| Introduced: | November, 1983
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| MSRP: | ?
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| CPU: | Intel 8088
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| CPU speed: | 8 MHz
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| Operating system: | MS-DOS
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| DRAM: | 256 KB
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| SRAM (video): | 6 KB
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| ROM: | 160 KB
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| Floppies: | 270 KB x 2
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| Discontinued: | ?
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The HP-150, a "compact, powerful and innovate" computer made by Hewlett-Packard in 1983 and based on Intel 8088, was one of the world's earliest commercialized touch screen computers. Running MS-DOS, the machine was nevertheless non-IBM PC compatible. Its 8088, rated at 8 MHz, was much faster than the 4.77 MHz ones used by many other computers of that period. However, its mainboard did not have a slot for the optional Intel 8087 math coprocessor due to space constraints.
The screen is actually not a touch screen in the strict sense, but a 9" Sony CRT surrounded by infrared transmitters and receivers which detect the position of any non-transparent object on the screen. The HP-150's use of 3½-inch "microfloppies" predates the Macintosh 128K. Its use of two internal 3½-inch drives was also more practical than Apple's merely one.
- Removable storage:
- 8-inch floppy drive
- 5 1/4-inch floppy drive
- 3½-inch floppy drive
- Mass storage:
- Display resolutions:
- Text: 80 columns x 27 lines (720 pixel x 378 pixel)
- Character size: 7 pixel x 10 pixel
- Character cell size: 9 pixel x 14 pixel
- Bit-map: 512 pixel x 390 pixel
- Monitor sensor grid: 40 (h) x 24 (v)
- Communication ports:
Hp-150_text_mode.gif
image:Hp-150_text_mode.gif
HP-150's touch screen sensor grid is quite coarse. Its resolution is only two characters wide. It cannot be used to draw pictures.
Hp-150_text_mode.jpg
image:Hp-150_text_mode.jpg
See also: List of Hewlett-Packard products
Reference
- Phil Lemmons and Barbara Robertson, "Product Review: The HP 150," BYTE October 1983, pp. 36-50.
- Phil Lemmons and Barbara Robertson, "An Interview: The HP 150's Design-team Leaders," BYTE October 1983, pp. 51-58.
External links
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