Apple Newton MessagePad

We must pay tribute to the company Apple – she knows how to do the right ads to their devices. It happened with the presentation of the MessagePad, which was officially shown on Aug. 2, 1993 at MacWorld in Boston. Created excitement around the CPC was so great that the first five thousand MessagePad sold out for several hours. And worth every instance, by the way, $ 800.

But do not forget about the merits of the MessagePad, who discovered his arrival epoch besklaviaturnogo PDA. Configuration MessagePad were: ARM 610 processor with a clock frequency of 20 MHz, the LCD screen, 640 KB of RAM (of which 482 Kb be reserved for the operating system), slot PCMCIA Type II, Infrared and serial RS422. Battery life is 14 hours. Size – 184,8 x114, 3×27, 5 mm, weight – 400 grams (with batteries). The operating system used Newton OS 1.0. Among the software MessagePad had a notepad, diary and address book.

Casio Z-7000

Today few people remember that at the MessagePad was quite a serious competitor, which had led a consortium which included the company’s Palm Computing, Casio, Tandy, Geoworks, Datalight, America On-Line and Intuit. This consortium was well aware of the plans of Apple and therefore sought to release your PDA a little earlier Yabloko to use for their own purposes hype around the MessagePad. But do not have – Zoomer PDA series appeared only in October of 1993, and in the future fate of the new handhelds had no luck.

So, Zoomer created the “world”: Palm Computing has provided software plus recognition system PalmPrint; for the hardware and BIOS is responsible Casio; from the company went to Datalight ROM-DOS 3.31; of AOL – the client software for GEOS; well, and Intuit has provided financial program .

Family Zoomer were Casio Z-7000, Casio XL-7000 (model intended for the Japanese market and had no ON AOL), Tandy Z-PDA and GRidPad 2390. These computers were equipped with the NEC V20 CPU with a clock frequency of 7.7 MHz, black and white display with no backlight with a resolution of 320×256 pixels, 1 MB RAM, 4 MB ROM socket PCMCIA Type II, consistent (rate 19,2 kbit / c ) and the infrared port (rate 9.6 kbit / s).

Computers Zoomer were running the object-oriented, graphical, multitasking and multithreaded OS GEOS. Claimed battery life up to 100 hours in mixed mode – one minute text input for 10 minutes of passive work.

Computers series Zoomer not recognized, only sold about 10 thousand devices. The reasons for the failure served as a not too comfortable handwriting input system, a weak processor, the lack of means to communicate with a PC and a sufficiently high price (Casio and Tandy was originally sold their PDA for $ 699). Seemed initially promising project had been discontinued, but not so on Apple handhelds family MessagePad.

Apple Newton MessagePad 110

By increasing the rate, in 1994, Apple introduced the Newton MessagePad 100 (his clone – Sharp ExpertPad), and even a little later – MessagePad 110 and MessagePad 120.

MessagePad 120 (a clone of his Motorola Marco had the means radio) with 2-MB RAM, 4 MB of ROM, RS-232 and the operating system NewtonOS 1.3, which was later replaced by the Newton OS 2.0. And in 1996 as the Newton MessagePad 130 with a 2.5-MB RAM and a screen with backlight.

U.S. Robotics PalmPilot 1000

However, competitors are not asleep, and in March of that of 1996 Issue handheld computers has established a newcomer to the PDA market – Palm Computing. This company developed the same name of the operating system (Palm OS), and the logical solution seemed to make the CCP, staffed it.

The first models of Palm handhelds have PalmPilot PalmPilot 5000 and 1000, whose amount of RAM, respectively, was equal to 128 KB and 512 KB. PalmPilot 1000 was equipped with a MC68328 DragonBall processor with clock frequency 16 MHz.

A year later, there are series models Personal (512-CMC RAM) and Professional (with backlit display, TCP / IP stack and 1-MB RAM) based on the Motorola 68328 processor with a clock frequency of 16 MHz. Since December 1997, Palm began to license the Palm OS, as used Nokia, Sony and other companies producing mobile devices.

Unfortunately, Palm Computing is often passed from hand to hand. In September 1995 the company bought its first US Robotics, popular at that time the manufacturer of modems, but in May 1997 the first US Robotics in turn was acquired by 3Com.

The success of the first Palm handheld computers was so great that the name has become synonymous with the term PalmPilot PDA. Therefore, for handhelds running OS Windows CE, the company Microsoft introduced a special term – PocketPC, distancing itself from the kind of devices, which operate under the rule of OS Palm OS.

But it happens a little later, in 1996, the first version of Windows CE only appeared. But immediately found application in the PDA various manufacturers, including such grants, as Hewlett-Packard, Casio, Compaq, NEC, LG, Hitachi and Philips. Initially, only compatible with processors SH3 and MIPS R4000 (R3000), Windows CE and then began to work on processors Arm, StrongArm and PowerPC. As it often happens with Microsoft, its offspring needed enough memory, in particular, – 2 MB RAM, at least.

