Pen Computing Issue #7

November/December 1995

Pen Lab Review

Hewlett-Packard OmniGo 100

HP lowers the PDA price point and offers a terrific implementation of Graffiti.

The HP OmniGo 100 professional organizer takes the concept of a palmtop PC a significant step further than the HP 100/200LX. The OmniGo can be operated with a pen or with a keyboard. It can be used like a regular palmtop. It can also be folded open all the way and used like a notepad with the screen in portrait mode. Physically, the OmniGo looks like your basic clamshell organizer. The styling is HP-solid and functional rather than flashy. The chiclet type keyboard is somewhat of a limitation and its layout requires getting used to. But the keys are widely spaced so that even folks with big fingers can operate it. Nonetheless, when compared with, for example, the super keyboard of the Psion Series 3a, the OmniGo's is lacking. The OmniGo's pen is a 4-1/2 inch piece of plastic that neatly slides into a compartment below the keyboard. It's no Mont Blanc, and you can break your fingernail trying to get it out of its place. I suggest you get one of those great pens from ACETechnologies (800-825-9977) or WriteWare (800-222-6032) instead.

Screen and Packaging
The OmniGo measures 6 x 3.75 x 0.9 inches, almost two inches shorter than a Newton MessagePad 120. The OmniGo screen has 240 by 240 pixels and can be rotated 90 degrees by tapping one of the permanent icons. Screen rotation is instant. The OmniGo screen is razor-sharp but, unfortunately-and there is no better way of saying it-tiny, with a usable area of 2-3/8 x 2-3/8 inches. Still, while the OmniGo is about the size of a Nintendo Gameboy, its screen is actually much larger than that of the Gameboy which seems to be big enough to keep millions of kids (and adults) happy. Like most touch screens, the OmniGo's is also given to reflection, and there is no backlight. On the plus side, the screen is fast and its surface offers good resistance to the pen.
Built-in applications
The OmniGo has a number of powerful built-in applications. Most can be accessed either by tapping one of the imprinted, permanent icons on each side of the screen, or a corresponding software icon on the OmniGo's home screen. Since they all run under the GEOS operating system, all OmniGo applications have common controls, including a tool bar, scroll buttons, and a pen mode button that shows which of the four modes is selected (write text using Graffiti, draw ink, erase ink, select ink). Each application also has function buttons along the bottom of the screen. A cute touch is the steaming cup of coffee that appears en lieu of an hourglass or a watch when you're waiting for the OmniGo to complete a task. Here is a brief description of the internal applications:

Appointment Book to keep track of appointments and to-do items. This is a basic calendar that lets you view things by day, week, month, or four months. The todo list allows you to assign priorities from 1 to 10, and start and due dates.
Phone Book to store phone numbers and other contact information. This is a rudimentary database application without cross links to other modules.
The Notepad is a perfectly functional mini-wordprocessor that supports both text and ink, scrolls, and lets you file notes in different categories.
Jotter is a 20-page notepad for quick notetaking that can be called up via icon or special key. Each page can contain both text and pictures. A stick function allows attaching jotted notes to other applications.
World Time shows time around the world and city locations on a map
Database with nine different field types, including check buttons, pick lists, and categories. creating templates is easy. Multi page forms are possible, but formatting options are limited; you can't rearrange your form or make it look nice. You can look at records in list form and see either all records or a subset. Database performance is relatively poky.
Stopwatch including an alarm clock and a countdown timer
Basic calculator, HP style.
Financial Tools to perform financial operations with easy forms; emulates an HP-12C calculator. This tool contains a number of applications including conversions, date calculations, compound interest calculations, amortization, statistics (curve fitting, graphing, four different forecasting models), business percentages, and a sophisticated mathematical solver that also plots the results.
Spreadsheet; a surprisingly sophisticated and speedy application. A total of no less than 100 functions in eight different categories (information, financial, logical, math, statistical, string, time & date, and trigonometric). Limiting factors are the maximum size of 64 columns by 64 rows and the relatively cumbersome method of building formulas (always a problem when screen real estate is at a premium).
Book Reader lets you read electronic books and travel guides created with the optional Geoworks Bindery, a PC-based graphical publishing tool with a word processor and drawing program that allows easy creation of electronic books for use on so-called consumer computing devices (CCDs). Book Reader has hyperlinks, search and navigation facilities, can include sounds and launch other applications.
Graffiti, Palm Computing's ubiquitous character recognizer.
The Transfer application is a simple copy program to move files from the OmniGo's internal memory to a memory card or a PC. Connection to a PC happens via serial protocol at speeds up to 19,200 bps.

