| Palm V in its dock | |
| Developer | 3Com |
|---|---|
| Product family | Palm |
| Type | Personal digital assistant |
| Release date | 1999 |
| Operating system | Palm OS 3.0 |
| CPU | Dragonball EZ |
| Memory | 2 MB |
| Display | |
| Connectivity | |
| Power | Lithium-ion battery |
| Dimensions |
|
| Weight | 4 ounces (110 g) |
| Predecessor | Palm III family |
Palm V is a personal digital assistant (PDA) by 3Com.
Released in 1999 by 3Com, [1] the four-ounce (110 g) PDA has an aluminum enclosure containing a Dragonball EZ central processing unit [2] (capable of overclocking to 39 MHz) and two megabytes of memory. [3] Measuring 4.5 inches (110 mm) tall and less than 0.5 inches (13 mm) thick, the device's 16-shade grayscale display [1] has a backlight and increased resolution from the previous-generation Palm III. [2] Unlike that older device, which uses disposable batteries (AAAs), the Palm V has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery with an expected charge lasting 1–2 weeks. Palm Vs are equipped with a serial port that is electrically though not physically compatible with the EIA-232-D telecommunications standard [1] (the redesigned enclosure design prevents Palm III-compatible accessories from connecting to the port) [2] and a Consumer IR transceiver. [4]
Upon launch, the Palm V cost about US$500(equivalent to about $940 in 2024), though it had reduced to $300–400 by January 2000 (equivalent to about $550–730 in 2024). Units sold in late 1999 came pre-loaded with Palm OS version 3.0, though 3.3 was available to download and install. [4] The IBM WorkPad c3 is the Palm V, relabeled. [1]
Ars Technica 's Will Smith raved about his Palm V in 1999, recommending it to all interested, excepting Palm III users for whom the technical-specifications upgrade wasn't substantial enough. [2] Writing for TechRepublic in January 2000, Jeff Thompson was enthusiastically full of praise for the Palm V, both for personal and enterprise uses. [4]
On October 4, 1999, 3Com released the Palm Vx. [5] Measuring 11.5 by 8 by 1 centimetre (4.53 by 3.15 by 0.39 in) and weighing 114 grams (4.0 oz), [6] the new product featured an improved eight megabytes of memory storage and faster PC synchronization. The list price was US$449(equivalent to $847.5 in 2024). [5]
In 2000, 3Com partnered with supermodel Claudia Schiffer to release the Palm Vx Claudia Schiffer Edition on August 1: it features a "blue brushed-metal" exterior rather than the base silver color, and was sold exclusively through Schiffer's website. [7]
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