Publisher's Message ...... 2 Volume 3, Bonus Issue #2,1994 PCMCIA •• Setting Standards U.S. $7.95 for PC Card Technology ...... 4 THE Ever wondered what the PCMCIA ot:qanization is, what it does and how it effects you? Read on. Using PCMCIA Cards in HP's Palmlop PC Computers ...... 6 The PCMCIA "deck" includes ROM, SRAM, Flash RAM, ATA Flash Disk, and Input/Output cards. Which one is right for your Palmtop and what can you do to get the most out of your PCMCIA mvestment Adding PCMCIA Card Drives to your Desktop PC ...... 15 [earn how to choose between drives, and aper get valuable tips on card drive installation. Data Compression Maximizes File Storage on your PCMCIA Memory Card ...... 20 These programs can save you money by as much as doubling the storage capacity of your PCMCIA memory cards. Hal's 15 Recommendations ...... 23 Publisher Hal Goldstein presents some guidelines to help you in your purchase of a PC Card.

PCMCIA Combo Cards ...... 29 Single cards that combine two or more applications are the wave of the future for PC Cards. Smart Modular's Fax/Modem & Memory Card is the first to work with the HP 1001200LX. HP StarLink Wireless Messaging ...... 31 StarLink is HP's "one-stop" soluTion to wireless messaging, includmg Motorola's PCMCIA wireless receiver, software and messaging/news service in one pack age . PCMCIA Data Acquisition Cards ...... 33 These Input/OutP.ut cards are beginning to be used for data collection, making possible, portable collection of critical data. First Looks and Future Directions for PCMCIA Products ...... 36 Take a look at fax/modem cards that work with cellular phones, alternative fax software, the EXP ThinFax, a new floppy drive and some speculation on future PC Cards.

PCMCIA Products of Interest to HP Palmtop Users ...... 38 This section fists PCMCIA-related hardware, software, books and services of interest to HP Palmtop users.

Memory Cards ...... 38

PC Card Readers ...... 40

Fax/Modem Cards ...... 42

Input/Output Cards ...... 44

Wireless Solutions ...... 46 ••••••••••••••••••••• Software ...... 47 Publications and Services ...... 50

01 PCMCIA Glossary ...... 51 Advertiser's Index ...... 52 Files on ON DISK Index ...... 52 o 74470 84589 8 YOUR HP PALMTOP JUST TOOK A UANTUM LEAP.

With just one Smart move, your Hewlett-Packard or 6 MB flash memory; 14,400 send/9,600 receive PDA can jump from a portable organizer to a fax; 2400 bps modern; MNP 5, Y.42N.22 bis error mobile communications center. The Fax/Modern correction; HP LaserJet compatibility; multiple­ and Memory card from Smart Modular Technologies destination fax capability; and auto-dial and enables this transformation by combining industry­ answer functionality. You also get EZ Installation standard fax/modern capabilities with powerful, on­ software-a Smart exclusive-to literally get you board flash memory-all on the same streamlined up and running in seconds, sleep and standby modes PCMCIA Type II-compatible card. By coupling for prolonged battery life and our comprehensive fax, modern and memory functions in a single card, five-year warranty. you can easily send and receive the data-intensive All told, the Fax/Modern and Memory card from communications Smart is a Calaveras County-like that, before now, leap forward for palmtop were beyond the computing and serious reach of palmtop computing. Hewlett-Packard In keeping with our reputation for 95LX, 100LX and PCMCIA innovation-and as a leading 200LX users like you. OEM provider-this powerful card has all For more information call the performance features you need: 2 MB, 4 MB Smart at 1-800-536-1231.

101994 SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved. SMART Logo is a trademark of SMART Modular Technologies, Inc. SMART All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. Modular Technologies t-= for your computer. open and start! ate in Portability Cases for Palmtops and Electronic Organizers.

Protect your palmtop and carry it in your suit Carry your palmtop and ajax/modem card. pocket. - Dimensions: 6.88" x 4.13" x 1.75" (17.5 x 10.5 x 4.5cm) - Dimensions: 6.5" x 3.75" x 1.38" (16.5 x 9.25 x 9.5cm) - Fits HP 95LX, 100LX, AND 200LX - Fits HP 95LX, l00LX, and 200LX - Available in black leather* - Available in black leather*

Protect your palmtop with the smallest case available. - Dimensions: 6.75" x 3.75" x 1.5" (17 x 9.5 x 3.8cm) - Fits HP 95LX, l00LX, AND 200LX - Available in black leather*

Included Features Futura Futura 100 40 50 60 75 100 130 150 175 $64.95 Specially designed for HP 95, 100, and 200LX Specially designed ror HP Omnibook Fils Sharp, Casio BOSS. Apple Newton, etc. Fils Gateway 2000 Handbook, Olivetti Quademo, etc. fils on Airpllllte tllble Penfpcncil ho lder Pockets (or PCMCIA I, business. or credit cards Pockets for PCMCIA I & II. busincs,. or credit cards 10 12 Futura 75 Pocket for checkbook. etc. Notepad $49.95 External pockets (or tickets and more Designed to carry your palmtop with a Et"=.~"""=fi=",:..:ro='''':::;'':-:-----,--:-----+-t--f---t-+--/-::-t--::-t----:::---i I Ideal Jor traveling and meetings. Also fits pager. EP,="..:o,:::;, =mo:::;'''='''''::.(:::''=cpi':::;Iu='''::.) ____--1f---f _+_-/-_f---t_-+_ +-:-i I electronic organizers and calculators. - Dimensions: 9.25" x 4.5" x 1.6" Pouch for clblcs and shoulder suap _ Dimensions: 8" x 6" x 2" (20.5 x 15 x Scm) (25 x 1l.5 x 4cm) Computer can be IIr1achcd 'lin Velcro (included) _ Fits HP Palmtops. Apple Newton, Sharp Newton, etc. - Fits HP 95LX, 100LX, or 200LX with a pager. Snap in lr.ly for lhe HP 95. 100. or 200LX (optional) - Available in black and burgundy leather* - Available in black leather* *Crafted from premium Cases for Subnotebook Computers. Nappa Cow Hide Leather Protect your HP Omnibook with the Specially designedJor subnotebook computers. smallest case available. Also fits HP Palmtops with phone and modems!!! Futura 175 - Dimensions: 11.5" x 8.6" x 1.8" - Dimensions: 11 .5" x 8.25" x 2.5" (29 x 21 x 6.5cm) (29.2 x 21.84 x 4.57cm) - Fits HP Omnibook, Gateway 2000, Olivetti Quademo, Zeos Contenda and many more. - Fits HP Omnibook ~ $160.00 . ~,-, ... ,~ ,..... Futura 150 Leather 30.00

carrying your subnotebook and much more! Futura 130 - Dimensions: 13" x ll" x 2.75" (33 x 27.5 x 7cm) - Fits HP Omnibook, Gateway 2000, Olivetti Quademo, Zeos Contenda .... and many more. $69.95 - Available in black leather*

. . .-~------~~ AMERICAN E & B Company IEXPRESS I <§>E3 735 Sunrise Ave., Suite 200 Roseville, CA 95661

USA: 1-800-896"-CASE [2273] Int'l: 916-344-5047 •~ Fax: 916-782-9306 .ALL PRICES PLUS SHIPPING .AND Publisher's Message The HP Palmtop Paper

Welcome to our first annual bonus HP Palmtop Paper PCM­ CIA issue - PC Card Review. Before a new standard can take hold there must be a suffi­ cient market to justify it. The PCMCIA committee, PCMCIA Volume three / Bonus Issue #2 card vendors, and PC Card cus­ Executive EditorlPublisher tomers owe HP and HP Palm­ Hal Goldstein top owners a thank you. HP Managing Editor helped pioneer and legitimize Richard Hall the PC Card concept with the introduction of the HP Palmtops Technical Editor and HP OmniBook. The 100, Robert Roney OOO's of HP 95LX users in the Department Editors marketplace, each with a PCM­ Ed Keefe CIA slot wanting to be filled, Mark Scardina helped create the PCMCIA stor­ Contributing Writers age market. Thanks to the PCM­ Stanley Dobrowski CIA committee (of which HP Vincent Hebert was a founding member), en­ Portia Isaacson hanced standards keep emerg­ Steven R. Magidson Top: Hal Goldstein ing. Now, not only is it possible AdvertisingIMarketing Bottom: Robert Roney and. Rich Hall to store up to 80 Megabytes of Brian Teitzman data on a PC Card in your Margaret Martin palmtop, but that same HP Diane Wimett Palmtop slot can be filled by a wireless receiver or a fax/modem. Circulation We divided this issue into three sections, Primer, Previews, and Sharon Ash Products. HP Palmtop and PCMCIA Card expert Mark Scardina wrote Sharon Dilmore much of the Primer section. We made current a number of Mark's past Cindy Ericson articles about PC Cards and data compression, and we published an Tom Gibson important new article from Mark about PC Card Drives for your desktop. Executive Advisor PC Card drives allow you to transfer files easily between your desktop and Rita Goldstein your HP Palmtop. However, nothing is free, and you will read about a The HP Palmtop Paper (ISSN 10656- number of options with different tradeoffs. I conclude the Primer section 189) is published bimonthly by Thad­ with 15 recommendations to assist you when purchasing a PCMCIA related deus Computing Inc., at 57 East Broad­ way Avenue, Fairfield, IA 52556. Sec­ product. ond-class postage paid at Fairfield, In the Previews section we take a specific look at PCMCIA applications. Iowa. Subscription rates payable in U.S. Well-known PCMCIA visionary Portia Isaacson guest-writes an article about dollars, checks drawn on a U.S. bank, combination cards and the new Smart Modular fax/modem/memory card. or by credit card - one year: $39; two years: $69. Postage: U.S. and U.S. pos­ Also in Previews we look at HP StarLink wireless messaging, the Accurite sessions free; Canada, Mexico add $6 PCMCIA / 3.5" floppy drive, the ThinFax fax/modem, cellular fax/modem per year; other countries add $18 per combinations, and more. Finally, read about the fascinating possibilities for year. Please allow four to six weeks for using the HP Palmtop and a PC Card to collect, monitor, and process receipt of first issue. Executive, Edi­ torial, Circulation, Marketing and information in the health, military, manufacturing, and field service Advertising Offices: P.O. Box 869, Fair­ professions. field, IA 52556. Telephone: (515) 472- In the Products section we did our best to list all known PCMCIA 6330, FAX: (515) 472-1879. Copyright 1994, Thaddeus Computing, Inc., all products that work with HP Palmtops. Except when noted, the vendor of rights reserved. No part of this publica­ each product verified that its PC Card worked with an HP Palmtop. For tion may be reproduced without written those who haven't mastered the PCMCIA jargon, please refer to the glossary permission. Reasonable efforts are at the end of the issue. made to provide accurate and useful information, but the reader must make It will be fun to watch the growth of the PCMCIA industry and monitor his or her own investigations and deci­ new palmtop possibilities in future PC Card Reviews. Such developments are sions; the Publisher and Editorial Staff important to HP Palmtop users, for a PC Card in the HP Palmtop gives the cannot assume any responsibility or Palmtop new potentiality, new possibilities, a new personality. liability for the use of information con­ tained herein. POSTMASTER: Please send any address changes to The HP Palmtop Paper, Attn: Thaddeus Computing, Inc., P.O. Box 869, Fairfield, IA 52556.

2 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 Transparent L~lnguage t~'> /1t~I~' ; .l~ PCMCIA .• Setting the Standards for PC Card Technology If you've ever wondered what the PCMCIA organization is, what it does and how it effects you, read on.

By Steven R. Magidson

Many of us are aware of PC Setting PC Card Standards work in a variety of diverse environ­ Card (also called PCMCIA) PCMCIA standards increase the po­ ments. For example, can you use technology, and the benefits tential market for a developer. Stan­ your PC Card modem in the DOS it brings to those of us who dard PCMCIA sockets in a variety of environment of your HP Palmtop as rely on portable PCs for our computers make it possible for more well as an OS/2 environment and daily work. The convenient companies to develop a single prod­ even a MAC environment. credit-card-sized PC Card uct for a variety of computers. This Among the compatibility issues devices available today in­ keeps profits up for the developers are the following: and retail prices down for the end clude high-speed data/fax • Making sure that the power re­ modems, LAN adapters, user. quirements of the PC Card do not sound cards, SCSI adapters, Setting standards has been a ma­ exceed the available power of the jor activity for PCMCIA, and it will flash memory cards, rotating portable PC in which it is to be used continue to be a key focus of the storage devices and more, all (e.g. at present, devices such as high organization in the future. The stan­ power token ring LAN adapters do designed to make life easier dards that PCMCIA publishes allow not work in a handheld device like and more productive for the rapidly growing number of card, mobile professionals. Behind all this the HP Palmtop that is powered by a platform, and software vendors to couple of AA batteries). is the PCMCIA committee. In this develop products that are not only article we will briefly look at the compatible, but interoperable as well. • Making sure that the revision of PCMCIA organization itself, what it Compatibility is concerned more the software (called "Card & Socket has done, what it's doing now, what with making sure that the PC Card Services) that you have on your com­ it will do in the future, and how it product works properly in your spe­ puter is compatible with the PC Card effects us. cific environment. In other words, to be used. PCMCIA (Personal Computer does the PC Card modem, LAN • Making sure that the PC Card and Memory Card International Associa­ adapter, etc. work properly with your your platform support the specific tion) is the non-profit 500+ member HP Palmtop or other specific portable features that you might want to use international association that sets the PC, and does the PC Card device (e.g. HotSwapping), and that if you standards for the PC Card technology work with the version of Card and are using multiple PC Cards, they that is being so widely embraced Socket Services that you have? can operate properly together in the today (HP is a founding member of Interoperability is concerned more same system at the same time. PCMCIA). It's also the trade associa­ with having the PC Card product tion that promotes the technology to the market bringing broader ABOUT THE AUTHOR awareness to users, res ellers, analysts, Steve Magidson is an independent consultant and freelance and vendors at trade shows, sympo­ journalist specializing in the areas of portable computing and sia and the like. And while we may mobile networking. Mr. Magidson is also a member of think of PC Card technology as being PCMCIA and serves on the Association's board of directors. new, in September 1994 PCMCIA He can be reached on CompuServe at [72727,3205]. will celebrate its fifth anniversary of operation.

4 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 With the wide range of applica­ for backward compatibility, the Asso­ While we seem to enjoy the PC tions to which PC Card technology is ciation and its members also under­ Card products themselves, it's impor­ being applied, insuring compatibility stand the need to evolve the standard tant to remember that there is a large and interoperability has been no over time to keep pace with the rapid international organization operating small feat. The standards have technological advances we continue in concert and whose standards form evolved from the initial version in to enjoy. It's a delicate balance that the framework for these products, 1989 that supported only memory requires the active participation of both now and in the future. PCMCIA cards (hence the organization's name: the member companies. Evolving the has come a long way in a relatively Personal Computer Memory Card technology in a standards-based short time, and there's more work yet International Association), to the environment is an ongoing process, to be done. current version which supports the and will provide users with a con­ [See page 50 for information on full I/O capabilities required by tinuous stream of new cards, plat­ PCMCIA newsletter, on-line bulletin today's PC Card products (e.g. fax/ forms and software that work togeth­ board, and contact information.] modem cards and wireless receivers). er to solve the growing and changing Without such standards, it would needs of the marketplace. have been virtually impossible to achieve this goal with any degree of compatibility or interoperability.

PCMCIA's job is not done Discover PCMCIA While the current standards have done a lot to promote compatibility, On Your Desktop there are issues that still need to be resolved. The next version of the PC Introducing SCM's SwapBox™ family Card Standard, due out later this of PCMCIA desktop card drives - the year, will include new features and industry's first PCMCIA Rev. 2.X card drives made with the desktop computer guidelines intended to minimize user in mind. these issues. The SwapBox™ provides a full-func­ Technology doesn't stand still and tion peripheral socket which will allow users' needs continue to grow. As a you to plug in and use standard memory result, the Association is reviewing cards and fax/ modems, LAN adapters proposals for additions to the stan­ and many more PCMCIA cards. The dard that will provide better support SwapBox™ offers the ultimate "bridge" between your desktop PC and any PCM­ for multifunction I/O cards (e.g. CIA equipped portable computer. Share LAN and data/fax modem, SCSI and the wide variety of function cards avail­ sound, etc.), low power (3.3 volt) able today and save on the cost of cards and platforms, a new 32-bit bus peripherals - link to the new world of mastering interface, and more. The PCMCIA . With SwapBox's TM user-friendly soft­ current PCMCIA Standard (soon to SCM offers an extensive line of both become the PC Card Standard) sup­ ware and high-performance hardware, the desktop computer user can take full internal and external solutions to accom­ ports 16-bit operations. The proposed advantage of all the intrinsic features modate many different desktop environ­ 32-bit bus mastering interface, called and functions that PCMCIA offers: ments. Call your SCM sales representa­ Card Bus, would allow 32-bit opera­ • Small form factor peripherals tive today to learn more about the tions with maximum performance • Share peripherals between platforms advantages of PCMCIA and the many rates 4 times, or more, higher than • Secure, removable data storage options available to you. the current standard. This will not • Access hundreds of multi-function The SCM SwapBox™ have a major impact on many of PC Card solutions • Rugged, reliable and portable The Ultimate Desktop Mobility Tool. today's applications such as modems and 10Mbps Ethernet, but it will become more important for high .u.s.. ~ SCM Microsystems, Inc. SCM Microsystems, Gmbh bandwidth multimedia applications, 985 University Avenue, Suite 7 FraunhoferstraBe 11 a 100Mbps Ethernet, and other applica­ Los Gatos, CA 95030 82152 Martinsried, Germany MICROSYSTEMS tions that require large amounts of Phone: (408) 395-9292 Phone: 4989 859-8702 Fax: (408) 395-8782 Fax: 4989 859-5806 data to be transferred. 0 )994 SCM Microsys lI:ms. Inc. SwapBoll nI ic; a registered trademark of SCM Microsystems. Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. While keenly aware of the need

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 5 The Use of PCMCIA Cards in HP's Palmtop PC Computers

By Mark Scardina

PCMCIA: Background Type II; Version 2.0: The Personal Computer Memory Card What's the difference? International Association (PCMCIA) is PCMCIA 2.0 capability must not be a non-profit trade association and confused with Type II capability. In standards body founded in 1989 and the PCMCIA standard, "Type" refers Type I PC Card comprised of over 500 member com­ to the thickness of the card with 3.3 mm Thick panies. It's purpose is to define the Type I equal to 3.3mm, Type II equal industry standard for PC Card tech­ to 5mm and Type III equal to 10mm. nology. Both the HP 95LX and the HP 100/- The first PCMCIA PC Card Stan­ 200LX can accept up to Type II cards. dard (I.O) was released in 1990 and However, only the 100/200LX has the defined the physical and electrical Release 2.0 standard capability. Type II PC Card characteristics of a credit-card-sized 5.0 mm Thick device that could be used as memory PCMCIA Memory Cards or as a disk in a computer. This stan­ With the exception of the New Media dard not only defined the physical PalmModem Fax/Modem card, the specifications of the card, but its use only function that you can use PCM­ as a data storage device as well. CIA 1.0 cards for on the HP 95LX is Since HP was on this standards com­ file storage. Read-Only-Memory Type III PC Card 10.5 mm Thick mittee, the HP 95LX ultimately came (ROM) cards, Static-Random-Ad­ to market with a PCMCIA card slot dressable-Memory (SRAM) cards, that met, for practical purposes, the and Flash-Random-Addressable 1.0 standard. (Flash RAM) cards were developed The PCMCIA committee subse­ for this purpose. quently introduced the 2.0 standard about a year ago. This release broad­ Read-Only-Memory (ROM) Cards Type I, II, and III PCMCIA cards ened the card specification with the ROM cards have been available since addition of input/output (I/O) and before the introduction of the HP execute-in-place capabilities, allowing Palmtop. They are the least expensive card can be installed simply by in­ the development of mass storage, form of memory card, but are read­ serting the card into the HP Palmtop, modem/fax, LAN, cellular and radio only and cannot be written to. ROM eliminating the need of a disk drive frequency communications peripher­ cards are most suitable for storing or file transfer from another comput­ als in the PCMCIA card format. The software programs or data files that er. The ACE Gamecard, Personal 2.0 standard was introduced in time do not need to be changed. Food Analyst, Derive, HP's Dictio­ to find its way into the HP 100LX. A software program on a ROM nary / Thesaurus card, and the The first I/O cards available for GlobalLink Language Translation the 100LX were fax/modems cards. Subsequently, data collection cards ABOUT THE AUTHOR (see page 44), a barcode system (see page 44), and floppy disk drive with Mark Scardina is a regular contributor to the HP Palmtop Paper. He is PCMCIA interface (see page 46) have Senior Product Manger for ACE Technologies. He is also the Sysop of been introduced. Developers are the HP Handhelds and Omnibook forums on CompuServe and the working on other devices for the HP author of numerous utility programs for the HP Palmtops. His 100/200LX, including VGA adapters, LAN interface cards, global position­ CompuServe ID is [76711,732]. ing system cards, and SCSI adapters.

6 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 cards and a whole series of cards your startup files (CONFIG.SYS and from Pocket-Consultant are examples AUTOEXEC.BAT) on it and boot Changing a SRAM card backup battery of software programs on ROM cards from the SRAM card to recover from (see PCMCIA Products, page 38). a C drive crash (insert the SRAM If you see a LOW CARD BATTERY message on the Palmtop, your SRAM card has just lost, Most HP 9SLX software was not card in the memory card slot and or is about to lose all its data! If the message available in this form because the press IClRq-1 ALl I-I DEq). Finally, SRAM appears, leave the SRAM card in the card slot and do NOT turn the Palmtop off - keep it on! cost of ROM cards was still 50 to 100 cards can be easily interchanged The main batteries will supply enough electrici­ times that of a floppy disk. However, among other computers with RAM ty to the card to prevent any further damage. more and more software is being card slots that support any level of Connecting the Palmtop to the AC adapt­ er disables the auto-shutoff feature and gives made available on PCMCIA cards. the PCMCIA standard. Memory card you all the time you need to change the bat­ ROM cards are more stable than drives are available that connect to tery. If you don't have access to AC power their writeable counterparts. The soft­ your desktop or portable computer when you need to change the battery, you have three minutes before the Palmtop powers ware program is "etched" permanent­ and allow them to access your card's down and cuts the power to your card. You ly into the card's microchips and can data quickly. can press a key every minute or so to keep never be altered or lost through any Although SRAM cards exist in the Palmtop from powering down. You can also disable the autotimeout by using action, short of physically destroying capacities from 64K to 4MB, practical­ SWITCH! or 95/1 OOBUDDYD, or TIMEOUTD. the card. ity and cost considerations limit the Slide the lock lever at the end of the card availability of some sizes. For the HP to the unlock position and remove the little battery tray. Pop the battery out and replace it Static·Random·Addressable Palmtops, S12K, 1MB and 2MB cards with the proper back up battery (a 3-volt CR-- Memory (SRAM) Cards are readily available. In addition, 2025 coin cell for HP cards). Make sure the SRAM cards were the most popular compression software is available to positive (+) side of the battery is sitting up in the tray. For more on changing card batteries, card storage technology used on the increase the capacity of the card. check your User's Guide. HP 9SLX. While SRAM cards are still Stacker from Stac Electronics, Ed Keefe DoubleCard from ACE Technologies CompuServe /0: [75300,3667J expensive when compared to floppy Dave Snellard and hard disk technology, SRAM and DIET Iii (freeware) all can pro­ CompuServe /0: [100064, 1525J prices have plummeted in the past vide up to twice your physical stor­ couple of years. age space. SRAM's memory is retained by written to and read from. However, the presence of a battery. The lithium Flash·Random·Addressable they have two big advantages over backup batteries used in the cards (Flash RAM) Cards SRAM cards. First, they do not need provide a one year life. Flash RAM cards are similar to a battery to retain their data. Second, The recommended procedure is to SRAM cards in that they are com­ they can have very large capacities. change SRAM card batteries every 10 prised of computer chips that can be The largest capacity card for the HP months. Set a 10-month reminder in APPT and change the battery wheth­ er you've received a low battery warning or not (see sidebar for chan­ ging SRAM backup batteries). [Note: See page 39 for information on Magic RAM and Premax's SRAM cards with dual backup batteries, and Centen­ nial's ReCharge SRAM card, which comes with a built-in rechargeable backup battery.] SRAM cards are the fastest of all the memory cards, especially when writing to them. They have virtually an infinite life with no drop off of performance over time. They also are both readable and bootable without the need of an additional software device drive. This is a distinct advan­ tage on the HP 9SLX as it is possible to lose the data and programs on your C: drive. Since a SRAM card can always be read, you can keep SunDisk ATA flash card, internal/external

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 7 · WARNING: Your subscription may be about RE EW OR SUISC rHI HP PAL rop

AND GEl ALL IHIS•••

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER IU'CCARD RIVIIW"* I USuper. •. " - Ken Cutler A special report with all the information you need to uTerrific••. " - Mark Gitlitz make sense of the many types "... truly the most rewarding maga­ ofPCMCIA cards becoming zine I have ever subscribed to with available: tons ofinformation and products SRAM • FLASH· FAX/MoDEM spedfically for the HP Palmtops. REVIEW I don't have to go to the news agent to NETWORK· WIRELESS· MORE browse the PC magazines for informa­ An invaluable reference item NEWISSUE tion re palmtops anymore. Thank you whether you're looking to buy EACH YEAR! very much!" - Khundry Kumulia or just looking.

IIIBlsr PALMIOP 11'1"*1 THE SUBSCRIBER Maximize your palmtop POW•• DISK productivity with this collection A different PowerDisk for of the most useful tips, tricks, 'BEST every year you subscribe! shortcuts and hidden features Loaded with the best we've discovered in our Programs, Games and Utilities we can find, two years of writing many subscribers have told us that the PowerDisk The HP Palmtop Paper. alone is worth far more than the cost of a sub­ Great for users at any level! scription. New issue each year! But you can't buy it. You can only get it free with your subscription to The HP Palmtop Paper.

