The Palm V was a personal digital assistant made by the Palm Computing division of 3Com. While functionally similar to the predecessor Palm III series of PDAs, it distinguished itself by its sleek design, anodized aluminium finish, and built-in rechargeable battery (the first for a Palm device). The Palm V's design was created by industrial design firm IDEO. The Palm V series was succeeded by the Palm m500 series.

With the $449 Palm V, 3Com tries to break the mold. Instead of the plastic case used by all models from the original PalmPilot through the Palm III, you now get a sleek, 4-ounce metal case that's slightly thinner and shorter (4.5 by 3.1 by 0.4 inches) than the Palm III or IIIx. The result is a truly shirt-pocket-sized device that's even easier to carry than the earlier models. Yet the Palm V comes with only 2MB of memory-half that of the Palm IIIx.

To reduce the organizer's size, AAA batteries, also found on all previous models, were abandoned. Instead, the Palm V has a built-in lithium-ion battery similar to that in the new Wyvern-class Windows CE devices (see Reviews, May). The battery automatically recharges whenever you put the Palm V into its synchronization cradle. The manufacturer expects the unit to run for several months of average use on a single charge, which is an astonishing claim.

Its sleek design and anodized aluminum case appeal to your sense of style. Weighing just 4 ounces, its ultrathin exterior belies its organizational power. You'll have thousands--literally thousands--of names, addresses, phone numbers, appointments, to-dos, plus hundreds of e-mail messages at your fingertips. The advanced LCD screen is razor sharp. And you can recharge the lithium-ion batteries in the HotSync cradle in minutes a day. A full charge lasts for up to a month. Simply put, the sleek new Palm V handheld lets you organize in style

Manufacturer Palm Computing, a division of 3Com
Release date February 1999
Operating system Palm OS 3.1
CPU Motorola DragonBall EZ MC68EZ328 16 MHz
Storage capacity 2 MB RAM
Display 3.2", 160x160 px backlit monochrome STN, 16-grayscale LCD touchscreen
Input Touchscreen
Camera None
Connectivity IrDA, RS-232
Dimensions 80mm x 115mm x 10mm
Weight 115 g (4.1 oz)

Our unit is complete with Software, soft case, charging dock and manual.

Manufacturer: 3Com
Date: 1999

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH16738. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.

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