First color palm-sized PCs
approach the gate
By Darren Gladstone, PC Week Online
February 1, 1999 10:06 AM ET
Microsoft Corp. will officially debut the
Windows CE upgrade that supports color
displays, code-named Wyvern, on February
1. Major players in the palm-sized PC
space, such as Hewlett-Packard Co.,
Everex Systems Inc. and Casio Computer
Co. Ltd., are expected to have units
available by the end of the month. Soon
after, a surprise newcomer plans to make
some noise.
As previously reported, the first system out
of the gate will be HP's (HWP) Jornada
420. Slated to ship by February 15, it will be
the first to market with a 256-color display.
The device, which will cost approximately
$519, weighs in at 8.81 ounces and
measures 5.1 inches by 3.2 inches by 0.9
inches. Two features will help the Jornada
420 stand out from the pack: a clear case
that flips over the screen, allowing users to
scroll and view through the cover, and
internal ray shielding to support the Motorola
CF1350 Flex Protocol Pager module. The
CompactFlash pager is expected to be
available from Motorola in mid-1999.
The surprise comes from Compaq Computer
Corp. (CPQ) , which will be making its
debut in the color palm-sized PC market.
Although officials with the Houston company
have declined to comment on upcoming
units, sources inside Compaq have
confirmed their existence.
Compaq, which had previously released a C
Series Handheld PC, will be ready with its
color units by the end of February or
beginning of March, sources said.
Several names and models have been bandied about, but the tentatively
titled Aero 2100 and Aero 8000 - code-named Piglet and Tigger,
respectively -- will maintain a form factor similar to the current stable of
gray-scale devices but with a Thin Film Transistor color display
supporting 256 colors.
Sources close to the company said the units will differ in the amount of
onboard RAM -- 8MB in the Aero 2100 and as much as 32MB in the
Aero 8000. Target pricing is approximately $450.
The two-toned device will have four programmable buttons on the front
face, a one-touch record button, a shuttle dial on the side for scrolling,
integrated microphone and speakers, and an audio in/out jack.
Innovations will include a vibrating alarm mode and three illumination
settings to maximize battery life, which, according to sources, is
approximately 10 hours with the lithium-ion battery.
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