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HP F1206A

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article HP F1206A, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 8 August 2025
Hewlett-Packard
IndustryComputer hardware, Personal digital assistants
FoundedJanuary 1, 1939; 87 years ago (1939-01-01) in United States
ProductsHP 200LX Palmtop PC, HP 100LX, HP Palmtop FX, HP 1000CX, HP OmniGo 700LX, HP 95LX, HP OmniGo 100

The HP 200LX Palmtop PC (models F1060A, F1061A, F1216A), also referred to as project Felix, is a personal digital assistant introduced by Hewlett-Packard in August 1994. Positioned as a Palmtop PC, it was distinguished by its nearly complete DOS compatibility within a compact design, equipped with a monochrome graphical screen, a QWERTY keyboard, a serial interface, and a PCMCIA expansion slot. The designation "LX" stands for "Lotus Expandable".

Description

The device features input through a compact QWERTY keyboard with an integrated numeric keypad housed in a clamshell form factor approximately one-quarter the size of a conventional laptop. Power is supplied by two AA alkaline or Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries, providing between 30 and 40 hours of operation, with the option to recharge via a 12 V DC power adapter.

Powered by an Intel 80186-compatible "Hornet" processor running at roughly 7.91 MHz (with an upgrade path to 15.8 MHz), the HP 200LX comes with memory configurations of 1, 2, or 4 MB—comprising 640 KB of RAM and the remainder configurable as expanded memory or storage. Third-party upgrades can increase memory capacity up to 64 MB, allowing the PCMCIA slot to be used for modem or Ethernet cards including models from Silicom, Accton (2212/2216), Netgear FA411, and Sohoware ND5120. Operating MS-DOS 5.0 from ROM and fully compatible with IBM PC/XT architecture, it supports most software designed for Intel 8086/8088/80186 processors and CGA graphics; certain 80286 applications can run provided they avoid protected mode. The system includes a 16-bit PCMCIA Type II slot (5 V, max 150 mA), an Infrared Data Association (SIR) infrared port, and a full serial port featuring a proprietary mini connector.

Pre-installed ROM software encompasses Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.4 spreadsheet, calendar, phone book, terminal emulator, Lotus cc:Mail, plus scientific and business calculators. When paired with substantial CompactFlash storage and a serial mouse, it can execute Microsoft Windows 3.0 in Real Mode—supporting Word 1.x and Excel 2.x—although hardware constraints limit compatibility with later Windows versions. The monochrome LCD screen is CGA-compatible with a resolution of 640×200 pixels displaying four gray shades but does not include backlighting; however, third-party electroluminescent backlight solutions have been available since 2004.

Unlike typical CGA displays locked to code page 437 fonts, the HP LX series allows users to switch text mode ROM fonts between code pages 437 and 850 and supports software-definable RAM fonts for additional code pages such as 437G, 437T, 852, and 866. Lotus 1-2-3 internally utilizes the Lotus International Character Set but converts characters to code page 850 for both display and printing purposes.

HP 100LX

The HP 100LX Palmtop PC (F1020A for the 1 MB model and F1022A for the 2 MB model), also known as project Cougar, was released prior to the 200LX in 1993. This model came in International English, U.S. English, French, German, and Spanish editions featuring localized keyboards and interface messages. It utilized the Hornet CPU alongside MS-DOS 5.0, though with earlier versions of built-in applications.

HP Palmtop FX

Introduced in 1993 as well, the HP Palmtop FX is a variant of the HP 100LX that offered up to 2 MB of flashable memory. A specialized utility enabled creation and writing of FAT flash disk images to drive F:. This model was reportedly developed specifically for a Korean insurance company.

HP 200LX AIA

The HP 200LX AIA represents a 2 MB, double-speed variant of the HP 200LX, specifically manufactured for the insurance firm American International Assurance (AIA).

