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Philips Velo

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Velo 1
DeveloperPhilips
ManufacturerPhilips
TypeHandheld PC
Release date1997; 27 years ago (1997)[1][2][3]
Introductory priceUS$599.99 (equivalent to $1,139 in 2023)
Discontinued2000 (2000)
Operating systemWindows CE 1.0 (Optional ROM upgrade to Windows CE 2.0)
CPU36.86 MHz Philips MP3910 (32 bit)[4]
MemoryRAM 4 MiB[5]
ROM 8 MiB
DisplayGreen back-lit 5.1-inch resistive touchscreen
Graphics480×240, 2 bits per pixel, 4 grey shades
InputBuilt-in QWERTY-type keyboard
Power2 x AA batteries or a rechargeable NiMH battery pack.
Dimensions172 x 95 x 32 millimetres
Mass374 grams (battery included)
SuccessorVelo 500
Website"www.velo1.com" at the Wayback Machine (archived January 29, 1997)

The Philips Velo is a Handheld PC developed by Philips.[6][7]

Velo 1

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The initial Velo 1 was a PDA device released by Philips in 1997. The device was typical of the HPCs at the time, being powered by two AA batteries or a rechargeable NiMH battery pack. It had a back-lit, greyscale, 5.1-inch resistive touchscreen with a resolution of 480×240 pixels. Employing two bits per pixel allowed for the display of four shades of grey (16 shades with Windows CE 2.0 upgrade).[citation needed] Expandability was via two internal Miniature Card expansion slots, as well as a PCMCIA slot provided by an optional V-Module.[8] The Velo Dock, a docking station, also provided a PCMCIA slot.[citation needed]

The standard model included 4 MB of RAM and 8 MB ROM.[9] It originally shipped with Windows CE 1.0, but in September 1997, an 8 MB model with NiMH battery pack was announced at a price of $839.99, and Windows CE 2.0 offered as a free future ROM upgrade for all newly purchased Velo 1 units. Existing customers were able to order this upgrade for $99.99.[10] Users with 4 MB devices were strongly recommended to upgrade to 8 MB, and an upgrade programme was announced to offer 4 MB Miniature Cards at reduced prices for US customers.[11]

Unlike most other HPCs, the Velo 1 included a built-in low-power software modem, where most other devices required a PCMCIA card modem. PCMCIA cards could quickly drain batteries, so the low-power software modem helped eke out battery life. The modem operated at 19.2 kbit/s. Other communication features included an infrared (IrDa) port and serial port, capable of a maximum transmission rate of 115,200 bit/s and 230,000 bit/s respectively.[9]

The MIPS processor in the unit, the PR31500, incorporated a digital signal processing (DSP) unit to allow the processor to take over audio processing and signalling responsibilities, eliminating the need for dedicated DSP circuitry or modem. An accompanying processor, the UCB1100, was provided for telephone line interfacing. The PR31500 also offered improved code density compared to previous MIPS-based products by allowing pipeline stalls to occur and thereby eliminating no-operation instruction usage in certain situations.[8] The choice of processor reportedly made its performance snappy compared to other devices, such as the HP 300LX or HP320LX.[citation needed]

Velo 500

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In July, 1998 the Velo 1 was replaced by the Velo 500, which included more RAM and ROM and a much faster Philips PR31700 MIPS processor running at 75 MHz. The Velo 500 had a widescreen resolution of 620×240 pixels, which was becoming the norm. Not only did the screen feature more horizontal pixels, it now displayed in four bits per pixel, allowing 16 shades of grey to be displayed. It featured up to 24 MiB of RAM as well as an upgrade to the software modem, which operated at 28.8 kbit/s, a digital voice recorder and shipped with Windows CE 2.0.[12][13][14][15][16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ PHILIPS VELO HANDHELD PC FINALLY ARRIVES IN CANADA. Abstract: TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA[permanent dead link], 1997 JUL 7 (NB) -- By Grant Buckler. Philips Electronics Ltd. launched its Velo handheld computer in Canada last week. The Velo was introduced to the US market last fall at the Comdex/Fall trade show. Report Date: 1997-07-07
  2. ^ PLEASE! LEAVE COMPUTING TO THE EXPERTS!, By STEWART ALSOP; REPORTER ASSOCIATE SHEREE R. CURRY, June 23, 1997, FORTUNE Magazine, The second product was introduced in the U.S. last month: the Philips Velo 1.
  3. ^ PHILIPS VELO 1: UNIQUE BUT NOT FLAWLESS, Page 94, 24 Mar 1997, InfoWorld
  4. ^ Unofficial Velo FAQ Page - Velo Series Specs
  5. ^ PHILIPS VELO 1 FAQ Archived 2016-01-18 at the Wayback Machine, Joe Blow's Windows CE 1.0 Software Archive - FAQ
  6. ^ "Products - Phillip" at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
  7. ^ THE WHOLE WORLD IN YOUR HANDS, Velo 1, Designer: Lunar Design and Phillips Electronics, Consumer Products:Bronze, By Julie Tilsner, Page 44 (page 7 of pdf), Annual Design Award Winners, Jun 2, 1997, Business Week, The Velo 1 was named Best Hand-Held Product at Comdex 96 by Byte magazine and is an Editor’s Choice product at PC magazine.
  8. ^ a b Wayner, Peter (April 1997). "This Hand-Held Stands Out". Byte. p. 46. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  9. ^ a b Velo 1 Handheld PC (PDF). Philips Electronics. 1996. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1997-06-30. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Philips Announces Worldwide Support for Windows CE 2.0 for Handheld PCs" (Press release). Philips Mobile Computing Group. 2 September 1997. Archived from the original on 1997-10-16. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Philips Announces Velo 1 Hardware Upgrade Program in Preparation for Microsoft Windows CE 2.0 for the Handheld PC" (Press release). Philips Mobile Computing Group. 16 September 1997. Archived from the original on 1997-10-16. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  12. ^ Unofficial Velo FAQ Page - My Velo 1
  13. ^ ""Velo Official Site - Phillips"". Retrieved 2015-05-02.[dead link]
  14. ^ Philips Velo 500 HPC Review, by Julie Strietelmeier, June 5, 1998, The Gadgeteer
  15. ^ Philips Licenses Spyglass Windows CE Technology for Velo 500 Handheld PC, 1997 July 15, PRNewswire
  16. ^ Features - Philips Velo 500, By Dan Hanttula, 1998,Pen Computing Magazine
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