*YOU.. RlCIIYE. TWO ADDITIONAL BONUS ISSUES FOR EACH YEAR YOU SUISCRIIIL Using PCMCIA Card in HP Palmtop

Palmtop is the SunDisk 40MB card (80MB with file compression). Sun­ Can flash cards wear out? Disk and NEC are jointly developing There is quite a bit of misinformation about FlashRAM cards "wearing out." The card does not wear 256Mbit flash technology that will out and stop working after a while. The card is made up of 512 byte sectors just like a hard disk is. eventually lead to 500MB cards in the In fact, the interface between the Palmtop and the card (ATA flash disks) looks (to hardware & soft­ late 1990s. The larger Flash RAM ware) just like an ATA hard drive. It is these individual sectors that are subject to 'wear", not the card capacities yield the cheapest whole card. Also the term "wear' is a bit misleading. After something like about 100,000 writes, a sector will cost-per-megabyte of storage ratios. tend to take longer to do a write cycle than it did when it was "fresh." Some engineer decided that SunDisk was the first company to a write cycle that takes longer than some specific amount of time is considered too slow and the introduce a writeable Flash RAM sector is "worn out." I'm not sure whether the ability to write to the disk eventually completely wears card for the HP 95LX. Until recently out or just becomes prohibitively long. However, you will always be able to read from the Flash disk. they were the manufacturer for all I have recently heard of a new Flash card being developed that does not need to have wear leveling ATA flash cards marketed under a run on it. So, maybe someone has licked that problem altogether? variety of names, including HP. There is a program that comes with the SunDisk ATA Flash disk cards called WEAR.EXE. This program should be run a few (3-4) times per year (it is not critically important). It writes to each sector These cards conformed to a supple­ on the card and measures the write cycle time. When it finds a spot that is writing too slow, it maps mental PCMCIA-ATA standard that it out as a "bad sector" and maps in one of the many spare sectors already included on the card. allowed them to appear as more Then it puts the data that was in the sector into the new one. If there were no slow sectors, then conventional IDE hard drives to the WEAR does nothing. Run WEAR a couple times per year to be safe. You should close down SysMgr HP Palmtops or a Pc. and unmount the Stacked drive before running WEAR. Then reboot afterwards. VERY IMPORTANT: SunDisk achieved a tremendous Be sure you have the 100/200LX plugged into a working AC power pack before running WEAR. It can take a couple of minutes and if the heavy duty writing it does kills your batteries, it could corrupt the technological feat with its flash cards. FlashCard. However, there are some points you I think WEAR may also move data around from sector to sector in an effort to empty the sectors should keep in mind. that have been heavily used and put the data into less used sectors. This helps to "load level' the First, the card is not readable or sectors. bootable on the HP 95LX without a Stanley Dobrowski "device driver" (small software pro­ CompuServe 10: [71031,2162] gram) already running. This is not

Travel FloppyTM 144 PCMCIA Floppy Drive No less indispensable than your HP 100LX

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THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 9 Using PCMCIA Card in HP Palmtop much of a problem, unless your HP how many times you can change Selecting the 95LX's C drive corrupts or is other­ data. Flash RAM write life has been right memory card wise lost. SunDisk users might want greatly increased through improve­ The wide variety of SRAM and Flash to carry an additional SRAM card ments in the memory chips used in RAM memory cards now available with the files necessary to reinstall the cards and software incorporated makes choosing a card a little diffi­ the SunDisk device driver - just, in to detect failing sectors. Claims have cult. Your first task is to determine case! IBM's new ATA flash cards will been made that a typical user need the minimum storage requirements not work on the 95LX. never worry about losing data due to for your system. While it is true that HP lOO/200LX users have the a write life problem. (At the time of you can never have too much space, necessary device drives built in and this writing, SunDisk and HP pro­ RAM cards are far more expensive do not have to worry about this. It vide a one year warranty on their than mechanical drives. Let's assume should be noted that the device driv­ ATA Flash cards. ACE has a lifetime for this discussion that your space re­ ers used are specific to the particular warranty on its DoubleFlash cards quirements do not rule out the small­ PC or palmtop. If you want to use and five years on its DoubleFlash+ er SRAM cards. the SunDisk card in another note­ cards.) book's or desktop's memory card Finally, it takes a little bit longer Cards for the HP 95LX drive, you have to first get the appro­ to write to a Flash RAM card than it 1. If you are going to use your cards priate device driver. (Most devices does to a SRAM card. This is because on the HP 95LX, then you should currently manufactured can read it takes a small amount of time for a choose between the SRAM cards and SunDisk cards.) Flash RAM card's write circuitry to the SunDisk 5 volt AT A flash cards Second, Flash RAM cards, while come out of its "sleep" mode (neces­ based on your storage requirements having a virtually unlimited read life, sary to allow the card to have similar and budget. have a long but limited write life. power consumption as a SRAM That means that there is no limit on card). I didn't notice additional write 2. You should make sure the flash how many times you can access data. time in daily use, with compression card comes with a software driver However, there might be a limit on software installed on my card. that supports the HP 95LX.

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10 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 3. The 95LX driver that comes with the card needs to be kept on HP PCMCIA Notes from HP 95LX's C drive. If you damage your PCMCIA cards that can be used on the HP Palmtops C: drive you will not be able to use [Thanks to HP Mobile Computing Customer Support, phone: 503-757-2004, fax: 503-715-5488, for the card until you can replace it ei­ this information.] ther from another card or a Pc. PCMCIA CARD TYPES 4. Hewlett-Packard sells a 5MB ATA Type I, II, and III refer to the physical dimensions of the PCMCIA card. Both the 95LX and 1OOLX can physically accept Type I and II (5mm thick) cards. Neither can accept a Type III (10.5 mm thick) card. flash card that includes Stacker com­ pression software. PCMCIA CARD VERSIONS PCMCIA Release 1.0 is the standard covering memory cards only, mainly battery-backed cards. 5. ACE DoubleFlash cards come in PCMCIA Release 2.0 is backward compatible with Release 1.0, allowing use of memory cards. different sizes with a special software Release 2.0 also covers 1/0 cards (such as fax/modems, wireless transmitters and receivers, etc.). driver that increases the write speed The HP 100/200LX can handle Releases 1.0 &2.0 cards. However some Release 2.0 cards draw of the card up to 30% over the stan­ too much power and will not work with the 100/200LX. (The 100/200LX can only handle cards that dard SunDisk driver. require a maximum of 150 milliamps of power at 5 volts.) The 100/200LX works with many SRAM, flash RAM, ATA, fax/modem, wireless receivers, and other PCMCIA cards. The HP 95LX can handle Release 1.0 (Type I &II) cards and Release 2.0 (Type I &II) memory 6. The 5 volt DoubleFlash cards are cards. The 95LX works with many SRAM cards, ATA flash RAM cards, and one custom designed available with an optional ROM card fax/modem card (Palm Modem by NewMedia). that you can carry to restore the driver. Overall, Flash RAM cards are Using a PCMCIA Card Modem with the HP 100LX slower than the SRAM cards when This procedure shows how to prepare the HP 100LX for using a card modem. This procedure is not you are saving files over 100Kbytes; needed on the HP 200LX. Additional information is given on using cc:Mail with certain card modems. therefore, the increased storage does 1. If you do not have existing AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS, copy them from the 100/200LX come at a performance price. Both D drive to the C drive. the HP and ACE cards are provided 2. Open AUTOEXEC.BAT in MEMO. with Stacker compression software. A. If you copied it over from D:, delete the letters REM from the line Rem d : \bin\ciclOO /genl . Cards for the HP 100/200LX The HP 100/200LX makes card selec­ B. If you had an existing AUTO EXEC. BAT file, add the line tion easier because no special soft­ d : \bin\ciclOO /genl before the last line. ware drivers need to be installed for 4. Press ~ to save the modified AUTOEXEC.BAT file. either SRAM or ATA flash cards. The 5. Close all applications. faster processor also reduces the impact of using Stacker compression 6. Press ~-I!E!J-I0!!9 to reboot the Palmtop. software. However, there are some The HP 100LX should now be ready to use the card modem in the built-in applications. Remember considerations. The HP 100/200LX that the PCMCIA card port is the COM2 port. You must configure Datacomm or cc:Maii to can use both the 5 volt and 12 volt send/receive via COM2. FlashRAM cards (the 95LX cannot Getting cc:Mail to work with PCMCIA card modems use 12 volt cards). Certain card modems require the settings in cc:Mail to be altered. If cc:Mail does not seem to connect The 12v cards provide speeds that or download messages when using a card modem, try the following: are effectively equivalent to SRAM and the battery drain on the HP 1. Copy HAYES.MDM from D:\_DAT to C:'-DAT. (Optional: only cc:Maii users with problems need to do this.) 100/200LX while reading a card is relatively low (equivalent to a SRAM 2. Open c:\_DAT\HAYES.MDM in Memo. card at about 60ma). However, writ­ 3. Type Rem in front of the two lines that begin with SETUP. ing to a 12V Flash RAM card con­ 4. Insert the following new line: setup=at&f&c1&d2&k3&sl&q5wO sumes 220 rna. during that process. This is a typical command string that works with some modems. Your modem may require other Twelve volt cards are no longer settings. See your cc:Mail Systems Administrator for the modem settings for your system. sold because the newer 5v FlashRAM cards are almost as fast and have a 5. Press ~ to save the file. lower (60 rna) Read/Write current, 6. Go back into cc:Mail and press I MENU I Qonnect ~ettings, tab to the Modem File text box, enter making them easier on the HP 100/ c: \_DAT\HAYES . MDM and press ~ to update the file. 200LX's system batteries. (The ACE You're now ready to go back to cc:Maii and attempt to use the modem card with the new modem Double-Flash cards add a driver that setup. provides the 5v cards with vari­ able

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 11 Using PCMCIA Card in HP Palmtop speed. If your batteries have a good Using SRAM and with a PCMCIA card slot, beware! charge remaining, or if you are con­ Flash RAM Cards You may not be able to read a HP nected to the AC adapter, the speed There are some general points that 95LX-formatted memory card in it. increases by approximately 30%.) pertain to memory cards, regardless Take a 95LX-formatted RAM card HP and other companies sell of the kind you are using. with you and test it out on the note­ versions of SunDisk's ATA Flash­ book you're looking at. If it doesn't RAM cards, which usually include HP 95LX Tips work, make sure a device driver IS Stacker, which effectively doubles 1. Store your data files on a Memory A VAILABLE that will allow the note­ their capacity. For a more complete card, especially if you're using an HP book's card drive to read a 95LX­ listing, see PCMCIA Products, page 95LX. It's easy to lose C drive data formatted card. Many of the popular 38 this issue. on the 95LX. On my system, data re­ notebooks don't have these device You should be aware that a 12 sides on my memory cards and pro­ drivers available. volt card is unusable in the HP 95LX grams on the C drive. If my C drive as well as external card drives that PC memory card drives files become corrupted, I can replace Flash and SRAM cards provide easy do not support 12v. (The Databook them from program installation disks. TMD 550 and 201 can read but not data exchange and backup capabili­ write to a 12v card.) 2. On the HP 95LX put all of your ties. A PC Card drive can be added to your desktop Pc. It lets your desk­ Finally, I recommend that you use start up files, CONFIG .SYS, top PC read RAM cards like it would high quality NiCds (> 700mah) or AUTOEXEC.BAT, etc., on your mem­ Nickel Metal Hydrides with the HP ory card(s). Should you make an read a floppy disk. It is far quicker 100/200LX when using any of the error in one of these files that pre­ and easier to slip a PCMCIA card out FlashRAM cards. These batteries are vents your 95LX from properly boot­ of your Palmtop and into a PC Card better able to handle the current ing up, you can simply remove the drive than it is to connect your Palm­ surges and are less likely to reboot SRAM card, press ICTRLi-IALTI-IDEq top up to your PC and run file trans­ fer software. (See the article on card your machine if you inadvertently and have a working 95LX again. drives beginning on page 15. Also insert the FlashRAM card with the 3. WARNING: If you plan on pur­ power on. see PCMCIA Products, page 38, for chasing a notebook PC that comes listings of card drives.)

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12 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 Memory card not DOS "system disk" holds the retaining ring for the bat­ FlashRAM cards are too big to have Many PC users are familiar with tery. By releasing the ring the battery 512 byte clusters. HP ISundisk cards creating bootable disks for their PC, can be removed. Be sure to note whe­ come with 8K Clusters. ACE cards using the DOS format Is command. ther the old battery's plus side is up vary between lK and 4K. You don't have to try and turn the or down and insert the new battery Any file takes up a minimum of RAM card into a "system disk" to the same way. Also, remember to one cluster. A small batch file of a boot from it. You don't need any re-Iock the retaining ring to prevent few lines may require less than 50 hidden files or COMMAND.COM removing it while trying to unplug bytes of storage space. However, it (it's launched from ROM). If you the card. must occupy at least one cluster (512 have your AUTOEXEC.BA T and bytes on a SRAM card, up to 8K on CONFIC.5YS files on the SRAM card, Maximize a Memory Card's an ATA flash card). in the card slot, whenever you press File Storage Capability This fact means that it is wasteful ICTRq-IALTI-IDELI, you'll boot from the When Memory cards are formatted, to store small files on a SRAM card A drive. they are divided up into storage and almost criminal to store them on units called "sectors" and "clusters." an ATA flash card. If you use MEMO Change the Backup Battery Each sector on a SRAM card has 512 to keep scraps of information and Every Ten Months bytes. Each cluster has one sector. Static Random Access Memory save each to a separate file, you're (SRAM) card's only limitation is that their data is preserved through the use of a lithium backup battery that keeps the microchips in the card A Short History of Medical Technology "alive." These batteries (CR-2032) generally last for a year and are A) Prehistoric Medicine. Medical technology appeared on Earth soon cheap enough, costing about $3. after evolution of the opposable thumb. From then until the Twentieth Century, Power is supplied to the card by medicine was more magic and religion than art or science. The doctor's primary the Palmtop only when the Palmtop tools were a bone saw, jars of alcohol-based elixirs, a Book of Leeching, and the name of a good undertaker. Rounds were performed on horseback. On the up is on. If the card is removed or your side, it was all fee-for-service! (Or, more usually, pig-for-service ... ) Palmtop is off, the card's memory is preserved by its internal battery. B) Modern Medicine. The discovery of antibiotics and other miracle Even though a card battery may last cures ushered in medicine's modem era. The explosion of scientific knowledge a year, change the battery more often. was welcome in the 1930's, manageable in the 1960's, and overwhelming in The HP 95LX was designed before the 1990's. lbday's doctors are pressured to see more patients in less time, the current series of SRAM cards. with treatment options controlled by a confusing array of formularies and The Palmtop cannot respond to the practice guidelines. Malpractice litigation exacts a heavy price for mistakes and oversights. A doctor's most important tools are a Day-llmer, Dictaphone, intermediate low battery signal that and a hefty stack of medical references. the newer SRAM cards deliver when getting low on battery power. Instead it can only respond to the final low C) Post-Modern Relaxed (PMR) Medicine. The Physician's battery signal sent by the card. This Medical Reference (PMR) from Prolifix marks a new era of portable, computerized tools that help today' s doctors regain control of their schedules is a point at which your SRAM card and the rapidly changing body of medical knowledge. With PMR, doctors may lose its data. It is my recommen­ now have instant access to a wide range of medical references, all in a dation that the SRAM cards backup 12-ounce package that fits in the palm of your hand and runs for weeks on battery be changed ten months after just two AA batteries! PMR allows you to customize each reference with your own personal notes and observations, and makes it easy to manage it was installed, regardless of its con­ formularies and personal lists. And, since PMR is System Manager dition. Set an APPT alarm reminder. compliant, you have instant access to the HP built-in applications. This problem has been fixed on the HP 100/200LX. Current PMR references include: * Lexi-Comp Drug Information Handbook (over 4,000 drug listings) What do you do if you get a low card * The 5 Minute Clinical Consult (diagnosis and treatment of 1,000 diseases) battery warning on any HP Palmtop? * Medical Calculator, Lab Test Normal Values, Medical Abbreviations The first thing to do is to try and * New references are being added every month! keep the HP Palmtop on. Immediate­ ly connect it to the AC Adaptor or Ifyou haven't entered the Post-Modern age, you need to call Prolifix turn off its timeout function using for more information about PMR, the Physician's Medical Reference. PMR helps take the guesswork out of medicine! CALL TODAY! programs such as TIMEOUT Iii, SWITCH!, 95BUDDY Iii or 100- 1 - 800 - 774 - 7357 BUDDY Iii. Many SRAM cards will (913/492-7300 or fax request to 913/492-7396) then let you replace the card's back­ PMR is a registered trademark of Prolifix, Inc. up battery while it is still in your 8809 Long Street, Lenexa, KS 66215 Prollflx Palmtop. A little slide lock or screw

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 13 Using PCMCIA Card in HP Palmtop

wasting precious space. HP 100/200- fax/modem cards, many of which Other I/O cards LX users can use Note Taker to keep work on the HP 100/200LX (see Other input/output cards are avail­ scraps of information in one file and product descriptions, pages 42 to 44). able for the HP 100/200LX. An article save disk space. HP 95LX users can Fax/Modem cards are not self-pow­ on page 31 describes the HP StarLink check out programs like fastNOTES, ered, nor do they draw power from wireless messaging service, which Keep-In-View and NOTES95 ii to the phone lines. This means that all uses the Motorola NewsCard wireless recover that expensive real estate. power must come from the Palmtop. receiver. A number of other wireless receivers are briefly described on Another approach is to use file This is an important consideration as page 32 and 47. compression software on your SRAM a 14.4K modem can easily draw up A GPS card is available, but not or Flash RAM cards. You can use to 400ma while transmitting. If possi­ ble, keep the 100/200LX connected to working with the 100/200LX at this DIET ii or other compression soft­ time due to power consumption the AC adapter when using a fax/ ware to reduce the size of individual problems. This card enables the por­ modem card. files before you store them on your table computer user to access the memory card. Stacker is particularly Most modems have three power Global Positioning System satellites effective with larger cards, as much levels with the highest being when and get his location, speed, and alti­ as doubling the capacity of the card its online. This will generally range tude anywhere in the world. (see compression article, page 20). from 50 to 200ma. When the modem Another article on page 33 de­ A final warning: The DIR (directo­ is in standby or awake mode the scribes data acquisition cards, which ry) command of MS-DOS reports the current can be reduced by up to allow a portable computer user to number of bytes in a given file, not 100ma. Finally, there is a sleep mode collect input from analog and digital the space actually used. For example, that will generally be activated after sensors (measuring temperature, you could write a small, two-line a set period of no activity. Even this pressure, the number of times a door batch file that only needs 50 bytes of reduced current consumption draws opens, etc.) via a portable computer. storage space. However, since it must 10 to 30ma. Considering this, you By the time you read this article, occupy one sector, it's really occupy­ should not keep a modem card in the these cards should be working with ing 512 bytes on a SRAM card or up slot when you are not using it. the HP 100/200LX. to 8K on an ATA flash card. The DIR As mentioned, you should con­ LAN adapter cards have been command lists 50 bytes as the file nect the HP 100/200LX to its AC available for a while, but have not worked with the Palmtop because of size, not the amount of space the file adapter when using the modem card. power requirements. Hopefully, the is really taking up. DIR computes the This prevents premature battery failure and keeps the 100/200LX recent development of low power "bytes free" on the disk based on the chips may lead to a functional LAN apparent, not actual file size. With a from timing out and turning off. Whenever the 100/200LX is turned card for the HP Palmtop. lot of small files on your disk, it's A new Travel Floppy drive with possible to run out of storage space, off, you will lose the connection and the modem initialization. PCMCIA interface is described on even while DIR reports lots of space page 36. It lets the HP 100/200LX Finally, you should realize that a left. access files on 3.5" floppy disks, but card modem will take the only slot in One last thing: You may have no must be connected to its AC Adaptor more than 63 entries in the root di­ the HP Palmtop. As such you will to operate. Accessing data files from rectory, A: \, of your card. If you need to store whatever communica­ the drive slows down the operation want to store more files on a card, tions software you use on your C of applications on the Palmtop. Also, put them in a subdirectory. drive along with the data you send make sure the switch in the back of and receive. Since receiving faxes and the Travel Floppy is set to operate off PCMCIA 1/0 Cards on E-mail can easily result in filling the the AC adapter, or you'll drain the the HP Palmtop: FAX! rather limited C drive, you should Palmtop's batteries, causing the HP carefully evaluate your planned use Modems and more 100/ 200LX to shut down, losing any before committing to a card modem. New Media produced the only non­ unsaved work. The 2MB versions of the HP 100/ Type III hard drives are available memory card application for the HP 200LX are preferable for fax/modem on the market, but do not work with 95LX and its PCMCIA 1.0 standard. card use because they give you more HP Palmtops at this time because of Its PalmModem card is a fully func­ C drive space for software and data power requirements and the fact that tional 2400 bps modem and facsimile. files. Also, there is a new Fax/ they are too fat to fit in the Palmtop'S The card contains both fax and mo­ Modem combination card from Smart Type II slot. There are rumors that dem circuitry as well as communi­ Modular Technologies. The Combo Type II rotating disk drives are in cations and fax software in ROM (see Card comes with a fax/ modem and development. product description, page 43). up to 4MB of Flash RAM on the The PCMCIA 2.0 standard led to same PCMCIA Type II card (see the introduction of a large number of ON DISK Index: page 52 pages 29 or 44 for more info) II II

14 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 Adding PCMCIA Drives to Your Desktop PC

Mark explains the basic considerations for choosing and installing PCMCIA drives on your desktop PC.

By Mark Scardina

Over the last two years, we have PCMCIA Release 2.0. This should not seen a proliferation of PCMCIA slots be confused with Type II which re­ in palmtops, laptops and notebook fers to the dimensions of the card. PCs. Where we once had only small Prior to Release 2.0 all PCMCIA PCMCIA data storage cards of a few cards were data storage cards. This megabytes, we now have PCMCIA means that if a drive does not sup­ modems, network cards, 100MB hard port the 2.0 standard, it will only drives, sound cards, SCSI cards, and work with data storage cards and not External parallel port more. By adding a PCMCIA drive to the modem cards, LAN cards, sound PCMCIA card drive your desktop PC you can use some or all of these cards on your desktop. Installing Internal Card Drives in Your Desktop PC We hope this article will help you navigate around the world of PCMC­ I recently had the opportunity of installing and testing an SCM "SwapBox" PCMCIA card reader in my desktop PC. I tested the Swapbox PREMIUM, which adds two internal card drives: one in the front IA card drives and choose the right and another in the rear. one for your Pc. Some assembly is involved in the installation. You have to take the desktop's case off, install a card in the rear, mount the front drive in an adapter, slide that into a drive bay, and connect the two There are two major classes of with a ribbon cable. If you've installed a floppy or hard drive before, you'll be able to handle PCMCIA drives that can be added to SwapBox's physical installation. If taking the cover off your desktop makes you nervous, get your your Pc. One class supports specific computer dealer, MIS person or a knowled~eable friend to install the unit. For the SwapBox, your desktop PC must be an AT 386 or higher With 640K of RAM, running DOS 5.0 or later. You'll need PCMCIA cards and I shall refer to on available 16-bit ISA 1/0 socket and an empty front drive bay (for front-mounted units). These them as dedicated drives. The other requirements will vary depending on the card drive you install. class is designed to support all PCM­ I installed the SwapBox into my Gateway 2000 486DX2I50. My Gateway has all sorts of accessories connected to it, including an HP Scanjet, a LaserMaster WinPrinter, a mouse, and a LAN CIA cards, and they will be referred network card. In addition, I have a number of other device drivers installed. This complicates memory to as full-support drives . This distinc­ management on my system. (My CONFIG.SYS file has more lines than the Federal Budget.) I had tion is very important as it impacts difficulty installing and properly configuring SwapBox's system software. A very helpful and patient SCM tech support person walked me through the installation, checking system interrupts (IROs) and not only on the cost of the drive but tracking down a missing MS-DOS file (my fault). on its resource requirements on your I also had to track down the correct mounting brackets (or rails) for my Gateway computer. desktop Pc. Mounting brackets are strips of metal that attach to the sides of intemally mounted drives and let them slip into the drive bay. One desktop manufacturer's drive bays can be different from another's, and SCM couldn't include all the different mounting brackets with each SwapBox. I ended up calling Dedicated Drives Gateway customer support. I received a pair of the correct mounting brackets two days later, at no charge! Dedicated drives come in two flavors My advice is that as soon as you decide to buy any internally mounted drive (hard, floppy, - parallel port drives and internal bus PCMCIA, whatever) from any source, ask them if they include mounting brackets for your particular drives. Since the PCMCIA standard is computer. If they don't, contact the manufacturer of your desktop PC, tell them what your adding, and have them send you the proper mounting rails. evolving, drives designed several It was a bit of an adventure getting the card drive installed, but most of it was unavoidable. I years ago are unable to support probably would have had an easier time with an extemal card drive, but it would have taken up more many of the new types of cards that room on my already-crowded desktop. I have little patience with manuals and appreciate good technical support from a product's developer. are available today. While the stan­ Publisher Hal Goldstein has a Protege installed inside his home Palmtop and a DataBook dard is 'backward compatible', this installed at work. He had no problem with the physical installation of either, everything fit properly. only guarantees that older cards will With the help of tech support, he moved his Protege device driver after his CD-ROM device driver in his CONFIG.SYS file to get the Protege to work properly. He likes both units. However, he prefers work in the newer drives and not the Protege since it is only designed to access Memory Cards which is all he uses the drives for. The vice versa. DataBook can use other PCMCIA 1/0 cards such as a fax/modem or LAN card at the cost of additional desktop system resources that he would prefer not to give up. The first major change in the Rich Hall standard was the introduction of Editor, The HP Palmtop Paper

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 15 cards, etc. that are supported in the a 'pass through' port to allow your 2.0 standard. Examples of these printer and the PCMCIA drive to drives included the Databook Thin­ work through the same parallel port. card 200 series and the PAMCO In evaluating which type parallel /Steele Creek parallel drives. drive you need, remember that add­ ing a second parallel port to your PC Parallel Drives is usually less than $20. As indicated by its name, parallel Parallel drives have the advantage drives are external boxes that connect of being easily installed and remov­ ~ to your PC via its parallel port. Some ed. They can be transferred from one Infrared Printing From of the more expensive drives provide PC to another and the software does Your HP 100 and 200LX • Cable-free printer connection Requirements and Trouble shooting Full-Support • Works with any parallel printer PCMCIA Card Drives in Your Desktop PC • Fas~ reliable and easy to use (For questions or problems with your PCMCIA drive, contact the manufacturer's technical support.) _ Extended Requirements Before deciding on a full-support PCMCIA drive, you should be aware that it will require the following Systems® resources on your desktop PC: 5777 North Meeker Ave. Boise, ID 83713 System Memory: All of the required drivers when loaded into memory will require anywhere from Tel: 800·m·7)76 or 208·m·7)7) Fax 406·)87·9170 60-120K of System Memory. These drivers can generally be loaded high. Upper Memory Window: A block of memory between C800 and EOOO of 4K to 32K is required to access SRAM and ROM cards as well as to identify the type of card in the slot. not put much demand on a PC's VO Addresses: A block of 8-16 I/O addresses are required for communication with modems, ATA cards and LAN cards. This is similar to COM1 using I/O addresses starting at 3F8 resources. Typically the software Interrupts/lRQs: Two IROs are required under most installations. One is used to signal a card being driver needed to run the drive takes pulled or inserted while the other is used for such activities as communicating with a modem card in the same way as COM1 uses IR04. less than 20K of system memory, and does not require its own interrupt, Trouble shooting I/O addresses, or upper memory Most installation programs do not properly detect your Memory Manager (such as OEMM, 386MAX, etc.) This means that it is usually necessary for you to manually edit its command line in your window (see definitions in the side CONFIG.SYS to exclude the upper memory area reserved for the memory window. You do this by bar on the next page). The price you adding a parameter (e.g. X=DOOO-D7FF) to your memory manager command line. The preceding pay for this ease of use is in the area example excludes 32K of upper memory starting at address 0000. You should consult your memory manager documentation for the correct syntax and the drive documentation will contain the size of performance and compatibility. required as well as location options. Once you do this you will need to re-optimize your memory Data transfers through a parallel port manager using a utility like OEMM's OPTIMIZE or Microsoft's MEMMAKER to reconfigure your are approximately one tenth the system. Another area is detecting unused IROs. While some IROs are associated with specific hardware, speed of those through an internal others may be used by software. There is nothing in your PC that prevents two devices from using bus drive. Typically, these drives can the same IRO, however, if they need it at the same time, your system will most likely crash. transfer approximately SOK bytes per Fortunately PCMCIA Controllers can use the upper IROs from 8-15 and it is usually possible to find two available there. This problem can also occur with I/O addresses, but fortunately since there are second. While this is five times faster many more of these it is usually easy to find an unused one. If you have problems with the initial than cable methods using programs installation, this is usually a good place to look in order to resolve them. (Again, this installation can be non-trivial. If you have problems installing your PCMCIA drive, call the manufacturer's technical like HP Connectivity Pack, LapLink support number.) and ZIP ii, it pales when compared to the SOO-800K bytes per second Some Definitions UPPER MEMORY WINDOW: The PC has an area of memory that resides from 640K to 1024K called capability of internal bus drives. Upper Memory. This is used by your display, BIOS,and Operating System to store code and data. Currently, parallel drives can A PCMCIA drive requires a portion of this area to act like a shipping area. Data sent and received support data storage cards only. This from the card is put into this area. This area cannot be used by other programs and therefore your Memory Manager needs to be told to leave it alone by 'excluding' it. This window is located between includes SRAM, ROM, Series II Flash address COOO and EFFF. and AT A Flash cards. They require VO ADDRESS: PCs have a range of input/output, I/O, Addresses that are used to communicate with an external power supply which in most of the accessories that you can add. Items such as hard drives, modems, sound cards, network cards, SCSI cards, etc. need these addresses to send and receive data and commands. Since a most cases is simply an AC Adapter. PCMCIA drive accepts cards that perform these functions, it must be given a set of I/O addresses Installation is straight forward and to use. These addresses usually are between 100 and 3FF and cannot be shared with other devices. IRQs: Interrupt Request lines are like doorbells that are designed to get the CPUs attention when usually the only software required is certain devices have data ready for it. Each PC has 161ROs that are numbered from 0 to 15 with 0 a device driver that is added to your being given the highest priority. Your keyboard, serial ports, and mouse are examples of devices that CONFIG.SYS file. [IMPORTANT: need to own a unique IRO to get the CPU to service it. A PCMCIA drive needs one IRO to be able to tell the CPU when you have removed or inserted a card. A second IRO is needed for modem and Most drives come with a parallel cable. network cards to inform the CPU that data is ready to be picked up since it is ori~inating from an This cable and its length can be critical. external modem or PC. Generally IROs from 10 to 15 can be used for PCMCIA drives. The length of the cable affects the time it takes for the signal to reach the Pc.

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This is especially apparent connecting to cards and PCMCIA hard pes with fast processors (above 33MHz). drives, we are seeing a Do not substitute, lengthen, or connect new type of drive that to a switch box without contacting the works only with these drive manufacturer.] cards. These ATA drives If you are primarily looking for a install as an additional drive to transfer files and your card IDE hard disk drive con­ sizes are modest, the parallel drive is necting directly to your an excellent choice as it will not place IDE Hard Disk/Floppy the large demands upon your system Disk Controller card. A that a full-support drive will. For single IDE hard disk dedicated parallel drives, check out drive is standard on the CardPort and Steele Creek drives. most PCs and is connect­ ed to an IDE controller Internal drive, 110 card and software Internal drives for memory cards only card through one of the Prior to the 2.0 standard, internal controllers two hard drive connec­ connect the PCMCIA drive. dedicated drives were the high per­ tors. If you have a second physical A small software device driver, formance choice for data storage IDE hard drive, you will need an less than 10K, is required to handle cards. With the advent of ATA flash additional IDE disk controller card to removing and inserting the cards.

PCMCIA Drives Need Software Support Every Full-Support PCMCIA drive has a PCMCIA controller chip that is the electronic heart of the drive. These chips are made by Intel, Cirrus Logic, Databook, Vadem, and VLSI to name a few. (The Application Software PCMCIA drive's documentation usually tells which chip is utilized in a particular drive.) My tests have &Operating System shown the best results with drives that use the Vadem chip. Unfortunately, having compatible hardware is useless if the required support software is not there as well. For example, the HP 1OOLX has PCMCIA 2.0 hardware but will not support LAN cards, Sound PC Card DeYice Drivers Cards, SCSI cards, etc. in part because there is not the software there to enable that support. To access the variety of PCMCIA cards available now and in the future any full-support PCMCIA drives should come with a complete package of PCMCIA software. This includes all the device drivers required by the PCMCIA drive to recognize various types of PCMCIA cards. This is the drive manufac­ turer's responsibility and not the card supplier's. This software will state what level of PCMCIA standard it will support. Do not accept anything less than 2.0. There has to be some standard way for the different controller chips to 'talk' with all the different ··x·· PCMCIA cards and to your PC applications. This is accomplished by two-way communication between layers of software called "device drivers." The controller chip reads/writes to the PCMCIA card and ( Cmd~~i~ ) communicates with the first layer of software. The first layer translates the controller chip's output into a standardized format. The second layer communicates between the first layer and the third layer, made up of many individual device drivers. Each device driver in the third layer handles a specific application or a PC operating system function. The standardized interfaces between these layers ! allows the PCMCIA drive to access a different type of card simply by adding the right driver to the third layer. Socket Services The first layer PCMCIA device driver is known as Socket Services. This level 'talks' directly to the hardware, the PCMCIA drive's controller chip. It is this device driver's job to present a standard inter­ face to any higher level drivers thereby 'hiding' the hardware differences. The second layer PCMCIA device driver is known as Card Services. This device driver is largely hardware independent and makes available all of the functions that a PCMCIA card is likely to require ! in order to be used, including properly identifying newly inserted cards. For example, a SRAM data PCMCIA storage card would need a 4-16K block of memory in which to transfer data while a modem card would Controller Chip need an I/O address and Interrupt with which to communicate. A LAN card may need all three! The third layer PCMCIA device drivers is a series of smaller drivers known as 'Card Services clients' that implement a card's specific functionality. For instance, an AT A client driver that is designed to enable FlashRAM or Hard Drives to be used would set up a drive letter (G: for example) and proper­ ly direct all file reads and writes for the PCMCIA card to drive G:. This client would use the routines ! Socket in Card Services to get or send bytes of data to the card. There are usually separate drivers for SRAM ...... cards, AT A Cards, Modems, and LAN Cards. When you install a PCMCIA card drive in your PC these drivers must be installed in your CONFIG.SYS file . The following is an example of what the CONFIG.SYS file's PCMCIA device driver ! command lines for the CardSoft drivers from SystemSoft. 000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000 device=c : \cardsoft\ obss . exe Socket Services device=c : \ cardsoft \cs. exe ...... Card Services device=c : \ cardsoft \csalloc. exe . . Checks for resources device=c : \cardsoft\atadrv. exe /s :2 ATA Drive client PCMCIACard device=c : \cardsoft\mtsram. exe SRAM/ROM client device=c : \cardsoft\mtddrv. exe SRAM/ROM client device=c : \cardsoft\cardid. exe Modem, I/O client

18 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 The small size is possible because the tant for your large data storage cards PC's basic input/output system as it will let you know when the knows how to talk to IDE drives drive is inactive and you can pull out which AT A cards emulate. Like the the card. A hinged door, while not a PCMCIA parallel drives above, the resource requirement, provides a cleaner ap­ requirements of this type of drive are pearance and helps keep foreign Data Acquisition very low, however, the speed of ac­ objects out. cess is on a par with the fastest hard Two and Four slot drives are now Available NOW! disk drives. The dedicated PCMCIA available. I would recommend the drives are an excellent choice for two slot drive as the most reliable those who have only the ATA type and best value as a second controller data storage cards as they are less is not required. Some models allow than $100 and do their job well. Pro­ installation of the second drive in the tege and Adtron have dedicated in­ back of the Pc. Then you have to ternal bus drives that are worth eval­ fight with all the serial and parallel uating. cables at the rear panel to insert a PCMCIA card, so it doesn't make PCMCIA 'l)'pe II Data Full·Support Internal Drives much sense to me. However, if you Acquisition Cards Qty.1 have no free drive bays, you have no for Storage and 1/0 Cards PCM·DAS08 $299 Full-support drives are intended to other choice if you want to add an 8 Channels, 12 Bit, 20 KHz NO with 3 InfOut Digital bits support all PCMCIA cards. The internal drive. The four-slot models with the a rear insertion drive have PCM·DAC02 249 drives can access a variety of cards, 2 Channels, 12 Bit Analog Output such as memory, fax/modem, and tremendous resource requirements, PCM·D24C3 199 LAN PCMCIA cards. To accomplish and I have not found this setup to be 24 Digital I/O, 3 Sixteen Bit Counters reliable. this, more PCMCIA support software PCM·COM422 149 must be installed on your Pc. These A few final purchasing tips. Don't RS232 and RS422 Communications Port drives require more of your PC's purchase any drive that cannot be PCM·COM485 149 system resources than the dedicated returned. If you are buying from a RS485 Communication Ports drives. dealer, bring the cards you use and PCM·PC2A.2 199 have him demonstrate that they will GPIB Interface Supporting IEEE 488.2 Adding full PCMCIA support can Standard be a rather complex affair (see page work. A good test is to insert and im­ PCM·TERM15 49 16 sidebar on requirements and trou­ mediately access the card. There 15 Position Screw Terminal Board for PCM- ble shooting). Fortunately, the soft­ should be a small delay but other­ DAS08 ware vendors are beginning to make wise the drive should work without PCM·TERM33 49 33 Position Screw Terminal Board for PCM- the software able to detect potential a problem. D24C3 conflicts and easier to install. While PCM·C15·101 25 there are beginning to be more reli­ The Future PCM to inch cable, 15 pin PCM connector able drives coming to market, a good The future brings a feature called PCM·C33·101 25 place to start for a Full-Support drive "Plug-n-Play" to your PC, which is PCM to inch cable, 33 pin PCM connector is one that uses the Vadem Controller designed to allow you to add drives PCM·C422/232 25 PCM to inch cable, 15 pin PCM connector and Phoenix's PCM+ software. easily by including the PCMCIA soft­ 25 pin D connector, RS232 pin assignments ware in the operating system. PCM­ PCM·C422/422 25 Hardware Considerations CIA support is already included in PCM to inch cable, 15 pin PCM connector We've looked closely at the software, IBM's OS/2 operating system and is 9 pin D connector, RS422 pin assignments planned for Microsoft's 'Chicago' PCM·C485/485 25 but there are several hardware con­ PCM to inch cable, 15 pin PCM connector siderations to keep in mind when Windows 4.0 release next year. "Plug 9 pin D connector, RS485 pin assignments you are selecting a drive. Most cur­ and Play," also refers to PCMCIA rent drives have an opening that will cards that provide their own resourc­ support at least Type III, 10mm high es, that can be inserted and used PCMCIA cards. This height is neces­ without installing special drivers. PC­ sary for AT A hard drives. While MCIA support is growing. There is there are some PCMCIA card drives no question that adding it to your designed for Toshiba laptops that are desktop PC greatly enhances your taller than 10mm, the extra height ability and efficiency when working has not been approved by the PCM­ with portable and palmtop PCs. 125 High Street, Mansfield, MA 02048 CIA Standards Committee and is not Tel: 508-261-1123 likely to be. Make sure the drive has Fax: 508-261-1094 a 'busy' indicator. This is very impor- II ON DISK Index: page 52 II

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 19 Use File Compression and Maximize File Storage on your PCMCIA Card

By Mark Scardina and Hal Goldstein

What is parent to the user - just save your sector in a cluster. Data Compression? files to the drive and Stacker does the With version 3.0, Stacker intro­ Storage space on the HP Palmtops, rest. duced the ability to vary the actual like precious real estate, can be ex­ Any disk is divided up into dis­ amount of compression. The greater pensive and limited. The use of data creet units called sectors. One or the compression, the slower the ac­ (file) compression programs can more sectors make up larger storage cess speed, and vice versa. mean significant disk space savings units called clusters. Stacker works Stacker 4.0 introduced 'sector on the Palmtop's PCMCIA A drive by ignoring the DOS cluster structure packing' capability. Even though 3.0 and internal C drive. on the disk, allowing it to use every could pack clusters, the minimum Data compression software lets you store the same information (data Installing Stacker 4.0 on your HP Palmtop files and program files) in less space. If you already use Stacker 3.0 and want to upgrade, Stacker has made things a bit more complicated with For example, many data and program version 4.0. Before providing you with step by step instructions, you should be aware that the Stacker 4.0 files have a lot of empty space and license is granted for one PC per copy and that your 100/200LX requires its own copy. Do not purchase redundant information in them. If we the Stacker Upgrade package for your 100/200LX. This package is designed for DOS 6.x users and does not provide the necessary programs for use on your 100/200LX. could reduce the size of the data and While there are various methods to create a Stacker drive on your card, the following method is the program files we use on our HP easiest and most reliable. This method creates a 'bootable' card and allows you to reboot your HP Palmtops, we would have that much 100/200LX without Stacker by simply removing your card: more space left over for other files. 1. Start with a freshly formatted memory card. There are two significant disad­ 2. Using MEMO or a DOS text editor create A:\CONFIG.SYS with the following lines: vantages to data compression. First, device=a : \stacker. com files=30 loading and saving files can be slow­ buffers=6 er because a file must be decompres­ shell=d : \dos\command.com Ip d : \dos sed before it can be used by an appli­ (If you are using MEMO make sure you save this in ASCII format.) cation. Secondly, the compression/ 3. Using the same editor create A:\STACKER.INI with the following lines: decompression program occupies IP=lO IAUTO some disk space. In addition, it usu­ A: \STACVOL . DSK , RP ally requires extra disk space for (Once again make sure you save it in ASCII format. This file is new to Stacker 4.0 and is used in lieu of temporary or permanent file storage. the command line parameters. IP=10 sets Stacker to MAXSPACE. IAUTO allows your card to auto-mount Some programs require extra system when inserted and RP stands for Replaceable Drive, which is what your card is.) RAM to perform compression. 4. Copy STACKER.COM to your A: drive. Also copy any other device driver programs that appear on the lines BEFORE the Stacker device line in the CONFIG.SYS file. The files stored on this unstacked portion This article focuses on two com­ of the RAM card will not be accessible once Stacker loads unless you unmount the card or boot without pression programs: Stacker, a com­ Stacker. mercial program, and DIET Iii, a TIP: If you have DIET l.4x, you can compress STACKER.COM with the following command line: freeware program. In many cases, the c :> DIE!' -x STACKER . COM benefits associated with using file 5. Copy the following Stacker files from your Stacker disk to your C: drive: compression on HP Palmtops out­ CREATE . COM SCREXEC . EXE weigh any inconvenience associated SCREXEC2 . EXE with slower read/write times. 6. Enter the following command from the DOS prompt with System Manager terminated: C:> CREATE A: IS=O IR=2 . S The Basics of Stacker This will create a hidden STACVOL.DSK file on your memory card. Stacker is perhaps the most popular 7. Reboot your 100/200LX and you should have a new A: drive. At this point you can create an AUTO­ commercial file compression utility EXEC.BAT on A: and erase the Stacker files on C: available (see PCMCIA Products, One final note. Under Stacker 4.0 there is no longer the inconsistency between the space remaining as page 47). Stacker can more than dou­ reported by CHKDSK and that reported by DIR. This is because Stacker actually changes the reported ble the capacity of your memory card number of sectors on the disk based on its current average compression ratio. This is actually just 'smoke and mirrors' and you should continue to regard the remaining space figure as an estimate. and once it's set up, Stacker is trans-

20 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 unit a file was stored in was still a sector (512 bytes). That meant that very small files still took up 512 bytes and if a file was a little larger than 512 bytes, the remainder took up another sector. This approach still wastes a considerable amount of file MobileMate. storage space. PCMCIA Message Card Version 4.0 achieves its increase of more than 2 to 1 compression by INTRODUCING THE Unique Design packing individual sectors. It is most ALL-IN-ONE PCMCIA Architecture and effective on larger Flash RAM cards MESSAGING CARD Integration with larger clusters containing many The Dow Jones Industrial Average Significant achievements in applica­ sectors. Small 2MB-and-below cards just hit a new high. Your flight to tion specific digital signal processing with relatively few sectors do not New York has been cancelled. Your (DSP) design, applied to an integrat­ take advantage of Stacker 4.0's tech­ secretary has just scheduled a meet­ ed circuit (IC), which operates at 3 nology. Any gain you get on smaller ing with your largest client. You volts, enables MobileMate to realize dramatic power savings, greatly cards will probably be offset by the need test results for the patient you are about to visit. Now with extending the battery life of the card. loss of 12-17K of system memory. MobileMate™, from MobileMedia, As an added feature, the card can be critical information will reach you internally or host powered. All com­ Should I use Stacker? wherever you may be. ponents fit into the credit card sized Before deciding whether to use Stack­ PCMCIA 2.0 Type II form factor, the er, or whether to upgrade from ver­ Setting the Standard standard for next generation personal sion 3.0 to 4.0, read through the fol­ MobileMate is the first fully-enclosed communicators and mobile comput­ lowing questions: PCMCIA messaging receiver. It incor­ ers. MobileMate supports all 900 MHz porates breakthroughs in design and paging carrier selvices and an 1. Do I use all of the capacity on my technology integration to achieve unprecedented 536 unique addresses. memory card? high performance, fexible address­ 2. Do I frequently have to close appli­ ing and low power consumption. It Available Now from MobileMedia! cations to open others? is the first PCMCIA card to include an antenna packaged entirely inside MobileMedia is one of the largest 3. Is the physical size of my card the card, to prevent breakage while providers of paging services in the 5MB or more? achieving the highest quality recep­ United States and the leader in tion possible. alphanumeric service. Through its 36 If you answered Yes to questions 1 offices, MobileMedia provides pag­ and 3 then you should seriously ing and other wireless communica­ consider Stacker 3.0 (or 4.0 if you are tion services in local, regional, and already using 3.0). If you answered nationwide markets. Yes to 2 as well, then the decision to use or upgrade is less clear and you may need to do some experimenting. ~ Compatible with the lIP 100!200LX If you answered Yes to question 2 ~ True PCMCIA 2.0 Type n Form Factor and No to 1 or 3 then you may not need to install Stacker (or upgrade to ~ Operates Inside and Outside of Host version 4.0) at this time. In fact, as ~ Superior Receiver Sensitivity long as you answered No to I, I see ~ 750 Hour Battery Life no reason to consider Stacker at this time. ~ 8 Cap Codes-536 Unique Addresses

DIETing your HP Palmtops Files DIET Ii can be used to manually • MobileMedia~ compress individual .COM and .EXE program files. In addition, it can be For more information, please contact MobleMedia at: installed as a memory-resident utility 1-800-562-2830 that automatically compresses and decompresses files to your internal C

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 21 File Compression drive or PCMCIA card. Once in­ stalled, DIET will automatically re­ GIVE YOUR PALMTOP BAR CODE CAPABILITIES FOR: compress previously compressed files, including data files for the built­ Inventory • Document Tracking • Sales • Etc. in programs MEMO, PHONE, etc. Files automatically get recompressed Our systems are "turn key," complete only if DIET initially compressed them. In other words if you create a with all the hardware and software new 1-2-3 file named BUDGET.WK1, necessary to print bar code labels, you must first enter DOS and then type diet budget.wk1 to compress it. scan bar codes and transfer Whenever you load the file it is auto­ data into PCs or MACs. matically decompressed. Whenever you save it, it is DIETed again. 800 N Starker, Suite 35 Built-in program data files will Corvallis, OR 97330 recompress in a similar manner if 'lr Phone: 503.752.4419 they have been previously DIETed. 800.733.5017 ® Fax: 503.752.7037 However, they are recompressed only after you have exited to the DOS prompt and run a DOS program (like CORVALLIS CHKDSK). Once the DOS program SYSTEMS has been run, DIET automatically SALES recompresses any built-in program data files that have been modified and saved. Many people have used DIET on their Palmtop without problems. DoubleFlash, and DoubleFlash+ more about advance features as you However, backing up your files to a (cards) marketed by ACE Technolo­ need them. PKZIP can compress an PC on a regular basis is always a gies (see ad, back cover this issue, see individual file so it takes up less good idea. It's especially a good idea product description, page 38). These space, or archive a number of files while you gain experience and confi­ cards have onboard versions of Stack­ into a single compressed file. dence in using DIET. er (3.0) and an ACE utility that en­ fA more complete description of hances file compression performance. PKLite ii DIET and installation instructions can The shareware program PKLITE, like be found on page 10 of The Best Palmtop Doublecards are SRAM cards re­ DIET, compresses executable files Tips, and page 20 of Jan/Feb 92 and page quiring a battery for data retention. (with .EXE and .COM extensions), 17 of the Fall 91 issues. Also helpful is Doublecards come with compression and adds a small amount of extrac­ the documentation to DIET found in the software built in and work with any tion code at the beginning of the 1992 Subscribers Disk and various DI­ HP Palmtop. DoubleFlash cards are compressed executable file. When ET-related files found in the HP HAND SunDisk AT A flash cards with com­ you want to run the program that forum of CompuServe.] pression software built in. They work has been compressed, all you do is with any HP Palmtop. DoubleFlash+ type its name at the DOS prompt. It Other File cards are IBM AT A FlashRAM cards automatically uncompresses and Compression Programs with built-in file compression soft­ runs. The compressing process does ware. The DoubleFlash+ is the new­ not change the operation of the pro­ est flash card technology with MS· DOS DoubleSpace gram at all, it merely reduces the Using MS-DOS DoubleSpace on the read/write performance close to that disk space required to store it. 100/200LX is not possible as Double­ of SRAM cards. They work with the PKLITE will run on any IBM PC/ Space requires DOS 6.x except for the HP 100/200LX but not the 9SLX. compatible with DOS 2.0 or higher. special version in the Omnibook Se­ ries. That version does not support PKZIP ii LHA ii is a freeware file compression removable drives and can only be PKZIP is a popular shareware file and archival program. We used it to run on the Omnibook. compression program. We use it to compress and create self extracting compress and archive the files on the files on the 1993 and 1994 Sub­ ACE DoubleCard HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK. PKZIP scriber's PowerDisk. and DoubleFlash cards has many options, but it is possible A variation of the SRAM and Flash to make use of this program using a ON DISK Index: page 52 memory cards are the DoubleCard, few of its basic options, and learn II II

22 TIlE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 . .. . 15 PCMCIA Recommendations Consider these points before purchasing a PCMCIA memory or I/O card and you'll be more satisfied with the outcome.

By Hal Goldstein PCMCIA ed by the user. limit the number of devices that can On the plus side, SRAM cards are access that particular card. For exam­ Memory cards cheaper if you only need 128K, 512K, ple, I have a PC Card drive in both or 1MB of storage space. my desktop computer at work and at 1. Get as large a card as you home, and I have an HP OmniBook can comfortably afford. 4. Avoid using disk with PCMCIA card drives. I fre­ As time goes by you'll discover more compression software on quently swap files between all these programs or data that you would like your SRAM or Flash card machines using a memory card. In unless really necessary. readily available on your palmtop. addition, I often use a memory card If you need to maximize storage to give fellow HP Palmtop Paper edi­ 2. At least purchase a small SRAM space on your memory card; Stacker, tors a copy of a file for testing on card to back up your important Diet, or ACE DoubleFlash software their Palmtops, or for editing on their files. offer safe solutions. With compres­ desktop Pc. If I used compression software on my Palmtop's PC Card, There is always a chance you will sion software you can store approxi­ all of the above mentioned systems mistakenly delete a key file (eg your mately 1.5 to 2.5 times the data that PHONE or APPT book), batteries will you can normally store on a PC run out, or files on the C drive get Card. However, there are four to five corrupted. If you have no regular significant reasons why you might Altima Trading means of backing up your C drive, at not want to use disk compression the very least you should purchase a software. System© small SRAM card for this purpose. A First of all, disk compression 128K, 512K, or 1 Meg SRAM card software appropriates valuable Sys­ The most tem RAM memory. This means that position management software for hand retails for between $35 to $175. Just held computers available today. be sure to change your SRAM card's if you are using disk compression Powerful Derivative Pricing and Position battery every year. (New Media sells software; you are more likely to re­ Management Software. small flash cards called Flashback ceive an "out of memory" message If you are a floor trader or a trader who needs with backup software for under $100. when trying to open an additional portable valuation power, look no farther. See page 39.) System Manager application. For Designed for the HP 100 & 200 LX. Altima example, if you have 1-2-3, PHONE, allows for multiple equity, commodity and index positions. Utilizing advanced modeling 3. In most cases you are better and APPT open, you may not have techniques, Altima will give you an edge over off buying a flash card than a enough room to open MEMO be­ the crowd. Available pre installed on a SRAM card. cause of the System RAM that the PCMCIA Type II card or on disk. disk compression software borrows. Currently in use on trading floors and Unless you are on a tight budget or A second reason to hesitate using desks in the US, UK and Europe. only need a small amount of disk Designed for and by traders, now disk compression software is that it space for backup purposes, flash available to the public. may slow the Palmtop down a bit. cards are a better investment. The Call for demo and literature. This is especially true for those stor­ cost per megabyte of a flash card is (800 624-7116 ing large phone books or data base considerably cheaper than a SRAM files on a compressed PC Card. Nor­ card, especially for larger capacity mal operations, such as searching, flash cards. In addition to cost, the saving and using subsets can bog major disadvantage of an SRAM card down significantly on a compressed is that it requires a battery to main­ card. tain its data where files saved to a Thirdly, by using disk compres­ flash card are permanent until delet- sion software on a PC Card, you may

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 23 Recommendations would also have to use that software compression adds an extra layer of tise their cards in terms of their ap­ to read my card. Putting compression complexity, and that increases the proximate total compressed capacity software on other Palmtops, my possibility (however small) of files or rather than the card's physical disk OmniBook or desktops when not disks getting inadvertently corrupted. space. If you're shopping around for needed would mean added expense Despite all these objections, many the best price, you need to know and needless resource penalties for users find disk compression software whether the price you're being quot­ those systems. both economical and practical. You ed is for a 20MB card with file com­ Fourthly, compression software is must weigh the pros and cons to pression, or a 10MB without com­ not seamless. Some technical exper­ come up with what makes sense to pression. tise may be needed either initially, you. for reinstallation, or for troubleshoot­ 6. Get a PC Card drive ing potential conflicts with other pro­ 5. Find out the actual for your desktop. grams. non-compressed capacity of the PC Card you purchase. I haven't used a Palmtop Connectiv­ Finally, although disk compres­ ity Cable in months. I transfer and sion software has pretty much passed ACE, Sundisk, and an increasing backup Palmtop files by inserting my the test of time, the issue of data number of PC Card vendors adver- Palmtop's PC Card into my desktop safety cannot be totally ignored. Disk Low Cost Per Megabyte and High Performance in a FLASH.

Now low price doesn't mean limited selec­ tion or reduced performance - Maxtor's MobileMax Flash cards are available in capacities of 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 20 megabytes, at a low cost per megabyte. MobileMax's reliable solid state technology provides greater durability and minimal battery power consumption (500 microamp standby). Maxtor's unique addressing scheme pro­ vides one of the fastest write times in the industry (as fast as .18 MB/sec). Combine that speed with MobileMax's easy, built-in installation routine and you'll be mobile in a flash!

• HP 95LX, HP 100LX, HP 200LX and • Optional Stacker™ Software OmniBook compatible (also compatible • Maxtor's No QuibblesM Service policy, with Newton) including 48 hour advanced replacement • Capacities ranging from 1 to 20 MBs and more

To place an order contact Egghead Software at I-800-EGGHEAD or call1-800-4MAXTOR for more information.

24 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 Now you can have personal messages and information delivered wirelessly, making even better use of your HP 100LX and OmniBook computers. With HP StarLink service, the wireless receiver card, and your portable computer, staying in touch has never been easier!

Anyone who needs to contact you simply calls a toll-free operator or dials an 800 number via a PC and modem, following the on-screen prompts to send the message. Within minutes, the messages find you, wherever you are, anytime of day. You'll receive your messages whether or not your computer is on or your StarLink card is installed. Read the messages as soon as they arrive - or at your conve­ nience. Coverage can be local, regional or nationwide all at rea­ sonable prices. And when you travel, your messages can follow you to your destination city. Unmatched communications­ right in the palm of your hand! Call today to find out more.

HP ·:·~;~::::~:~·; · StarLinh

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PCMCIA Card drive. I log onto my spend a little more for a card drive. desktop's "D:" drive and copy, save, Also, be sure to check out Mark Scar­ or delete files using regular DOS dina's article on page 15 to get a commands. balanced view of the pros and cons If you have an empty drive bay of these devices. and I/O slot in your PC, and are willing to spend 30-60 minutes in­ 7. ROM·based software is stalling a drive, I recommend pur­ easier to use and access, chasing an internal PCMCIA card but is inflexible and more expen· drive as opposed to an external drive sive. that attaches to your parallel (or ROM cards are PCMCIA memory Infrared Serial Adapter serial) port. The advantage of the cards that can be read from, but not For Your 200LX external PC card drives is that they written to. Some manufacturers make their software available on ROM • Supports lIP Connectivity Pack for 200LX are easier to install and their software • "Point·and·shoot" data transfer drivers take less system RAM. How­ card. HP offers a Dictionary / The­ ever, internally mounted drives are saurus ROM card (HP FI005A, see • Fas~ reliable and easy to use faster than external ones and I found page 50) and Pocket Consultant of­ I was quickly spoiled by the hard­ fers a series of ROM-card-based soft­ ms® disk-like speed. ware programs (see Pocket Consul­ tant references, PCMCIA Products, 5777 North Meeker Ave. Boise, ID 83713 Internal PC Card drives tend to Tel: ~OO·m·7'76 or 20~·J22·7)7) Fax qo~'~7·mO be less expensive than their external pages 49-50). cousins. They are now available for Usually all you have to do with under $100 if you only need them to ROM card software is plug it in and ware on floppy disk. Another disad­ read and write to Memory cards. If perhaps perform a simple instruction vantage of ROM card-based software you want your PC to be able to ac­ to be up and running. However, due is that you can't use your PCMCIA cess fax/modem and other in­ to the cost of the ROM card itself, slot for anything else while using the put/ output devices, you'll need to prices tend to be higher than soft- card.

26 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 If you want to access more than this writing, August 1994). IBM flash Input/Output cards one DOS program or have large data cards and future flash cards probably (Fax/Modem and other cards) storage needs, you may be better off won't work with the HP 95LX. In any copying the ROM card software and case check with the vendor before 10. Don't purchase any I/O other desired programs on to another purchase. card unless the manufacturer larger capacity memory card, or the guarantees it works with HP Palmtop. C drive to avoid switching PC cards 9. There are two "classes" of back and forth. In some, but not all flash cards· make sure the Make sure the manufacturer has cases, ROM-based software can be vendor guarantees the card tested the card. As of this writing, copied. (This is not the case with the will work with your Palmtop. due to power and software issues, we Hewlett-Packard Dictionary /Thesau­ The HP 100/200LX automatically know of no LAN, SCSI, or Sound PCMCIA card that works with an HP rus card - the ROM card must be recognizes SunDisk and IBM AT A Palmtop. In addition, not all fax/ present in the card slot for the soft­ flash disks. The HP 95LX can use modem cards work with HP 100/ ware to run.) some Sundisk AT A cards with spe­ 200LX. The New Media PalmModem cial driver software. Do not purchase (see page 43) is the only fax/modem 8. HP 95LX users should verify non-ATA flash cards (usually less card available that works with the that the memory card works in expensive), unless the manufacturer HP 95LX. their Palmtop. or vendor verifies the card works Any PCMCIA SRAM card should with the HP Palmtops with custom 11. Not all fax/modem card driver software. Find out how much software works with the HP work in any HP Palmtop. Some Sun­ 100/200LX. Disk flash cards will work on the HP system RAM the custom driver takes 95LX, and some won't. (Sundisk is and whether you will be able to read Some fax/modem cards come with the original manufacturer of most of the card in other systems before Windows-based fax and communica­ the AT A flash cards available as of purchase. tions software, and this is useless on

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THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 27 Recommendations the HP Palmtops. In addition, you must be aware of how much disk space the fax or communications soft­ ware occupies. (The built-in COMM and cc:MAIL software may suit your communications needs, although both [Q)@~[k{ programs are limited). Most fax soft­ ware is relatively large, and remem­ ber that if you are using a fax/mod­ The PC Link to em card, you're limited to the inter­ nal memory of the Palmtop for file PCMCIA Technology! storage. You may want to purchase compact fax software such as SSFAX­ o Use laptop/notebook PCMCIA ER separately (see page 47). technology at your desktop 12. We recommend faxl o Get universal support for PCMCIA modem cards designed with HP Palmtops in mind or at the compliant cards least cards in which a third Greystone Peripherals Inc. party provides a custom HP 130-A Knowles Drive o Avoid needless software upgrades ® Palmtop solution. Los Gatos, CA 95030 Tel: 1-408-866-4739 o Support multiple combinations PC Fax/modem Cards or solutions GREYSTONE Fax: 1-408-866-8328 of PC Cards (up to ISmm) designed with the HP Palmtop in mind means better support, less has­ o Enjoy convenient front panel sle, and minimum startup time. New \I- BELL MrCROPRODUCTS Media, EXP and the Smart Modular phone jack (no long cords) 800-995-1999 (OEM) Fax Modem & Memory cards come o Read/write 3V and SV PC Cards with fax (and in the case of New 800-800-1513 I Media communications) software '0 o Easy-to-install, easy-to-use, built-in, saving precious C drive Greystone and the Greystone logo are registered trademarks space. The New Media PalmModem of Greystone Peripherals Inc., 1994 easy-to-eject (page 43) was designed for the HP 95LX and has been ported to the HP 100LX. You must use the Palm­ Modem's built-in software. The EXP When you are ready to purchase a for uploading or downloading files Thinfax modem (page 44) and the PCMCIA Fax/Modem Card, consider and E-MAIL. External fax/modems Smart Modular Fax Modem plus hardware compatibility, software can be less expensive than card mo­ flash memory (page 44) were de­ compatibility, software disk space dems, but are bulkier and require signed for the 100LX/200LX. Our required, modem speed, fax speed, that you carry around extra cables, testing and user feedback is quite ease-of-use, ease-of-Iearning, and adapters and a charger. (Shier Sys­ positive about the New Media Palm­ price. Also, consider the physical tems, phone: 805-498-6786, fax: 805- Modem and EXP ThinFax. We are design of the unit. For example, the 498-8174, provides custom modem quite excited about the Smart Modu­ Megahertz Xjack cards connect di­ cables for HP Palmtops.) lar 2MB and 4MB flash/fax/modem. rectly to an RJ-ll cable where most We have not received any general other fax/modem cards require an General Advice user feedback as of this writing, but adapter or adapting cable between have published a review by an out­ them and the RJ-11 phone jack. Final­ 15. I recommend purchasing side source on page 29 of this issue. ly, consider the quality of tech sup­ The ACE Megahertz card (page 43) your PC Card from one of our port offered and whether your ven­ advertisers. comes with ACE-FAX software (page dor will take your unit back without 43), small enough to comfortably fit hassle if you are displeased with it. I say this not to be self-serving, but on the C drive. as practical advice. Any company On the other hand, if you intend 14. Consider using an external who advertises (especially over time) to use your fax/ modem cards in portable faxlmodem instead of in The HP Palmtop Paper has shown other machines, you may be better a card. its commitment to the HP Palmtop off with a "general" Type II fax/ market. These companies are at the modem card that is known to work There are a number of external porta­ least HP Palmtop-aware and are most in the Palmtop. ble fax/modems available and can be likely to provide the proper docu­ connected to your Palmtop's serial mentation, support, and testing for 13. When purchasing a faxl port. You can then store fax or com­ their PCMCIA Card product on the modem card, consider all the munications software on a PC Memo­ HP Palmtops. variables. ry Card and have room on the card

28 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 Combo PCMCIA Cards Are Made for the HP Palmtop If you use both a fax/modem card and flash memory card on your HP Palmtop, you've probably already wished you could combine both on a single card. Multifunction "combo" cards aren't new, but were not available for the HP Palmtops. The introduction of Smart Modular's Fax Modem & Memory Card for the HP 100LX/ 200LX has changed this.

By Portia Isaacson

A combo card is a PCMCIA PC Card that performs two Evolution of multifunction PC Cards or more functions that are usually performed in two SCSI different PC Cards or in a PC SCSI & Sound Card plus an external device. Sound Combo cards are also called multifunction cards. Given Wireless LAN the rate at which manufacturers are LAN & Wireless LAN LAN packing functions into PCMCIA Fax/modem & LAN Fax/modem & Cellular Fax/modem cards, we will need to call them Fax/modem multi-multi-multi function PC Cards. Fax/modem & Pager Fax/modem & Flash Memory Combo cards potential boon Fax/modem & Cellular Fax/modem & Pager for HP Palmtops Pager Pager & Wireless Broadcast Combo PC Cards are particularly well-suited for the HP Palmtop since it has only one PCMCIA slot. How­ 1994 1995 1996 ever, HP Palmtop users may not be Single Function ( Multifunction ) able to use many combo cards be­ cause of their power requirements. Combo cards eliminate the hassle of ABOUT THE AUTHOR having to change cards in order to Portia Isaacson is President of Dream IT, Inc. as-person take advantage of multiple functions. company that specializes in the mobile comEuting market. Dream IT's primary publication is Cards & Slots: PCMCIA Ideally, a combo card offers synergis­ Market Letter ($495/year). Cards & Slots is organized so that tic functions rather than just combin­ subscribers can file articles by topic (e.g. Company Profiles, Distribution Channels, Advertismg Si Promotion, News, ing two unrelated functions on the Cards, Applications). Dream IT consults on the mobile same card. The Smart Modular Fax computing market and technology trends including market forecastin& com2etitive analysis and distribution channel Modem & Memory card mentioned analysis. Portia Isaacson writes the Emer:;(in~ TechnoloRY in the sidebar on the next page is a Reviews column for Computer Reseller News ana tl1e Dream THis column for OEM Magazine . (Dream IT phone: 719-598-9000) good example of this synergy. This

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 29 PCMCIA Combo Cards card combines 4MB of flash memory cellular telephone would also want a with a fax/ modem, allowing HP pager, users are quick to explain that Palmtop users to store faxes, files and receiving a page requires less inter­ programs, and access a fax/modem ruption than a phone call. Another without having to swap cards. obvious combo card for notebook p~=:n One of today's most popular computer users is a wired LAN plus combo PC Card among notebook wireless LAN. The user would prefer Project Planning in your palm! computer users is Xircom's the wired LAN connection when CreditCard Ethernet+Modem, which possible because it is faster. Howev­ For HP 100/200 and DOS based PC's is designed for the large percentage er, when using a notebook computer Features include: Free Demo Pc D . • One Hour Learning Curve lsk of notebook computer users who in a conference room, in an office • Uses 300K with Max me size from SOK to IMEG. want to be connected to a LAN when down the hall, on the deck, in the • Logic Networks,Timelines, Resource Histograms in the office and by modem when cafeteria, or (as in my case) sitting on • Critical Path, Milestones,Variable Zoom they are away from the office. HP a sofa watching Star Trek re-runs • Multiple projects, Max tasks of 75 or 1000 activities Palmtop users should note that the while writing this article, the wireless • Mouse and keyboard operated for portability power requirements of the Xircom LAN is perfect. CreditCard Ethernet+Modem are too 1995 may be the year of the com­ Inmax Publishing Ltd. great for use on the HP Palmtop. bo card now that PC Card manufac­ 2673 Terrace Ave. North Vancouver, BC Canada V7K 1V5 (Xircom lOBaseT= $799; Phone: 800- turers see how stingy computer man­ 438-4526.) ufacturers are going to be with their Tel. 604-980-9991 Take any two or three of today's PCMCIA slots. Fax: 604-985-5597 PC Card functions and probably some manufacturer is considering combining them.

The future of combo cards A Closer Look at Smart Modular's Paging looks like the next fertile Fax/Modem & Memory Card arena for the combo bug. Vendors By Portia Isaacson and Paul Miller, Dream IT are announcing the addition of pager capability to modems, pagers that We spent several days testing a near-production version of Smart Modular's Fax/Modem & Memory operate with or without being in a Card. The card transmits faxes at 14.4 Kbps and receives faxes at 9600 bps. Data transmission is computer, and pagers with wireless at 2400 bps. In addition to its competitive modem functionality, Smart Modular's Fax/Modem & broadcast reception capability. The Memory Card, features 4Mb of flash memory that is accessed by DOS as the F drive (2MB version idea behind NovaPak's fax/modem also available). The memory portion of the card is flash RAM (not ATA) and comes with flash file plus pager is to carry the card in or system built in. The flash file system software uses 3.2K of conventional memory. out of the computer and, when a The Smart Modular card operates with the HP 100LX's built-in Datacom application for data pager signal is received, insert the transmission and comes with Bitfax for sending and receiving faxes. card in the computer to process the Smart Modular has synergistically combined a modem and flash memory into a single combo message. (NovaPak fax/modem plus card. Unlike most PCMCIA-standard combo cards on notebook computers using PCMCIA Card pager = $449; available 9/30/94; Services, the HP 100/200LX can use the memory and the modem of the Fax/Modem & Memory Card Phone 510-249-9777.) Socket's Page­ simultaneously. Data on the flash memory (the F drive on the HP 100/200LX) can be sent using the Card operates as an alphanumeric modem without transferring it to drive C and data can be placed on drive F as it is being received. pager tucked away in your pocket or As of the time this article was written, to accomplish this it was necessary to use an F drive resident purse with its own small LCD dis­ datacom package (e.g. Procomm) rather than the HP 100/200LX's resident Datacom. However, we play. (Socket PageCard; Pricing not expect Smart to correct this prior to shipping the product. yet available; Phone: 510-670-0300). As of this review, this combo card operates only with the HP 100/200LX, not with notebook or But in a PCMCIA slot it becomes a desktop computers with PCMCIA slots. Soon, the combo card will be able to operate with notebook wireless broadcast receiver for appli­ computers using PCMCIA-standard Card Services. Then a user will be able to load programs (e.g. cations such as Microsoft Mail, Sche­ a data communications program) on the Fax/Modem & Memory Card when it is installed in a dule Plus and Paradox; updating notebook computer or desktop computer equipped with a PCMCIA reader/writer. Smart Modular is e-mail, calendars or price lists. The planning to update the card's software so that it will operate with PCMCIA-equipped notebook paging generation of combo cards computers so that it is capable of moving data or programs between a desktop or notebook computer have only recently been announced. and the HP 100/200LX. Existing users will be upgraded for multiple platforms. To our knowledge none are shipping The combination of a modem and flash memory adds significant functionality to the HP and we do not know whether or not 100/200LX user. Larger files can be transmitted or received. More full-featured modem software (e.g. they will operate within the HP Procomm) can be used. Faxing becomes easier and more convenient with the faxes buffered in the Palmtop's limited architecture. memory of the modem card. In our opinion, the Smart Modular Fax/Modem & Memory Card is well Within a couple of years you can worth the investment of $349 for the HP 100/200LX user needing fax/modem capabilities and flash expect to see combo cards consisting memory. (See PCMCIA Products, page 44, for more information on the Smart Modular card.) of a fax/modem plus cellular fax/ modem plus pager. Although you might wonder why a user with a

30 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 HP StarLink: A One-Stop Solution to Wireless Messaging HP's StarLink service integrates a Motorola PCMCIA wireless receiver, pre-instal/ed HP StarLink software and messaging/news options to provide a one­ stop solution to wireless messaging. wireless messaging card By Hal Goldstein and Mark Scardina the subscriber can receive messages f'ftZPlLQReJ ;tu~!,!WlUMM ' 't1l.1l. via the NewsCard receiver. Messages 031'13/94 10:22 /PI TURES - - Top len POP AlbJ Hewlett-Packard's StarLink wireless 8~~ g~~l g:t~:: ¥~~~! :- A~I;ii~:~4~~~~ can be sent by anyone through one 03/ 13/94 12:29 PPI Sports TV lodllll'" GOLF: PCA 03/ 13/94 1:46 Pili .- In an alllll'lpl to cony! service provides the hardware, soft­ 03/ 13/94 3:08 PI'I nd ltl:ll with 11155 th., 80 toll-free number. " 03/ 13/94 J: 25 PPI .. acro PlessClIve. ware, and messaging services needed 03/ 13/94 3:31 pOI - " ia .. ",ca lllllt. 2 . /'IVS Central message control in the » g~~ ~~~~= ~; ~~:: ~!Tapest3MosU:!)AY~~. B~!~I~~;:~:T IIII~~A~~ to turn your HP 100/200LX into a m~itiJt1:_1Im.~4: ______[" -- ~jr.~L,W,ll1~,\\f.j:rlln ITjii;.WMji&;G.!.S"Wi~_ l U.s. is provided by the National wireless message receiver. With one Dispatch Center, Inc., (NDC), a wire­ phone call (1-800-917-LlNK), the user less communications gateway and HP StarLink message index can sign up for the messaging op­ premier provider of message dis­ tions of his or her choice and have patch. NDC receives and processes the necessary hard ware and software StarLink messages 24 hours a day, in hand within two business days. EMERGENCY 365 days a year, transmitting mes­ (See StarLink product listing, page sages wirelessly to the HP 100/- MEDICAL 46, for more information.) 200LX. In addition to transmitting PROVIDERS: StarLink represents a partnership simple text messages, operators can of many companies. HP StarLink be instructed to automatically update • Software puts MEDICAL consists of an HP 100LX and the customers' appointment calendars REFERENCE in the Motorola PCMCIA NewsCard with and to-do lists. The subscriber pro­ PALM of your hand! its protruding pod (see photo above). vides a security code to enable col­ HP StarLink uses the services of Na­ leagues to make these appointment • By touching a few keys, tional Dispatch Center out of San nc book updates. PALMTOX gives quick Diego, who in turn accesses paging Currently, the wireless carriers for access to drugs and services from PageNet. the Star Link service cover more than management in the 90% of the U.S. population, with overdose setting Starlink Includes a PCMCIA some international coverage early in Wireless Receiver and 1995. • PALMPEDS"" provides Messaging Service You can set StarLink to announce emergency evaluation The package includes a PCMCIA different types of messages in differ­ and treabnent guide­ Type II-compatible Motorola News­ ent ways, including short and long lines to manage acute Card receiver with pre-installed HP beeps, and excerpts from classical pediatric illness StarLink software. The cards AAA music. A total of 15 sounds are avai­ alkaline battery provides approxi­ lable with StarLink inserted in the Available immediately for mately 21 days of battery life and the 100/200LX and 10 sounds for the the HP 100LX Palmtop card warns you when the battery is card alone. You can adjust the vol­ low. The StarLink card slips into the ume to three different preset levels Price: $ 175.00 Palmtop's PCMCIA slot, but can when using StarLink with the 100/- receive messages while it is out of 200LX. Call: 800-258-2550 fill the Palmtop and has 128K of onboard When messages are received, they Fax: (414) 241-8514 ..ilL RAM memory for storage of incom­ are displayed in an index screen as ing files. shown in the screen above. Once connected to HP StarLink,

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 31 Wireless Messaging

Highlight the desired message NewsLink will provide StarLink Other PCMCIA and press IENTER I to see the text dis­ users with the latest headline news, Wireless Receivers played. The text cannot be edited di­ Wall Street financial information, Other wireless services and receivers rectly, but it can be highlighted, cop­ sports news, national weather reports are available for the HP Palmtop. ied and pasted into any built-in ap­ and entertainment news. The SkyTel SkyCard allows the plications. StockLink is an optional service 100/200LX to receive messages of the In our tests, reception was mostly that provides up-to-the-minute stock SkyTel nationwide paging system. error-free, although we did get some quotes and news. There are four The RAM Mobile Data service transmission errors in some office financial alert services to choose provides a wireless connection be­ buildings. Fortunately, StarLink from, depending on your market tween a customer's LAN-based net­ work and the RAM wireless data checks incoming messages and flags interest. For example, a user can network, allowing communication to messages with errors. Most of the request real-time stock quotes or an HP 100/200LX with an Intel wire­ time it's pretty easy to figure out the COMTEX buy / sell recommendations. less modem. missing or misspelled text, but if you (See StarLink product description, MobileMedia Communications can't, you can call StarLink's toll-free pages 46 for more on StarLink op­ provides paging services nationwide 800 number to have the operator read tions.) and offers 100/200LX users with the message back to you over the The StarLink Newscard lets you MobileMate, a wireless messaging phone. install its software on the C drive, card with integrated antenna that or use it directly from the Newscard runs off of two button-type batteries. Other Starlink Options in the A drive. However, all incom­ MobileMate inserts flush with the Initially, StarLink will provide news, ing messages are stored on the C case (Le. there is no bulb on the end sports, weather, and other informa­ drive. (They can be marked and like with the HP StarLink). tion services, as well as transmitting printed to a file on a card or a print­ Please see page 46-47 for more voice and data messages. er.) The installation to C drive re­ information on these PCMCIA wire­ quires 80K of disk space. less cards and services. Hot New PCMCIA Cards for your Palmtop Big Memory Multi-Function Wireless Communications SMART Flio- HEWLETT A /'oll-erfld Way O/Thlnking a:~ PACKARO

You'll get state­ You'll be able of-the-art com­ to store really munication that in­ large programs cludes built-in SlarLink and lots of data, memory! wireless just like a hard disk only better. This SMART's new fax/modem and memory PCMCIA card allows you to fax larger files than receiver card. newest concept in Flash technology You'll have from Maxtor uses up to 9 times less before with its 4MB (optional 2MB) flash instant access to: current and writes up to 8 times faster memory. Has 9600/4800 bps fax send! • news and sports than other Flash brands. Its type I size receive and 2400 bps modem. • stocks and company reports enables it to fit in any PCMCIA slot. Stock #3251 (2MB version) .. . . . $289 • messages from anyone with a Automatic data compression included Stock #3252 (4MB version) . .... $379 telephone, anytime, anywhere typically doubles each flash card's • e-mail for anyone with a modem capacity. • your updated appointment book Stock #3242 (IMB/2MB compr) . $99 This PCMCIA receiver card con­ Stock #3236 (214MB) . $165 tains StarLink software. Subscription Stock #3237 (418MB) . $269 allows you to simply choose the cov­ Stock #3238 (8110MB) . $485 erage that matches your needs at a Stock #3239 (12124MB) $619 nominal monthly charge. Stock #3240 (16/32MB) $749 Stock #3241 (20/40MB) $899 Stock #FI028A (Card) ...... $219

32 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 PCMCIA Data Acquisition Cards

PCMCIA Input/Output cards are beginning to be used in the collection of data, making it possible to gather information on temperature, speed, pressure, accuracy, and more, from portable computers.

By Vincent Hebert ternal space for expansion, have sition system is a thermostat on a increased the demand for PCMCIA modern household furnace. A ther­ It wasn't long after the inception of cards. While cards for file storage mocouple senses the room tempera­ PCMCIA technology in 1989 that have flourished since the release of ture and sends the information in PCMCIA cards began to trickle into the Type I standard, it wasn't until digital form to a small computer chip the market. That trickle has turned the release of Type II cards that In­ in the thermostat. Based on settings into a veritable flood and the fastest put/Output developers began to take you have programmed into the ther­ growing market for mobile comput­ notice of PCMCIA technology. mostat, it sends signals to the fur­ ers is the palmtop type such as HP's With Type II cards and PCMCIA nace, turning it on and off to increase 95/100/200LX. Palmtop computers, version 2.0 specifications we have or decrease the temperature. with no disk drives and limited in- seen the release of many new I/O cards, including fax/modems, ATA Data acquisition flash disks, wireless communications on the HP Palmtops cards, and more. More recently, The HP Palmtops were designed to Palmtop Accessories PCMCIA data acquisition devices collect and organize data. Someone for the have been developed. tells you their name and phone num­ HP95LX -100 LX -Omnibook ber, you open PHONE and enter the Data Acquisition information for future reference. Memory Cards Data acquisition refers to the collec­ However, sophisticated data ac­ • 1MB SRAM ...... $140 tion of information. If I read a ther­ quisition on the Palmtops has been • 2MB SRAM ...... $249 • 5MB Flash w/Stacker Card ...... $349 mometer and write down the temper­ limited so far. One device, the OWL • 10MB Flash w/Stacker Card •••.•. $549 ature on a piece of paper I am in­ Environmental Monitoring Interface • 20MB Flash w/Stacker Card •.•••. $965 volved in data acquisition. The data was reported on page 9 of the • 130MB Hardrive Type m Card. $435 acquisition technology described in March/ April 1994 issue of The HP I/O Cards this article takes analog signals from Palmtop Paper. This device connects to • 2400/9600 Fax/Modem Card .••. $175 • Lan Combo T/2 Card .•....•.•.••••••. $199 a sensor measuring variables such as different types of analog and digital • Fax/Mod Send/Rec for 100LX ••. $229 pressure and temperature, and turns sensors and transmits data to a 95LX IC Card Drives these signals into digital information in spreadsheet-ready data files via an • Internal Flash/lID Drive •••••••••.. $ 99 which can be stored and analyzed on IR port link. The OWL is a relatively • External Printer Port Drive .•.•.. $249 a computer to solve a problem or • External Serial Port Drive ••••••.• $249 small device, but it is still larger than • Internal Dual ISA Drive •••••..•.... $195 control an existing system. the HP Palmtop. Callfor Complete Catalog A simple example of a data acqui- Me· AMX· VISA Accepted ABOUT THE AUTHOR ENVOY DATA a Vincent Hebert has worked in the data acquisition fleld for six years in test, sales and technical marketing. He holds a CORPORA liON degree in engineering and is flnishing a BSEE at Roger 953 E. Juanita Ave., Suite A Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. He is in Mesa, Arizona 85204 Marketing Communications for ComputerBoards, Inc., and Tel: (602) 892-0954 • Fax: (602) 892-0029 has written extensively about data acquisition involving 1-800-368-6971 PCMCIA technology.

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 33 Data Acquisition Cards

data from pressure transducers at­ tached to a person's feet. The data from these sensors and electromyog­ raphy will be used to analyze lower back pain related to posture and If Only Internet lifting techniques for the insurance Q industry. ( "\ Flew Through Quicker recovery from Someone e-mails or calls-ill a reconstructive knee surgery message.. . During reconstructive knee surgery, ~ The Air. surgeons push, pull and yank on the ~nee through necessity. The recovery ~ tune for patients involved in these To your ~. operations is lengthy and costly; Imagine RadioMaii ~ ~,~ therapy and exercise are painful and address ... expensive. J How Much -JrI During this surgery (with the j .... patient's permission of course) the RallioJtlail sends oJ" to it wherever " C ... same school brings in a mobile com­ Better Your .rOil arc. .. puter, data acquisition card and pres­ sure transducers. Sensors are at­ tached to the surrounding ligaments Palmtop Would Be. and tissue. Strain and pressure data is taken, brought back to the lab and downloaded into larger, powerful computers which analyze the data in an effort to minimize the stress PCMCIA Technology a credit card. By using the HP Palmtops and caused on the knee by the surgeon, and Data Acquisition thus reducing recovery time. Type I cards with their 3.3mm thick­ other mobile computers, diverse (sometimes bizarre) applications can The benefits are obvious to the ness and vague specification were too general public. Think what this data thin for many of the surface mount now be easily implemented. The use of the HP Palmtop in divergent ap­ is worth to a professional sports team components needed to implement whose star athlete needs such sur­ data acquisition technology with a plications has been highlighted in past issues of The HP Palmtop Paper. gery, or to the athlete himself and his PCMCIA interface. career. In September of 1991, with an Physicians carry drug databases inclusion of an I/O specification into around in their pocket, earthquake the PCMCIA Standard Release 2.0 victims bypass downed phone lines Missile accuracy testing and the advent of S.Omm Type II and use wireless communications to Kaman Sciences of Colorado is doing cards, data acquisition developers contact friends and associates. How­ missile accuracy testing. In order to became more interested in PCMCIA ever, most of these applications in­ test the accuracy of the interception technology. The following year, volve the utilization of stored data of missiles, a fiber grid is placed in PCMCIA released Card Services 2.0 and the output of data for communi­ the nose-cone of the missile to be and Socket Services 2.0, the last spec­ cation, not the taking of input signals shot down. ifications needed to develop in­ for analysis. This is changing. These fiber grids are dense and put/output devices, including data critical to the measurement of the acquisition devices, on PCMCIA Examples of impact. There can be no imperfec­ cards. Portable Data Acquisition tions in the grid when it is placed in the nose-cone. Before being placed in PCMCIA adds portability the missile, an optical scanner is run Reducing Lower Back Stress over the grid. The data from this to data acquisition The University of Vermont's College scanner is fed into the mobile com­ PCMCIA technology dramatically of Medicine, Department of Orthope­ puter at 10Hz speeds of +/-lOOmV. reduces the size of an application and dics is currently studying ways of Walking from missile to missile, makes it more portable. Flash cards reducing stress from vehicle vibra­ all the grids for the day's tests are are an example of this. The first tions on the lower back during long certified with a mobile computer. 10MB hard disk drives took up as car rides. A mobile computer is used After the missile is shot down, the much room as today's desktop Pc. to take data from an accelerometer grids will be gently removed and Now you can get a 40MB PCMCIA (or strain gauge) attached to a study analyzed for impact and accuracy of Type II flash card roughly the size of subject. Other studies involve taking the shot.

34 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 Improved factory operations The service technician has to start ules and troublesome machines may Probably the most common use of guessing, or take the copier apart, be quickly identified and resolved. data acquisition cards is the monitor­ trying different things until it works. ing of factory floor operations. Time and work wasted. The future of Georgia Pacific manufactures What if the technician logs onto data acquisition cards plywood and pressboard, among his Palmtop, logged in the time of At the present time, delays in the other wood products, for the con­ the call and the reported failure, and development of data acquisition struction field. During the course of then pulled out a data acquisition cards are caused by the limited avail­ these manufacturing processes tem­ card and troubleshooting kit with ability of the necessary input/ output perature and pressure are brought to wires and sensors. He attaches these chips and the fact that the board area bear by many huge presses. As with to different points on the broken on the PC card limits the amount of any manufacturing process, checks copier and runs a series of diagnos­ these chips that can be used. must be done periodically to insure tics tests. As demand for these cards grows, the integrity of the process. The problem quickly identified, he the availability of the necessary chips Costly, high-strength resin is repairs the machine. Next he pulls will increase, solving part of the mixed with the wood for pressboard out the data acquisition card and problem. In addition, the develop­ or placed between thin sheets of inserts a memory card with a cus­ ment of more powerful chips will wood to make plywood. This resin tomer database. He logs the custom­ allow more functions to be integrated must be kept at a certain tempera­ er, the time the repairs were complet­ on a single chip. This will help solve ture; the press must be able to exert ed, the work he did and the parts limits associated with card size. a specified amount of pressure per used and is off to the next job. At the Card and Socket Services software square inch; the curing process kept end of the day, he takes his memory must be installed on your computer at a certain temperature. card back to the central office and so it can talk to a PCMCIA card. The most expensive part of the downloads all the day's work-related Unfortunately, many companies are process is the flow of the resin. The data into the company's main desk­ making not-so compatible versions of other factors involved may affect the top with a PCMCIA interface. This this software, making it difficult to finished product, but shutting down information is stored in a database expect cross-platform compatibility. the resin, then bringing it back up to and used to generate invoices and re­ Fortunately a software standard is temperature is only cost effective if ports, or recalled and reviewed at developing quickly. As soon as Card that is truly the problem. In the past, will. All the technicians at the facility Socket Services is more standard, the only way to troubleshoot the carry a mobile computer from site to more and more data acquisition ap­ process was to shut everything down site. The savings on paperwork, fil­ plications will be ported to a PCM­ until the problem was identified and ing, trouble-shooting and time are CIA card. (See PCMCIA Products, then all the components restarted. substantial. Also, maintenance sched- page 44 this issue.) This was not only expensive, but usually involved a number of people trying to determine which part of the process needed correcting. .. '. ", Now, with a data acquisition card in a portable computer, sensors are You Got It. attached, data collected, software run and the culprit quickly identified and ~At Be in touch with the world. Nearly anywhere you are. adjusted. And let it be in touch with Internet, on-line services, Clearly, a large manufacturing J'cJu get it, and you. With RadioMail~ and corporate e-mail, other call respolld floor can realize the benefits of using immediately. airwaves. Thrn your HP RadioMail users, and even these cards, but innovation doesn't Palmtop into a wireless, fax print-out are just a key stop there. Internet mailbox. stroke away. With no Field service: Where you get dialing in. No logging The key is portability complete e-mail on. Get the message? Service industries that maintain com­ messages. And can E-mail or call today puters, copiers, and other equipment reply. Immediately. RadioMail for more info. in the field all involve travel and troubleshooting. GET TH E MESSAGE. ANYWHERE. For example, a call comes in to E-MAIL [email protected] the field service office reporting a OR CALL 1 -800-909-0260, DEPT . HP copier that doesn't work. A techni­ cian is dispatched to the site to speak with the operator of the copier who tells him "it just stopped working."

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 35 First Looks and Future Directions for PCMCIA Products Take a look at fax/modem cards that work with cellular phones, a new 3.5/1 floppy disk drive, Fax/Modem card recommendations, alternative Fax software, and possible future PCMCIA products.

Cellular Phone, CELLect. They come in two 14400 Hopefully this is one of the first Fax/Modem Combinations bps fax/modem versions: PCMCIA of many new PCMCIA input/output slot modem, which has a single con­ devices that actually work on the HP By Stanley Dobrowski nector which will accept a wire Palmtops. CIS ID: [71031,2162] which goes directly to the cellular We have tested the Accurite flop­ One of the fastest growing Palmtop phone or a different wire for a stan­ py drive with the HP 100/200LX and trends has been data communications dard phone; and a pocket-sized bat­ were pleased. (The drive won't work using PCMCIA fax/modem cards. tery-powered model which uses a with the HP 95LX). A custom PCM­ But no matter how convenient these standard serial port. These modems CIA Card plugs into the HP 100/ cards are, the Palmtop user is still connect directly to Motorola's MC2 200LX and a cable connects it to a tied to a telephone cord. Wireless MicroTAC cellular phones. (For more diminutive 3.5" floppy drive (which information call Motorola's Universal PCMCIA receivers and messaging requires a power adapter or external Data Systems subsidiary at 205-430- batteries). With the drive you can services like HP's StarLink are avail­ 8000.) access and exchange files between the able, but the user is limited to receiv­ Palmtop and a 3.5" diskette quickly. ing messages. One solution to the Megahertz Since the Accurite solution takes up Megahertz has fax/ modems cards wireless two-way data communica­ the Palmtop's PCMCIA slot, transfer­ designed for use with cellular tions problem is the use of existing ring files between a floppy disk and phones, but does not make their own cellular technology in combination memory card is a little more difficult. cellular phones. The Megahertz cards with fax modem cards. You may have to swap files between support several popular brands of I am in the process of evaluating your PCMCIA memory card and C cellular phones including Diamond­ several products which combine the drive before accessing the Accurite tel. Each brand and model of cellular HP Palmtop, a PCMCIA fax/modem drive. card, and a cellular phone. phone usually requires a unique cable to connect the fax/modem card Nokia to the data jack on the phone (see PC Fax/Modem card on One such combination is made by page 43). the Palmtop: Failure Nokia, a large supplier of cellular then success In a future issue of The HP Palmtop phones in Europe, and just starting to By Robert Amram reach into the United States. I will be Paper I'll report on using the cellu­ lar /Palmtop combination, primarily testing their PT128 cellular phone It was not always possible for me to for connection with CompuServe for and their own brand PCMCIA slot have a fax machine available, so I E-mail and forum messages. I will modem. Nokia also makes another decided to try one of the fax/modem also be connecting with the corporate style phone which does not use the cards advertised in The HP Palmtop minicomputer at work for remote cradle, but allows a direct wire from Paper, with the idea of being able to login. Then I will try some of the receive two-to-three page faxes on the PCMCIA modem to a connector shareware fax sending programs to on the bottom of the phone. This my 100LX. It turned out that the card see how well they do with these I first tried simply would not work. combination would probably be more three brands of modems. After much frustration and exchanges desirable for use with the palmtop, with the manufacturer, they apolo­ but an evaluation unit was not avail­ Travel Floppy with gized and gave me a full refund. As able for this test. The features and PCMCIA Interface far as I'm concerned, they shall re­ operation would be identical with By Hal Goldstein main nameless. either phone (see page 43). I then decided to try the ThinFax Motorola Accurite just came out with a 3.5" Basic-LC card made by EXP Comput­ Motorola has announced a new line floppy drive that connects to the HP ers. I am truly delighted with the of cellular compatible modems called 100/200LX via a PCMCIA card. ThinFax. It is easy to install. It was

36 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 designed specifically for the 100LX PCMCIA I/O Cards and its communications and fax soft­ That Don't Exist Yet ware are System Manager compliant. By Harry Konstas CIS W: [72540,620] It also works in PCs equipped with a In the few years since PCMCIA Release 1.0 memory cards came out, we've seen increasing capacity, PCMCIA slot and a different fax/­ up to 20MB, and dropping prices. With PCMCIA Release 2.0, we now have Fax-modem, LAN, comm program. Ethernet, Pagers and even hard-disk drives on Type III cards. I found a minor snag printing a The following non-existent PCMCIA products are not science-fiction! Today's technology is ready for such products. I hope to see some of these ideas on the market in the near future, maybe at next fax message from my Palmtop to a year's COMDEX! Here are some new product ideas for PCMCIA Type II, Release 2.0 & up cards that parallel printer (connected via a BSE can be done with available technology, and my own PSRP (Possible Suggested Retail Price): serial/parallel adapter). I reported the problem to EXP tech support and PCMCIAudio™ PUT YOUR FAVORITE Well now you can with the VOICEFLASHTM got an instant response and direc­ MUSIC IN PCMCIA CARDS. voice recognition card. (PSRP - varies with the card's capacity) The sensitive condenser microphone is tions for downloading an upgrade Only a few weeks ago, a small recorder/ located at the edge of the card and it can file, which reprogrammed the Thin­ player was introduced on the market, that pick up audio from 3 feet away. The Spe­ uses a PCMCIA card (a 10MB Flashcard) ech-Learn ™software on the card is similar Fax to print properly (and render instead of a microcassette for recording up to the existing voice recognition programs. accented characters correctly). The to 120 minutes of monoral audio. This is You only have to 'teach' the card to recog­ only minor problems with the Thin­ now possible with new data compression nize your voice commands. Once the card hardware, and with 40MB flashcards which has memorized your voice patterns into its Fax that I've discovered is its inabili­ already exist, you could have a complete 10MB flash memory, you no longer need to ty to offer the European date format digital stereo album recorded on a PC card! use the keyboard of your HP. You can even and the fact that texts faxed from the Imagine a flashcard, with a built in give your HP Palmtop a name and vocally headphone amplifier, software for program­ activate it! 100LX don't word wrap correctly on mable music selection (like a CD player), an fax machines at the receiving end. audio input (a small analog to digital con­ B&W Television Receiver PCMCIA II verter) to record your favorite songs. You (PSRP - $299.99) However, I've found EXP tech sup­ can enjoy the music you like wherever you Watch your favorite programs or news on port to be of such a consistently high go by inserting a card and plugging in the this compact PCMCIA B&W T.V.! The TV quality, I'm confident these problems headphones (like Walkmans) into your HP screen will be your 100LX LCD. The resolu­ Palmtop. tion will be 528 x 200 pixels (4:3 standard will soon be cleared up. In a few years from now, we will proba­ TV ratio with a doubling of the horizontal bly see PCMCIA albums along with the resolution) leaving the right side of your CD's in the stores. These will be ROM­ LCD (112x200) for channel, volume control Simple Simon Faxer CARDS instead of FlashCards. and other indicators. software works well with Technical info: The actual sampling The built in digitizing process of the rate for a monoral speech recording PCM­ card converts incoming Signals to a 4-gray­ some fax/modem cards CIA device is 5KHz, and with hardware data -scale image which gives an acceptable compression 4:1, it takes about 1.25KB per picture on the 100LX screen. Image refresh By Rich Hall second. So 1250 bytes/sec x 3600 seconds is 30 frames per second not interlaced, (1 hour) equals 4.5MB of storage. With because of the 100LX screen hardware A number of users have had prob­ digital stereo, and a special compression speed. The earphone plug on the edge of lems with the communications and algorithm with a 40KHz sampling rate, we the card will provide the sound and the fax software found on some PCMCIA need a PCMCIA RAM card of about 40MB earphone's wire is also used as an antenna. for about 45-50 minutes of 8 bit digital ste­ This card is also powered by the 100LX's fax/modem cards. In some cases, the reo recorded material. AA batteries. The T.V. should run a couple software is geared to the Windows of hours since the LCD isn't backlit. (I have AM/FM Stereo PCMCIA II a CASIO 3-inch Color backlit LCD TV and it operating system and useless on the (PSRP - $129.95) works for about 4 hours with 4 AA batter­ Palmtop. In other cases, the program Listen to your favorne radio station by just ies.) is physically too large and leaves plugging your Radio-card into the PCMCIA slot of your 100LX. The on-card software Digital Multi-Meter PCMCIA II (PSRP - little room on the Palmtops internal will let you 'tune in' to stations using your $189.00) C drive for storing messages. keyboard, and the Palmtop LCD screen will Great for electronics technicians or hobby­ A number of users have posted show you the frequency, signal strength, ists. By plugging your PCMCIA multi-meter stereo indication, volume levels, etc. and on the 100LX and running the built in soft­ messages on CompuServe, or written save 'preset' frequencies on the card's built ware on the card, you will be able to record The HP Palmtop Paper about a com­ in EEPROM memory. readouts of AC or DC voltages up to 500V, Powered by the 100LX AA's, it gives read OHMS from .001 to 20M ohms, and pact fax program called Simple Si­ you up to 15 hours of music. Plug in the even test diodes. mon Faxer (a.k.a. SSFAXER Ii). This headphones (used as an antenna at the same time, (like SONY'S Walkman) on the Digital Oscilloscope PCMCIA II (PSRP - inexpensive ($19.95) program re­ edge of your card, and enjoy! $679.99) quires 95K disk space on the Palm­ A must for electronics technicians. This is a top's C drive and uses 312K of sys­ VOICE RECOGNITION PCMCIA CARD. dual-trace digital 20 MHz dignal oscilloscope (PSRP $495) on a PCMCIA card. The card's software will tem RAM during operation. For more Would you like to use the built-in PIMS of record your analog/digital waveform read­ information, see page 47, this issue. your HP without touching the keyboard? outs on the LCD screen of your 100LX.

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 37 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

PCMCIA·Related Products of Interest to HP Palmtop Users

This section lists PCMCIA-related products and includes hardware, software, books, and services of interest to HP Palmtop users. The icons above the product name indicate which Palmtop the product is suitable for: mD for the 95LX, 1100/200LX I for the 100/200LX. If there is no icon, - check the product type introduction to see whether it applies to a/l or some Palmtops, or to desktop PCs. Suggested retail prices are listed. We invite vendors and subscribers to send us information about HP Palmtop-related products they discover. We rely on information we receive from the manufacturer and cannot test every piece of hardware or software. We welcome any user feedback on product suitability.

By Richard Hall

ACE bleFlasht 6M ($239) to Information Center, P.o. PCMCIA Memory Cards: Hardware Differences and Prices Memory cards the DoubleFlasht 80M Box 3608 MIS 38-03, Har· ($1,499). risburg, PA 17105-3608, SRAM cards come in capacities from 64K This section describes ACE Technologies mar· [See Advertising, page back USA; Phone: 800-522-6752; to 2MB. The card uses a small backup battery PCMCIA·related hardware kets SRAM and Flash cover.] Fax: 717-986-7575. to keep card's volatile memo~ alive. SRAM products, and lists memo· "Double" cards with com· cards should work with any H Palmtop. pression software built in. COMPANY: ACE Technolo· ry cards, card readers, I/O Centennial AT A flash cards at thiS time are made by The card capacities listed gies, Inc. , 592 Weddell SunDisk and IBM and marketed by a number cards such as fax/modem Memory Cards cards, PCMCIA develop· are approximations reflect· Drive, #6, Sunnyvale, CA of other vendors. AT A Flash cards have a The ReCharge Card is a ers kits, and more. ing expected storage with 94089, USA; Phone: 800- built-in controller that is faster and, according compression software 825-9977 or 408-734-0100; Type I SRAM card with a to Sun Disk, more reliable than the flash filing (e,g., a Doublecard 2M is Fax: 408-734-3344, fully rechargeable data system described below. ATA Flash memo~ backup battery, A built·in mimics the file structure of a PC hard dis I a 1MB SRAM card with charging circuit active drive and uses the same 512 byte sector size. file compression software Adtron This makes AT A cards 100% compatible with [ Cases during operation keeps I installed). ACE offers the Memory Cards all MS-DOS ~Plications and utility software. following cards, Offers SRAM, ATA flash the ReCharge card opera- AT A flash car s can be used in any computer ImlDI 100/200LX I Doublecards - SRAM and other Type II PCMCIA tional for years without that supports the Release 2.0 PC Card AT A replacing the battery, Ava· standard, including the HP 100/200LX, most Pocket Box cards requiring a battery cards, Prices vary, for data retention, Double· ilable in 256K to 4MB notebook PCs and PC card drives. AT A cards Card Protector COMPANY: Adtron Corp" cards come with compres· capacities (1 MB . $159, come in capacities from 2.5MB to 41.9MB. Protective carrying con· 3050 S, Count!}' Club Dr, ATA flash disks should work with the HP 100- sion software built in and 2MB· $259) . tainer for Type I and II Suite 24, Mesa, AZ 85210, /200LX. Some of the earlier versions do not work with any HP Palm· Centennial also offers PCMCIA cards, Made of USA; Phone: 602-926-9324; work with the HP 95LX, so check with the top, They range from the the Palm Flash cards in vendor before purchasing. recyclable clear plastic, Fax: 602-926-9359, DoubleCard 1M ($109) to capacities from 256K to Flash memory cards are different from 2MB (1MB · $110, 2MB- the AT A flash disks described above. Vendors Pricing (pack of three)ji3,OO the DoubleCard 4M AMP CONTACT: PC Card Pack· ($289), ACE also has $185), Flash filing system like Intel and AMD make flash memo~ cards Memory Cards without a built-in controller, that mimic PROM aging, 386 South Street, uncompressed SRAM software must be installed AMP offers Flash-5 flash memory and use a very large block size Pittsfield, MA 01201, USA; cards available, on the 100/200LX in order memory cards that have a (64Kbytes). These cards reqUire one of the Phone 413-442-1798; Fax: DoubleFlash - Sun· for the Palmtop to read program/erase algorithm various software Flash File SystemsJrovided 413-443-3823. Disk AT A flash cards with these cards, by Microsoft, M-Systems or SC to be and sector sizes of 128 to compression software built installed in your PC. You cannot mix and 512 bytes, allowing you to CONTACT: Centennia l in, They work with any HP match flash filin~ system software from access, modify, and save Tech. , Inc" 37 Manning Palmtop and range from different vendors. ome cards ma~ work in the data faster than conven- Road, Billerica, MA 01821 , HP 100/200LX, but require flash iling system PCMCIA the DoubleFlash 3M USA; Phone: 800-535-3668 tional flash memory cards. software to install and work on the HP ($199) to the DoubleFlash or 508-670-0646; Fax: 508- Memory The software needed for 100/200LX. If you buy one of these types of 40M ($979), 670-9025, the HP Palmtops to read cards, carefully check to see that the vendor Cards DoubleFlasht - IBM has tested the card on the HP 100/200LX and the Flash-5 cards is pre· AT A FlashRAM cards with DIP Systems will give you a money back guarantee. installed on the card. built-in file compression Memory card prices vary and continue 100/200LX However, you must modify Memory cards mDl I software, These are the to move downwards. A~ prices listed in this your Palmtop's CON FIG· 01 P offers SRAM cards section may change. ypical prices for a fA wide variety of PCM· newest flash card technol· ,SYS file to read the from 128K (£33) to 2MB SRAM card as of Sept 94 are $150 for a 512K CIA memo!}, cards are ogy with close to SRAM cards, (£249), card and $280 for a 2MB card. Typical crices available, All cards listed read/write performance. AMP also offers SRAM for AT A flash cards are $350 for a 2.5M card below work with 95/100/- They work with the 100/ COMPANY: DIP Systems, to $1,200 for a 20MB card. ThPical prices for memory cards, 200LX unless otherwise 200LX but not the 95LX. 32 Frederick Snager Road, flash memory cards are $95 or a 256K card Surrey Research Park, indicated.} They range from the Dou· CONTACT: AMP Product to $995 for a 20MB card. Guildford, Surrey, GU2

38 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

5XN, ENGLAND; Phone: CONTACT: HP Dealers range from 512K ($159) to ($349) to 20MB ($899). Seagate memory cards in 1MB and 0483 301555; Fax: 0483 worldwide. HP memory 2MB ($349). ATA flash FlashCards 2MB capacities, starting at 578072. cards are also available cards vary from 2.6MB CONTACT: Premax Corpo- Seagate markets Sun Disk $295. Irom selected third-party ($399) to 10.4MB ($999). ration, National Sales 01- AT A flash cards in capaci- CONTACT: Quatech, 662 Envoy Data vendors. lice, Phone: 714-851-8242; ties from 1.8MB to 20.9 Wolf Ledges Parkway, Ak- Memory Cards COMPANY: Palm Tree Prod- Fax: 714-851-8249. ucts, Inc., 145 Washington MB (uncompressed) and ron, OH 44311, USA; Envoy offers SRAM and Magic RAM Street, Norwell, MA 02061 , has Stacker compression Phone: 800-553-1170; Fax: Memory Cards Prolinera AT A flash cards and USA; Phone: 617-871-7050; software available. 216-434-1409; BBS: 216- SRAM memory cards for SRAM and ATA Extreme Fax: 617-871-6018. ProFlash Cards 434-2481 . Environment Cards sealed the HP Palmtops manu- AT A flash cards with com- CONTACT: Seagate Inter- to protect against environ- factured by Magic RAM. national, 920 Disk Drive, Premax pressed capacities from Simple SRAM ment and extreme oper- Cards come with dual bat- 2MB to 40MB. Scotts Valley, CA 95067, ating temperatures. Regu- tery protection, preventing Memory Cards USA; Phone: 408-438-8111 ; and Flash lar and extreme environ- loss of data during repla- Premax offers dual battery CONTACT: ProlinearCorp., Fax: 408-438-7852. Cards ment SRAM cards come cement of the primary SRAM in capacities from 150 N. Santa Anita Ave., Simple offers SRAM and in capacities up to 2MB battery. Available in 256K, 512K ($99) to 2MB ($279) Ste. 300, Arcadia, CA Quatech ATA flash cards. SRAM ($259/$370). Regular and 512K, 1MB and 2MB ca- and AT A flash cards in 91006, USA; Phone: 800- Memory Cards cards are available in 759-0881 or 818-821 -1881; Extreme Environment AT A pacity. capacities from 5MB capacities from 256K Fax: 818-821-1879. Quatech offers SRAM flash disks come in capac- CONTACT: Magic RAM, ities from 5MB ($432/ 1850 Beverly Blvd, Los $360) to 41.9MB ($2495/ Angeles, CA 90057, USA; $3,000). Phone: 213-413-9999; Fax: Envoy also offers Flash 213-413-0828. Memory cards, with built PLUG fNTO YOUR 7)f5KTOP! in True Flash File System, Maxtor Flash for the HP 100/200LX. Memory Cards Flash memory card ca- The MobileMax Flash pacities range from 1MB Memory Card product line ($195) to 19.6MB consists of a series of ($1,395) . PCMCIA Type I flash [See Advertising, page 33.J memory cards in capaci- CONTACT: Envoy Data ties of 1MB to 20MB. Corporation, 953 East Juan- MobileMax cards come PCIIICIA ita Avenue, Suite A. Mesa, with flash filing system AZ 85204, USA; Phone: software installed on the 602-892-0954; Fax: 602- card. Insert the card into 892-0029. the memory card slot of a CARDrIv. 95LX or 100/200LX and Epson type A:INSTALL from the Share PCMCIA deJlices betvveen Memory Cards DOS prompt. The Mobile- Epson offers SRAM (512K Max card configures itself notebook and desktop computers! to 2MB, $129 to $269) for your system. and AT A Flash cards CONTACT: Maxlor Corpora- (2.5MB to 20MB, $299 to tion, 211 River Oaks Park- DUAL SLOT DESIGN $999) for the HP Palm- way, San Jose, CA 95134, tops. USA; Phone: 408-432-1700; * Accepts Type I-IV devices CONTACT: Epson Direct, Fax: 408-432-4510; Telex: 20770 Madrona Ave., Tor- 171074. * Accepts a Type III & Type II together rance, CA 90509, USA; Phone: 800-374-7300; Can- New Media FITS IN 3.5" OR 5.25" DRIVE BAY ada: 800-463-7766; Latin Flash Cards America: 305-265-0092; Offers SRAM cards avail- * Mounting hardware included Fax: 310-782-4455. able in capacities from 256K ($75) to 2MB * Compatible with most 386, 486 & HP ($279). Memory Cards Pentium systems CONTACT: New Media Hewlett-Packard Company Corporation, One Technolo- provides AT A flash disk WINDOWS BASED SOFTWARE gy, Building A. Irvine, CA cards with Stacker file 92718, USA; Phone: 800- * CardWare 2.0 from Award compression software pre- 453-0550 or 714-453-0100; loaded. HP offers the Fax: 714-453-0114. following cards (uncom- pressed capacity) 5MB PalmTree OEMs CALL (800)456-1818 ($375), 10MB ($600) and Memory Cards ACMA Computers, Inc. 20MB ($999) AT A flash Offers SRAM and AT A Welcome! 47988 Fremont Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538 disk cards for the HP flash disk cards in varying (510)623-1212 Fax (510)623-0818 Palmtops and Omnibook. capacities. SRAM cards Specifications subject to change without notice. A082394

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 39 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

