Editing Poqet PC

{{Short description|IBM PC compatible computer (c. 1989)}}
{{Distinguish|Pocket PC|Pocket computer}}
{{Infobox computing device
| logo=
| image=Poqet 1.jpg
| caption=An original Poqet PC
| name=Poqet PC
| developer={{ubl|Poquet Computer Corporation|[[Ian Cullimore]]|John P. Fairbanks|Leroy Harper|Shinpei Ichikcawa|[[Stav Prodromou]]<ref>{{cite journal | last=Machrone | first=Bill | date=January 16, 1990 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t4sKrq7z7voC&pg=PT113 | title=6th Annual Awards for Technical Excellence | work=PC Magazine | publisher=Ziff-Davis | volume=9 | issue=1 | pages=97–124 | via=Google Books}}</ref>{{rp|112}}}}
| manufacturer=Poqet Computer Corporation
| type=[[Palmtop PC]]
| release date={{start date and age|1989}}
| lifespan=1989–1994
}}

The '''Poqet PC''' is a line of [[palmtop PC]]s introduced in 1989 by '''Poqet Computer Corporation'''. The eponymous first model was the first [[IBM PC compatible|IBM PC–compatible]] palmtop computer capable of running [[MS-DOS]] at [[Color Graphics Adapter|CGA]] resolutions. The Poqet PC is powered by two [[AA battery|AA batteries]]. Through the use of aggressive [[power management]], which includes [[HLT instruction|stopping]] the [[Central processing unit|CPU]] between keystrokes, the batteries are able to power the computer for anywhere between a couple of weeks and a couple of months, depending on usage. The computer also uses an "instant on" feature, such that after powering it down, it can be used again immediately without having to go through a full booting sequence. The Poqet PC is comparable to the [[HP 95LX]]/[[HP 100LX]]/[[HP 200LX]] and the [[Atari Portfolio]] handheld computers. The computer originally sold for US$2,000; it was discontinued after Fujitsu Ltd. bought Poqet Computer Corp.

=={{anchor|Classic|Prime}}Poqet PC, "Classic" and Prime==
Three variants were produced. The Poqet PC was the first to be introduced and the Poqet PC Prime followed shortly after. (The original version was subsequently renamed the Poqet PC "Classic"). Several years later, the Poqet PC Plus was introduced. The main difference between the Poqet PC Classic and the Prime was the expansion of [[Random Access Memory|RAM]] from 512 to 640&nbsp;[[Kilobyte|KB]] and enhancement of the power management features.

===Specifications===
* Size: {{convert|8.8|in|mm|abbr=on}} x {{convert|4.3|in|mm|abbr=on}} x {{convert|1|in|mm|abbr=on}}
* Weight: {{convert|1.2|lb|kg|abbr=on}} with batteries
* Battery life: 50–100 hours (expect a lot less if running long, CPU-intensive programs (10-20 h approx.))
* Microprocessor: Intel [[80C88]] / 7&nbsp;MHz
* Memory: 640&nbsp;KB SRAM
* Display: Reflective DSTN (no backlight)
* Display compatibility: [[MDA (IBM)|MDA]]: 80 × 25 characters<br /> [[CGA (IBM)|CGA]]: 640 × 200 pixels
* [[PCMCIA]]: 2 × Type I, Revision 1.0 memory card slots
* Secondary storage: Drive A: 512 KB-2&nbsp;MB PCMCIA (not included)<br /> Drive B: 512-2&nbsp;MB PCMCIA (not included)<br /> Drive C: 768&nbsp;KB ROM drive with MS-DOS 3.3 and PoqetTools<br /> Drive D: 22&nbsp;KB volatile RAM drive
* Built-in software: [[MS-DOS 3.3]], PoqetLink, and PoqetTools

=={{anchor|Plus}}Poqet PC Plus==
[[Image:poqetpcplus.jpg|thumb|200px|Poqet PC Plus]]

