The HP200LX: A Review

by Rob Tillotson

Introduction
Preliminaries
The Keyboard
The Screen
Under the Hood
Personal Information Management
Numbers, Numbers, Numbers
Communication
Other Applications
Life with LX
Conclusion

[Note: Because of their width and height, I have not inlined the screen shots. The reduced versions looked awful, so I have refrained from including them as well. I should also point out that the font you see in the screen shots is not the standard one, but a freeware replacement -- I forgot to unload it before making the GIFs.]

Introduction

I've been looking for the right portable computing device for a long time. Along the way I've had numerous Wizard and BOSS-like devices, a DayRunner (yes, pencil and paper, archaic though it may be), an HP48SX, a Newton, and finally a HP200LX. None of them - the 200LX included - is perfect, but the 200LX comes closest for me.

Before I go on, I would like to remind everyone that PDAs are, like so many other things in the computer industry, as much a religious issue as a technical one. This should come as no surprise, since a PDA is perhaps the most intimate of computing devices. This is why I suspect there will always be stiff competition in the PDA industry - all other things being equal, there is still room for a lot of variation in the style of user interface people prefer, or the mix of capabilities they need.

Before you buy a PDA - or change PDAs - I strongly recommend you try as many as you can. Take advantage of the unconditional return policies offered by better dealers. Visit your favorite computer superstore and play with the display models for a few hours - before I finalized my most recent purchase, I spent many an hour in Elek-Tek and Best Buy hunched over the PDA table, exploring every feature of the LX, Magic Link, newer Newtons, and so forth.

Preliminaries

I won't waste a lot of time describing the LX here, since it's easy enough to get a look at it "in the flesh." On the other hand, I know what it's like to live in a place where the nearest good electronics store is an hour away. The 200LX is about the size of a traditional paper organizer, but an inch thick. It fits comfortably in a jacket pocket. The case is the dark, vaguely greenish gray color popular recently, and doesn't scratch easily (at least I haven't managed to scratch it yet, and I don't carry it in a case). It's quite light, especially in comparison to many other small electronic items.

The Keyboard

Keyboards. Besides the obvious question of whether a PDA should even have one, keyboards and their quality are a constant debate among PDA evangelists. Since you'll be pressing those keys tens of thousands of times over the lifetime of the PDA, you had better like the way they feel. The 200LX has received more fire on this subject, it seems, than any other machine in its class, because of its calculator-like keys and unusual layout.

The designers of the LX faced the problem of cramming a full PC/AT compatible keyboard into a 6x3 inch area, while still leaving commonly used keys easily accessible. They chose to accomplish this by combining a QWERTY area with a numeric keypad; besides those, there is a cursor diamond and ten function keys. The numeric keys on the alpha keyboard have been replaced by eight blue keys which select applications.

With so much to fit and so little space to fit it into, the keys on the LX ended up small. HP chose to make them calculator-style, small and rectangular, raised about 1/8 inch above the case, with a positive "click" when pressed. Surprisingly, this doesn't work nearly as bad as it might seem - the height of the keys makes the spaces between them easy to feel, and the click leaves no doubt that they have been pressed. On the other hand, they are rather stiff, which makes touch typing on the LX all that much harder.

But lets face it, touch typing on a PDA keyboard is not a natural skill. If your fingers are fat enough it's probably impossible, even on one of the wider keyboards like the one on the Psion 3. The HP's keyboard is not one of the easier ones to get used to, but it works reasonably well for me. Once again, try it before you buy it - I personally liked the Psion's keyboard better for speed-typing, but other features of the 200LX made the compromise acceptable.

The Screen

Next to the keyboard, the screen is often the most-cursed feature of any PDA. Once again size is the culprit. In an age when desktop screens grow ever larger, efficient use of a small screen is a subject that seems virtually forgotten - except in the PDA market. In choosing DOS compatibility, HP created another problem for themselves, namely how to fit a DOS-compatible 80-column display into a tiny space. HP went with CGA compatibility, giving the display 640x200 very tiny pixels.

When running DOS applications, this screen appears as a normal CGA, with all the usual modes. It will do 80 column text, albeit very small 80 column text. Two other standard fonts are provided, one which supports 64-column text and one which provides 40 columns. In either of the large font modes, the screen is still a virtual 80x25 and can be scrolled using the keyboard. The built-in applications use a mixture of these fonts to display data on a single screen, and in most cases the "main font" can be selected by the user.

Under the Hood

Software is the other important part of any PDA, and the LX has plenty of it. At the core of the LX is 3MB of ROM containing all the built-in software. The lowest layer seen by the user is MS-DOS 5.0; if everything else is disabled, the 200LX can be used as a straight and simple PC/XT, though in this mode none of the built-in applications will be available. Since the LX is an XT-class machine, DOS can use up to 640K of RAM, the exact amount being adjustable by the user. The rest becomes drive C:, the default location for files. An SRAM or Flash card inserted in the PCMCIA slot becomes drive A:, and is treated almost like a floppy. There is also a ROM drive D:, but interestingly enough the built-in applications are not found there - they are only available from the System Manager.

System Manager is HP's answer to the "making DOS useful" problem. When it's running, System Manager takes over the machine, managing memory and other resources used by multiple "System Manager Compliant" applications. Besides being an operating system enhancement, System Manager also includes a library of user interface tools, giving programs access to the same menus, dialog boxes, and other tools used by the built-in applications.

System Manager provides a simple paradigm for dealing with applications: each application should take a minimum amount of memory (most of the built-ins hover around 50-55K), and multiple applications may be open at once. Switching between applications is performed by keystrokes; built-in applications have predefined keystrokes, and user-supplied software can use those not used by the built-ins. Switching to an application will open it, if it is not already running. The Application Manager (itself an application) provides an iconic interface to running programs, along with management functions.

[Screen: Application Manager]

In practice, this method of application management works rather well. The built-in applications open quickly enough that it is sometimes hard to tell if they were already running, and since most of them use a "never need to explicitly save" style of file handling, the difference is virtually nonexistent anyway. Most of the built-ins are small enough that quite a few can be running at once, so forced quits are rare.

Applications need not be specifically written for the LX to run under System Manager, though ordinary MS-DOS applications will obviously not get any of the special LX features. Ordinary DOS programs and batch files can be assigned to keys, and will run along with the rest. The most notable limitation when running ordinary DOS applications is the well-known 640K memory limit, except in the System Manager environment that 640K has to be shared by all running programs. As a result, some DOS applications will find the System Manager cramped. These applications can be run with System Manager disabled, though with some added inconvenience.

Personal Information Management

Since the 200LX is typically sold from the same shelf as organizers like the Wizard and BOSS, it seems fair to start a discussion of its software with its personal information management programs. The LX's PIM software consists of several separate applications: an appointment book and to-do list, phone book, note taker, general database, and world time. All of these applications are based on the same library, and share a common appearance and user interface.

That common user interface is, as expected, mostly text-based, with heavy use of the function keys, but HP has done a good job making it easy to use and consistent. Data entry screens make use of an array of standard "window" elements like listboxes and radio buttons, and all the usual sorts of keyboard shortcuts and navigation aids are available. Many of the function keys do the same thing in all applications - for instance, F2 is always "Add".

[Screen: Data Entry]

In the "features" department, HP has incorporated their usual depth and complexity. A good example of this is the database application, and its cousins the phone book and note taker (which are, in fact, just slightly modified copies of the database). It's a basic flat-file database at its core, but it has some features that might be unexpected in a palmtop. For instance, it supports screen-oriented data entry forms, with a variety of field types including checkboxes, buttons, and a "Note" field that holds up to 32K of free-form text. (A full-screen editor for Note fields is provided, of course.)

[Screen: Database List/Card View]

Another interesting feature of the database is its subsetting capability. Subsets of the database can be defined using a variety of field tests, using a mini-language called SSL, or by filling in an example record. Once a subset is defined, it can be used as a view of the database - matching records will be displayed, while others will not. Up to 32 subsets can be saved for quick reference.

Similar to subsetting is the "Smart Clip" function. A Smart Clip is similar to a mail-merge document in a word processor - a free-form text with special fields inserted at appropriate points. In the LX database, Smart Clips are used to show how data will be printed or exported from a file. Like subsets, Smart Clips can be saved for easy reference. While Smart Clips aren't as flexible as a real report writer, they are more than adequate for a small database on a palmtop.

The database is, I think, one of the most useful bits of software in the LX. Even if HP had chosen not to include the phone book and note taker it would be easy to create them, along with any number of other useful data management applications. It's not Paradox or Access, but for quick access to data in the palm of your hand it's just right. Incidentally, the database is constructed to operate on files in-place and can handle a large number of records, so using it on fairly big collections of data and/or files stored in flash memory is reasonable.

Moving along, we come to the appointment book. The appointment book handles both timed events and to-do items, and once again, HP has crammed a lot of flexibility into it. For example, the alarm associated with an appointment can run a program or keyboard macro, and the repeating-appointment option is fully customizable. The only complaint I might be tempted to make about the appointment book is that the screen is too "busy" at times, and the alternate views (week and month) are not as "pretty" as they could be. (Compare the HP's appointment application to, for instance, a Psion 3A.) But these are only minor complaints, as the LX does more than I would have asked in the appointment-management area.

[Day] [Week] [Month] [To-Do] [Entry]
Screens: Appointment Book Views

The final piece of the PIM package is World Time. There isn't much I can say about this, since I'm not a world traveller. The number of cities included in the built-in database is impressive, though, as is the inclusion of detailed daylight savings information and telephone dialing codes for each city. Also, like the rest of the PIM, the database includes those "Note" fields in case you want to enter your own comments about each city in the list.

Numbers, Numbers, Numbers

As might be expected in a product from HP, the LX has a variety of numerical capabilities, embodied in the second major cluster of its internal software. This software category includes Lotus 1-2-3, Pocket Quicken, and HP Calc.

There is not much that can be said about Lotus 1-2-3. The version in the LX is DOS version 2.4, and the only things left out are the "extras" included in the real package, mostly due to the limited space available in the palmtop. The spreadsheet itself lacks nothing, and every standard Lotus feature works the same as it would on the desktop. A few HP-specific extras have been added, including System Manager compliance and a link to HP Calc so that its solver can be used on spreadsheet data.

Pocket Quicken is a new addition to the LX family, appearing for the first time in the 200LX. Pocket Quicken is a stripped-down version of the full Quicken product - basic account management and little more. All of the data stored by the full version of Quicken is there, including categories, classes, multiple accounts, and transfers, and information can be moved to and from the desktop version of Quicken through QIF files. What Pocket Quicken lacks are the extensive reporting and analysis features of the desktop version. Pocket Quicken supports only a few basic report types, and no more. It's entirely adequate as a check register or expense recorder, but for more extensive financial analysis you will want the desktop version as well.

The last application in this group is HP Calc, which is in some ways the most complicated application in the entire LX software suite... not surprising, coming from a company known for (among other things) powerful calculators. HP Calc is apparently based on the 19B-II business calculator, and it certainly has a lot of business-related functions built in. As a scientific calculator it is merely adequate, though it can be switched to RPN which is a plus for experienced HP users.

[Screen: HP Calc]

The most interesting part of HP Calc, though, is the solver. Based on the solver in the SX/GX series and other HP calculators, HP Calc's solver comes close to full programmability in the flexibility of functions it will accept for solving, although it unfortunately doesn't do multiple equations at once. The most unique feature of the LX solver is its link to 1-2-3, which allows solver equations to reference cells in the spreadsheet, and allows the solver to iterately solve a formula from the spreadsheet itself.

[Screen: HP Calc - Solver]

Communication

Communication is another large part of the LX's repertoire. External access to the LX is available in the form of built-in serial and bidirectional infrared ports, and the PCMCIA slot can hold a modem. A surprisingly good VT100 terminal emulator - complete with Kermit and X/Y/ZMODEM file transfer protocols and simple scripting - is built in.

Linking to the desktop is handled by Laplink Remote Access, which lets the palmtop "drives" appear on the desktop. The 200LX also supports the older data-transfer scheme - a proprietary one - for easy linking to previous LX models and desktops with older versions of the Connectivity Pack. The Connectivity Pack is still available, but is no longer strictly necessary for desktop linking, if you have Laplink Remote Access already (from the CommWorks package, for example). The Connectivity Pack does include desktop version of the LX's applications (except 1-2-3 and Quicken) and data import-export features, though, so it still may be a useful purchase.

Unfortunately, the LX isn't as well-integrated in the communication arena as some other PDAs. There is no built-in fax software, and the supplied e-mail package is Lotus CC:Mail Mobile, which of course requires a CC:Mail host to communicate with, leading many LX users to conclude that it is basically useless. On the other hand, CC:Mail is not necessarily any worse than a completely proprietary system such as NewtonMail - there are a lot of CC:Mail installations, but only one eWorld. Furthermore, at least one enterprising individual has set up a CC:Mail post office catering to LX users, and another is working on an Internet-to-LX gateway. As a mail handler, CC:Mail Mobile is reasonably good. The fact remains, though, that CC:Mail is a separate application, and the sort of integration found in, for example, a Newton is just not there in the LX. Personally, though, I find the presence of a terminal emulator much more useful than NewtonMail ever was.

