HP F1010A
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | January 1, 1939 |
| Founder | Bill Hewlett, Dave Packard |
| Headquarters | Palo Alto, California , United States |
| Products | HP 95LX Palmtop PC, HP 100LX, HP Palmtop FX, HP 200LX, HP 1000CX, HP OmniGo 700LX |
The HP 95LX Palmtop PC (models F1000A, F1010A), internally referred to as project Jaguar, represents Hewlett Packard's inaugural pocket-sized computer running DOS and serves as an early personal digital assistant. It was introduced in April 1991 through a collaboration with Lotus Development Corporation. The "LX" designation signifies "Lotus Expandable". This device followed in the footsteps of larger portable computing systems such as the HP 110 and HP 110 Plus.
Hardware
Equipped with an Intel 8088-compatible NEC V20 processor operating at 5.37 MHz, the HP 95LX incorporates an Intel system on a chip (SoC). However, its LCD panel with a quarter-CGA (MDA) resolution limits full IBM PC compatibility.
The unit draws power from two AA batteries and utilizes a CR2032 lithium coin cell to maintain memory retention. For data storage, it offers a single PCMCIA slot that supports static RAM cards, each containing its own backup battery (typically a CR2025). Connectivity is provided by an RS-232-compatible serial interface as well as an infrared port designed for printing on selected Hewlett Packard printer models.
Display
The screen operates in character mode, presenting 16 rows of 40 characters without any backlight. Unlike standard IBM-compatible machines that employ code page 437, the HP 95LX uses a text mode font fixed to code page 850. Internally, Lotus 1-2-3 utilizes the Lotus International Character Set (LICS), which is mapped to code page 850 for both display and print output.
Software
This palmtop runs on MS-DOS 3.22 and includes a tailored version of Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.2 embedded within its ROM. Additional built-in applications consist of a calculator, a scheduling calendar, a telecommunications utility, and a basic text editor.
Successors
Following the HP 95LX, Hewlett Packard released subsequent models such as the HP 100LX, HP Palmtop FX, HP 200LX, HP 1000CX, and the HP OmniGo 700LX.
See also
- DIP Pocket PC
- Atari Portfolio
- Poqet PC
- Poqet PC Prime
- Poqet PC Plus
- Sharp PC-3000
- ZEOS Pocket PC
- Yukyung Viliv N5
- Sub-notebook
- Netbook
- Palmtop PC
- Ultra-mobile PC
Further reading
- The Evolution of the HP Palmtops – An account by an HP engineer on the creation of the HP 95LX and HP 100LX (Hewlett-Packard Company, 1993)
- Chris Lott, The First Real Palmtop, Hackaday, 2020
External links
- Hewlett Packard's official page on the HP 95LX
- Technical details and PCB photographs of the HP 95LX
- Skolob's dedicated HP 95LX Palmtop resource and FAQ