The recent sale of a Poqet PC for $500 on eBay got my attention. I was part of an informal advisory board to the company shortly after it launched in 1988. The Poqet PC was significant because it was the first MS-DOS-based handheld computer. You could run the same apps as your desktop PC with true file compatibility.
The Poqet PC had its shortcomings–a nearly unreadable screen in less-than-ideal lighting conditions and a tiny QWERTY keyboard clearly not for use by anyone with adult hands. However, it showed what was possible.
Fujitsu bought the company in the 1991 and kept the Poqet brand alive for a few years before incorporating its technology into Fujitsu-branded products.
One comment on that $500 price: It was for an unused, mint in box example. A used, boxless example in working order would likely sell for a fraction of that price.
If you want to learn more about the Poqet PC, go to Bryan Mason’s Poqet PC Web site.
Classic Tech 