The chains of thought begun with my wondering about what the new Palm LifeDrive PDA would be like when it releases on 5/18. Then I trace back all PDA I've ever owned: Zire 72, Handspring Visor Prism (the first palm with color screen), Casio Cassiopeia E-110 (the 2nd gen i.e. first usable gen of PDA from Microsoft running Win CE. Also my first PDA, broken after a jam packed elevator ride)
Then I trace back to the 1st PDA in my family: my dad was a true pioneer gadgeteer himself. He bought a Casio Databank more than 15 years ago. He was still using it even though one of the key has stopped responding! Of course I got him a replacement: a brand new Sharp Organizer (with builtin English-Spanish dictionary!)
Then I trace back to the era (early 80s) when handhelds are closer cousins to calculators than organizers. They were called pocket computers and have a small but loyal followings. I could still remember computer magazine in HK having a few columns dedicated to pocket computers and published source code (mostly BASIC, some assembly) for all those primitive games that used character symbols to denote the border of a race track, obstacles in outer space, and monsters... etc. You really need a lot of imagination to enjoy those games! I'd say the graphics on GameBoy and PSP are taking away the capacity of imagination from this generation of kids! I always fancied something like Casio PB-700(which I consider the best from Casio. Casio's FX series also have a few gems) or Sharp PC-1500(Casio's major rival) but I ended up only able to convince my dad to get me a Casio FX-5200P, which has the rare combination of a look of conventional calculator and yet programmable in BASIC!
Then I still couldn't fall asleep so I switched to other more boring topics...
And what a coincidence as I come across this great history of PDA article thru Engadget today! Ernst Mulder's Calculator Collection is another great resource.
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