Hewlett-Packard HP-200LX
Datasheet legend
Ab/c:
Fractions calculation
AC: Alternating current BaseN: Number base calculations Card: Magnetic card storage Cmem: Continuous memory Cond: Conditional execution Const: Scientific constants Cplx: Complex number arithmetic DC: Direct current Eqlib: Equation library Exp: Exponential/logarithmic functions Fin: Financial functions Grph: Graphing capability Hyp: Hyperbolic functions Ind: Indirect addressing Intg: Numerical integration Jump: Unconditional jump (GOTO) Lbl: Program labels LCD: Liquid Crystal Display LED: Light-Emitting Diode Li-ion: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery Lreg: Linear regression (2-variable statistics) mA: Milliamperes of current Mtrx: Matrix support NiCd: Nickel-Cadmium rechargeable battery NiMH: Nickel-metal-hydrite rechargeable battery Prnt: Printer RTC: Real-time clock Sdev: Standard deviation (1-variable statistics) Solv: Equation solver Subr: Subroutine call capability Symb: Symbolic computing Tape: Magnetic tape storage Trig: Trigonometric functions Units: Unit conversions VAC: Volts AC VDC: Volts DC |
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Hewlett-Packard HP-200LX
*Also available with 2 and 4 MB or memory.
The HP-200LX was Hewlett-Packard's last non-Windows handheld computer. An advanced pocket computer that is eminently practical even today, the HP-200LX was equipped with MS-DOS 5.0, Lotus 1-2-3, and a suite of other applications loaded in ROM. But the main reason why it found itself in a collection dedicated to programmable calculators is that it was also the last HP pocket computer prominently featuring a powerful calculator applet... later, Windows CE models came with that dinky little Windows calculator, that's all.
As a formula programmable calculator, the calculator "applet" in the HP leaves very little to be desired. It can operate as an algebraic or RPN calculator; it can store, evaluate, and solve formulae of practically arbitrary length and complexity; and it is even integrated with the built-in Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet. It is also a graphic calculator; the graphical image to the right was produced using a Gamma function formula similar to the following:
Gamma=(-1)^SIGMA(i,X,0,1,1)/EXP(SIGMA( i,X,15,1,LN(ABS(i))))*L(q,SIGMA(i,X,15 ,1,1)+X)^q/EXP(q)*SQRT(2*PI/q)*EXP(((( (1/1188/SQ(q)-1/1680)/SQ(q)+1/1260)/SQ (q)-1/360)/SQ(q)+1/12)/q)
Curiously, the HP-200LX also has a second calculator applet "hidden" in one of its system directories. It is a programmers' calculator that can do integer math in the binary, octal, decimal and hexadecimal number basis.
But most importantly, the HP-200LX is a good quality MS-DOS computer. Unlike its smaller cousin, the HP-95LX, the HP-200LX has a full-sized (640x240 pixel) screen, which makes this machine compatible with any application that can use a CGA resolution display. I've used diverse applications, including the EDIT.COM editor from Windows NT, or the classic INFOCOM game Beyond Zork on this machine.
The one thing that this machine lacks is a built-in development system for creating "native" applications, i.e., MS-DOS executables. Oh, it does have a copy of the MS-DOS debugger DEBUG.COM, but it's of very little use, unless you can routinely write programs using a line assembler. It was this lack of a native development system that inspired me to invent, and implement, a programming language that makes it possible to write simple MS-DOS programs on the HP-95LX or the HP-200LX. Of course, I should hasten to add, that as the HP-200LX is a machine with good MS-DOS compatibility, many older (16-bit) development tools can be used on it, including some Borland tools that are now available from the Borland Web site as a free download.