Editing TRS-80 Model 100 (section)

== Applications ==

When introduced, the portability and simplicity of the Model 100 made it attractive to journalists,<ref name="kline19830815">{{Cite magazine |last=Kline |first=David |date=1983-08-15 |title=Portables revolutionize free-lance journalism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ui8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q&f=true |access-date=2025-04-27 |magazine=InfoWorld |pages=32-35 |volume=5 |issue=33}}</ref><ref>Bruce Garrison ''Computer-assisted reporting'', Routledge, 1998 {{ISBN|0-8058-3021-9}} , page 192</ref>{{r|robinson19850513}}<ref name="guardian">{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/gnmeducationcentre/audio/tandy-portable-computer-guardian-archive-podcast | title=Guardian's first laptop - podcast: teaching resource from the GNM Archive October 2012 | work=The Guardian | date=2012-09-21 | access-date=5 February 2015 |author1=Kennedy, Maev |author2=Holborn, Margaret }}</ref> who could type about 11 pages of text (if upgraded to the maximum of 32 KB RAM) and then transmit it for electronic editing and production using the built-in modem and TELCOM program.

The keyboard is full-size and uses a standard (QWERTY) layout; reviewers praised it but reported that it was noisy.{{r|malloy198305}} To quiet the computer, owners put [[Elastics (orthodontics)|orthodontic rubber bands]] under the keys.{{r|robinson19850513}} The computer is otherwise silent when it operates, except for the speaker, and runs for 20 hours on 4 readily available and easily replaceable AA batteries.  Data is protected by a built-in rechargeable ([[Ni-Cd]]) battery when the AA batteries discharge or are removed for replacement.  There are several simple programs available on the Internet for transferring files between a Model 100 and a modern personal computer (or a vintage one).

The Model 100 was also used for industrial applications and in science laboratories as a programming terminal for configuration of control systems and instruments.  Its compactness (ease of handling and small space requirements), low maintenance needs, lack of air vents (a plus for dusty or dirty environments), full complement of ports, and easy portability made it very well suited for these applications.

Third-party peripherals for the Model 100 extended its battery life and file storage capacity. Software was designed, and is still available, to extend the display capabilities (to 60 columns and 10 rows of text using smaller characters) and to provide more advanced word-processing or calculation software than the supplied programs.  To this day, hobbyists continue to design games, applications, and hardware for this device.  Simple drawing programs and games using the pixel-addressable display were favorites among users. As with virtually all other contemporary home computers, users are able to create their own applications using the included BASIC programming language.  There are no built-in facilities for 8085 assembler programming, but the thoroughly-documented BASIC interpreter by Microsoft offered the clever coder tricks for accessing machine code subroutines.  These tricks usually involved packing the raw object code into strings or integer arrays, and would be familiar to veteran programmers for the older [[TRS-80|TRS-80 Models I and III]].