The Golden Age of HP Palmtop PCs

Between 1991 and 2002, Hewlett-Packard manufactured a line of portable, palmtop computers that set new standards for what was possible for pocket-sized machines. Through successive generations, the machines allowed users to perform many desktop computing functions on the go—something that we take completely for granted today.

In fact, in the age of the iPhones and Android, most of us have probably forgotten (or are completely unaware) of just how innovative these gadgets were at the time.

HP's Golden Age of palmtops began with the 95LX, which was the first pocket PC to run a full version of Microsoft MS-DOS. Successive machines added Windows CE, color displays, integrated sound recorders and modems, and more, almost always staying on the cutting edge of portable computing.

Eventually, handheld PDAs that used styluses for input, then smartphones, crowded handheld PCs out of the marketplace, and the final HP palmtop shipped in 2002. But what an amazing world it was when these mighty mites reigned. In honor of these tiny forgotten wonders, I've pulled together a collection of HP palmtops that represent a good variety of the firm's portable offerings over the years.

The list is by no means comprehensive, of course, so feel free to share your favorite HP palmtops (and memories of using them) in the comments.

1. HP 95LX (1991)

MSRP: $550
OS: Microsoft MS-DOS 3.22
CPU: 5.37 MHz NEC V20H
RAM: 512KB
Display: 240 by 128, two shades of gray

HP's first palmtop PC thrilled the computing world by packing a complete IBM PC compatible machine in a tiny package that ran off two AA batteries. In fact, it was the first MS-DOS-based palmtop ever produced, and HP sweetened the deal by including the popular spreadsheet program Lotus 1-2-3 in ROM.

(Photo: Hewlett-Packard)

2. HP 200LX (1994)

MSRP: $549
OS: Hewlett-Packard MS-DOS 5.0
CPU: 7.91 MHz Hornet (80186 compatible)
RAM: 1MB (2 and 4MB later)
Display: 640 by 200, four shades of gray

The 200LX (and its precursor, the 100LX) improved upon the 95LX with a higher resolution display, a faster CPU, more RAM, and an integrated application launch manager -- all while retaining almost complete MS-DOS 5.0 compatibility. All this plus the fact that it runs off a pair of AA batteries for almost 40 hours (!) makes it a sought-after machine today for those who prefer legacy DOS applications.

(Photo: Hewlett-Packard)

3. HP OmniGo 100 (1995)

MSRP: $349
OS: Geoworks PEN/GEOS
CPU: 16 MHz NEC V30HL (80186 compatible)
RAM: 1MB
Display: 240 by 240, monochrome

The OmniGo 100 represented a completely different direction for HP's palmtops. It shipped with an entirely GUI-based OS, only partial MS-DOS compatibility, Graffiti handwriting recognition, and an HP-12C emulator in ROM. It could also be used in a horizontal or vertical orientation (with the keyboard folded behind it), which made it quite the unique machine indeed.

(PhotOS: Blake Patterson)

4. HP OmniGo 700LX (1996)

MSRP: $1000
OS: Hewlett-Packard MS-DOS 5.0
CPU: 7.91 MHz Hornet (80186 compatible)
RAM: 2MB
Display: 640 by 200, four shades of gray

Available only in Singapore, the OmniGo 700LX was essentially an HP 200LX with a built-in cradle for a Nokia cellular phone so users could check email on the go.

(Photo: Hewlett-Packard)

5. HP 320LX (1997)

MSRP: $699
OS: Windows CE 1.0
CPU: 44 MHz Hitachi SH3
RAM: 4 MB
Display: 640 by 240, four shades of gray, backlit

The HP 320LX was an improved version of the successful HP 300LX, which was the first HP handheld to ship with Windows CE operating system. The 300LX sported a high resolution for the time and added an important new feature: a resistive touch screen, which could be used with a finger or the included stylus.

(Photo: Hewlett-Packard)

6. HP Jornada 680 (1998)

MSRP: $899
OS: Handheld PC 3.0 Professional (Windows CE 2.11)
CPU: 133 MHz Hitachi SH3
RAM: 16 MB
Display: 640 by 240, 256 colors, backlit

While not the first HP palmtop with a color display (that honor goes to the 620LX), the successful Jornada 680 took color displays to the palmtop mainstream. It also included a built-in audio recorder (a novel feature for the time) and an integrated 56K modem.

(Photo: Hewlett-Packard)

7. HP Jornada 720 (2000)

MSRP: $999
OS: Handheld PC 2000 (Windows CE 3.00)
CPU: 206 MHz StrongARM SA1110
RAM: 32MB
Display: 640 by 240, 65,536 colors, backlit


The 720 was HP's second-to-last palmtop PC, and it improved upon the 680 series with an upgraded OS, more RAM, a faster CPU (with a different architecture), and a compact flash card slot. The 728, released in 2002, which upped the 720's RAM to 64 MB, ended the classic run of HP palmtops.

(Photo: Hewlett-Packard)