From: yc23@uk.co.gec-mrc (Trevor Wright)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds,comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: SHARP PC-3000 Brief Review
Date: 8 Apr 92 13:59:57 GMT
Organization: GEC-Marconi Research Centre, Great Baddow, UK

A Short Evaluation of the Sharp PC 3000 Palmtop
-----------------------------------------------
The following short report reviews the SHARP PC-3000 Palmtop by two experienced
PC users at this Centre.

The Sharp 3000 PC  palmtop as tested  had 1Mbyte of  ROM (Drive C:)  containing
MS-DOS v3.3 and LAPLINK. The BIOS is from the UK company DIP. The 1Mbyte of RAM
was configured as two RAM discs - one 76k (Drive D:) and the other 361k (Drive
E:), (Drive D:) being  the more secure during  low battery conditions and  hard
resets.  A total of 488,320 bytes memory was free as shown by CHKDSK.

The machine operates from three Duracell MN1500 batteries with a backup  CR2016
lithium cell. In 'power saving' mode (with the processor switching off when not
required) battery life is quoted at 30 hours. Some software, particularly  that
using the serial port, was  said to require the processor  on full time and  in
this mode the batteries would last about 6 hours. The processor (an 80C88)  can
be set to  run  at 10MHz or 5MHz.   The slower clock  speed is said to  prolong
battery life.  We only had the  unit  for a few days and could not test   these
claims. Both RAM drives are held up by the main batteries. The smaller Drive  D
is powered by the lithium  cell if the main  batteries are changed. The  larger
Drive E is also covered by the lithium but only for 3 minutes max. They suggest
you regularly dump  these RAM  drives to  IC cards  which can  be slotted  into
either side and appear as Drives  A and B.  We tried  a DIP 512 Kbyte RAM  card
usually used on an HP95LX in the Sharp without problem.

The 640 x 200 screen emulates IBM MDA  or CGA with grey levels (4 I think)  and
is NOT backlit  (as per most/all  palmtops).  Contrast  is adjustable from  the
keyboard over a wide range although only a couple of settings produce  sensible
contrast. The  screen  is viewable  over  a  reasonably wide  angle  and  quite
readable in daylight. Under artificial light it  is also quite good as long  as
the light source is not  too close and glares  off the screen's plastic  cover.
Its a pity these units cannot have a backlight which comes on when the AC Mains
adaptor is applied.

The case is well finished and an elegant design. Apart from the IC card  slots,
there is a miniature V24 socket, a miniature parallel socket and on the back  a
big edge connector (to  attach the   battery powered floppy drive  - which   we
didn't have). As we did not have the special plugs/cables required to fit these
tiny connectors we could not test any comms.

The size is suitable for an overcoat pocket or to fit neatly in your  briefcase
but not a pocket. When closed it is easy to carry and not obviously heavy.   We
understand a leather case is available but not really necessary.

The keyboard is just a fraction too small to allow for typing at a fast speed
although far better than the HP95LX. For poorer typists the keyboard is
probably quite OK (one/two fingers at a time) but for faster people it will
cause a little delay. From  what I have heard I suspect it is better than the
Poquet - but I have never tried one of these machines.

The inbuilt 'organiser'  software (address book,  editor, file manager,  clock,
diary, to-do list, spreadsheet, alarm) seem OK but not as sophisticated as  the
HP95LX. The spreadsheet will  read 1-2-3 files  but is  not  1-2-3.  All  these
functions are accessible  via a  popup menu  into which  you can  add your  own
entries.

The Operations Manual was well written,  and seemed to explain most things  for
the average user.

CONCLUSIONS
-----------

Nice machine - well made - more suitable for typing longer documents due to the
better keyboard and larger  display than the  HP95LX, which is  very good in  a
different market segment.  The  3100  (2Mb RAM)  is the preferable machine  for
those with serious intent as, presumably, the E: drive would be 1Mb larger, but
this may also  drag down  the batteries  faster. The  price is  rather high  at
present but this will decline in a few months. The external floppy is expensive
at 250 pounds plus but with a good laplink you might not need it.