($115) to 2MB ('= $500). companies makes card -' - - . - ,\'-,'j) AT A flash cards are avail­ readers that connects to a .: T:, M.+-".... tf ,-.... , .': able in capacities from Macintosh SCSI port (see 2MB ($200) to 16MB SCSI references below). ($1,000). When ordering a card drive, tell the vendor the CONTACT: Simple Technol­ type of computer you will ogy, 3001 Daimler Rd., be installing it in to con­ Santa Ana, CA 92705, USA; Phone: 714-476-1180; Fax: firm that it will work in that 714-476-1209. computer. System soft­ ware will have to be in­ stalled on your desktop so 100/200LX I I it can read the memolJl Severe cards. Without the appro­ Environment priate device drivers some Cards cards may not work in This 40MB ($1 ,540) her­ your PC. All products are metically sealed AT A flash available now unless oth­ "Guardian" memory cards erwise indicated,) can withstand exposure to water immersion, mois­ ture, rough handling, tem­ Adtron perature and weather ex­ Card Drives tremes, harsh industrial Adtron makes a whole The desktop ThinCardORIVE'" transfers data effortlessly between environments, and electro­ series of solid state Data Palmptops and MS-OOS®or MS-Windows®PCs. Plugs right into the magnetic interference. Drives including extemal printer port. Pass-thru feature retains printer operation. Model TMO-500 & CONTACT: Raymond Engi­ and internal single- and reads and writes SRAM cards, TMO-550 SRAM FLASH cards. Fully neering, 217 Smith St., dual-card drives with seri­ • I PCMCIAlJEIDA compatible, with the industry's broadest range of Middletown, CT 06457- al, parallel, or PC Bus ~ -: card supplier and platform support. It's quick and easy. 9990, USA; Phone: 203- interface. The external .~<>"~ / Isn't it time you put one on your expense report? 632-4334; Fax: 203-632- drives connect to the PC For further information: Databook Inc...... 4329. either via the serial or Sales Office: 10 Alder Bush, Rochester, NY 14624 :: :: DATA parallel port; the internal ThinCardORIVE is a trademark Tel: 716-889-4204 Fax: 716-889-2593 :: § roOK SunDisk Flash drives fit inside the PC. of Oatabook, Inc. OEM/Dealer inquiries welcome. ~ , , 0 • , T , 0 Memory Cards SunDisk manufactures External Drive/serial inter­ high-capacity Mass Stor­ face age Cards (specially engi­ Pricing ...... $295 neered ATA Flashdisks) in External Drive/parallel inter­ Palmtop. Accepts Type II desktop PC. Card Link Drive 10525 Willows Road N.E. , face capacities 1MB ($249) to and III ATA flash cards. The CardDock is a The CL680 is an external P.O. Box 97046, Redmond, PriCing ...... $295 WA 98073-9746, USA ; 40MB ($1,499). Prices Accommodates "hot inser- front load internal drive card drive that connects to Internal Drive/IDE interlace Phone: 800-332-8246; Fax: include file compression tion/removals." that fits in an empty floppy your desktop PC's parallel (dedicated drive, memolJl This drive mounts inter- drive bay. It supports 5 (printer) port and accepts 206-869-7423. software, effectively dou­ cards only) nally in the same fashion volt and 3 volt PC cards, type I and II PCMCIA bling the rated capacities. Single drive .. . . $250 as a floppy drive and co- Types I, II, and III. CARDport Dual drive . . .. . $405 cards. It reads both ATA CONTACT: SunDisk cards mes complete with 16-pin The OutBack is a rear flash cards and SRAM Card Drives are sold at numerous retail ROM Card Programming interface, cabling, and loading drive that fits in a memory cards. PCMCIA card drives for outlets including Compu Option Device Management Solt- 16-bit ISA AT slot. portable and desktop Pes. USA, Circuit City, Fry's (for external serial or paral­ Pricing ...... $189.95 ware. The MiniCardDoc is a Read Type I, II, and III Electronics, Computerland, lel drive) CONTACT: Steele Creek PriCing ...... $100 front load intemal drive cards. Radio Shack, and NCA. Pricing Technologies, 14035 App- Internal Dual Drive that fits in a 3.5, half- CARDport fax is an They are also privately Internal unit . .. $99.95 ling Lane, Char/otte, NC (full support, memolJl and labeled by numerous firms, External unit . $149.95 height slot. 28278, USA; Phone and internal drive that con- 110 cards) including: Hewlett-Packard, CONTACT: ProTegeCorpo- The units come with Fax: 704-588-1780. nects to your desktop IBM, Casio, Fujitsu, Sea­ Rear access . . . $199 necessary hardware and PC's ISA bus and lets you Front access . . . $250 ration, 4165 E. La Palma, gate and Verbatim. P.o. Box 68031, Anaheim, software for installation. CardPro use PCMCIA faxlmodem For more information, COMPANY: Adtron Corp., CA 92817, USA; Phone: cards in your PC using contact: SunDisk Corpora­ 3050 S. CountlJl Club Dr., Pricing Universal 800-995-4453 or 714-961- standard software without tion; Phone: 408-562-0500; Suite 24, Mesa, AZ 85210, CardDock .... . $199 Card Drives 7030; Fax: 714-961-1162. the need to install addi- Fax: 408-562-3403. USA; Phone: 602-926-9324; OutBack ...... $99 Card Pro, available in in- tional system drivers. Fax: 602-926-9359. MiniCardDock . . $129 ternal or desktop versions CARDport eX is a CardDock Four-bay drive .. $398 provides the ability to read battery-powered drive that ATA/X Data PCMCIA Card CONTACT: Greystone Pe- and write (as appropriate) Card plugs into the parallel port Exchange Readers ripherals Inc ., 130-A to all types of PCMCIA- Knowles Drive, Los Gatos, of any computer using a Readers Device These PCMCIA Card compatible memory cards, CA 95030, USA; Phone: standard cable. It will read Allows Palmtop users to reader/writers support all I/O cards and AT A hard 408-866-4739; Fax: 408- from and write to SRAM, {Card drives add one or easily transfer data files PCMCIA-compliant cards, drives. more PCMCIA slots to and applications between both 3 volt and 5 volt, and 866-8328. Flash ROM, and PCMCIA your desktop PC. Two a desktop PC and the mount intemally in your Pricing starts at . .. $339 hard drives. CONTACT : DATA 10,

40 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

CARDport ide is an fax/modems, LANs, etc. PCs. ISNEISA PC and consists and II! and single Type IV the floppy disk bay. The internal card drive that [See Advertising, page 40.] of a short 16-bit controller cards. Compatible with Litlle Drive supports Type Pricing connects to the IDE 110 I, II , and III PCMCIA prod­ CARDport Fax . .. $99 Pricing card with an integrated any 386, 486, or Pentium controller cards and sup­ CARDport eX . . . $299 Internal Drive Type III card slot in the system with an available ucts. The drive contains ports PCMCIA ATA Type CARDport isa . . . $299 TMB-240 ..... $249 back of the PC and a 3.5" 16-bit slot. Installs in any two slots which can ac­ III hard drives. CARDport ide .. $119 TMB-250 ...... $299 drive unit installed in the 3.5" or 5.25" drive bay. commodate PCMCIA CARDport isa is a PC front drive bay. cards, hard drives and 110 CONTACT: CNF, Inc., External Drive Pricing ...... $199 card drive in the form of a products. The system 17705 Hale Ave., Bldg I, TMD-550 ...... $249 PriCing ...... call CONTACT: Acma, 47988 half-size PC expansion consists of the internal Morgan Hill CA, 95037, CONTACT: Da/abook Inc., CONTACT: CSM GmbH, Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA card, which plugs into the USA; Phone: 408-778-1160; 10 Alder Bush, Rochester, Morikestrasse 58, 70794 94538, USA; Phone: 800- card drive, a controller ISA (AT) bus of your com­ Fax: 408-779-6558. NY 14624, USA; Phone: Filderstadt, GERMANY; 786-6888 or 510-623-1212; board, cables and system puter. It provides two 716-889-4204; Fax & Mo­ Phone: (+49) 7111773071; Fax: 510-623-0818. software. PCMCIA sockets: one at dem: 716-889-2593. Databook Fax: (+49) 71117776666. PriCing ...... $179.95 the front in a spare disk ThinCardDrive Little Drive CONTACT: Coastal Elec­ drive bay, and one at the External and internal Dual Slot·Board Impression PCD tronics, 5724 La Jolla Her­ rear of the computer. drives transfer data be­ A universal PC Card drive CARDrive This internal PCMCIA mosa, La Jolla, CA 92037, CARDport isa supports all which supports all PCM­ tween Palmtops and MS­ Dual slot internal card card reader for PC com­ USA ; Phone: 800-PCI­ types of PCMCIA cards, CIA compatible PC Cards. DOS or MS-Windows drive accepts Type I, I! patible computers fits into LINK; Fax: 619-454-2611 . including hard disk drives, It is installed in any 16-bit The uncompressed truth about memory cards. When is a meg a meg? Only when you're ta1king about uncompressed storage capacity. Data compression is great. But think twice about memory cards that promise big capacities using compression - because the truth is that what you com­ press determines how much storage you get. The right way to judge memory cards? Compare prices based on uncompressed capacities. The perfect way to build lasting memories? Be sure the capacity you need is the capacity you get - with very- afford­ able FIASH-5 Memory Cards from AMP. Matched with your 95LX or l00LX Palmtop, FIASH-5 cards offer fast write/erase and on-chip data protection to safeguard your info. And because they require only 5 volts to write, they cut power drain and prolong battery life. Call for a copy of our "Low Cost of Ownership" study to learn more about the advantages of 5- volt flash memory from AMP. Delivery? In a flash! Backed by toll-free help, and our guarantee of satisfaction. S IMB l70°O also available: 256KB $95.00 512KB $120.00 2MB $276.00 Prices shown expire 12/31/94 AMP is a trademark. PC CArd is a trademark 01 PCMCIA

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 41 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

MEL·PCJ Filderstadt, GERMANY; Type I or Type II, or one Pricing on-board RJ-11 sockets. Station Phone: ++49-711-773071; Type II and one Type III SwapBox Lite . . . . . $99 Fax/Modem Works on the HP 100/ MEL-PCJ Station is a Fax: ++49-711-7776666. card. Also accepts some Lite X2 ...... $229 Cards 200LX and other PC's universal card drive for Type II I/O cards. SwapBox Classic . $179 with a PCMCIA 2.0, type II PCMCIA standard 68 pin PalmTree Reads/writes SRAM , Classic X2 ...... $269 or III card slot (like the HP memory cards. It may be Card Drives Flash and hard drives. SwapBox Premium $269 I 100/200LX I OmniBook 300). Premium X2 . . . .. $499 used to read from or write These PCMCIA reader/ [See Advertising, page 33.J [With the exception of Supports error correc­ CONTACT: SCM Microsys­ to RAM, EEPROM, and writers, manufactured by New Media 's 95LX Palm­ tion (V.42, MNP 2-4) and Pricing ...... $195 tems, Inc., 985 University Flash EPROM cards and DataBook Inc., enable a Modem, the Fax/Modem data compression (V42. CONTACT: Envoy Data Ave., Suite 7, Los Gatos, can be used for data ex­ desktop system to access cards listed only work with bis, MNP5) protocols. Also Corporation, 953 East Juan­ CA 95030, USA; Phone change between the HP PC Cards compatible with the HP 100/2ooLX. supports Hayes Auto-Sync ita Avenue, Suite A, Mesa, 408-395-9292; Fax: 408- Palmtop and a desktop PCMCIA 2.0/JEIDA 4.1, There many PCMCIA protocol. AZ 85204, USA; Phone: 395-8782. PC computer. The data including Intel ExCA, ATA 602-892-0954; Fax: 602- 2.0 fax/modem cards Meets CCITI and Bell transfer takes place via cards and Type III rotating available and it is impossi­ standards. Includes auto 892-0029. SCSI PCMCIA standard RS-232 interface media cards. Microsoft ble for The HP Palmtop dial, auto answer, and full Card Drive (lor with 115,000 baud. FFS-2 support includes a Quatech Paper to test them all on or half duplex. fuil range of PCMCIA Macintosh) the 100/2ooLX. We have The MEL-PCJ Station Card Drives Modems tested tuples for broadcast com­ MCDISK-1 is an external published those represent­ comes with software that by: ...... Manufacturer Intemal card drive sup­ ed by the manufacturer or allows it to be installed as patibility. CardTalk Control desktop PCMCIA drive Pricing ...... $249 ports Type I, II, and III Hewlett Packard to work an additional DOS drive Panel GUI software in­ with a built-in power sup­ CONTACT: Angia Commu­ memory and I/O cards. with the HP Palmtop. for the PC or the HP cluded. ply and a 1MB /S SCSI­ nications, Inc., 441 East One version adds a front Those represented to Palmtop. The External drive compatible interface that Bay Boulevard, P.O. Box and a back card slot to connects to the parallel supports the complete work by HP have been 50540, Provo, UT 84605, Pricing (Deutsche) .. 790 your PC. Another version port of any PC compatible SCSI command set and tested as follows: The USA; Phone: 800-877-9159 CONTACT: CSM GmbH, adds a double slot to the computer. SCSI address select. MC­ modem feature of the card or 801-371 -0488; Fax: 801 - Morikestrasse 58, 70794 front of your PC. was confirmed to work in The internal drives DISK-1 accepts all types 373-9847. Filderstadt, GERMANY; DataComm and cc:Mail come with a half-length Pricing of SRAM, Flash EPROM Phone: (+49) 7111773071; Mobile (built into the 100/- AT-bus card, interconnect FronVback . . . . . $295 and One Time PROM's Centennial Fax: (+49) 71117776666. 200LX). The fax feature cable and 3.5" & 5.25" Double front . . .. $295 (OTP) memory cards with was confirmed to work Fax/Modem mounting brackets. CONTACT: Quatech, 662 Microchannel capacity up to 64MB, as with a third-party fax pro­ Cards Wolf Ledges Parkway, Ak­ PC ATA Card Pricing external . . .. $299 well as the new AT A flash gram called PCPlus. Two PCMCIA Type II ron , OH 44311, USA; Pricing internal drive cards. It comes with two In some cases we list fax/modem cards. The Drive Phone: 800-553-1170; Fax: Single slot ..... $249 SCSI connectors and can that the modem has been 24/96 is a 2400 bps data External card drive that al­ 216-434-1409; BBS: 216- Dual slot ...... $299 be easily installed in any tested, without mentioning modem and a 9600 fax lows Palmtop users to 434-2481. easily transfer data and COMPANY: Palmtree Prod­ UNIX, VME, Macintosh or the fax. This does not modem. Centennial also applications between a ucts tnc., 51 Sawyer Road, PC system equipped with necessarily mean that the markets a 14.4DataiFax Suite 150, Waltham, MA SCM SwapBox desktop Microchannel PC an SCSI adapter. Soft­ fax does not work, only modem designed for land­ 02154; 617-891-3880; Fax: Lets you read/write to and the Palmtop. Accepts ware drivers are available that we have no informa­ line use and transmitting 617-647-4075. your PCMCIA cards from Type I, II, and IllATA for most of these systems. tion that it has been test­ over Cellular carriers. your desktop PC. SCM flash cards. Includes card ed and confirmed to work. Peripherals offers six products: Requires . SCSI Interface There are many addi­ Modem/Fax tested by HP drive, controller card, ca­ Pricing Direct Flash· Lite - an economi­ Pricing ...... $675.00 tional PCMCIA 2.0 fax/­ ble and software. CONTACT: Gespac, Inc., 24/96 ...... $151 cal, rear-access, single modem cards available Disk/Card 50 W. Hoover Ave., Mesa, 14.4 ...... $399 Pricing ...... $349 socket PCMCIA card that may work with the HP Drive Combo CONTACT: Centennial, Inc. , CONTACT: ProTegeCorpo­ AZ 85210; Phone: 602 962- 100/200LX. If you are Offers a Protege internal reader mounted in an I/O 37 Manning Road, Suite 1, ration, 4165 E. La Palma, 5559; Fax: 602 962-5750. considering another fax/­ card drive with a Sun Disk slot in the back of your Billerica, MA 01821, USA; P.o. Box 68031 , Anaheim, modem card, you should AT A flash card in one desktop PC. Phone: 800-535-3668 or CA 92817, USA; Phone: SCSI Litronic carefully question the package. Capacities listed Lite X2 - dual sock­ 508-670-0646; Fax: 508- 800-995-4453 or 714-961 - Card Drive (lor vendor or manufacturer below achieved with the ets mounted in I/O slot. 670-9025. 7030; Fax: 714-961-1162. Macintosh) about whether it has been Stacker 3.0 software op­ Classic - a single successfully tested with tion. socket PCMCIA card External drive that con­ Chaplet Ego OmniDrive LC the 100/200LX. Many reader mounted in a front, nects to an SCSI II inter­ PCMCIA drive that con­ Pricing card drive with PCMCIA 2.0 fax/modem 14400 Fax! 3.5" drive bay. face and reads/writes nects to a parallel port of 2MB flash disk .. $199 cards should work with Modem Card Classic X2 - dual PCMCIA Rei 2.0 memory a PC-compatible computer 3.6MB flash disk $249 the 100/200LX (not the The PCMCIA-card modem front mounted sockets. cards. and allows it to read/write 5MB flash disk . . $299 95LX). However, the com­ with functional fax sends Premium - a dual [See Advertising, page 33.J PCMCIA memory cards 10MB flash disk . $399 munications and fax soft­ and receives data and socket system, with front as well as Seagate/Sund­ CONTACT: Peripherals Pricing ...... $495 ware that comes with faxes at 14,400 bps. Ego and rear access to PCM­ isk ATA flash cards. The Direct, 3350 Scott Blvd., CONTACT: Envoy Data them may be too large to Fax/Modem includes V.42 CIA cards. printer port is passed Bldg.7, Santa Clara, CA Corporation, 953 East Juan­ fit on your Palmtop.] bis protocol, which enhan­ Premium X2 - dual through. The powered 95054, USA; Phone: 800- ita Avenue, Suite A, Mesa, ces the speed by com­ AZ 85204, USA; Phone: version can accept PCM­ 724-3000. rear and dual front sock­ Angia pressing data and insures 602-892-0954; Fax: 602- CIA Type III hard disks. ets. SaleJack error-free data transmis­ Premax All products come with 892-0029. Fax/Data sion. Three operating Pricing (Deutsche) . . 700 Card Drive necessary cables, cards, Modem modes conserve system's CONTACT: CSM GmbH, Internal card drive with and installation instruc­ A 19.2K PCMCIA Type 2, battery when not in use. MorikestraBe 58, 70794 dual slots. Accepts two tions. Fax/Data modem with 2

42 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

Modem/Fax tested by HP IBM Fax/ ACE-FAX software.) Modem/Fax tested by HP on-board RAM is available recting protocol and sup­ Pricing ...... $225 Modem Cards Pricing (ACE Technologies) PriCing ...... $323 on Palm Modem for con­ ports V.32bis, V.42, V.42. CONTACT: Chaplet Periph­ IBM offers a 14,400 data / 14400 XJACK .. $259 (Plus state tax) version of text to fax bis. The fax/modem card erals, 252 North Wolfe Rd., 14,400 fax modem card 2400/9600 XJACK $159 CONTACT: NEC Technolo­ transmittable data without works with Nokia cellular Sunnyvale CA, 94086, USA; and a 2400 data / 9600 (ACE-FAX represented gies, Inc., 1414 Massachu· using the Palmtop's re­ phone models #s 121 , PT by ACE to work with some setts Avenue, Boxborough, Phone: 800-308-3388 or fax modem card. sources. 128, 2120, and 232. 408-732-7950; Fax: 408- other fax/modem cards.) MA 01719-2298, USA ; 732-6050; CompuServe 10: Modem/Fax tested by HP ACE CONTACT: ACE Tech­ Phone: 800-632-4636; NEC Modem/Fax tested by HP Modem/fax tested {76004,3660j. Pricing nologies, Inc., 592 Weddell Direct Sales: 800-615-5566. (Must use data/fax soft­ by: . . . . . AT&T Paradyne 14.4/14.4 ...... $299 Drive, #6, Sunnyvale, CA ware built into card.) Price DataFlex Gem 2400/9600 . . . .. $239 94089, USA; Phone: 800- ImI!3I 100/200LX I Price Fax/modem .. . . $449 CONTACT: IBM Corpora· 825-9977 or 408-734-0 100 ; 100/200LX Cellular phone . varies Fax/Modem tion, P.O. Box 12195, Re· Fax: 408-734·3344. New Media PalmModem . .. $119 DataFlex offers a 2400 CONTACT: Nokia Mobile search Triangle Park, NC PalmModem 95LX Phones, Inc., P.O. Box data/9600 fax card. Pricing (Megahertz) 27708, USA; IBM PC Di­ New Media is the only Palm Modem . . . $119 2930, Largo, FL 34649· rect: 800·426-2968. 14400 card . .. . $249 Upgrade from Modem/Fax tested by HP 2400/9600 card . $115 manufacturer that offers 2930, USA; Phone: 800· 95LX version .... $45 Pricing ...... £229 14400 XJack .. . $259 Fax/Modem cards that 666-5553; Fax: 813·530- Intel PCMCIA CONTACT: New Media CONTACT: DataFlex, 1012 2400/9600 XJack $115 work with both HP Palm· 3599. Corporation, Irvine Spec­ Lombard Road, South Wim­ 24/96 and 96/96 tops. These 2400 baud trum , One Technology, bledon, London, ENGLAND Data/Fax modem cards fit in the Practical Both the 2400 data, 9600 Palmtop's memory card Building A, Irvine, CA SW19 3TZ; Phone: 081 543 MEGAHERTZ CONTACT: 92718, USA; Phone: 800- Peripherals fax and the 9600 data, Megahertz Corporation, 605 slot. Resident in the Palm­ 6417; Fax: 081 543 7029. -453-0550 or 714-453-0 100; PractiCARD 9600 modems support North 5600 West, Salt Lake Modem is PalmTerm, a Fax: 714453-0114. A 14,400 bps V.32bis Epson error correction and data City, UT 84116, USA ; terminal emulation pro· data/fax modem support­ compression using V.42/­ Phone: 801·320·7000; Fax: gram optimized for Palm­ ing V.42 error correction Fax/Modem 801·320-6002. Nokia PC Card V.42bis. Works with the top computer use. A vari· and data compression. Cards HP 100/200LX's Data­ ety of upload and down­ Fax/Modem Epson offers a 14.4Kbps comm and CC: Mail mo­ NEC 14.4 Data/ load protocols are provid· A 14.4 Kbit fax modem FaxlModem tested fax/modem card, and a bile applications. Follow­ Fax Card ed with the terminal emu· card that can be connect· by: ...... Manufacturer card with 2.4Kbps Fax ing software included with A 14.4Kbps card fax/ lation program. ed to a Nokia cellular List price . . . . . $349 and 9.6Kbps Modem. the Intel 24/96 does not modem with V.42 and Palm Modem comes phone to transmit and reo CONTACT: Practical Pe· work on the 100/200LX: ceive dataifax. The ripherals, 375 Conejo Ridge Tested by . Manufacturer MNP 2·4 error control and with resident facsimile Card Manager, FAXability, fax/modem card uses Avenue, Thousand Oaks, Pricing V.42bis and MNP5 data processing and transmit­ and HyperACCESS. ETC·1 cellular error cor· CA 91361, USA; Phone: 14.4Kbps ...... $199 compression. ting software. 128K of 2.4/9.6Kbps .. .. . $49 Tested by: ...... HP CONTACT: Epson Direct, List price 20770 Madrona Ave. , Tor· Intel 24/96 .. ... $149 rance, CA 90509, USA; Intel 96/96 .. . . . $249 Phone: 800·374·7300; Can­ CONTACT: Intel Corpora­ ada: 800463-7766; Latin tion, 2200 Mission College {-ys America: 305·265·0092 Fax: Blvd. , 6 Santa Clara, CA 310·782·4455. 95052, USA; Phone: 800- 538·3373 or 916·356·3551; Fax: 800-525·3029. JM GVC Fax/Modems Megahertz GVC PFM 964324 is a Fax/Data The PL-PTH is a palm top carrying system 2400 data / 9600 fax Modem Cards designed to allow 100% mobility to keep modem card. These modems provide your information safely, securely, and at GVC FMI441144V (P) advanced error correction your fingertips. is a 14,400 data / 14,400 and use the Hayes AT • The Main Compartment is designed to hold fax modem. Both units command set, as well as most palmtop brands. It can al so hold most include data compres· Bell and CCID standards cellular phones, walkmans, and items of similar sian/error control and and protocols to provide scale. It's angled design allows easy access sleep and standby modes worldwide compatibility. . more available than in your briefcase and to reduce power usage. The Megahertz XJack safer than your jacket pocket. The FM144/144V unit fax/modem cards have a • Flaps with Velcro fasteners secure the items includes a built-in tele· retractable RJ·11 connec· from accidental droppage. phone interface and hot tor that pops out of one • The standard PLH harness pivot-type assembly insertion capability, and end of the card and con­ provides 100% fl exiblity and mobility and is comes with Win Fax Lite nects to an RJ·ll phone secured to a belt loop wh ich pivots and unsnaps for fax/data software for DOS jack via a six foot cord. easy harness removal. and Windows and a five Users report problems • Flexible Velcro adjustments allow the year warranty. using the XJack cards' fax PL·PTH to conform to fit your body. software on the 100LX. GVC PFM tested by HP ACE technologies sells • The Secondary Compartment is piggy-backed GVC FM 144 tested to the Main Compartment to house beepers. the XJack cards with business cards, batteries, etc. by: ...... Manufacturer ACE·FAX, a menu-driven • The front of the Main Compartment is made of send/receive fax program 100% fine leather. Pricing for the HP Palmtops. GVC PFM 964824 call [See Advertising, page back • The PL-PTH is virtually undetectable under GVC FM 144 .. $289 cover.} CONTACT: GVC Technolo· gy, Inc., Lafayette Road, Modem/Fax tested by HP XJack Fax function also Sparta, NJ 07871 , USA; ' tested by: ...... ACE Phone 800-289·4821 or (Confirmed to work with 201·579·3630.

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 43 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

800·442·4774 or 805-497· with 2MB flash RAM $29 4774; Fax: 805·374·7200. with 4MB flash RAM $399 CONTACT: Smart Modular PIICEON Technologies, Inc., 45531 Dispatcher Northport Loop West, Fre· A v.32 bis 14.4K data/fax mont, CA 94538, USA ; modem ready to connect Phone: 510·623·1231; Fax: POWERTRIP. 510·623·1434. to a cellular phone. Co· INTRODUCING THE NEW ZAP POCKETT ", mes with V.42 data com· T T I 100/200LX I ZAP POUCH ", ZAP MODULE " AND pression, class I and II BIG ZAP MODULET". SOLAR POWERED capability. Smart TOOLS FOR RECHARGING BATTERIES FOR YOUR PERSONAL ELECTRON IC GEAR Modem tested Exchange ON THE TRAIL, IN THE CAR, ANY­ by: ...... Manufacturer Fax/Modem WHERE! List price . . . . . $389 The 14,400 bps data/fax TOUGH, FLEXIBLE SILICON PHOTO­ CELLS ALLOW YOU TO CHARGE TWO PIICEON, Inc., CONTACT: modem card has a power OR FOUR AA NICAD BATTERIES 1996 Lundy Avenue, San saving mode and flash OVER AND OVER AGAIN-FREEING Jose, CA 95131, USA; memory to facilitate up· YOU FROM THROW-AWAY BATTER­ Phone: 408·432·8030; Fax: grading. Supports V.42 IES AND WALL SOCKETS. 408·943·1309. error correction and data EVEN BETTER , THE ZAPS PROVIDE AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE compreSSion. HOME FOR YOUR POWER GIZMOS, Psion Dacom Smart Modular also STRAPPING TO YOUR PACK, YOUR Gold Card offers a 2400 data/9600 HIP, OR ANYTHING ELSE HANDY. We have no further infor· fax modem card. THEy'RE A TRIP-WITH POWER . mation on this card, other 14.4 Modem/Fax tested than it works with the HP by: ...... Manufacturer 100/200lX. (Requires Bitfax software, Modem/Fax tested by HP shipped with the product.) CONTACT: Psion, England, 24/96 Modem/Fax tested Phone: 071 262 5580; Fax: by: ...... HP DANA~ 071 258 7218. Pricing 14.4 .. .. . $279 Smart Modular 24/96 ...... call DESIGN® CONTACT: Smart Modular Fax/Modem 1950 N.19th Ave. • Bozeman, MT 59715 • (406) 587·4188 ©1994 Technologies, Inc., 45531 with Flash Northport Loop West, Fre· Memory mont, CA 94538, USA; This PCMCIA fax/modem Phone: 510·623·1231; Fax: card combines communi· 510·623·1434. data collector to applica· I 100/200LX I and Visual Basic, C and tions programs running on Turbo Pascal. cations capabilities and [ 110 Cards I Data expanded memory in one the Palmtop, other PCs or ThinFax Acquisition Availability . .. Set/Oct 94 PCMCIA Type II card. Macs. The system comes BasicLX The previous section Cards {Manufacturer developing Intended for machines with manual and free 800 system driver so card can This 9600 faX/2400bps looked at fax /modem The PCM·DAS08 is a with only one PCMCIA modem card has EXP # support. The software work with HP 100/200LX.] cards. This section looks PCMCIA test and mea· slot (Le. the HP 100lX!· runs on the HP 95/100/· Pricing Mini·Fax software built di· at other input/output surement card that tums a 200LX), the card elimi· rectly into ROM memory 200lX and comes on a (PCM·DAS08) 8·channel cards, including data ac· palmtop or laptop comput· nates the need to switch on the card . Mini·Fax PCMCIA memory card for analog input . . . . $299 quisition cards, port adapt· er with a Type II or III card between a fax/modem and allows a user to Send and data security and file stor· (OCN·D28C3) 28 Digital ers, and specialized appli· slot into an analog data memory card. Receive faxes directly age. The Palmtop and the I/O ...... $199 cations. collection device. Insert The cards modem pro· from the HP 100/200lX. battery that powers the Terminal boards the card into the card slot and cables also vides data (2400 bps) and The ThinFax card works barcode scanner are en· and connect it to the ap· available .. . . $varies facsimile (14,400 send on notebook computers Iim!3I 100/200LX I closed in a water and propriate input sensor and CONTACT: Compuler· fax, 9600 receive fax) with PCMCIA 2.0 slot shock resistant case. Custom collect data on voltage, Boards, Inc., 125 High capabilities. The card (DOS/Win communica· Barcode Software electrical current, temper· Street, Mansfield, MA complies with the V.42 tions software required). and V.42 bis CCITI stan· System Medium . .. PCMCIA card ature, pressure, flow, or 02048, USA; Phone: 508· 261 ·1123; Fax: 508·261· dards. Users connect the ModemlFax tested This general purpose (Comes with case, bar· any other process vari· 1094. card to a telephone line by: ...... Manufacturer barcode system is suited code reader, cable.) able. with a one· piece cable (ThinFax has its own fax for inventory, order entry PriCing ...... varies These factory calibrat· software built in to the that comes with the card. and tracking applications. (Depending on configura· ed cards come with 8 or I 100/200LX I card.) (See Smart Modular mini· The software lets you print tion.) 28 channels for analog or SIO Serial Price ...... $279 CONTACT: Corvallis Sys· digital input. They also review, page 29.) custom labels on site and Interface Card CONTACT: EXP Computer, tem Sales, 800 N Starker, come with installation and [See Advertising, page in· guides the operator with lets you add a serial in· Inc., 12C Maunchly, Irvine, Suite 35, Corvallis, OR test software and a uni· side front cover.] prompts and gives feed· terface port to your HP CA 92718, USA; Phone: 97330, USA; Phone: 800· versal software driver to back and information 100/200lX or HP Omni· Modem/Fax tested 714·453·1020; Fax: 714· 733·5017; Fax: 503·752· interface with custom or while scanning. The soft· Book computers. Built·in by: ...... Manufacturer 453·1319. 7037. standard applications pro· Pricing ware also connects the Card Information Structure grams. Supports Quick