Several years after the Poqet Prime and Classic, and some time after [[Fujitsu]] purchased Poqet Computer Corp., the new and improved Poqet PC Plus was introduced. The Poqet PC Plus had significant differences from the Classic and Prime models, some better than others. It features a rechargeable battery pack that holds a smaller charge than the "Classic", enhanced [[PC Card]] slots that now support more PC Cards, a transflective backlit [[LCD]] and 2&nbsp;MB of RAM (640&nbsp;KB to DOS, 64&nbsp;KB shadow, and 1-1344&nbsp;KB for a RAM disk). The Poqet "Classic"'s LCD didn't have a backlight and was more prone to breaking than the Poqet PC Plus. It also only took Type I, Release 1.0 SRAM cards, as opposed to Type II cards and Release 2.0 cards, including flash, SRAM, and a few modem cards. The Plus also had more memory. Despite many improvements, the Plus also had its drawbacks. The Poqet PC Plus was considerably larger and heavier than its predecessors. It weighed approximately {{convert|1.83|lb|kg|abbr=on}} as opposed to the Classic's {{convert|1.2|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. It also has a very odd miniature 26-pin serial connector for which there is no currently available adapter. However, many [[Toshiba]] external floppy drives and dongles used this same [[Japan Aviation Electronics|JAE]] connector. An amateur radio hobbyist who uses a Poqet has found a way to make a suitable adapter.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.qsl.net/wb3gck/serial.htm| title = Poqet PC Plus Serial Adapter}} </ref> It also is not totally PCMCIA Release 2.0 compatible, so not all memory cards will work, and, as Bryan Mason says on his Poqet site, only the "PNB Samantha modem, Megahertz 14.4&nbsp;kbit/s modem with XJACK, and the AT&T Paradyne KeepInTouch 14.4&nbsp;kbit/s modems" will work in it.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bmason.com/PoqetPC | title=The Poqet PC Home Page }}</ref> In addition, not all CompactFlash cards work in the Poqet. Users have found that many machines do not work with newer CF cards.

===Specifications===
* Size: {{convert|9.05|in|mm|abbr=on}} x {{convert|5.12|in|mm|abbr=on}} x {{convert|1.42|in|mm|abbr=on}}
* Weight: {{convert|1.54|lb|kg|abbr=on}} w/batteries
* Battery life: 3–12 hours (application dependent)
* Microprocessor: [[NEC V30]] at 16&nbsp;MHz
* Memory: 2&nbsp;MB (Memory above 640&nbsp;KB is configurable as [[Expanded Memory Specification|EMS]] or a RAM disk. 64&nbsp;KB is reserved for shadow BIOS.)
* Display: Transflective LCD with backlight on demand. {{convert|7.25|in|mm|abbr=on}} diagonal size.
* Display compatibility: MDA: 80 x 25 characters<br /> CGA: 640 x 200 pixels
* Expansion: 2 × Type II PCMCIA slots (nearly compatible with PCMCIA Revision 2.0.)<br /> 1 × [[TTL serial]] port <br /> 1 × TTL/RS-232 serial port (configurable)
** PCMCIA Compatibility: Supports SunDisk (SanDisk) ATA Flash, 3.3&nbsp;V and 5&nbsp;V SRAM; AT&T Paradyne KeepInTouch modem, [[Megahertz Corporation|Megahertz]] PCMCIA 14.4&nbsp;kbit/s modem with XJACK, and PNB Samantha modem.
* Secondary storage: Drive A: Left PCMCIA slot<br /> Drive B: Right PCMCIA slot<br /> Drive C: ROM drive with MS-DOS 5.0 <br /> Drive D: 784&nbsp;KB Flash drive<br /> Drive E: RAM drive (if configured)
* Built-in software: [[MS-DOS 5.0]], EMS driver, RAM Disk driver, Flash utility, barcode reader, PenConnect serial communications software, PCMCIA driver.

