| layout | title | date |
|---|---|---|
home |
palmtop.dev |
2021-04-23 07:14:28 -0500 |
On April 23, 1991, Hewlett-Packard Company unveiled project Jaguar — better known as the HP 95LX Palmtop PC. The pocket-sized device packed MS-DOS 3.22, 512KB of RAM, 1MB of ROM — including Personal Information Manager (PIM) applications, as well as the killer app of the time, Lotus 1-2-3 — and a PC-XT-compliant x86 architecture into just 11 ounces. Developed in conjunction with Lotus Development Corporation, the potent portable would go on to ship over 400,000 units.
Rapidly succeeding the 95LX, project Cougar — to be known as the HP 100LX — debuted in 1993. With a 640x200 CGA-compatible display, MS-DOS 5.0 in ROM, and a PCMCIA 2.0-compatible expansion slot, the 100LX represented a dramatic leap forward in the ability to run desktop DOS software. A faster, 80186-compatible Hornet CPU replaced the 95LX's 8088-compatible NEC V20 CPU. The ability to charge NiCad AA batteries nudged the 100LX even closer to today's portables, and away from its calculator roots.
The final evolution came in 1994 in the form of the 200LX. Project Felix added Intuit's Pocket Quicken personal finance management software, as well as replacing the 100LX's black case with a unique dark green. A 4MB version was introduced in February of 1997, along with a 2MB version of the DOS-only 1000CX variant. Despite being discontinued over two decades ago, the HP Palmtops' popularity has endured, with working units easily obtainable today. This site aims to provide comprehensive information to the modern palmtop user, with an emphasis on software development and exploration.