
the	O
keyboard	B-Device
"	O
mushy	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
wobbly	O
"	O
but	O
overall	O
deemed	O
it	O
"	O
perfectly	O
adequate	O
for	O
full-speed	O
touch	O
typing.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
you	O
need	O
the	O
portability	O
,	O
and	O
particularly	O
if	O
you	O
already	O
have	O
a	O
desktop	O
system	O
running	O
CP/M	B-Application
,	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
is	O
definitely	O
worth	O
looking	O
at.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
MicroOffice	B-Device
continued	O
marketing	O
the	O
RoadRunner	O
until	O
1985	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
company	O
was	O
purchased	O
by	O
Telxon	O
Corporation	O
,	O
a	O
handheld	O
computer	O
manufacturer	O
based	O
in	O
Akron	O
,	O
Ohio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MicroOffice	B-Device
continued	O
operating	O
as	O
a	O
subsidiary	O
of	O
Telxon	O
,	O
switching	O
gears	O
to	O
develop	O
custom	O
software	O
projects	O
and	O
provide	O
data	O
conversion	O
services	O
for	O
medical	O
offices	O
and	O
clinics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Telxon	O
was	O
acquired	O
by	O
Symbol	O
Technologies	O
in	O
2000	O
,	O
MicroOffice	B-Device
was	O
spun-off	O
into	O
a	O
separate	O
company	O
once	O
again	O
and	O
continued	O
operating	O
independently	O
in	O
the	O
healthcare	O
sector	O
,	O
until	O
it	O
was	O
bought	O
again	O
by	O
Medsphere	O
Systems	O
Corporation	O
in	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