In the face of the creators of other Microsoft operating systems for handheld computers have found a serious contender, as the company Bill Gates knows how to “carve” the way its products. So it was with Windows desktop systems (Windows 3.x and Windows 95), it became so with Windows CE. Despite any flaws that OS and devices issued on its basis, a strong marketing support Microsoft has done its job.

Psion Series 3c

However, competitors are not going to lay down their arms. In 1996, Psion, previously almost edinovlastno is loaded on the PDA market, and produces a model Series 3c. Although the computer has replaced the Series 3a (released in 1993, for Russia’s market was carried Psion 3aR with russified keyboard and OS), it differed little from its predecessor. The buyer received the NEC V30H processor with a clock speed of 7.68 MHz, 1 or 2 MB of RAM, a serial port RS-232 with increased speed (up to 57 600 bit / s), infrared port, built-in microphone and LCD monitor with a resolution 480h160 points. The operating system used 16-bit SIBO (she’s EPOC16).

Simultaneously, Psion tried to define itself as a leader in the niche of “lightweight” PDAs by introducing in 1996 a device called Siena – about twice smaller version of Series 3 (dimensions: 150x70x18 mm, Weight: 180 grams). However, little success Siena did not have.

From our story is easy to understand that the end of the 90′s – “hot” time to market handheld devices. So the message to discontinue Apple Newton was quite unexpected. “Sorrowful” for all fans of this device news came on Feb. 27, 1998. And this despite the fact that in late 1997 appeared the first Newton MessagePad 2100, was distinguished by the possibility to connect to a network.

3Com Palm III

Withdrawal from the market of such a serious competitor spurred other companies. In March 98-th is 3Com Palm III, equipped with a powerful processor DragonBall EZ, 2-MB RAM, infrared port and OS PalmOS 3.0.

Title Pilot disappeared, he had to remove, for quite comical reason – well-known manufacturer of office supplies threatened to sue for breach of trademark rights. But I had to negotiate and the rights to the name Palm. Micosoft Corporation was anxious to call besklaviaturnogo PDA running Windows CE OS does not like something, but PalmPC, to win over more customers. But in the end, Microsoft had to be content with the name of Palm-Size PC. Incidentally, in 1998 there is a second version of operating system Windows CE, has the support of a color screen and fonts TrueType.

HandSpring Visor Prism

It is worth noting that 1998 was eventful in the world of PDAs. In July, leaving the 3Com Founders Palm Computing – Jeff Hawkins, Donna Dubinsky, Ed Colligan – and create a company Handspring. The young company quickly managed to prepare a real hit – handheld Visor. Distinctive feature of this device has a special connector Springboard, with which to Visor could connect a wide range of external devices: a modem, GPS-receiver, voice recorder, MP3 player, pager, etc. Thus, indicated the probable future of the CCP, as the devices that are not purely computer functions, but also have the opportunity to work with media content and cellular communication.

Popularity Visor added and low price: a model Visor Solo c 2-MB of RAM cost $ 149, and the model Visor Deluxe with 8-MB of RAM – $ 249. Also issued Visor Platinum and Visor Prism. The year 2000 began with a new round of tension between the “palm” and “vindouznymi KPC. At Microsoft, preparing for the release of Windows CE 3.0, decided to completely dissociate themselves from the brand Palm, and so began the widespread introduction of the term Pocket PC (better – Microsoft Windows Powered Pocket PC).

Compaq Aero 1530

In the late 90-ies of the last century and the beginning of this century, the PDA market was never as diverse. Divided into three camps (depending on your operating system: Windows CE, Palm OS and EPOC / Symbian OS), Pocket aides flooded the market under such well known brands like Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, Philips, Fujitsu-Siemens, Sharp, Sony and pr

Each manufacturer were unsuccessful, and successful development. The latter include the Compaq Aero 1530. This handheld was positioned as the smallest PDAs running Windows CE, it weighs approximately 140 g. At the same time, Aero 1530 had 16 MB of memory and battery, designed for 14 hours of battery life. Cost “machine” $ 299.

A good left and a keyboard model Hewlett-Packard Jornada 430se, and “confinement” for working with Windows CE. “Heart” of the CCP played a powerful 133-MHz processor. There was a built-in player MP3, color display and up to 16 MB of memory. Price Jornada 430se was $ 499.

Same productive processor (Intel StrongARM) stood inside the Psion Series7. Memory, too, was 16 MB, and it could increase up to 32 MB. Enough battery life to 8 hours. Screen Psion Series7 was colored, but the price was not too friendly – $ 1100.