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Compaq Announces Handheld PCs

The company%squots $599 monochrome C-Series units feature 8MB of RAM, 33.6-kbps modem; run on Windows CE.

By Rebecca Sykes, PCWorld   

Compaq%squots C-Series Model 810 runs the Microsoft%squots Windows CE operating system and uses a MIPS-based RISC processor, according to a statement from Compaq. The system is available now in North America for $599.

Model 810 also features 8MB of RAM, an integrated 33.6-kbps modem, a standard telephone jack, a speaker, a microphone, and a monochrome display with two levels of backlighting, the statement said. The unit includes handheld versions of Microsoft%squots Internet Explorer, PowerPoint, Word and Excel, it said.

Compaq also plans a color version of the handheld, called the C-Series 2010C, which will have 20MB of RAM, according to the statement. The 2010C will be upgradeable to 32MB of RAM using EDO memory or a PC Card slot and will be available in May, Compaq said.

Optional hardware for the C-Series includes a VGA PC Card that is designed to let users create and display presentations in conjunction with PowerPoint, displaying them on a large format (640 by 480) monitor or projection system.

Third-party software for the C-series includes the following, according to Compaq:

• Odyssey%squots BizCalc, programmable business and financial software that emulates the HP-12C business calculator .

• Physix%squots PocketChart, which lets medical workers complete an entire patient note, send prescriptions to the pharmacy, and collect billing information.

• Puma%squots IntelliMigrate, which lets users transport existing data housed in older handheld PCs to Windows CE-based PC models.