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allows automatic recogni­ Card is available as a tion and initialization of separate item to OEM the SIO card. Comes in manufacturers. Interested four versions (RS 2326, parties should contact the Detect · Plot Radiation On Your HP 100/200 LX RS 422, RS485, and company directly. Ojlen a door to the fascinating world of nuclear science with the RM·60 TIL). [See Advertising, page g.] Micro Roentgen Radiation Monitor. This palm-sized unit detects Alpha, Beta, Gamma & X-Rays. Displays 1000 limes the resolution of Pricing ...... call Pricing ...... $249 survey geiger counters. Track RHdon gas. Find sources. Check food, CONTACT: Accurite Tech­ water, ceramic coffee mugs for contamination (eye opening). Easy to CONTACT: CONTACT: setup and run. CSM GmbH, Miirikestrasse nologies, Inc., 231 Charcot Learn about radioacti vity. Exciting computer application. Demonstrate 58, Filderstadt, GERMANY; Avenue, San Jose, CA alpha emission from smoke detector, beta and ga mma emission from Phone: (+49) 7111773071 ; 95131-1107, USA; Phone: lantern mantel, other common items. Plot background cosmic rays, rocks, 408-433-1980; Fax: 408- "'iiii';;;"iiU======;~bricks, plane ride. Wipe tissue on T.V. screen then generate a beautiful Fax: (+49) 71117776666. • decay ~Iot of the collected Radium B (Radon daughter, half life: 27 mins.) 433-1716. __~I '-" Check TVs, CRTs for X-Rays (U.S. Dept. H.E.W. 21 CFR 1029.10). Rugged and accurate digital circuitry, needs no adjustments. Draws a I 100/200LX I minuscule amount of power from HP's serial port. Cable extendable with Quatech Serial telephone wire. Should last a lifetime. [ Wireless I Superb use r friendly software including TS R program (r un other and Parallel programs si multaneously ). Makes excellent dOSimetry system, with Adapters alarm, real time graph, data logging and TSR. Medical personal, slip in pocket when making rounds. Add strobe · siren to meet OSHA's reg. These PCMCIA Type II I 100/200LX I ~====~~~~~===~===:::::: 29CFR 1910.96 & 1910.97. Used by medical waste facilities, cancer interface adapters add a r treatement centers, water & sewer plimts, universities (lessons available), Ameritech Also available: LCD-60 Digital readout for use nuclear facilitie s, high schools, scrape handlers, hobbXists. Works with serial or parallel port to Wireless Field without computer, RM-70 & RM-80 pall cake any Pc. .Thousands sold for over five years. Call or write for ~ IIl1its, as well as other types of sellsors. ~ reviews. the HP Palmtop. The Messenger II manufacturer's technical This PCMCIA 2.0 Type II V1SAlMC/EURO 45 day S back. Complete RM 60 System: S 149.50 support department states messaging card allows that although these devic­ To order or for more mobile professional users es have not been tested information call: of the HP 100/200LX to (800) 729-5397 fi~~~~iCS on the 1001200LX, they receive large streams of P.o. Box 4299. Wilmington DE 19807 Phone/Fax: (302) 655-3800 should work fine. data, including full e-mail Pricing documents, other data $19.95 per month, which $5 per month there­ via the RAM Mobile Data RS-232 Serial .. $229 documents such as charts I 100/200LX I includes 100 computer­ after if customer chooses service. Both your HP RS-4221485 Serial $229 and graphs, or full news HP StarLink 100/200LX and your com­ (Mac serial port) transmitted messages per to continue the service. stories. Users can update Service pany LAN server must be Parallel port .... $195 month. Windows-based appointments, phone­ A "one-stop communica­ • StockLink equipped with Intel wire­ CONTACT: Quatech, 662 computer message send­ books, databases, and 1- tions solution" from HP (per mol ..... $39.95 less modem. The wireless Wolf Ledges Parkway, Ak­ ing software for your 2-3 spreadsheets. that includes a PCMCIA modem, or "Router" unit ron, OH 44311, USA; desktop PC is free to Price (includes NewsCard Users can subscribe to Type II Motorola News­ on your LAN server pro­ Phone: 800-553-1170; Fax: subscribers. For $29.95, PCMCIA card receiver and Ameritech information vides a direct, wireless 216-434-1409; BBS: 216- Card receiver with pre­ customers can receive 50 software ...... $229 services, which provide connection between the 434-2481. installed HP StarLink soft­ operator-transmitted mes­ CONTACT: Phone: 800- up-to-the-minute news, customer's LAN-based ware. Once connected to sages per month in their 917-LlNK or write directly sports, stock information, network and the RAM StarLink, the subscriber local area. to: Hewlett-Packard Compa­ weather, horoscopes, and receives messages via the ny Inquiries, 1000 N.E. wireless data networks. 1 OO/200LX I I lottery information. You NewsCard receiver. Mes­ • Regional Circle Boulevard, Corvallis, RAM also offers dedi­ Travel Floppy can send messages to the sages can be sent by (per mol . . . . . $36.95 OR 97330, USA. cated wired server/net­ work connections for us­ Drive with card using Ameritech's anyone via a toll-free Provides coverage in ers with more demanding messaging software from phone number. several states in a geo­ 100/200LX PCMCIA I I needs. Interface your PC, Mac, or UNIX­ graphic region. One- or based systems. Service ... Price (U.S) two-region service is also Nokia Cellular The system requires an Travel Floppy 144 is a HP 100/200LX (which co­ Necessary System available. Includes 50 Phone I Fax! compact, lightweight ex­ • Basic mes with cc:Mail software) Manager compliant soft­ operator-transmitted mes­ Modem Combo ternal 3.5' floppy drive (per mol ..... $10.95 and an HP Connectivity ware installs on the Palm­ sages per month. This Finnish company that connects to the HP Provides message pack to transfer necessary top directly from the PCM­ makes a Fax/Modem card 100/200LX via a cable retrieval, forwarding, limit­ software to the Palmtop. CIA card. Local, regional, • National that can connect to sever­ that plugs directly into the ed transmission , group (per mol .. . .. $62.95 LAN networks must have and national messaging a
models of their cellular 100/200LX card slot. messages, and bilingual Provides service to cc:Mail Router V4.0 soft­ plans are available. phones to create a wire­ The Travel Floppy is operator dispatch. Each ware installed. all major metropolitan less fax/modem solution. not battery powered, but Availability ...... Oct 1 transaction is then areas in the United (For more information, see PriCing can be connected to the Pricing charged by coverage type States. Includes 50 opera­ the Nokia entry in the Remote unit . . .. $795 supplied power adapter Wireless Card .. $299 (local, single- or two-re­ tor-transmitted messages Fax/Modem section of this Wireless modem when used with the 100- Messaging gion, or nationwide). The cable ...... $20 per month. article.) /200LX. services ...... varies following services are Router unit . . . .. $795 CONTACT: Ameritech, available: • NewsCard with cc:Mail Router PassportCard Wireless Field Messenger II, software ...... $229 I 100/200LX I software ...... $1 ,295 Travel Floppy connects to • Local 2000 West Ameritech Cen­ PCMCIA wireless Wireless CONTACT: RAM Mobile computers via a Passport­ (per mol . . . .. $varies receiver with necessary Data, 600 Pinnacle Court, ter Drive, 3H25F, Hoffman cc:Maii System Card, a PCMCIA interface Estates, IL 60195-5000, Offers coverage in software. Suite 660, Norcross, GA Wireless cc:Mail lets you card attached to Travel USA; Phone: 800-MOBILE- the customer's metropoli­ 30071, USA; Phone: 404- Floppy's cable. Passport- 1; Fax: 708-765-3702. tan area for as low as • NewsLink access your cc:Maii mail­ 662-1740; Fax: 404-662- (1st mol ...... $free box from your 100/200LX 1758.

46 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

I 100/200LX I Seattle, WA 98109, USA; 6691; Fax: 817-283-5871; repetitive wave forms menu driven and covers Communications Phone: 800-872-2829 or BBS: 817-545-4833. MobileMate™ (cyclic processes); Trans· several areas of interest, & Fax/Modem 206-217-7100; Fax: 206- fer Function Analyzer is including: functions and MobileMedia Communica- 217-0293. tions Inc., one of the larg- a frequency spectrum equations, differential Engineering! analysis package. equations (including boun­ est providers of paging ImIEII 100/200LX I services in the United mIDI 100/200LX I Logic Designer dary value problems and acCIS: Compu- Scientific States is now offering Simple Simon and Simulator . $249 nonlinear equations), Serve automa- MobileMate to HP 100/- Faxer 6.0 The logic Designer is an regression, approximation 200lX users. Through 36 and interpolation, linear tion software SSFAXER is a DOS Com­ I 100/200LX I interactive digital design offices, MobileMedia pro- Adapted and designed for algebra, multi-variable mand Line fax program for Pocket Consul­ program which lets you vides paging and other the HP LX Palmtop series, probe the circuits perfor­ power series, more. wireless services in 19 the HP Palmtops that can tant Engineer­ acCIS accesses Compu- mance before you build a states and the District of SEND, RECEIVE, VIEW, ing Software CONTACT: Pocket-Consul­ Serve and automatically prototype and experimen­ Columbia, including ten of PRINT and CONVERT fax The following software is tant, 7420 Unily Avenue uploads and downloads tally examine all the input the ten largest metropoli- files. It uses less memory available on a PCMCIA North, Brooklyn Park, MN messages quickly. You and output conditions. tan markets in the U.S. than many other fax pro­ card: 55443, USA; Phone: 612- read and write messages MobileMate is the only grams, 95K disk space for 229-6260; Fax 612-566- off line, saving on connect wireless messaging card the program and 312K Fourier, Harmonic, Multi·Circuit 6727 charges and phone bills. to completely integrate the system RAM for sending and Transfer Function Analyzer .•.•.. 399 Version 3.0 provides a antenna and battery into and receiving. Analyzer •• •.. $349 An active, passive, linear, the PCMCIA 2.0 Type II powerful "scripting' lan- Provides three engineer­ and filter analysis program File form factor, providing the guage for automating Medium .. . .. 3.5" floppy ing tools on a single PC for engineers, scientists highest quality reception Pricing ...... $19.95 Compression special areas of Compu- Card: Fourier can be ap­ and students. and lowest power con- (includes FREE one year Serve. This version of plied to examine the fre­ PC sumption possible. acCIS supports 40/80 subscription to BBS) MobileMate provides quency spectrum charac­ Mathematics . • $599 Stacker 4.0 column zoom on the CONTACT: Simple Simon the ability to receive mes- teristics of defined dura­ A mathematical proce­ File compression software 100lX and 200lX, and Software, 1912 Central sages, acting as an ad- Drive, Station E, Bedford, tion signals, such as dures toolbox designed for that can double the ca­ does not require additional vanced alphanumeric pag- TX 76021, USA; Phone: group pulses; Harmonic engineers, scientists, and pacity of your memory software to run. er. It can also provide the 800-574-8047 or 817-283- Analyzer is specific to college students. It is card. user with up-to-the minute Runs under SysMgr . Yes information such as busi- Pricing on: ness and financial news Floppy disk ...... $69 headlines , stock-price PCMCIA card . . . . $329 information and flight upd- (loaded on 2MB SRAM, ates. Appointment book, 1.7MB free) database and spreadsheet CONTACT: Shier Systems updates, as well as e- & Software, 920 Hampshire mail, can be received Road, Suite A-29, Westlake through MobileMedia's Village, CA, 91361, U.S.A.; local, regional, and nation- Phone: 805-371 -9391; Fax: wide paging networks. 805-371-9454; CompuServe Pricing ...... $300 /0: {75030,3374]. ATA/X provides a seamless CONTACT: MobileMedia Communications Inc., 65 PCMCIA·ATA data transfer path Challenger Road, Ridgefield IilD3I 100/200LX I between your Palmtop and virtually Park, NJ 07660; Phone: Reflection- any 16-bit ISA DOS PC ... making 800-562-2830 or 201-440- To-Go your PCMCIA-ATA storage devices 8400 ext. 3074; Fax: 201- as easy to use as a floppy. A customized version of 440-7657. In Ca, Nv, and ATA/X supports ATA Flash Cards AZ call: 714-457-7209. the popular connectivity and 1.8" Hard Disks, accommodates software that is standard "Hot" insertions/removals, uses for desktops in HP 3000 standard MS-DOS utilities such as Software shops. The initial release F-Disk and Format, and operates of Reflection-To-Go sup- independently of the PC BIOS. This section lists software plies HP terminal emu la- that is available on PCM- Available in internal (mounts in a tion and includes a script- Call Today For More Information CIA cards. Since almost 3.5" drive bay) or external configurations, ing language, keyboard any software can be put the ATA{X can be added to your system on PCMCIA card, this mapping, file transfer, and even if it's technically full ... and the (800) 995-4453 section focuses on soft- the ability to hotkey be- need for complicated Card and Socket ware that is marketed on tween other applications. services is eliminated. a PCMCIA card for the It also offers enhanced ProTege HP Palmtops. We also modem dialing and screen ProTege Corporation 4165 East La Palma Ave., include software that is handling and is stream- Anaheim, Calif. 92807 especially useful for HP lined to conserve memory. (7 14) 961-7030 FAX (714) 961-1162 Palmtop PCMCIA card 1M Protege Corporation Trademark users. Pricing ...... $199 CONTACT: WRQ, Inc., 1500 Dexter Avenue North,

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 47 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

Medium .... Floppy disk Bond Analysis $219 assets for yourself, your with those systems. The University Ave., SE, Minne­ mI!31 100/200LX I Pricing ...... $99.95 business and each mem­ following Modules are apolis, MN 55414, USA; Estimates the prices and P*M*R: CONTACT: Stac Electron­ yields of fixed income ber of your family. available: Phone: 800-STAT-911 or ics, 5993 Avenida Encinas, securities, and more. Sales and 612-378- 2930.; Fax: 612- Physician's Runs under SysMgr Yes -378-2930. Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA; Business Inventory Medical Phone: 800-522-7822 or Pricing for Assurance Point­ Pack 100 ..... $249 Manager ..... $599 of-Care Software with the Reference 619-431-7474; Fax: 619- 100/200LX A collection of 100 pro­ Provides timely access of following options: I I P*M*R is an integrated 431-0880. grams for various busi­ sales and inventory data. Homecare System $850 Cardiac reference system for med­ ness calculations, analy­ The program handles Long-Term Care Risk·Consultant ical professionals and sis, and formulas. complete order entry, System ...... $850 A program designed for pharmacists, consisting of Business Investment tracking of salesmen per­ Nursing System . $850 the cardiologist, cardiac a comprehensive drug Partner ...... $699 formance, plus purchase Respiratory surgeon, anesthesiologist, reference (including in­ & Financial System ...... $850 Lets you evaluate and history and more. and the general internist. formation on drug interac­ Rehabilitation forecast the stock market, Stock Portfolio $129 The Risk-Consultant is tions), a medical diagnosis System ...... $850 1100/200LX I This program tracks stock designed to establish the and treatment reference, a analyze options and CONTACT: Data Med Clini­ Altima T rading bonds, perform technical transactions and offers a risk level for stroke and full-screen medical calcu­ cal Support Services, 2331 early mortality for open and fundamental evalua­ format for purchase date, lator, laboratory test nor­ System 2.0 University Ave., SE, Minne­ heart surgery. The model tion and tracking of mutual number of shares, current mal ranges and common A portable option pricing apolis, MN 55414, USA; is accurate within 2% of funds, track stock transac­ price, current value, and and position management Phone: 800-STAT-911 or the observed mortality medical abbreviations. program that delivers tions, investments, bonds current gain or loss. Also 612-378- 2930; Fax: 612- Currently, two major data­ tabulates dividends, com­ within the observed data values across a broad and indexes, plus perform -378-2930. bases are available for missions, provides sales set if the cumulative mor­ spectrum of securities. 49 financial functions. tality is less than 10%. P*M*R: Lexi-Comp's Drug history and year end up­ The program prices Amer­ Investors I 100/200LX I The results are derived Information Handbook Accountant ... $699 date report. ican and European style Assurance from 20 separate surgical (with full reference infor­ Comprehensive system equity, index and com­ CONTACT: Pocket-Consul­ Kinetics groups over a 5 year peri­ mation for over 4,000 combining total portfolio tant, 7420 Unity Avenue od and are based on 60,- modity options. Can be This service assists phar­ drugs), and Dr.'s Griffith & management with invest­ North, Brooklyn Park, MN 000 surgical cases. It pro­ used for executive or OTC macists or physicians in Dambro's The 5 Minute ment analysis. 55443, USA; Phone: 612- vides physicians with a options and some war­ calculating proper dos­ Clinical Consult (a refer­ Market 229-6260; Fax: 612-566- preoperative risk predic­ rants. Position manage­ ages and tracking dosing ence for the diagnosis and 6727. tion of mortality and stroke ment includes all deriva­ Forecaster .... $369 schedules of 20 common­ treatment of over 1,000 of tives with breakdowns on Designed on a mainframe for patients who are can­ the most common diseas­ ly monitored drugs (genta­ didates for six types of a per security, month, line computer; the Market es). Gamesl micin, theophylline, digox­ cardiac surgery. It's a and summed line basis. Forecaster predicts major The Lexi-Comp Drug in, etc.). Software pro­ useful decision making Altima utilizes models market moves, both direc­ Entertainment grams contain the latest Information Handbook tion and magnitude of the tool. by Montgomery Invest­ findings in pharmacokinet­ contains up to 30 sepa­ stock market. Its data ment Technology, Inc. ics research . Also in­ Price ...... $599 rate topiCS for each drug covers the past 25 years. lim cludes 24-hour consulting CONTACT: Pocket-Consul­ entry, including dosing, Pricing ...... $1 ,900 MarketWatch tant, 7420 Unity Avenue ACE GAMEcard service. indication, contraindica­ CONTACT: Brownstone North, Brooklyn Park, MN PC Card ..... $189 Fourteen games are pro­ tions, drug interactions, Productions inc., 5 Paulmier Investment analysis soft­ Runs under t 00/200LX 55443, USA; Phone: 612- Place, Jersey City, NJ vided on a ROM card for and pharmacology. In ware that lets you monitor SysMgr ...... Yes 229-6260; Fax: 612-566- 07302-3512, USA; Phone: the 95LX, including: addition , you can store and compare your invest­ Pricing {software & 6727. 800-642-7116; Fax: 908- Blackjack, Checkers, HP­ training} ...... $1,850 your own personal notes ments. The program lets tris, and Craps. Games 654-7108; Internet: brownst CONTACT: Data Med Clini­ for each drug, and man­ you compare many types selected from a "Win­ I 100/200LX I @panix.com. cal Support Services, 2331 age up to five separate of investments, get instant dows" icon menu "popped Clinical University Ave., SE, Minne­ formularies. Both the Drug annualized yields of up" from within built-in ap­ Calculations I 100/200LX I apolis, MN 55414, USA; Information Handbookand growth, distributions, total plications. Phone: 800-STAT-911 or Manager & The 5 Minute Clinical Lane Bond return and more. [See Advertising, page 612-378-2930.; Fax: 612- Pocket Drug Consult have been de­ T rader MARKEX II outside back cover.] 378-2930. Reference signed to operate as Provides professionals Plus ...... $499 Combines calculation Runs under SysMgr . Yes stand-alone references or access to the tools need­ Comprehensive mutual PriCing ...... $79 IilD3I 100/200LX I management with a drug ed to calculate bond pric­ fund investment manage­ as a seamlessly integrat­ CONTACT: ACE Technolo­ Assurance reference database for es and yields, and man­ ment and analysis system gies, Inc., 2880 Zanker easy and fast access. ed reference (on the same age portfolios. on a 10MB PC card. Lets Road, Suite 103, San Jose, Nutrition Solves drug dosage and PCMCIA card). you design your own ex­ CA 95134, USA; Phone: This service provides flow rate problems, unit P*M*R was developed Pricing ...... $399 pert timing system and 800-825-9977 or 408-428- precise enteral and paren­ conversions, critical care over a two year period in CONTACT: Lane Business provides you with a data­ 9722; Fax: 408-428-9721. teral nutritional analyses applications, and nutrition­ concert with the University Systems, 87 Hibernia Ave., base of thousands of eq­ for pharmacists or dieti­ al assessment. Provides of Arizona College of Rockaway, NJ 07866, USA; uity based mutual funds. tians. Includes software complete drug database Medicine. Its interface Phone 800-444-5263 or Portable for analyzing and assess­ of description, side ef­ includes pull-down menus 201-586-9760; Fax: 201- [ Health Care I ing patient data. Includes fects, precautions and 586-0929. EZ-Biller Plus . $599 and pop-up windows. In Sales and inventory pro­ the latest findings in nu­ additional useful informa­ addition, P*M*R is Sys­ 100/200LX tritional research and 24- gram that lets you track all I I tion. tem-Manager compliant, I 100/200LX I hour consulting. your inventory, sales , Assurance Pricing ...... $799 giving the user quick ac­ Pocket·Consul· accounts receivables , Point·Of·Care Runs under CONTACT: Pocket-Consul­ cess to the HP Palmtop's tant Business order entry, and more. This product allows 1001 100/200LX SysMgr. Yes tant, 7420 Unity Avenue built-in applications. Programs Portfolio 200LX users to interface Pricing North, Brooklyn Park, MN Analyzer ..... $299 with other PC-based soft­ Software & training$1 ,850 55443, USA; Phone: 612- Runs under SysMgr . Yes The following programs Pricing, PCMCIA card are available on a memo­ Simplifies recording, man­ ware systems from Data CONTACT: Data Med Clini­ 229-6260; Fax: 612-566- cal Support Services, 2331 6727. versions ry card: aging , and analyzing your Med and is only useful

48 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

Drug • Orthopedics . $89 Personal Food Analyst Pricing ...... $499 Information ... . $399 Includes the essentials on uses a database of 5,000 CONTACT: Pocket-Consul­ Clinical diagnosis and manage­ food items to analyze tant, 7420 Unity Avenue Consultant . . . . . $399 ment of fractures, sprains, what you eat. It lets you North, Brooklyn Park, MN CONTACT: Prolifix, Inc., ligament and joint injuries preview food for nutritional 55443, USA; Phone: 612- 8809 Long Street, Lenexa, and infections. Also in­ content before you eat 229-6260; Fax: 612-566- KS 66215, USA; Phone: cludes orthopedic proce­ and analyzes food for 29 6727. 800-774-7357; Fax: 913- dures such as joint aspira­ different nutrients, includ­ 492-7396. tion, reduction of dislo­ ing calories, protein, fats, cations, splinting and cast­ carbohydrates, and cho­ Language 1100/200LX I ing. lesterol. Comes in con­ Translation PEPID: sumer version available • Pediatrics ... $89 on ROM card . A more Emergency Database of essential sophisticated professional I 100/200LX I Physician emergency and primary version available on floppy Information care information for Pedi­ Transparent Be the First to get the "Officiol" disk for $289. Database atric problems, including Language ™ "PALMTOP P011tVEIlE~~ These 100/200LX .GDB information on neonate to Pricing PC Cards databases provide diag­ teenager, growth and de­ PFA Consumer .. $149 Lets you read real litera­ T-Shirt. nostic, pathophysiologic, velopment, diseases and CONTACT: Mirical Nutrition ture in the original lan­ treatment and disposition emergency resuscitation. Corp, 4606 Northpark Drive, guage. Fifteen collections information for emergent, Colorado Springs, CO contain over 67 titles in urgent, and routine prob­ • Toxicology .. $89 80918, USA; Phone: 800-- Spanish, French, Italian, Database of information lems experienced in Em­ 732-7707 or 719-598-5276; Latin & German. ergency Departments . on overdose manage­ Fax: 719-598-5790. Page at a glance format ment, antidotes, drugs of Pricing ...... $179 abuse, occupational expo­ CONTACT: Pocket Consul­ allows rapid assimilation IilD3I 100/200LX I Show of data. Available as a sures, plant identifica­ tant, 7420 Unity Avenue your association complete database, or in tion/poisonings, general Pocket RD II: North, Brooklyn Park, MN in this unique club! individual sections, includ­ toxins, list U.S. Poison nutrition 55443, USA; Phone: 612- ing the following: Control Centers. software 229-6260; Fax: 612-566- • Made in USA This software for nutrition, 6727. • Trauma .... $89 • White 100% • Pharmacology$179 health and fitness profes­ Includes information on Preshrunk cotton A database of over 700 sionals calculates, sorts, 100/200LX I resuscitation basics and I1D3I • Unique 4 color design commonly prescribed organizes, and graphs the management of trau­ Globalink • Machine washable drugs, including informa­ clinically relevant data, tion on generic and trade matic emergencies, plus a Foreign and prints client and per­ • $15_95 plus shipping &handling names, adult and pediatric step-by-step guide to Language sonal reports. It includes plus Tox (where applicable) doses, dosage formula­ procedures. 12 program sections: Translation tions and adjustments, The Globalink Translation Weight loss, exercise Call Now or write to: Portable Solutions wholesale costs , preg­ These databases are Systems gives sentence­ analysis, body composi­ nancy class, contraindica­ optionally available on a -by-sentence translations tion, nutrient analysis with 800-700-1189 tions, adverse drug reac­ Flash RAM card, allowing with results given in the more than 5,000 foods, 28241 (rown Valley Parkway Suite 255 tions, important drug inter­ you to add or delete infor­ grammatical structure of diabetic and renal calcu­ laguna Niguel, CA 92677-1400 actions, common over­ mation. the target Language. Ac­ lations, enteral and paren­ Visa, Mastercard, Discover Accepted dose management, phar­ cording to the manufactur­ Pricing ...... see above teral nutrition, and many macokinetics and other er, the product gives tran­ Complete set equations on determining important information. on floppy ...... $425 slation quality which is tity, denomination, year, appropriate nutrient intake On Flash card add 25% equivalent to that obtained [Miscellaneous I country, purchase date, levels. • General E.R. $229 CONTACT: PEPID Inc., 100 cost, and more. Includes information on all from sophisticated desk­ GreenwoodAve., Evanston, Pricing ...... $499 CoinBase .... $169 emergent and urgent top or mainframe systems. IL 60201 , USA; Phone: 708- (Floppy disk version, $279) I 100/200LX I Database to catalog your problems in the fields of Load a 5-10 page file and 475-0778; Fax: 708-475- CONTACT: Poly-Bytes, Inc., Misc Programs coins, including standard neurology, psychiatry, have it translated. Lan­ 0779; Voice mail: 800-329- P.O. Box 770070, Coral coin number, description, dentistry, ophthalmology, guage output can be post­ on PCMCIA 7872, ext. PEPID (73743). Springs, FL 33077-0070, denomination and year. ENT, cardiovascular, pul­ -edited one sentence at a Cards USA; Phone: 305-485-4600; time, or after an entire file The following programs AlgeTutor ..... $79 monary, gastrointestinal, I1D3I 100/200LX I Fax: 305-485-0022. genitourinary, obstetrics/­ has been translated. are available on PCMCIA Learn algebra, all major gynecology, infectious dis­ Personal Spanish/ English, card, for the HP 100/ topics covered. 100/200LX ease, rheumatology, aller­ Food Analyst I I French/ English, and Ger­ 200LX, OmniBook, or GeomeTutor ... $79 gy, environmental medi­ Helps you track, analyze Portable Nurse man/English versions are most PCMCIA systems. Learn geometry, all major available. topics covered. cine, dermatology trauma, and modify your eating Works System TarotMaster .... $79 habits. Create your nutri­ ChemCalc ..... $79 and medicolegal. This PCMCIA based soft­ Pricing ...... $79.95 All 78 cards included tional profile based on Intro to chemistry. ware program solves drug (Buy two cards, get third along with their basic • Critical Care $149 your age, height, activity AstroTutor . .... $99 dosage and flow rate pro­ language free.) interpretations, names, A special database with level, sex and desired Intro to astronomy. blems. Options are select­ COMPANY: Globalink, 9302 symbols. parts of the Pharmacolo­ weight. Records what you Eclipse Master . $79 ed from single menu. In­ Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA StampBase '" $169 gy, General E.R., and eat during the day and Computes solar and lunar structions are provided at 22031, USA; Phone: 800- Database to catalogue Toxicology database, plus recalculates how many eclipses, all aspects of the bottom of each 255-5660 or 703-273-5600; your stamps, including the complete Trauma calories (and nutrients) calculations included. screen. Fax: 703-273-3866. catalog number, descrip­ database. you have remaining. tion , type, condition, quan- FinancialSuper $119