HP 1000CX

Known as project Puma, the HP 1000CX Palmtop PC (model F1203A with 1 MB released in March 1995, and F1222A with 2 MB launched in February 1997) serves as a cost-effective alternative to the 200LX. It comes without pre-installed software aside from MS-DOS 5.0 embedded in ROM. This model gained popularity among organizations such as Coca-Cola, where warehouse supervisors deployed customized logistics applications. Unlike the dark green hue of the 200LX, the 1000CX is encased in a black clamshell design.

HP OmniGo 700LX

The HP OmniGo 700LX Communicator Plus (F1206A), internally codenamed Columbia, was developed by HP’s Singapore calculator division. This device integrated a modified HP 200LX with a Nokia 2110 GSM mobile phone, connected via a secondary PCMCIA slot to enable wireless communication. Introduced at the end of 1995 and available from March 1996, its distinctive pebble-shaped housing contained both components. Production ceased as the Nokia 2110 became outdated. The OmniGo 700LX foreshadowed early smartphone designs such as the Nokia 9000 Communicator.

HP 95LX

Released in April 1991 under project name Jaguar, the HP 95LX Palmtop PC (F1000A with 512 KB and F1010A with 1 MB) laid the groundwork for subsequent models. Powered by a NEC V20 CPU running at 5.37 MHz, it was constrained by its quarter-CGA resolution display and MDA-compatible graphics chipset, limiting compatibility with standard PC software. It operated on MS-DOS 3.22 and included Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.2 preinstalled. A CR2032 battery ensured memory preservation when AA batteries were exhausted.

HP OmniGo 100

The HP OmniGo 100 Organizer Plus (F1305A/F1310A) was introduced as the successor to the LX line, incorporating functions from the HP-12C calculator. Featuring a graphical user interface navigable via pen or keyboard input, it lacked support for unmodified DOS applications. Running on DOS-based PEN/GEOS version 2.1 with Graffiti handwriting recognition layered over Datalight ROM-DOS 6.22, it struggled to gain widespread acceptance amid growing competition from Palm and Pocket PCs. Equipped with 1 MB RAM and powered by a 16 MHz NEC V30HL CPU compatible with the Intel 80186, it utilized the Vadem VG230/V5H system controller architecture.

Current usage

As HP transitioned to its Windows CE product line beginning with the HP 300LX, production of these devices ceased. Nonetheless, the HP OmniGo 100 maintained a dedicated following due to its MS-DOS environment, which allowed users access to an extensive range of desktop software including bundled programs like Lotus 1-2-3 and Quicken. Compared to Windows CE alternatives, DOS applications delivered compact and efficient performance, with utilities such as Software Carousel enabling multitasking capabilities.

Various third-party providers continue to offer repair services, upgrades, and refurbishments aimed at prolonging device usability.

The HP 200LX’s compact form factor contributed to its significant popularity in Japan, inspiring an open-source project initiated by to create a successor based on an AMD Élan SC400 processor in 2001. However, only a single prototype was completed before financial difficulties led to bankruptcy in 2003, leaving numerous investors unpaid. Project leaders attributed this failure partly to component shortages caused by high demand within the mobile phone sector.

Typical issues

  • Cracking frequently appeared on the right hinge of the injected-molded case top due to production defects; common repairs include using industrial-strength super glue or adding metal reinforcements with epoxy.
  • The case latch often malfunctioned but could be remedied by placing rubber or sponge material to serve as a spring replacement.
  • To avoid battery leakage that may harm the LCD flat video cable, only premium-quality AA rechargeable batteries should be used.
  • Older devices might experience missing display pixel columns caused by detached pins on surface-mounted chips; reflowing the solder joints can recover proper operation.
  • Intensive usage may cause detachment of the space bar and enter key, requiring a full keyboard replacement.
  • The flexible strip linking the screen to the motherboard is susceptible to wear and tearing from friction, typically necessitating replacement.
  • Keyboard responsiveness problems are usually due to deteriorated graphite-to-gold pad connections on the ribbon cable; restoring contact can be achieved by applying conductive silver paint or copper foil. Corroded motherboard pads may be carefully polished with fine steel wool. These repairs demand precise electronics handling and reassembly expertise.

