Tadpole RDI UltraBook

RDI UltraBooks are SPARC64-based RISC laptops for mobile Unix computing, introduced by RDI in 1997 to be used as a portable Solaris workstation for training, demonstrations, exhibitions and portable deployment (C&C).
UltraBooks are binary compatible with Sun workstations for standard Sun Solaris Unix. They were designed for government and security agencies, their removable drives were marketed as a plus for classified environments.
UltraBook 170 | UltraBook 200 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Introduced | 1997 | 19957 | ||
Based on | Sun Ultra AX reference | |||
CPU | UltraSPARC I 167 MHz |
UltraSPARC I 2000 MHz |
||
Cache | 16/16 KB L1, 512 KB L2 | |||
Design | 64-bit RISC Sun SPARC64 with RDI custom chipset | |||
RAM | 64-512 MB | |||
Video | ATI RAGE LT or Sun Creator 3D | |||
Screen | 12.1″ or 14.1″ TFT | |||
Drives | 1-3 IDE drives | |||
Expansion | PCMCIA | |||
I/O | Ethernet, 13W3, SCSI, Ethernet, PS/2, floppy, audio, docking, serial, parallel | |||
OS | Solaris | |||
Price | $11,995-20,085 | $14,895-25,085 |



UltraBook Beauty© Tadpole 2000
RDI built UltraBooks in the same case as the PA-RISC PrecisionBooks, which were much less successful however. UltraBooks were reportedly used in US Navy aircraft and vessels for ISR.
Technical details
UltraBooks are 64-bit SPARC computers, based on Sun Ultra AX reference design which RDI integrated into laptops. Chipset and devices used are:
Usage | Device | Type | External | Bus |
---|---|---|---|---|
System | UPA | Ultra Port Architecture crossbar CPU and graphics to memory (144-bit) |
UPA | |
Chipset | Sun Psycho Plus | PCI bridge | UPA PCI |
|
Chipset | Sun Cheerio | Bus bridge + devices? | ||
Storage | PC87415? | EIDE controller for hard disk | PCI | |
Storage | 53C876? | 16-bit fast-wide SCSI-2 | 68-pin fast-wide | PCI |
Network | Antares? | 10/100 Mbit Ethernet controller | TP | PCI |
Video | ATI RAGE LT Sun Creator 3D |
24-bit accelerated double/Z 3D |
13W3 D-Type | PCI |
Cards | ? | PCMCIA controller | two slots | PCI |
I/O | PC87303? | Serial and parallel I/O | 50-pin breakout cable for two serial and one parallel |
EBus |
I/O | PC87303? | PS/2 for keyboard/mouse | one DIN-8 port | EBus |
Audio | ? | 16-bit sound | four jacks, internal speaker | Ebus |
Some of the chipset details is conjecture.
Expansion and I/O
There are few possibilities to expand the UltraBook with devices:
Device | Type | Details |
---|---|---|
Memory | ECC | Two ECC 60ns modules for 64-512 MB RAM |
Storage | IDE | one to three 2.5″ IDE drives ATA-3 PIO 4 second drive removes 3D graphics, third battery |
Media | Floppy | external 3.5″ floppy, special port |
Media | CD-ROM | external SCSI portable 6X CD-ROM |
Cards | PCMCIA | two Type I or Type II or one Type III |
Input | PS/2 | 97/98-key Sun5 keyboard and three-button trackpad |
Output | TFT | 12.1″ LCD or 14.1″ TFT 1024×768, 262K colors |
Docking | optional PEM and MAX module, unclear if available from RDI |
Battery was one Li-Ion with 40Wh capacity for 0.5-1.0
of continuous use.
RDI provided an optional 56K PCMCIA fax/modem card with cellular phone support.
Operating systems
RDI UltraBooks are portable Unix workstations and shipped with Sun Solaris 2.6 (or 2.5.1 or Solaris 7). They are 100% binary compatible with Sun SPARC workstations and could run the same applications. Open source operating systems like Linux and BSD possibly also work.
Driver support for PCMCIA cards in Solaris was spotty and had to be provided by RDI.
Benchmarks
SPEC benchmark data and comparisons to contemporary laptops and workstations:
System | CPU | SPEC92 int | SPEC92 fp | SPEC95 int | SPEC95 fp |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UltraBook 170 | Sun UltraSPARC-I 167 MHz | 265.3 (?) | 354.6 (?) | 5.56 | 9.06 |
UltraBook 200 | Sun UltraSPARC-I 200 MHz | 322.0 | 462.0 | 7.44 | 10.4 |
Comparison | |||||
Siemens PCE-5S | Intel Pentium 100MHz | 96.2 | 81.2 | 4.04 | 2.35 |
Intel Alder | Intel Pentium Pro 150MHz | 276.3 | 220.0 | 6.08 | 5.42 |
RDI PrecisionBook 180 | PA-7300LC 180 MHz | 9.22 | 9.43 | ||
HP Visualize C180 | PA-8000 180 MHz | 11.80 | 18.70 | ||
Siemens SCENIC 1000 | Pentium II 333MHz | 13.00 | 9.43 |
Documentation
Specifications
- UltraBook Features, 2000, Tadpole archive.org
- UltraBook 170/200 Hardware User Guide, 1997, RDI archive.org
- UltraBook 170/200 Hardware Reference Guide, 1997, RDI archive.org
- UltraBook Specifications , 1998, RDI archive.org
- UltraBook Technical White Paper, 1999, Tadpole RDI, Rochester Institute of Technology FTP
Articles and reviews
- Tadpole-RDI Update: Blue-chip customers like PLATINUM Technology, User story, 2000, RDI ibmfiles
- Out In Front With Personalized Portable UNIX, User story, 2000, RDI ibmfiles
Announcements
- UltraBook Price Book, 1999, Tadpole RDI, Rochester Institute of Technology FTP
- The state of the Sun clone market , 1998, Sunworld
- RDI INTRODUCES ULTRABOOK, REDEFINING PRICE AND PERFORMANCE FOR UNIX PORTABILITY, 1997, RDI archive.org