Credit Card Sized Concept PDA from Citizen

chris writes "Citizen has unveiled a miniature PDA concept considerably smaller than existing PDAs. The 60 x 90 x 9.3mm 16-colour grayscale PDA is just a bit bigger then a credit card." A bit too large to stow in one's wallet, but it's still a slick form factor, easily hid in a pocket. It runs ITRON4 for an OS, and the battery life is rated at 30 hours.

Whoops

[r_glen]

The company link is wrong. Correct address is here [citizenwatch.com]

Re:PC card PDA

[Anonymous Coward]

It was called REX and I had one, it's probably still around somewhere. Yes, it was a PCMCIA form-factor so you could sync it with a laptop easily. Didn't have a touch screen though, so no real mobile input abilities. Here's an old review I found with a picture: http://www.geek.com/hwswrev/pda/rex5k1/

Ever hear of the REX?

[cybermace5]

This concept is not new or original. The original Rex was even grayscale! I thought it was really nifty because it doubled as a PCMCIA card; just pop it in your laptop and sync up. A PDA actually light enough to fit in a shirt pocket. Though mostly only good for addresses, clock, calculator, to-do list...what you need really, but no games to waste time with.

You're thinking of the REX 6000

[Thag]

The REX 6000 [rex6000.org] was a similarly sized PDA that came out shortly after the Palm Pilot. I recall it had the serious limitation that you couldn't input data on it, but it was very tiny.

This one seems a little more powerful, and can probably do data input.

Re:Ever hear of the REX?

[RevAaron]

As it stands, this looks to be roughly the size of a REX with touch-screen data entry added.

The later REX models did have touch-screen data entry. My roomate had a REX up until recently when his dumb ass set on it at some angle that broke it. Anywho, he could enter text- a new appointment, note, todo, whatever- using an on-screen keyboard, and tap various widgets using the touchscreen.

It was a really nice little device, not capable whatsoever compared to most of the PDAs you could buy for the same price (he spent ~$200 around 1.5-2 years ago), but really small and enough for what he wanted.

IIRC, the REX had very little RAM and a very slow (1-3 MHz Z80) CPU, but it got great batter life on its two lil watch batteries for normal use. He tried using it as an ebook reader but found that having it on constanltly killed batteries.

Re:You're thinking of the REX 6000

[WoTG]

I used a REX for a couple years. It was quite good for it's intended tasks. The lack of input was a pain, but actually not as bad as it sounds at first. It was first and foremost a phonebook, like Palms were at first. For new or updated contacts you'd have to jot down the data with a good old pen and paper, then update the contact in Outlook, or other compatible software. The next sync and you'd be good to go. Don't forget, Palm + Grafiti isn't the fastest data input method either. I tend to jot things to paper first - especially if it's info from over the phone.

Some of the last models of REX's had limited input capability. They used the 4 (5?) buttons, in a similar manner to the way game consoles use their controllers for entering text and numbers. I assume it was suitable for updating phone or email addresses in a pinch.

The size of the Rex was outstanding. I didn't think twice about carrying it around all day. I can't say the same about my Palm Pilot. If I could combine the size of the Rex, with the features of a Palm, I'd be interested.

Re:You're thinking of the REX 6000

[RevAaron]

No, you could input data on it. Perhaps the oldest model you couldn't, I wouldn't know. But the model my roomate had, one of the newer ones, had a ~ 240x160 screen (?) and a touch screen. Didn't have character recognition or anything, but it did have an on screen keyboard used for entering new appointments and such.

My roomate didn't have a windows box to sync this thing with- anything on it he entered himself. With the exception of a couple ebooks I put on using my own PDA, a Jornada 720 with a PCMCIA slot. Kind of funny, syncing a PDA with a PDA, but yeah.

REX family were made by Citizen

[Bushcat]

The REX family were designed and manufactured by Citizen. Known in Japan as the DataSlim, there were 7 models released between 1997 and 2001. Later versions could input data. It was great being able to synch in the PC card slot.

The first OEM customer was Sterling Plastics (i.e. Rolodex). See here [nifty.ne.jp] for the Japanese ones.

So Citizen certainly knows how to make this type of product.

Re:You're thinking of the REX 6000

[ActiveSX]

Funnily enough, the Xircom REX 6000 was actually the same product as the Citizen DataSlim 2. Citizen seems to have experience in the micro PDA market.

More info in Japanese press release

[Bushcat]

See here [citizen.co.jp] for the Japanese press release.

Highlights: 8MB flash memory (4MB for data), 512kB RAM, runs at 24MHz or 48MHz, touchscreen uses Decuma handwriting recognition (Decuma is a Swedish company with Sony VC money; Decuma is also used in Sony Clies & cellphones). FM/Midi sound, vibrator; PIM, mail client supports POP/SMTP.

Can communicate with SD form-factor PHS card, Wi-Fi card, Bluetooth etc. Tri-color LED, sound and vibration alerts for incoming data.

I figure it's a much more useful device in Japan where connectivity is ubiquitous, than the US. But it will have a tough time competing with the likes of the J-SH53 and its successors.

Fevered dream of a pragmatic

[iamacat]

Man, you have it easy. Grab a Palm, go to this link [lispme.de] and enjoy. Now what I would like to see is J2SE (or a large subset that includes AWT) on high end Palm devices. Yes, there is Zaurus, but Palm or CE are so much more popular.

Re:You're thinking of the REX 6000

[Anonymous Coward]

errm... I am still using my Rex 6000. It can handle input without a problem. The predecessor to that one, the Rex 5000 could not handle input.

In fact I had a ipaq before this... great... all that fancy stuff, but you do not use it in business.

I love my old Rex. It's simple, small, easy to use, runs on two small cell bateries for about 6 months, fits in the PCMCIA slot, has a separate cradle... and so on. I am buying this new one too if it is just as good!

oh, and for you nostalgists: the old rex has a Z80 for brains...

Nanu,
Morc

Re:You're thinking of the REX 6000

[codename_par]

I beleave you are reffering to REX5000. I have a REX6000 PDA, and it allows for data imput. It actually has a toutch-screen and an old ZILOG Z80 processor. You could develop applications for it using a toolkit. Unfortunatly Intel bought Xircom and discontinued the product.

Re:You're thinking of the REX 6000

[Tha_Zanthrax]

there were a couple of versions of the REX pda's, but the REX6000 definitly had input posibility.
it had the same 5 buttons as every other, but also a touchscreen with a on-screen keyboard.

I have one, but I don't use it very often because I also own a palm PDA and there is no easy way of syncronizing the two. But I do think the REX6000 was a very usefull device. in some cases regular handheld devices are just to large.