Posted on August 31, 2018
Halikan LA5040
Chaplet Systems offered the LA5040, a 386-based portable in around 1989. While in many aspects similar to the Toshiba T5100, this device originally offered something the Toshiba didn’t have: A built-in battery.
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Historic Overview
When looking at the HALIKAN 5040, one can’t neglect the fact that it looks quiet similar to the Toshiba T3200 or T5100 laptops of around the same era.
While I couldn’t find any particular proof to this assumption, given the similarity it’s well possible that Chaplet Systems might have been acting as an ODM, sharing it’s design with Toshiba and maybe others. According to one source Chaplet was bought by Toshiba in 1999.
On the inside, the LA5040 is composed of a specially made mainboard, offering one ISA 8-bit and one ISA 16-bit slots for expandability. Two LR2032 type batteries are used to keep the CMOS up and running. It’s easily accessible beneath the two ISA slots when removing the back cover.
In order to fit a battery compartment into the case, the DC power supply is external, using a DIN-type connector for attachment.
While definitely more portable than luggable computers a few years earlier, this class of portable computers offers already good computing power on the go. As miniaturization didn’t bring the huge advancements yet, this computer still used standard type IDE and 3.5″ floppy drives and commodity rubberband cables. From todays perspective this facilitates repairs, as later generation typically require vendor-specific and usually hard to find drives.
While not featherlight at 5 KG, it’s featuring a carrying handle on the backside. The handle can be turned 90 degress in order to elevate the device from the backside, giving it a slight angle for a better typing experience.
Specs
The PHINTAGE Collection currently holds a Halikan LA5040.
| Vendor | Chaplet Systems |
| Model | HALIKAN LA5040 |
| Released | around 1989 |
| Original Streetprice | unknown |
| Weight | 5 KG |
| Dimensions | 40.5cm x 32cm x 8cm |
| Builtin Display | Yes, 10.2″ LCD |
| Builtin Battery | Yes |
| CPU | Intel 80386SX @25 MHz |
| RAM | 2 MiB |
| Storage |
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| Network Support | optional (via ISA bus adapters) |
| USB | no |
| Video Output | 1 VGA |
| Other | 1 RS232, 1 Serial-DIN, 1 Parallel Port |
| Operating System | MS-DOS 4.01 |
| Overall Condition |
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| Restoration Parts needed |
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Gallery
Coming soon.
Downloads
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any idea what kind of mechanical switches the keyboard used?
No clue, sorry. Mine works, so never had to need to inspect it 🙂
Hi, maybe You have Dos boot files? I have this one, but lost my floppy with boot files :/
I don’t make any copies of historic operating systems available, there’s plenty of sources on the Internet for that already.
Search for “abandonware” …