D2CA.ORG - Dan's 20th Century Abandonware

D2CA's Legacy PDA's & Handhelds

Note: The units featured below are a part of my vintage computer hardware collection and are not for sale at this time.

Compaq C120 Handheld PC (HPC)

Year: 1997
Condition: Excellent
My Cost: US$33.50 (original: over US$700.00)

Features:
- CPU: 40MHz Hitachi SH3
- Memory: 2MB
- Display: 480x240, 4 grayscale with backlight
- Expansion slot: 1 PCMCIA II
- 1 serial port
- 1 IrDA port
- Sound: Mono speaker
- Power supply: 2 AA batteries, AC adapter

Operating System:
- Microsoft Windows CE 1.0 (Build 126-457)

Software:
- Calculator, Contacts, Inbox
- Microsoft Personal Information Manager
- Microsoft Pocket Excel
- Microsoft Pocket Word
- PC Link, Solitaire, Terminal, Tasks, World Clock
- Desktop software for Microsoft Windows CE (CD-ROM)

Upgrades And Changes Made To This System:
- Added a SanDisk 1GB CompactFlash card
- Added a SanDisk CompactFlash card PCMCIA II adapter

My Comments:
    Sometimes called handhelds, palmtops, HPC's, PDA's, this Compaq C120 is a portable computer running a version of Microsoft Windows CE. It just wouldn't be Windows without having Solitaire included with it (image 13).
    Included is a serial connector cable and PC desktop software to connect the Compaq C120 to a desktop computer for transferring information to and from each unit. It also has the ability to use an AC power adapter.
    I purchased a 1GB SanDisk CompactFlash card and a SanDisk CompactFlash PCMCIA II adapter for this HPC. 2MB of memory would not allow storage of much contact information and almost no room for Word and Excel documents. Windows CE detects the 1GB CompactFlash card as a "PC Card" and assigns a folder called PC Card as the access method to it. The 1GB CompactFlash card has a larger capacity than was originally available when the Compaq C120 was released. Both of these items cost US$33.50 with shipping. The beauty of this CompactFlash card/adapter is it will also work with all the notebook computers featured on the Portable-Laptop-Notebook page. It can function as a 1GB flash drive on older systems that do not support USB flash drives.
    This HPC was donated to Dan's 20th Century Abandonware by Mike S. from IL USA. Thanks, Mike!

Handspring Visor Delxue PDA

Year: 2000
Condition: Excellent
My Cost: US$27.00 (original: US$249.00)

Features:
- CPU: 16MHz Motorola Dragonball EZ
- Memory: 8MB RAM
- Display: 160x160 pixel 4 gray scale
- 1 serial/USB HotSync port
- 1 IrDA port
- 1 Springboard expansion slot
- Microphone
- Built-in speaker
- Power supply: 2 AAA batteries

Operating System:
- Palm OS v3.5.2H3.0

Software:
- Address v3.5H2, Buttons v3.5H, Calc+ v3.5H2, CityTime v2.12H, Connection v3.5, Date Book v3.5H, Date Book+ v3.5H2
- Digitizer v3.5, Expense v3.5, Formats v3.5, General v3.5, Graffiti v3.5H, HotSync v3.5, HotSync Serial Wrapper v3.5H
- HSAdvCalcDB v0.0, IrDA Library v3.5, LdbMgr Library v3.5H, Mail v3.5, MathLib v1.1, Memo Pad v3.5, Net Library v3.5
- Network v3.5, Owner v3.5, Prefs v3.5, Security v3.5, SerialLib v3.5, ShortCuts v3.5, To Do List v3.5, Update v3.5.2H
- USB Library v3.5H, Welcome v3.5H

My Comments:
    I acquired this PDA at a local thrift store for US$7.00. It came with the USB cradle, plastic top protector, and desktop software CD-ROM. Upon putting batteries in it and turning it on I discovered the LCD screen did not display the top menu items or time, battery status, etc. I purchased a second Handspring Visor Deluxe on ebay for US$20.00 with shipping. It did not have the software CD but had the PDA, USB cradle, top protector, and leather slipcase. It also had a fully functional LCD screen.
    Upon receiving the PDA from ebay, I discovered it had a much older version of Palm OS, v2.0, and did not have any of the extra programs the PDA from the thrift store had (Calc+, Date Book+, etc.). The ebay PDA also had a different motherboard and did not have the backup battery the thrift store PDA has (image 7).
    But upon disassembling both PDA's, I discovered the ebay PDA had the same LCD screen as the thrift store PDA. After swapping LCD screens, the screen from the ebay PDA worked perfectly in the thrift store PDA. I now had a fully functional and beefed up PDA for a total cost of US$27.00. I also now had two plastic top protectors and two USB cradles. Since no other parts from the ebay PDA were interchangeable, I discarded that PDA. It still functioned, but with older software and a defective LCD screen.
    The Visor differs from other Palm models by featuring an expansion slot on the back of the unit which can accept various modules: modems, wireless networking, backup memory, games, etc., making it more versatile and more functional than other PDA's of the day (bottom photo in image 6).

Palm m100 PDA

Year: 2000
Condition: Excellent
My Cost: US$12.41 (original: US$150.00)

Features:
- CPU: 16MHz Motorola Dragonball EZ
- Memory: 2MB RAM
- Display: 160x160 pixel 16 gray scale TFT active matrix plastic screen
- 1 serial HotSync port
- 1 IrDA port
- Power supply: 2 AAA batteries

Operating System:
- Palm OS v3.5.1

Software:
- Address v3.5, Buttons v3.5, Calc v3.5, Clock v1.0, Clock Popup v1.0
- Connection v3.5, Date Book v3.5.1, Digitizer v3.5.1, Formats v3.5, General v3.5.1
- Graffiti v3.5, HotSync v3.5, IrDA Library v3.5, Language Picker v1.0, Memo Pad v3.5
- Net Library v3.5, Network v3.5, Note Pad v1.0, Owner v3.5, Prefs v3.5
- Security v3.5, SerialLib v3.5, ShortCuts v3.5, To Do List v3.5, Update v3.5.1, Welcome v3.5.1

Upgrades And Changes Made To This System:
- Added a Palm m100 serial HotSync cradle

My Comments:
    Considered an "entry level" or "budget" PDA, the Palm m100 has 3 unique features from other Palm PDA's of the day. First, the design is different from the traditional rectangular-shaped PDA's. Second, it has a plastic screen instead of glass. Third, it has a new (for its time) Clock program that displays the time in a unique large font and the date in normal font. A plastic cover for the top of the PDA has a small window that allows the time and date to be displayed.
    I purchased a serial HotSync cradle for this PDA for US$12.41 including shipping (the cradle was only US$4.93 and still in its original retail shrinkwrapped package).
    This PDA was donated to Dan's 20th Century Abandonware by Mike S. from IL USA. Thanks, Mike!