Title: A Blast from the Past: Canon NoteJet, the Notebook with a Built-in Printer
In today’s world, notebooks are ruthlessly judged by their thickness and design aesthetics, to the point that finding one with more than a handful of ports—an HDMI, a couple of USB-Cs, and an audio jack—is considered a luxury. But it wasn’t always so. I remember the days when a notebook’s thickness was measured in single-digit millimeters, and its port selection was as extensive as a tech enthusiast’s dream.
Once upon a time, notebooks came with USB, FireWire, serial and parallel ports, Ethernet, modem, infrared, VGA or DVI outputs, S-Video, audio jacks for input and output, and even PCMCIA slots. And that’s not mentioning the slots for swappable batteries and disc drives. It was a different era, indeed.
But even then, it wasn’t common to integrate every single component into a notebook. Some things, like printers, were left behind in the office. That is, until Canon decided it was a shame and created the NoteJet.
The NoteJet series was short-lived,-existing only from 1993 to 1995, with just three models produced. These models differed in processors, hard drives, and RAM sizes, and at least one came with a built-in scanner. I got my hands on a Canon BN200, an upgraded European version of the NoteJet 486. The bubble-jet printer is integrated into the bottom of the notebook, with paper inserted from the front and exiting from the back. The ink cartridge is accessed through a panel between the keyboard and the display.
What’s most striking about the BN200 is its thickness. In a closed state, it’s bulkier than most notebooks from that era, weighing in at over five kilograms. It’s a beast, especially compared to the sleek laptops of today.
As for performance, it’s decent for its time but not outstanding. It’s powered by a 486DX4-100 processor, with 40MB of RAM and a 1.3GB IDE hard drive (which was upgraded from its original capacity). The graphic card, an OPTi 92C178, can handle 65,000 colors at 800×600 resolution. Running Windows 95 OSR2 and Microsoft Office 95, it boots and operates smoothly.
What made the NoteJet stand out was its built-in printer. Unfortunately, this feature was also its Achilles’ heel. Modern reviews praised the battery life but criticized the printer for being slow and producing poor-quality prints. And let’s not forget the elephant in the room: carrying around a heavy, bulky notebook just for printing isn’t the most practical solution.
Despite the criticism, some users found value in the NoteJet. For entrepreneurs and field workers, the ability to print on-the-go was invaluable. They appreciated the all-in-one design, as they didn’t have to worry about multiple devices, batteries, or cables.
Today, lightweight printers and cloud-based solutions make the NoteJet feel like an artifact from a different time. Yet, it’s fascinating to see where the evolution of notebooks has taken us. From bricks with built-in printers to sleek, ultraportable devices that fit in our pockets.
The Canon NoteJet stands as a fascinating relic from a bygone era, a time when manufacturers seemed to believe users demanded connectivity aplenty. While today’s sleek notebooks prioritize thinness and minimalist design, the NoteJet’s abundance of ports serves as a reminder that technology evolves, and our priorities shift with it. Perhaps, in the future, the “luxury” of a built-in printer will once again grace notebooks, showcasing the cyclical nature of innovation. For now, the NoteJet remains a captivating glimpse into a past when, indeed, more was more.
.
The Canon NoteJet, with its integrated printer, might seem like a curious relic of a bygone era.Today, the complexities and advancements in printing technology have rendered such a design impractical. However, in the broader context of technological evolution, the NoteJet stands as a testament to the relentless pursuit of innovation and portability.While its time in the spotlight was brief, it serves as a fascinating reminder that even seemingly unconventional ideas can inspire future advancements and shape the way we interact with technology. The NoteJet, in its own way, was ahead of its time, envisioning a future where computing and printing seamlessly coexist within a single, self-contained unit.
