HP 95LX / 200LX: how good/bad was typing on its keyboard? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2023, 01:21:34 am
content: Hewlett-Packard HP 95LX and 200LX Handheld Palmtop.x86 Palmtops running DOS, I am curious about the keyboard

author: jonpaul
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2023, 01:43:14 am
content: fine like any old classic HPJon

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2023, 02:20:13 am
content: Quote from: jonpaul on January 08, 2023, 01:43:14 amX2. I still have a couple of 200 LXs. They were very popular back in the day.

author: johnboxall
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 08, 2023, 05:24:42 am
content: Quote from: DiTBho on January 08, 2023, 01:21:34 amTypical HP, felt the same as my old 48G calculator. Having 123 was great for doing quotes on the fly. Had an Omnigo as well, same keyswitches.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2023, 12:21:01 pm
content: so, wouldn't you type a short article on its keyboard?would you?

author: Bicurico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2023, 12:32:52 pm
content: I own bothThe keyboard is great for a calculator, but you would not want to type any serious text on it.I learned to program some basic TurboC on the 200LX, though.The 95LX suffered from the common moisture on the LCD screen. It unglued two sheets of the display and a big round spot appears that covers most of the screen. The LCD itself is working.You might take care if considering buying these devices. Other issues include broken or missing battery and IR covers and issues with the hinges.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2023, 12:36:23 pm
content: I had all of them and especially liked the quality of the Keyboards.This was real HP quality in those days.The only problem I remember was the display hinge.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2023, 12:41:36 pm
content: Quote from: DiTBho on January 08, 2023, 01:21:34 amIt was very useable.Just as with any small keyboard, it was cradled in your fingers/palms and you used two thumbs for the keys.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2023, 12:44:41 pm
content: Quote from: Bicurico on January 08, 2023, 12:32:52 pmI find it preferable to the phone/fondleslab touch screens: decent tactile feedback that your thumbs were positioned correctly and that the key had been pressed. Plus none of the 1930-50s "figure-shift" "letter-shift" teleprinter crap

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 09, 2023, 01:08:45 am
content: I also own some of these palmtops, 100LX & 200LX, plus a few later models running WinCE. Definitely a quality HP calculator style keypad with good tactile feedback, but only usable for hunt & peck or two thumb style typing. Still way better than the mushy calculator keypads on the Sharp/Casio/TRS-80 Pocket Computers of the 80's.I used the 200LX for various things like configuring routers, reading newsgroups, and writing emails, even a little programming, but certainly if I was writing an article my TRS-80 Model 100 or Dulmont Magnum (Kookaburra) were way better options.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2023, 12:40:26 pm
content: Quote from: Kean on January 09, 2023, 01:08:45 amummm, the oldest Casio calculator I have ever tried is the Fx7500.I like it, but it's shell design and the keyboard is ... weird.Quote from: Kean on January 09, 2023, 01:08:45 amthat's interesting. Thank you for your feedback.Can you compare with ... say Psion5' or Psion7' keyboard?p.s.have you ever seen the Casio LISP calculator?(Casio AI-1000 Pocket Lisp, made in 1989)People? Writing LIPS programs on that stuff?(deffunImpressed(n) (function lambda(...really