==Reception==
{{original research|date=April 2010}}
The Poqet PC was one of the first subnotebooks to exist in the marketplace, and still today{{When|date=August 2011}} is one of the smallest, although it is beaten by the [[HP 200LX]]. It was immediately recognized as a milestone in portable computing when [[PC Magazine]] awarded the Poqet PC development team ([[Ian H. S. Cullimore]], John P. Fairbanks, Leroy D. Harper, Shinpei Ichikawa, [[Stavro Evangelo Prodromou]]) its coveted Technical Excellence Award for 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1177471,00.asp|title=The 6th Annual Awards (1989)|date=12 March 2002|work=[[PC Magazine]]|accessdate=2013-02-24}}</ref> The same device that PC World called "one of the 50 greatest gadgets of the last 50 years"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/123950-6/the_50_greatest_gadgets_of_the_past_50_years.html|title=The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years |date=2005-12-24|work=[[PCWorld]] |access-date=2013-02-24}}</ref> had a very short lifespan, from only about 1989-1994. After Poqet was bought by Fujitsu, the Poqet was soon axed. For a short time Poqet value declined, with the onset of [[Windows CE]]. A similar decline in HP 200LX demand also occurred after the introduction of HP Windows CE machines. However, despite the new machines' power, their operating system soon proved to be inefficient. The Poqets and HP 'LX' DOS machines became very high in demand. Poqets also are in fairly high demand, but fetch somewhat lower prices. A Cherry Hill, NJ business, Disks 'n' Data, once had a stock of Classics and Pluses. As the owner of the store, Jerry Tessler, put it: "I sold them all in twenty minutes." Unlike running Windows CE, running DOS in near-standard specifications meant that everything from [[Lotus 1-2-3]] to [[Zork]] worked as expected.

==See also==
* [[Zeos Pocket PC]]
* [[HP 1000CX]]
* [[HP OmniGo 700LX]]
* [[Toshiba Libretto]]
* [[Fujitsu Lifebook]]

==Citations==
{{reflist}}

==Works cited==
* [http://www.cadigital.com California Digital]. 2006. 2006-12-22.
* Mason, Bryan. [http://www.bmason.com/PoqetPC/ The Poqet PC Home Page]. 2006. 2006-12-25.
* [http://www.qsl.net/wb3gck/serial.htm Poqet PC Plus Serial Adapter]. 2005. 2006-12-22.
* Wong, Al. [http://www.eskimo.com/~webguy/service/poqet.html Al's Review of Fujitsu's Poqet PC Plus]. 2001. 2006-12-23.

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=The Poqet PC User's Guide |publisher=[[Poqet Computer Corp.]] |date=1989 |url=http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/poqet/Poqet_PC_Users_Guide_1989.pdf |access-date=2018-09-14}}

==External links==
* [http://www.bmason.com/PoqetPC/ The Poqet PC Home Page] A collection of Poqet information, along with documentation, software downloads, and FAQs.
* [http://poqetpc.bluwiki.org/ A Poqet PC Wiki] is a wiki about the Poqet PC that is currently under construction.
* [http://www.fujitsu.com/ Fujitsu's Home Page] The company that eventually sold Poqets later on in the series' short lifespan.
* [http://www.njqrp.org/poqetpc/ Poqet PC ... QRPer's field computing dream!] A page on the Poqet used for ham radio. Many links and much info.
* [http://www.qsl.net/wb3gck/serial.htm Poqet PC Plus Serial Adapter] Making a Poqet PC Plus serial adapter.
* [http://www.cadigital.com California Digital] sells Poqet PC Pluses and accessories.
* [http://www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org/poqet_pc/ Poqet PC] A review of the Classic by Tom Carlson.
* [http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,123950-page,6/article.html PC World - The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years] mentions the Poqet computer in a part of its article
* PC Magazine also mentioned the Poqet PC [https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2102143,00.asp in this article]
* [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950de6dc1730f937a25756c0a96f948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1 New York Times May 14, 1989 "The Big News in Tiny Computers"] by [[John Markoff]]

[[Category:IBM PC compatibles]]
[[Category:Personal digital assistants]]
[[Category:Subnotebooks]]
[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1989]]