Palm-size PC
Encyclopedia
The Palm-Size PC was Microsoft
's first attempt at a computer
conforming to an 'in your hand' profile.
s with later versions even having colour displays and a standardized software environment that ran on licensed OEM hardware
platforms.
Early Palm-size PCs used SH3 and MIPS
microprocessors. An x86 build environment—better referred to as x86EM—was available for the purpose of IDE build debugging through the PsPC 1.2 development SDK, but was not available on a commercial level inside devices. Palm-size PCs held similarities with their older cousins the Handheld PC
in terms of GUI (closely resembling the Windows 95
desktop) and underlying kernel subsystems. The Palm-size PC was based upon either Windows CE
2.01 or 2.11 core.
James Bond
sported a HP Jornada 430se in the 1999 film The World is Not Enough
.
and would later ultimately abandon the MIPS and/or SH3 architectures in favor of the ARM architecture.
Microsoft's original name for the device was Palm PC, however this provoked a lawsuit from Palm Inc. for infringing their trademark. Microsoft was subsequently forced to change the name to Palm-sized PC. The platform was phased out in 2000, in favour of the Pocket PC
line of handhelds running Windows Mobile
.
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's first attempt at a computer
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
conforming to an 'in your hand' profile.
Information
These devices demonstrated many firsts for this form factor, including comparatively high-resolution screenLiquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
s with later versions even having colour displays and a standardized software environment that ran on licensed OEM hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
platforms.
Early Palm-size PCs used SH3 and MIPS
MIPS architecture
MIPS is a reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by MIPS Technologies . The early MIPS architectures were 32-bit, and later versions were 64-bit...
microprocessors. An x86 build environment—better referred to as x86EM—was available for the purpose of IDE build debugging through the PsPC 1.2 development SDK, but was not available on a commercial level inside devices. Palm-size PCs held similarities with their older cousins the Handheld PC
Handheld PC
A Handheld PC, or H/PC for short, is a term for a computer built around a form factor which is smaller than any standard laptop computer. It is sometimes referred to as a Palmtop. The first handheld device compatible with desktop IBM personal computers of the time was the Atari Portfolio of 1989...
in terms of GUI (closely resembling the Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
desktop) and underlying kernel subsystems. The Palm-size PC was based upon either Windows CE
Windows CE
Microsoft Windows CE is an operating system developed by Microsoft for embedded systems. Windows CE is a distinct operating system and kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows...
2.01 or 2.11 core.
James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
sported a HP Jornada 430se in the 1999 film The World is Not Enough
The World Is Not Enough
The World Is Not Enough is the nineteenth spy film in the James Bond film series, and the third to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Michael Apted, with the original story and screenplay written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Bruce Feirstein. It...
.
Legacy
The Palm-Size PC was never hugely successful, largely due to the price range and lack of connectivity options when compared to their Handheld PC counterparts. Microsoft later refreshed the release into a more distinctive package as the Pocket PCPocket PC
A Pocket PC is also known by Microsoft as a 'Windows Mobile Classic device'. It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer, personal digital assistant , that runs the Microsoft 'Windows Mobile Classic' operating system...
and would later ultimately abandon the MIPS and/or SH3 architectures in favor of the ARM architecture.
Microsoft's original name for the device was Palm PC, however this provoked a lawsuit from Palm Inc. for infringing their trademark. Microsoft was subsequently forced to change the name to Palm-sized PC. The platform was phased out in 2000, in favour of the Pocket PC
Pocket PC
A Pocket PC is also known by Microsoft as a 'Windows Mobile Classic device'. It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer, personal digital assistant , that runs the Microsoft 'Windows Mobile Classic' operating system...
line of handhelds running Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
.
See also
- MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
- Handheld PCHandheld PCA Handheld PC, or H/PC for short, is a term for a computer built around a form factor which is smaller than any standard laptop computer. It is sometimes referred to as a Palmtop. The first handheld device compatible with desktop IBM personal computers of the time was the Atari Portfolio of 1989...
- The predecessor of Palm-sized PCs. - Pocket PCPocket PCA Pocket PC is also known by Microsoft as a 'Windows Mobile Classic device'. It is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer, personal digital assistant , that runs the Microsoft 'Windows Mobile Classic' operating system...
- The successor of Palm-sized PCs. - Windows CEWindows CEMicrosoft Windows CE is an operating system developed by Microsoft for embedded systems. Windows CE is a distinct operating system and kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows...
- Operating system of Palm-sized PCs. - Windows MobileWindows MobileWindows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
- Operating system of Pocket PCs. - ActiveSyncActiveSyncActiveSync is a mobile data synchronization technology and protocol developed by Microsoft, originally released in 1996. There are two implementations of the technology: one which synchronizes data and information with handheld devices with a specific desktop computer , and another technology,...
- HP Jornada - A line of Handheld, Palm-size and Pocket PCs.
External links
- HPC:Factor — History of Windows CE