Palmtop computer
Updated: 05/21/2018 by Computer Hope
A palmtop computer was an IBM-compatible electronic device that was about the size of a large pocket calculator. They came in a clamshell form factor, which allowed them to be used as a handheld device or what could be described as a small laptop computer. Although palmtop computers were based on DOS, many of them could run programs designed for traditional PCs.
Today, palmtop computers are obsolete and no longer manufactured. If anything, the term used today would describe a smartphone or small tablet.
Examples of palmtop computers
The first palmtop computers were the DIP Pocket PC and the Atari Portfolio, both available to users starting in 1989. Some examples of other palmtop computers are listed below.
- Hewlett Packard 95LX
- Hewlett Packard Palmtop FX
- Hewlett Packard OmniGo 700LX
- Poqet PC Classic
- Poqet PC Plus
- Sharp PC-3000 (shown above)