THE HP P ALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 49 PCMCIA PRODUCTS

Toolbox of 49 of the most ment data and "reads" ceptional features for hold up to 9,900 activities A Hebrew & Greek association has defined needed financial functions. your palm. extensive circuit analysis. for planning multiple pra­ translation option is also and published standards FundWatch ... $169 PhysiCalc ..... $79 Filter Analysis $199 jects. Project:VISION can available. for PC cards. handle up to 1,000 activi­ They publish PCMCIA Track and evaluate mutual Reviews the major areas Calculate the effective Pricing News Update quartely, funds. Includes analytical of mechanics, gravity, attenuation of an electrical ties per project. Plan Man Bible ...... $599 graphs, charts price, per­ light, quantum mechanics, filter composed of passive can handle up to 75 activi­ Translated Bible . $899 containing news regarding formance, and more. and relativity. Includes 30 elements. ties. CONTACT: Pocket-Consul­ the PCMCIA standards key equations, and more. progress along with prod­ Market Trig Expert ... $119 Pricing (plus cost of PCM­ tant, 7420 Unity Avenue Strategist .... $599 RentalManager $189 Define the geometry of North, Brooklyn Park, MN uct announcements and CIA card) other related information. Integrated pro­ Easy entry of data; pro­ the problem, program 55443, USA; Phone: 612- ProjectVISION . . . $499 PCMCIA also maintains gram/database for devel­ vides detailed information figures everything else. 229-6260; Fax: 612-566- PlanMan ...... $99 a Bulletin Board that pro­ oping and back-testing on your rental properties. 6727. Teacher's CONTACT: Inmax Publish­ vides information on up­ stock market trading strat­ RuneMaster .... $79 Gradebook ... $179 ing Limited, 2673 Terrace coming events, technical Avenue, North Vancouver, egies. Explore*17171 the secrets Store, retrieve, summa­ issues and general infor­ BC, CANADA, V7R lB5; Word Bearings ...... $79 of the Runes. rize, update, manipulate/­ mation to members. Non­ Phone: 604-980-9991; Fax: Program for pilots, skip­ Electrical rosters, grades, & more. Processing members are provided a pers, radio amateurs or 604-985-5597. Engineering .. $259 CONTACT: Pocket-Consul­ one-time access free of anyone needing to know 10 programs for plotting, tant, 7420 Unity Avenue Dictionaryl charge (see BBS numbers precise bearings or great analyzing, conversions, North, Brooklyn Park, MN Thesaurus card below) . circle directions from one [ Real Estate simulations and more. 55443, USA; Phone: 612- I HP offers a Dictionary/ location to another. Pricing ...... free Bridge Master $199 229-6260; Fax: 612-566- Thesaurus ROM card for (Fax requests to PCMCIA, Construction Comprehensive program. 6727. I 100/200LX I the 95/100/200LX. include complete address Estimator .... $329 Blackjack Coach$149 including company name, RealSearch Product No. HP Fl0005A Stores materials prices, Learn and practice getting etc.) Project RealSearch processes Runs under runs totals, improves ac­ CONTACT: PCMCIA Head­ advice and consent, test System Manager .. . Yes curacy and cuts estimat­ captured multiple listing quarters, 1030 East Duane playing and betting strate­ Management Pricing ...... $149.95 and tax roll data, converts Avenue, Suite G, Sun­ ing time. gies. CONTACT: Hewlett­ it to a DBF for fast search­ nyvale, CA 94086, USA; DietHelper .... $169 Cribbage 2.0 .. $89 100/200LX Packard dealers world wide I I es by street, area or MLS Phone: 408-720-0107; Fax: Tracks intake of calories, Classic two-handed ver­ and selected third-party Project: VISION number. Enter desired 408-720-9417; BBSI (2400 sodium, cholesterol, fiber, vendors. sion. street, select number with baud): 408-720-9388; BBS2 and 20 other variables. and PlanMan Backgammon . $139 These two programs fol­ lightbar, touch enter and (9600 baud): 408-720-9386. Finance ...... $89 Test skills and improve low classical project plan­ 42 fields of information Learn and do basic finan­ your game, play computer ning techniques and fea­ appear. Scroll up, down or Publications m!31 100/200LX I cial analysis, mortgages, or another player. search for another. With and Services loan analysis, bond analy­ ture Critical Path Method The PCMCIA HoroScopics activity logic flow charts compression a 5MB RAM sis, compound interest, Developer's Combo ...... $169 and Gantt Timeline bar PCMCIA card can hold up This section focuses on and more. Guide Three programs for pre­ charts combined with to 10,000 records! Can PCMCIA-related publica­ GraphMaster ... $99 This reference book pub­ dicting the future: Horo­ Resource Use bar charts. process captured text tions and services. Create barlline, pie, scat­ lished by Sycard Technol­ Scopics II - an easy-to­ They also allow you to do from other sources. In­ ter and text charts or use astrology program ; cludes runtime FOXPRO ogies, contains over 400 the following: m!31 100/200LX I pages covering informa­ graphs. Make simple or TarotMaster - a fortune 2.6 and REASSIST, a IC Card tion on the development complex charts with over­ telling program; Rune­ • Calculate manpower data extraction utility. lays of several types of Master - a divination and material usage/costs Systems & of PCMCIA-related prod­ information. Also plots program using Nordic throughout a project and Pricing Design ucts. Includes chapters on On 5MB card . . . $799 PC Card Standards, De­ math functions. runes. over multiple projects; This bi-monthly publication Gravitor ...... $89 Floppy disk .... $299 focuses on PC card (PC­ signing Host Adapters , Probaloto .... $169 • Adjust master sched­ Setup ...... $155 Calculates the gravitation­ MCIA) issues and technol­ Designing PC Card Pe­ Incorporates a mathemati­ ules, allowing for re­ (Setup loads your data into al forces on astronomical ogy. The subscription ripherals, PCMCIA Soft­ cal formula to weigh the source, budget or time program format.) ware Requirements, The bodies such as stars and base is comprised of lottery numbers previously limitations; CONTACT: BIDS Data Future of PCMCIA, PC planets and determines 20,000 design engineers, chosen, either positively Service, Inc., 3714 Horatio Card Products, and a very their orbits; paths are system integrators, distrib­ or negatively, from a data • Track the project as it Street, Tampa, FL 33609, complete Product and plotted. progresses and compare utors and resellers of PC file that is automatically USA; Phone: 813-839-3646; card products. Services Directory for Home Inventory $129 updated as you play. it with your original plan, Fax: 813-839-3003; BBS: developers and PCMCIA Lets you keep records of Lotto Master •. $199 allowing you to effect 813-835-1963. Pricing U.S...... $29 users. possessions, credit cards Track winning numbers & changes according to International ... $50.00 The book's appendixes and important papers. analyze them for project­ reality; (Payment in U.S. funds diagram and describe Multiple files can be kept, ing the future, customized must accompany order) Connectors, Card Servic­ • Make changes with just [ Specialized I CONTACT: IC Card Sys­ for home and for bus­ for any state. a few keystrokes. es Functions, and Socket iness. tems & Design, Attn: Sub­ Hansen-Predict $349 scription Department, 6151 Services Functions. They Project:VISION and Plan­ I 100/200LX I Inventory Self learning, general Powers Ferry Rd., Atlanta, also include a Glossary, Express ...... $299 purpose Expert System, Man are DOS based pro­ The Bible GA 30339, USA; Phone: Sample Schematics, PCIC Item master database predict future outcomes. grams that can run on an Comes with QuickVerse 404-955-2500; Fax: 404- Register List, Index, and a stores over 15 fields of Options PC compatible computer 2.0 and concordance on 955-0400. section on where you can information. Enter orders, Analysis ..... $199 with CGA or VGA graph­ PC card. Your choice of get more information on ics, including the HP 100/ PCMCIA cards and their receipts, and issues while Complete analysis for Put translations; complete 100/200LX 200LX. They both feature IilD3I I development. program tracks changes. & Call prices, writing , King James, New King variable magnification on PCMCIA; Flexible reporting lets you values, spreads/ strad­ James, Revised Standard, Pricing ...... $89.95 network and timeline News Update; see the data you want. dles, and more. New Revised Standard, CONTACT: Sycard Technol­ Export to word processing screens, multiple logic New Century, Living Bible, Bulletin Board ogy, 1180-F Miraloma Way, Active Circuit links between activities, PCMCIA stands for Per­ or spreadsheet. Analysis ..... $399 and New International. Lo­ Sunnyvale, CA 94086, USA; attachable memos, and a cate word/phrase in just sonal Computer Memory Phone: 408-749-0130; Fax: Palm Reader ... $79 Active and passive, ex- Record hand measure- worksheet area that can seconds with QuickVerse. Card Association. This 408-749-1323.

50 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 PCMCIA Glossary ATA technology. PCMCIA also promotes compatibility among PC Cards and Mass storage flash cards produced by Sun Disk and IBM are called PC Card-based systems. 'ATA Flash disks" because they conform to the PCMCIA ATA standard. This standard was created to allow the development of PCMCIA card PCMCIA Standards "mass storage devices" (high capacity flash cards) that "looked" like a The complete set of all of the PCMCIA PC Card Standards. The current hard drive to the IBM AT (286 or greater) computer using them. The standards (Sept 94) include the PC Card Standard Release 2.01, Sun Disk AT A Flash Disk is an example of a solid state AT A device. The Socket Services Specification Release 2.0, Card Services Specification HP OmniBook hard drive is an example of a rotating ATA device. Release 2.0, ATA Specifications Release 1.01, AIMS Specification Release 1.0, and the Recommended Extensions Release 1.0. Card Drives Devices similar to floppy disk drives that can be installed in, or attached to desktop PCs and MACs, allowing those computers to access PCMCIA Standards, releases 1.0, 2.0, & 2.01 and 2.1 PCMCIA cards (see article, page 15). Current and past PCMCIA releases that define the specifications and capabilities of a card. All PCMCIA standards are backward compatible Card & Socket Services (e.g. a SRAM card developed under the 1.0 standards will work in a These PCMCIA specifications provide PC Card software and hardware memory card drive developed under the 2.01 standards). developers a common standard, allowing them to develop cards that Release 1.0, issued in September, 1990, specified a PC Card offering work in a variety of computers. memory capabilities for mobile computing. The SRAM cards used by the Card Services Release 2.0 and Socket Services Release 2.0 are the 95LX (and subsequent HP Palmtops) were developed under this specifications for the PCMCIA software architecture. Socket Services is standard. a BIOS level software interface that provides a method for accessing the Release 2.0, issued in September, 1991, broadens the first specifica­ PCMCIA slots of a computer. Card Services is a software management tion with the addition of input/output and execute in place capabilities, interface that allows the allocation of system resources (such as allowing for the SunDlsk ATA mass storage cards, faxl modem cards memory and interrupts) automatically once the Socket Services detects and wireless communications devices to be developed for the HP that a PC Card has been inserted. 100/200LX. File Compression Software Release 2.01 , issued in November, 1992, is a minor correction of Software that compresses files stored on any medium, including Release 2.0. PCMCIA memory cards. Compression software can effectively double Release 2.1, issued in July of 1993, made some additional minor the rated capacity of a PCMCIA memory card. modifications to Release 2.0. PC Flash-Random-Addressable (Flash RAM) Cards Abbreviation for Personal Computer. It is often used to refer to an 80x86 Flash RAM cards (a.k.a. "Flash Cards" or "Flash Disks") are comprised DOS-based computer system. of computer chips that can be written to and read from. They are different from SRAM cards in that they do not need a battery to retain SRAM I RAM Cards data and they are available in larger capacities (up to 40MB currently for Static-Random-Addressable memory cards. These cards come in the HP Palmtops). capacities up to 2MB (4MB with file compression software). The files on the card are retained by a small lithium backup battery, which must be VO Cards replaced every 10 months or so. Input/Output cards were made possible by PCMCIA releases 2.0 and 2.01. Examples of I/O cards include faxlmodem cards, ATA flash disks ROM Cards and drives, wireless messaging cards, and LAN cards. Read-Only-Memory cards, which come in varying capacities. The data or programs on these cards can only be read by the host computer, JEIDA they cannot be written to. The HP DictionarylThesaurus Card is an The Japanese Electronic Industry Development Association is the example of a ROM card. organization in Japan responsible for PC Card standards. JEIDA and PCMCIA cooperate closely. JEIDA Release 4.0 is identical to PCMCIA Type I, II, and III Cards 1.0 and JEIDA 4.1 is identical to PCMCIA 2.0. PCMCIA has defined three PC Card types. All have the same length, width, and are 3.3mm thick along their edges and connector ends so PC Card they can be inserted into standard PCMCIA slots. A peripheral device that can add a variety of capabilities to computers Type I is a constant 3.3mm thick overall and is commonly used for including: memory, mass-storage, LAN, faxlmodem and wireless memory cards, like the SRAM cards useable in all the HP Palmtops. communications. The PCMCIA PC Card is roughly the dimensions of a Type II is 5mm thick to accommodate applications that require more credit card and has a standardized 68 pin connector at one end. There room for components such as faxlmodem cards used in the 100/200LX. are three card types (see Type I, II, & III cards below). Type III is 1O.5mm thick to accommodate higher functionality devices The PC Card logo is copyrighted by PCMCIA. Use of the logo such as rotating storage media (hard disks) and wireless communication indicates that the manufacturer is a PCMCIA member in good standing and the memory or I/O card is compatible with the PCMCIA PC Card devices. These devices are not useable in the HP Palmtops. Standard. Type I & II Extended cards are PCMCIA recommended extensions that are identical to the regular cards with the exception of their length. PCMCIA They are 50mm longer than regular cards, allowing the development of The fersonal fomputer Memory fard international ~ssociation is a applications that need components outside of the system (like wireless non-profit trade association and standards body comprised of over 500 messaging cards used with the HP 100/200LX) or for applications that member companies that defines the industry standard for the PC Card need more intemal room for components.

THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 51 HOW TO CONTACT US Products advertised in There are a number of ways to get in The HP Palmtop Paper PCMCIA Review touch with The HP Palmtop Paper staff. You can write; mail us a dIsk with Company Product [Phone/Fax numbersJ Page number your comments; send CompuServe ACCURITE (External Disk Drive) ...... [408·433-1980; Fax: 408-433-1716J ... 9 mail; fax; or call. Our mailing address ACE (ACE Double Card) ...... , .," [800-825-9977; Fax:408-734-3344J"back cover and contact information is: ACMA (Impression Card Drive) """ ",. ", .. ,. [510-623-1212; Fax: 510-623-0818J,,39 AMP (Flash memory card) , . . . " .. , ., ...... ,. .. [800-488-8459J,,41 Thaddeus Computing, Inc., Aware Electronics (Geiger Counter) , .... ,.,' , .. , ...... [Phone/Fax: 302-655-3800J,,46 P.O. Box 869 or 57 E. Broadway, Brownstone (Trading Software) ..... • , . .. • ...... , [800-642-7116; Tel/Fax: 908-654-7108J,,23 Fairfield, IA 52556, U.S.A. ComputerBoards (Data Acquisition) . ". [508-261-1123; Fax: 508-261-1 094J" 19 Phone: 515-472-6330 or 800-373-6114; Fax #:515-472-1879; CSS (Barcode System) ., " ,. . .. , [800-733-5017; Fax: 503-752-7037J,,22 CIS 10: Hal Goldstein, [75300,2443] Dana Design (Solar Pouch Rechargeable Battery) ..... [406-587-4188; Fax: 406-585-9284J,,44 Internet: [email protected] Databook (Memory Card Drive) ...... , ... [716-889-4204; Fax: 716-889-2593J,,40 E&B (Leather Cases) . , ... , ... [800-896-2273; Int'l: 916·344-5047; Fax: 916-782-9306J.,, 1 To advertise in The HP Palmtop Paper, EduCALC (Accessories Catalog) . [800-677-7001 (ext. 108); Fax: 714-582-1445J,,32 contact Bnan Teitzman or Margaret EM Alternatives (PalmtoxiPalmpeds Medical Software) ... ". [800-258-2550; Fax: 414-241-8514J,, 31 Martin. Envoy Data (PCMCIA Products) ". , , , . , , . , [602-892-0954; Fax: 602-892-0029J,,33 Epson (PCMCIA Flash, Ram, Modem) .. , , . . , , .. [800-374·7300J,,26 To subscribe, change address, or clear (PCMCIA Flash, Ram, Modem) ...... 27 up any problem with your subscrip­ EXP Computer (ThinFax Modem) [800·EXP-NYCA; Fax: 714-453-1319J"inside back cover tion, contact our subscription depart­ Extended Systems (JetEye, Infrared Printer Interface) . , ' , .,',. [800-235-7576; Fax: 406-587-9170J,,16 ment (Director Sharon Dilmore). (Infrared PC Interface) . , , , , , ...... , , .. , , ... , , .. , , ... , , .. , ,. 26 Greenwich Instruments (Palm Link-a-Printer) " . . , ... [800-476·4070,704-376-1021; Fax: 704-335-8707J,,12 Technical Support Greystone (Universal Card Drive) ...... [408-866-4739; Fax: 408-866-8328J,,28 HP Technical Support - HP offers Hewlett Packard (StarLink) .. . . , ... , , , . , , . . , ... , , , .. , , , .. , , .. , , . .. [800-917 LlNKJ,,25 these options: InMax (Vision CGA Graphics Pack) . , . , . [604-980-9991; Fax: 604-985-5597J,,30 Maxtor (PCMCIA Flash Cards) ... ,.. [800-EGGHEAD, 800-4MAXTORJ,,24 • FREE TECHNICAL SUPPORT- is offered to all Palmtop users and is Mobile Media (MobileMate) ...... , . . . . , .... , ...... [800-562-2830J,,21 available by calling 503-757-2004. Opus 63 (Palmtop Liberator (holster)) .. [718-706-6787; Fax: 718-706-7034J,,43 • FREE AUTOMATED SUPPORT- is Peripherals Direct (Flash Card ReaderlWriter Bundle) . , , , . • , , , . . , , .. , , , . , , , .. [800-724-3000J".9 offered 24 hours a day by calling 800- Portable Solutions (T-Shirt) ., ...... [800-700-1189J,,49 443-1254. Prolifix (Physician's Medical Reference) ...... [800-774-7357; Fax: 913-492-7396J,,13 • REQUEST FAXED OR MAILED Prolinear (PCMCIA Memory, Modems) [800-759-0881 or 818-821-1881; Fax: 818-821-1879J,,10 INFORMATION - 800-752-0900. Protege (PCMCIA ATA ReaderlWriter Card Drive) ", . [800-995-4453; Fax: 714-961-1162J,,47 RadioMail (Internet) , , , . [800-909-0260 (Dept. HP) or 415-286-7800; Fax: 415-286-7805J,,34,35 On-Line Support - offered by these SCM Microsystems (Desk Card Reader) bulletin board services. Contact: ..... [U.S. 408-395-9292; Fax: 408-395-8782; Germany: 4989859 8702J".5 Seagate (PCMCIA Flashcards) .. " .. ,', . " .. [408-438-8111; ,,17 • COMPUSERVE: GO HPHAND FORUM - Call 800-848-8199 or 614- Smart Modular (SmartCard:FaxiModemlMemory) , . . . . , . , .. , [800-536-1231 J"inside front cover 457-0802: For FREE membership state Steele Creek Tech. (Card-link Drives) , , . , . , . , , ...... • . . [Phone & Fax: 704-588-1780J,,12 #231. Thaddeus Computing (HP Palmtop Paper) ...... , ...• , ... [800-373-6114; Fax: 515-472-1879J".8 (HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK) " . . ,' . . ,', ... , " , , .. , . , .. , . , .. , . . 45 • AMERICA ON LINE: Keyword PALMTOP - Call 800-227-6364 or 703-893-6288 for membership infor­ mation. • INTERNET: comp.sys.palmtops (best); comp'.sys.handlields; or Software mentioned in The HP Palmtop Paper PCMCIA Review eddie.mit.ea. and included in past issues of The HP Palmtop Paper On Disk or the Subscriber PowerDisks How to submit an article NOTE: PCMCIA.ZIP, the text file for The HP Palmtop Paper PCMCIA Review, will be found in the The richness of The HP Palm tOT! Paper comes from the contributions of Palm­ September/October 94 issue of The HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK. top PC users. We and your fellow users welcome your submissions. (We Product Function CIS forum ~ ~ do not offer payment for articles; your reward is knowing that you've helped l00BUDDy.zIP (Best Palmtop Tips) Adds useful others.) features to the 100LX HPHAND/ll Share 7,13 If you have a good idea and want 95BUDDY,EXE (93 Subscribers PowerDisk) Adds to "go for it," sena it in via Compu­ features to 95LX HPHAND17 Share 7,13 Serve E-Mail [75300,2443], Internet: ACCIS9.zIP (BestTips 94) Automates CompuServe access HPHAND/5 Share 37 [email protected], or send DIET.ZIP (N/D 93) Compression software na Free 7,14,20,21 disk or hard copy: to Hal Goldstein or DIET145F.zIP (BestTips 94) Newer ver. of DIET Rich Hall at the above address. Alter­ compression program Internet Free 7,14,20,21 natively you can send an outline of your idea. We will trY: to guide you LHA213LX,EXE (93 Subscribers PowerDisk) Compression software HPHAND/I Free 22 as to when and whether we would NOTEPAD,ZIP (BestTips 94) Note taker that links use the article and contact you if we the 95LX PHONElAPPT applications HPHAND17 Share 14 need clarification or have any sugges­ PKL103,ZIP (J/F 92) Compression program for ,COM tions. We may want to use an article and ,EXE files HPHAND/I Share 22 but for a variety of reasons you may PK203G,EXE (MIA 94) PKZIPIUNZIP 2,04g, an archive utility HPHANDI1 Share 22 not see it for many months. Please SSFAX5,ZIP (MlJ 94) Ver. 5,0 faxer for 95LX & l00LX HPHAND/9 Share 37,47 understand that we cannot promise to TIMOUT.ZIP (MIA 92) Change auto shutoff time on 95LX HPHAND/6 Free 7,13 run any particular article. ZIPI63LX,EXE (93 PowerDisk) File transfer program HPHAND/5 Free 16 If you can, especially if you write (Best Palmtop Tips) Ver, 1,71 file a Palmtop Profile, sena us a black ZIPI71.zIP . and white photo of yourself. transfer program HPHAND/5 Free 16

52 THE HP PALMTOP PAPER PCMCIA CARD REVIEW 1994 INTRODUCING EXP'S THINFAX BASIC LX WITH BUILT-IN MINIFAX , SOFTWARE. It's loaded with these innovative features:

"Plug & Play" convenience. Start faxing as • Preview faxes before sending. soon as you open the box - there's nothing View received faxes (up to 7 pages). else to buy. Installs easily in minutes. Very user friendly. • Send up to 10 pages. • Automatically converts ASCI files to fax As soon as you plug the card in, a format before sending . MiniFax icon is automatically loaded on Main Menu. Interfaces with HP integrated phone book for frequently used numbers. HP System Manager Compliant (interfaces with all other HP built-in applications - no • MiniFax cover page template included. need to exit DOS). PCMCIA fax/modem can also work with FAX - 9600bps send/4800bps receive. most notebook computers. (with additional DOSIWIN software) MODEM - 2400bps. • LIFETIME WARRANTY. I ~i J EXP COMPUTER, INC.

CALL 1·800·EXP·6922 Call our East Coast office at (516) 496-3703 or our West Coast office at (714) 453-1020 for more information. -. .- , AV ' N~Vf" GENERATION OF SOLID STATE N

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ACE Technologies is proud to intro­ DoubleFlashE9Plus is your total duce our next generation Solid State Palmtop storage solution. Every Storage for your HP Palmtop. DoubleFlashE9Plus comes with patented LZS data compression. BA TIman DoubleFlash$Plus Battery Management software is fully integrated into each DoubleFlashE9Plus. Using a new generation of flash Using ACE's predictive battery algo­ devices gives you up to four times rithm, BATTman controls power con­ faster access to your data. sumption protecting your data. Whether you are using the HP Installing DoubleFlashE9Plus is as sim­ Palmtop or a PC, DoubleFlashE9Plus Features ple as Plug and Play! gives you the best performance among all other Flash storage. t/ PCMCIA Solid State Storage DoubleFlashE9Plus, with capacities to t/ Built-In Data Compression 80MB, is the best storage you can buy Running on 486DX2-66 t/ Rugged, No Moving Parts ~DoubleAash, SunOisk for your HP Palmtop! t/ No Batteries Required Random Read •••••111 •• DoubleFlash$PIlU t/ 50% to 400% Faster than DoubleFlash+ 6M (up to 6MB) ...... $239 Standard ATA Flash Cards DoubleFlash+ 10M(up to 10MB) ...... $309 t/ Plug-&-Play Installation DoubleFlash+ 20M (up to 20MB) ...... $459 SeqU~~t~~ •••" •••••• t/ Built-In Battery Management DoubleFlash+ 40M(up to 40MB) ...... $799 Supports NiCd, NiMH, Alkaline & DoubleFlash+ 60M(up to 60MB) ...... $1,149 seqUentiall.Write!'r~~I!!!!~""~ _~~~ Lithium batteries DoubleFlash+ 80M (up to 80MB) ...... $1 ,499 200 400 600 BOO t/ HP Palmtop Optimized Driver KBytes/Second t/ Optional ROM Installation Card Runnjog on HP l00LX t/ Five Year Warranty For more information Random Read I HP Flash. DoubleAash, SunDisk and to order, call •••11 DoubleFb5hePIU5 Specifications: Random Write ~ PCMCIA: Type I and II Sequential Voltage: 5V,+/-5% 1-800-825-9977' Read ••••••••• Power modes: High, Med, Low Reliability: 300 ,000 hrs MTBF < 1 in 10e14 bits 50 100 150 200 250 300 Shock: 1,OOOG KBytesJSecond

ACE Technologies. Inc I

ACE Technologies. Inc. 592 Weddell Drive #6. Sunnyvale. California. 94089 U,S,A Tel: 408-734-0100 or 1-800-825-9977 Fax: 408-734-3344

DoubleFlash, DoubleAoshEtlPlus are trademarks of ACE Technologies, Inc.