View source for Engineering:Palmtop PC

{{Short description|1990s small battery-powered computer}}
[[File:Hewlett Packard 200LX Palmtop PC - 2.jpg|alt=A Palmtop PC|thumb|The [[Engineering:HP 200LX|200LX]], a popular Palmtop PC from Hewlett-Packard]]
A '''Palmtop PC''' was an approximately pocket calculator-sized, battery-powered computer compatible with the IBM Personal Computer in a horizontal clamshell design with integrated keyboard and display. It could be used like a [[Engineering:Subnotebook|subnotebook]], but was light enough to be comfortably used handheld as well. Most Palmtop PCs were small enough to be stored in a user's shirt or jacket pockets.

Palmtop PCs distinguish from other palmtop computers by using a mostly IBM-compatible PC architecture and BIOS as well as an Intel-compatible [[X86|x86]] processor. All such devices were [[Engineering:DOS|DOS]]-based, with DOS stored in ROM. While many Palmtop PCs came with a number of [[Social:Personal digital assistant|PDA]] and office applications pre-installed in ROM, most of them could also run generic, off-the-shelf PC software with no or little modifications. Some could also run other operating systems such as [[Software:GEOS (16-bit operating system)|GEOS]], [[Software:Windows 1.0|Windows 1.0]]-[[Software:Windows 3.0|3.0]] (in [[Real mode]] only), or MINIX 2.0.

Most Palmtop PCs were based on a static hardware design for low power consumption and instant-on/off without the need to reboot. Depending on the model, the battery could power the device for a period ranging from several hours<!-- Viliv N5 --> up to several days<!-- 200LX --> while running, or between a week<!-- Viliv N5 --> and a year<!-- 200LX --> in standby mode. Combined with the instant-on/off feature, a battery would typically last from a week up to several months in practical use as PDA.

The first Palmtop PC was the DIP Pocket PC (aka [[Engineering:Atari Portfolio|Atari Portfolio]]) in 1989.

Palmtop PCs include:

*DIP Pocket PC (DIP DOS 2.11, 1989)
*[[Engineering:Atari Portfolio|Atari Portfolio]] (DIP DOS 2.11, 1989)
*[[Engineering:Poqet PC Classic|Poqet PC Classic]] (MS-DOS 3.3, 80C88, 1989)
*[[Engineering:Poqet PC Prime|Poqet PC Prime]] (MS-DOS 3.3, 80C88)
*[[Engineering:Poqet PC Plus|Poqet PC Plus]] (MS-DOS 5.0, NEC V30)
*ZEOS Pocket PC (MS-DOS 5.0, 1991)
*Sharp PC-3000 (MS-DOS 3.3, 1991)
*Sharp PC-3100 (MS-DOS 3.3, 1991)
*Hewlett-Packard 95LX (MS-DOS 3.22, NEC V20, 1991)
*Hewlett-Packard 100LX (MS-DOS 5.0, 80186-compatible HP Hornet, 1993)
*Hewlett-Packard Palmtop FX (MS-DOS 5.0, 80186-compatible HP Hornet, 1993)<!-- not sure, if 100LX or 200LX compatible -->
*Hewlett-Packard 200LX (MS-DOS 5.0, 80186-compatible HP Hornet, 1994)
*Hewlett-Packard 1000CX (MS-DOS 5.0, 80186-compatible HP Hornet)
*Hewlett-Packard OmniGo 700LX (MS-DOS 5.0, 80186-compatible HP Hornet, 1996)

Some touch-screen computers may also be included in this category:

*Hewlett-Packard OmniGo 100 (Datalight ROM-DOS+PEN/GEOS 2.1, NEC V30HL-compatible Vadem VG230, 1993)
*Hewlett-Packard OmniGo 120 (DOS+PEN/GEOS, NEC V30HL-compatible Vadem VG230)

==See also==
*Sub-notebook, not necessarily IBM- and x86- compatible, clamshell design, but larger than Palmtop PCs
*[[Engineering:Handheld PC|Handheld PC]], not necessarily IBM- and x86- compatible, various form factors
*[[Engineering:Netbook|Netbook]] (generic), IBM- and x86- compatible, legacy-free, clamshell design
*[[Engineering:Ultra-mobile PC|Ultra-mobile PC]], a Microsoft specification (IBM- and x86- compatible, legacy-free, not necessarily clamshell design, touchscreen)
*[[Software:Psion netBook|netBook]], StrongARM, clamshell design, touchscreen
*[[Engineering:Pocket PC|Pocket PC]], a Microsoft specification (ARM-based, various form factors, touchscreen)
*[[PalmDOS]]
*[[Engineering:Electronic organizer|Electronic organizer]]
*[[Social:Personal digital assistant|PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Computer sizes}}

[[Category:Mobile computers]]



{{Sourceattribution|Palmtop PC}}