Trevor Wright
yc23@uk.co.gec-mrc

COMPARISON OF SHARP PC3000 WITH HP95LX
--------------------------------------

Hardware
--------
This machine is  of course larger  and therefore definitely  not pocketable  in
your average pocket. However  despite being bigger it  is not much heavier  and
sits well in a briefcase.  The hardware has a nice  solid feel to it,  slightly
better than the HP95.  The Sharp has  two slots for ram  cards rather than  one
(giving up to 4  Mbytes of replaceable storage),  fully PC compatible IO  ports
(although in miniature) instead  of a proprietary serial  4 pin plug and  infra
red link on the HP (supporting only software hand shaking) and a larger screen.
Depending on your needs, i.e. not worried about the size, then this hardware is
for you.

Software
--------

The Sharp built in software is a different matter. There is no prope integrated
environment (i.e. System Manager) as in the  HP. All you have is a menu  system
that takes you between different DOS  applications which have to be closed  and
re-loaded for each change of task. This means that multiple application  cannot
be open and worked on at the same time. Quickly hopping between half worked  on
applications is not possible. Also there is no global clip board an   extremely
useful tool on the HP.
The Sharp does however support  a full MSDOS 3.3 whilst  the HP95 is MSDOS  3.2
based and does not have all the normal DOS programs.

What you do get with the HP95 is:

  - A full version of Lotus 123 complete with graphics, macros, add-ins,
    parser, templates and database.
  - A fully integrated Personal Information Manager with Appointment
    book, Phone book and time zone clock.
  - A communications package supporting Kermit and Xmodem.
  - An impressive calculate and equation solver, the best I have ever
    seen. Although it claims to be financially base, and is indeed
    impressive on this score, it is more that adequate for scientific
    work. It includes extensive conversion tables for currency, length,
    area, etc. and the ability to find roots to equations. It may also
    be used in conjunction with Lotus 123.

A additional piece of software which I have just purchased for my HP95, and  am
extremely impressed with,  is their  110,000 word  Dictionary/Thesaurus.   This
just plugs in the  card slot and  is up and immediately  working as three  more
integrated functions for the system manger. These function are an enhanced memo
editor,  with  spelling,  dictionary   and  thesaurus  functions,  a   separate
dictionary/thesaurus function so  that words  can be  looked up  and worked  on
without disturbing the editor and an excellent hangman game.

COMPATIBILITY
-------------

The Sharp is  able to read  and write files  to and from  a HP95 formatted  ram
card. I have indeed transferred programs via my HP95-PC link onto a card on the
HP and have then run them on the Sharp.
I was not able to try the other way round, formatting the card on the Sharp and
moving files to the HP95, as I only have one 512 Kbyte card and did not want to
destroy my data on it.

VALUE FOR MONEY
---------------

The extensive built in software on the HP makes it look much better value for
money.

If the Sharp PC-3000 were a more reasonable price I would consider it useful as
a bulk text input machine to carry round in my brief case.

Ian Powell
ya16@uk.co.gec-mrc

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
--------------

We are grateful to Mike Davies of The Organiser Shop in the Galleries at the
Eastgate International Centre, Basildon, Essex UK (Tel: 0268-520457) for the
loan of this machine for evaluation.

DISCLAIMER
----------
Neither of the above have any connection with Sharp UK and their comments are
personal and do not represent the official opinion of GEC Marconi Ltd, GEC Plc
etc. etc.
-- 
Trevor Wright,Computer Resources | Tel: +44 245 73331 x 3224 + Answerphone
GEC-Marconi Research Centre      | Fax: +44 245 75244 Telex: 995016 GECRES G
GEC-Marconi Ltd, Great Baddow    | uucp: <world>!mcvax!ukc!gec-mrc!wright
Chelmsford,Essex. UK CM2 8HN     | Other: wright@uk.co.gec-mrc
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds