A computer that's not programmable sounds like a contradiction in terms, yet this is precisely the current trend in handheld computing. There is a multitude of handheld devices, pocket PCs, data collection devices and the like that offer no end-user programmability.
8-bit Pocket Computers
While most 8-bit pocket computers were end-user programmable in BASIC, a few models existed with no end-user programmability. Instead, these models typically had cartridge slots where third-party program ROMS could be inserted. Curiously, many of these early machines were used as language translation devices, with optional modules for a variety of languages.
| Craig Yet another once widely known, but long gone manufacturer of calculators, Craig also produced a handheld computer. |
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| - | Model | Type | Display | Programming model | Programming features | Memory | Special functions |
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M-100 | Pocket computer | 16 VFD characters | N/A | N/A | N/A | Cartridge slots |
| Nixdorf Before it was swallowed up by the Siemens empire, Nixdorf was a pre-eminent computer corporation in Germany. Their only handheld product, the LK-3000, was a multifunction device with a ROM socket. |
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| - | Model | Type | Display | Programming model | Programming features | Memory | Special functions |
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LK-3000 | Pocket computer | LED | N/A | N/A | N/A | Cartridge slot |
| Quasar One of the earliest "HHC" (Hand Held Computer) was, in fact, another model that was not end-user programmable. |
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| - | Model | Type | Display | Programming model | Programming features | Memory | Special functions |
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HHC | Pocket computer | 16 VFD characters | N/A | N/A | N/A | Cartridge slots |
| Sharp Some of Sharp's pocket computers were similar to their line of BASIC machines, but offerred no end-user programmability. |
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| - | Model | Type | Display | Programming model | Programming features | Memory | Special functions |
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PC-1270 | N/A | LCD | N/A | N/A | N/A | Cartridge slot |
Data Collection Devices
An important industrial activity is to collect data "in the field", such as scanning barcodes of items stored in warehouses. Many manufacturers produced data collection devices that ran standard or custom applications, were optionally equipped with a barcode wand, and offered a communication interface for uploading the data that was collected to a central database.
| Datalogic Datalogic is an Italian manufacturer of handheld industrial computer products. The PC-32E, an early Z-80 based model, was a "lucky find" on eBay. |
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| - | Model | Type | Display | Programming model | Programming features | Memory | Special functions |
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PC-32E | Data collection | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | I/O |
Windows CE
Windows is becoming ubiquitous. In the mid-1990s, Microsoft introduced a new, highly modular version of Windows specifically designed for handheld/pocket computers and embedded systems. It has since become widely used in many pocket and handheld devices, embedded automobile systems, and more. Unlike other versions of Windows, Windows CE is available in source code form and can be heavily customized by OEMs.
Windows CE devices offer no end-user programmability. Programming is accomplished through a cross-compiler running on the PC Windows platform.
| Hewlett-Packard One of the first manufacturers of Windows CE machines, HP remains a preeminent manufacturer in this field. |
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| - | Model | Type | Display | Programming model | Programming features | Memory | Special functions |
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HP-320LX | Handheld PC | 640×240 grayscale LCD pixels | Windows CE 1.0 | Win32 API | 4 MB | Pen, serial port, PCMCIA, CompactFlash, infrared |
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Jornada 720 | Handheld PC | 640×240 TFT color LCD pixels | Windows CE 3.0 | Win32 API | 32 MB | Pen, serial port, PCMCIA, CompactFlash, smartcard, infrared |
