The handheld computing market may seem dominated by smartphones today, however before their mass adoption there were other offerings for those who needed some computing power on-the-go. If a 90s laptop was as well bulky, there was always the IBM PalmTop which packed punch for its size-to-weight ratio, as well as for the age it was produced in. [Mingcong Bai] still has one of these antiques as well as made a decision to see if it was still usable by packing a personalized Linux distribution on it.
The PalmTop sported moderate hardware even for its time with an Intel 486SL running at 33 MHz with 20 MiB of RAM. this likewise makes utilize of a 1 GB CompactFlash card for storage as well as while [Mingcong Bai] notes that it is possible to run Windows 95 on it, it’s not a especially fantastic individual experience. A Linux distribution personalized for antique hardware, AOSC/Retro, assists fix a few of these usability issues. With this it’s possible to boot into a command line as well as even do some restricted text-based web browsing as long as the Ethernet adapter is included.
While the computer is running at its maximum capability just to boot as well as carry out fundamental system functions, it’s admirable that an antique computer such as this still works, particularly provided its little size as well as restricted hardware functionality. If you’re curious about much more PalmTop-style computers, take a look at the very first one ever produced: the HP-200LX.