4 ms·

I had a Dell Axim (not sure of the spec), I'm pretty sure Dell gave it away for buying a couple Dell branded printers or something like that. I also had an HP i

I had a Dell Axim (not sure of the spec), I'm pretty sure Dell gave it away for buying a couple Dell branded printers or something like that. I also had an HP iPaq which was pretty similar (I also think I got Linux running on that one somehow). It could do a few fairly impressive things, like running emulators as you mentioned. But I think the problem with those was Windows Mobile or Windows CE or whatever they called it at the time. The touchscreens stunk as well. It was just a crappy scaled-down version of Windows. It was missing the ability to run actual Windows software. It had a browser and a serviceable camera (it helped fulfill my eBay addiction at the time), but it wasn't the same as browsing on a PC. It probably still wouldn't have been ideal, but within another 2-3 generations it would have been improved/faster and then 'good enough', just like the early iPhones.

hylaride 2y ago
I also had an ipaq ~2003. It didn't have enough storage to be a reasonable music or movie player for commutes and (mine anyways) only had wifi via a honking PCMCIA adapter that drained the battery in no time, so I otherwise browsed the web with a laptop. No websites were anywhere near designed for small screens in those days, either. You're right that the OS was garbage, further limiting the already limited hardware. I think I also got linux or BSD running and messed around with some WEP cracking in my neighbourhood for a bit, but then it otherwise sat in a drawer. I was still in school and it was a stupid and expensive purchase, but it did teach me to only get new tech if it was actually useful and otherwise wait, which as served me well since, including the iphone (which the first one was barely adequate for what it promised).
- causi 2y ago
  You didn't just get a storage card? Between an SD card and a CF microdrive I kept a ton of media on my pocket PC. Most of the ones that came out in 2003 and onwards had bluetooth and wifi built in.
  - hylaride 2y ago
    Mine definitely did not have integrated wifi. Whatever model I had only supported CF, IIRC. Thinking about it, it may have been 2001-2002 I had it.

hylaride 2y ago

I also had an ipaq ~2003. It didn't have enough storage to be a reasonable music or movie player for commutes and (mine anyways) only had wifi via a honking PCMCIA adapter that drained the battery in no time, so I otherwise browsed the web with a laptop. No websites were anywhere near designed for small screens in those days, either. You're right that the OS was garbage, further limiting the already limited hardware. I think I also got linux or BSD running and messed around with some WEP cracking in my neighbourhood for a bit, but then it otherwise sat in a drawer. I was still in school and it was a stupid and expensive purchase, but it did teach me to only get new tech if it was actually useful and otherwise wait, which as served me well since, including the iphone (which the first one was barely adequate for what it promised).

causi 2y ago
You didn't just get a storage card? Between an SD card and a CF microdrive I kept a ton of media on my pocket PC. Most of the ones that came out in 2003 and onwards had bluetooth and wifi built in.
- hylaride 2y ago
  Mine definitely did not have integrated wifi. Whatever model I had only supported CF, IIRC. Thinking about it, it may have been 2001-2002 I had it.