Entering data: several options
Text entry can be done either via keyboard or by using the pen. The pen supports digital ink or text entry using Palm Computing's superb Graffiti character recognizer. This represents a significant departure from earlier PDAs which attempted to offer printed or cursive (or both) word-based recognizers which worked with various degrees of accuracy. HP's inclusion of Graffiti clearly states, that at least in HP's opinion, the Graffiti approach is superior to more sophisticated word- and dictionary based recognizers where it's often still hit or miss. It's also an important endorsement of Palm's unique approach of making the user learn a slightly modified "unistroke" alphabet which removes all the ambiguity inherent in our alphabet that plagues more conventional recognizers. But here's the best news: unlike on the Newton and other platforms where Graffiti characters must be entered into a small window, you don't need to use the Graffiti window on the OmniGo: you can write anywhere on the screen and Graffiti performs its work in the background.
I cannot stress enough how perfectly married Graffiti is to the HP OmniGo. This implementation of Palm's brilliant character recognizer seems faster, more accurate, and more responsive on the OmniGo than that on any other platform where Graffiti is available. At my top speed of 25 to 30 words per minute, Graffiti never fell behind at all, unlike on other PDAs where Graffiti often lags several characters behind. Freeform data entry also greatly improves the overall utility of Graffiti on the OmniGo. And, of course, you can still call up the Graffiti window if you like, though there isn't much reason for doing so.
I am going to say it: this little HP palmtop is the best handwriting notetaker I've ever used. If I never used the OmniGo for anything else, its freeform notetaking capability alone is worth the price of admission several times over.

Power
The OmniGo 100 runs on just two AA batteries and also has a 3-Volt CR2032 button backup battery. We could not determined battery life on our pre-production unit. The sleep setting can be adjusted between one and 20 minutes. Unlike the Newton which needs to be restarted with the "on" switch after it goes to sleep, the OmniGo wakes up when you tap the screen.

Memory
The OmniGo 100 comes with 1MB of RAM and 3MB of ROM. Upon startup, the OmniGo checks 576kb of RAM. On an empty system, about 375kb are available to the user. Magic Ram (1-800-272-6242) offers SRAM expansion memory cards up to 4MB.

Ports and expandability
The OmniGo lacks an infrared port, so printing must be done using a cable. The OmniGo supports HP's LaserJet and DeskJet, Epson 24 pin, Canon BubbleJet, and IBM's 24 pin Proprinter or a printer that emulates one of them. Greenwich Instruments (800-476-4070) also sells a serial-to-parallel converter, and Shier Systems & Software (805-371-9391) offers a custom OmniGo 100 cable for the Pentax PocketJet full-page printer.
The OmniGo supports a single Type 2 PC Card. The Transfer application is used to move files back and forth between card and internal memory.
As is, the OmniGo does not offer any communications capabilities other than serial connection to a printer or a PC. However, Wynd Communications has announced two-way wireless messaging service for the OmniGo on a Type II card with an antenna extension and a battery booster.
In addition, SkyTel announced that its two-way paging service will be available for the OmniGo in the first quarter of 1996. The kit will consist of a compact carrying case that fits both the OmniGo and a SkyTel 2-Way pager.

What are we talking about here?
So what does HP's long awaited entry into the pen palmtop market represent? It's difficult to say. With a street price of around $350 it fulfills Geoworks' and HP's longtime promise of a inexpensive consumer computing device that's affordable, yet an almost full-fledged computer. In order to reach that price goal, HP obviously had to cut some corners. The OmniGo doesn't have the purposeful crispness that usually marks HP designs. The confusing minimalist chiclet keyboard and the small screen disappoint, and HP's designers won't win awards for graphic design either, with the possible exception of the slick icons on either side of the OmniGo's screen. The PCMCIA slot is appreciated, but the lack of an infrared port is hard to understand now that even inexpensive toys have them. The OmniGo's suite of applications measures up quite well, especially the spreadsheet. The built-in phone and todo applications are very basic, but the third party market will surely fix that (and has already started).

Where the OmniGo shines
But now to the bright spots: Geoworks' GEOS operating system is really starting to shine. While the OmniGo is no speed demon, there are no Zoomer-style endless waits, and the OmniGo is also significantly speedier than the Newton MessagePad in many areas. The 360-degree fold-open design and the rotatable screen make the OmniGo easy to use both as a notebook and a notepad. The biggest news, however, is the phenomenal integration of Graffiti into HP's new platform. With just a little practice, most people will be able to use the OmniGo just like a paper notepad, achieving speeds of up to 30 words per minute. Recognition is instant and absolutely never falls behind your handwriting. The OmniGo is thus not only the first PDA with a street price approaching $300, but also sets the new standard of excellence in integrated character recognition.