Other Applications

The rest of the LX's software falls into the "miscellaneous" category. Most significant among the remaining applications is Memo, which is the LX's "word processor". Well, it's actually closer to a basic text editor, but it has a few word processor features like bold and italics, basic formatting, headers and footers, and the like. Its nicest feature is its outlining capability, which is very easy to use and makes Memo good for jotting down ideas in a structured format. Microsoft Word it isn't, but for on-the-fly writing it does the job.

The remaining applications are mainly oriented toward system management. The Application Manager is an icon-based interface to System Manager, while Filer is a simple but nice split-screen disk and file management program. A comprehensive setup program allows adjustment of system-wide parameters; there is no "BIOS setup" program as found in many PCs. Rounding out the collection are a basic stopwatch and countdown timer, keyboard macro editor, and two games.

[Screen: Filer]

Life with LX

And now, the subjective. What's it like to own one of these expensive little toys?

Checking Out the Competition

Before I got my 200LX, I had a Newton. For me, it worked well - even the handwriting recognition. It let me do away with the piles of paper scraps and scores of sticky notes I used to keep track of my life. I had a flash card full of shareware, an infrequently-used faxmodem, and a NewtonMail account used almost as infrequently. I found it intuitive and simple to use, when it wasn't crashing (it was, after all, an original Newton, with those annoying problems with low memory). I don't think I ever actually read the instructions, but rather just found features by playing or by being told about them. I couldn't live without it. But, in the end, it wasn't as useful as it could have been. The software I wanted was only just beginning to appear, and when the time came that I needed cash, the Newton was the first thing to go.

So there I was, almost a year after saying goodbye to Newton, looking for another PDA. Hour after hour, I hung out in Radio Shack playing with the Psion 3A and Zoomer, and in Elek-Tek poking at a 200LX. The Psion got the most consideration (after the 200LX). I was impressed with its software - very functional, with a nice user interface, and easy to use even without reference to a manual. The built-in programming language was a plus, though I would prefer something more standard for real development. The keyboard was easy to type on, and was almost enough to sell me on the machine. Unfortunately, the Psion has one misfeature which was enough to guarantee that I wouldn't buy one - the non-standard expansion slot. I knew full well that I would need an expansion card before long, and I was not about to be forced into a proprietary scheme. A pity, because if the Psion 3A took standard PCMCIA cards, I might have one today.

The Zoomer also got a second look from me, even though I had investigated it thoroughly back in my Newton days. As it turns out, it wasn't as bad as I remembered it. I always thought the GEOS user interface was nice, and if I ignored the handwriting "recognition" it turned out to be a reasonably usable PDA. I may yet buy one, just as an additional thing to try. But in the end, I asked myself - if I was going to end up using the on-screen keyboard anyway, what would be the point of a pen-based machine? So even at the current low prices, the Zoomer wasn't the PDA for me.

Indispensables

The LX is small enough to fit comfortable in a jacket pocket, or with a few other things in a small belt pack. It goes everywhere with me, and I do mean everywhere. The database is my favorite application - I have quite a few lists of things in there already, and have several more waiting in the wings for when my new flash card arrives. On these larger databases, the subsetting and sorting capabilities of the LX database will be very useful.

Next to the database, I'm quite attached to Pocket Quicken, though I think they probably could have easily added more of the real Quicken's functionality while remaining pocket-sized. But the desktop Quicken was never very useful to me, because I couldn't carry it everywhere, so Pocket Quicken is a blessing.

The rest of the PIM features get about the usual amount of usage from me. Lotus 1-2-3 is handy, though once again I am hampered by lack of space on the RAM disk. Likewise, I have several DOS applications waiting for that flash card to arrive as well.

Caveats

Like all products, the LX has its down-side as well. The keyboard could, of course, definitely be better. But the biggest "complaint" I have is not really HP's fault - and that is that more memory is a distinct necessity. One megabyte is not enough to really make DOS compatibility useful. The 2M model is obviously much better in this regard, but 2M is still a small amount. If HP changes anything in future models, I hope they make even larger internal memory sizes available. In the meantime, get a flash card.

Conclusion

This turned out to be a blatantly positive review. I make no apologies for that - I like this little machine. I hope, though, that this gives others some insight into why. Remember, though, if you're looking for a PDA, there is no substitute for trying everything you can get your hands on, no matter how sick the salesmen get of you standing around playing with their toys... don't take my word for anything until you see it for yourself.