Limitations in full IBM PC compatibility

  • The HP 100LX/200LX’s digital-to-analog converter does not support audio tone generation; its function is limited to monitoring battery status and charging.
  • The device lacks BIOS support (specifically INT 13h) for hard disk access. Some partial drivers exist that allow booting MINIX 2.0.

Additional information

  • The HP 200LX was utilized during NASA’s Discovery OV103 Mission STS-95, which was Senator John Glenn’s final flight, as part of an Electronic Nose experiment developed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Caltech, successfully overseen by Dan Karmon from JPL.
  • The HP 200LX can play low-resolution video and audio files through software created by Stefan Peichl and also supports rudimentary sound recording. Although there is no compatible PCMCIA sound card, MIDI devices such as the Yamaha MU10 operate via the serial port using Voyetra or GSPlay software. Terrence Vergauwen employs a PCMCIA parallel port card combined with an OPL3LPT (Adlib-compatible) sound card for gaming purposes.
  • Both software and hardware modifications enable Internet connectivity on the HP 200LX.
  • Serial numbers for HP models 100LX, 200LX, 1000CX, and OmniGo 700LX follow this pattern: XXYWWNNNNN, where XX indicates manufacturing country (e.g., SG for Singapore), Y represents the last digit of the production year (e.g., 6 for 1996), WW is the week of manufacture, and NNNNN is the sequential unit number produced during that week.

Hidden features

Several hidden easter eggs are embedded within the HP 200LX:

Concealed gallery

Within the built-in game "Lair of Squid," entering "gallery" ("gallerie" on French versions; "siegergalerie" on German; "galeria" on Spanish) at startup unlocks a maze area showcasing photos of key software developers:

  • Andy Gryc
  • Pat Megowan
  • Everett Kaser
  • Bill Johnson
  • Lynn Winter
  • Susan Wechsler
  • Eric Evett

The gallery concludes with a gratitude message from the Felix Software team.

Self-test poem 1

Within the HP 200LX self-test feature, which can be accessed by pressing while the device is powered off and selecting the display option, tapping fourteen times unveils a limerick:

Self-test poem 2

Also found in the HP 200LX self-test mode, pressing , then holding while pressing thirteen times, brings up an enigmatic poem that alludes to the obstacles encountered by the software development team:

Self-test poem 3

In this same diagnostic mode, pressing , then holding and pressing thirteen times reveals a symbolic poem narrating the history and prospective path of the HP LX series. The codenames for HP 95LX, HP 100LX, and HP 200LX were 'Jaguar', 'Cougar', and 'Felix' correspondingly; notably, 'Felix' was the inaugural model to integrate Quicken:

Hidden development tool in 'More Applications'

Inside the HP 200LX's native System Manager, a developer utility becomes available by pressing the blue key to enter 'More Applications,' then holding while pressing four times followed by one press of . Maintaining hold on displays comprehensive information about System Manager-compatible (.EXM) applications registered within the system alongside additional technical details.

Undocumented hexadecimal calculator

The HP 200LX includes a concealed calculator program named HEXCALC, created by Andrew Gryc. This application performs arithmetic and logical calculations in binary, octal, decimal, and hexadecimal formats. HEXCALC can be incorporated into the applications menu using this configuration:

  • Name: He&x Calc
  • Path: D:\BIN\HEXCALC.EXM

See also

Further reading

  • Everett Kaser, "The Evolution of the HP Palmtops" – An HP engineer recounts the creation of the HP 95LX and HP 100LX. The HP Palmtop Paper, Nov–Dec 1993.
  • Chris Lott, "The First Real Palmtop," Hackaday, December 21, 2020.
  • Bryan Lunduke, "The story of the 1991 HP DOS Palmtop," The Lunduke Journal of Technology, August 1, 2022.
  • Rob Tillotson, "The HP 200LX: A Review."
  • Sy's assessment of the HP 200LX.
  • Articles covering NASA STS-95 E-Nose experiments and related technologies from Palmtop Paper and NASA.
  • Profile of the HP 200LX at Old-Computers.com Museum.

External links

Related profiles

HHP OmniGo 100HHP 100LXHHP OmniGo 120HHP 200LX
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