IBM Palm Top PC110
IBM Type 2431
The IBM Palm Top PC110 is a 486-based mini-laptop/UMPC that was released in October 1995. It was developed by IBM's subsidiary Ricoh, and was only sold in Japan. It shipped with PC-DOS 7.0 and a custom graphical operating system known as "Personaware". The PC110 included both a TrackPoint input device, and a digitizer pad used for handwritten input using a stylus. It has 4MB of flash memory on-board, and supported PCMCIA hard disks. Due to its size, a docking station was required for most I/O.
The PC110 has developed a cult-like following in the retrocomputing scene. Recently, aftermarket TFT (Active Matrix) displays have come onto the market, which solves one of the PC110's largest shortcomings - not only is the stock passive matrix display of poor quality, but most have contracted vinegar syndrome due to the humid conditions of Japan.
Specifications
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| CPU | CPU Type: Unknown Intel 486SX @33MHz |
| Chipset | Unknown |
| RAM | Type: Unknown Standard: 4 or 8MB Maximum: 20MB |
| Storage | On-board flash, optional PCMCIA HDD Requires Adapter: No Standard: 4MB Flash, optional 260MB Hard Disk |
| Display Options | 4.7" Passive Matrix Color LCD @640x480 |
| Graphics Chipset | Chips & Technologies 65535 VRAM: 512KB |
| Audio | ESS AudioDrive 488 - Mono Speaker - Microphone |
| Main Battery | Lithium Ion (NP500) |
| CMOS Battery | - Socketed CR2016 Lithium CMOS Battery - 2-cell Varta 2/V60H NiMH Reserve Battery |
| Power Supply | Barrel Jack |
| Media Drives | None, supports external floppy drive via docking station |
| PC Cards | 2x PCMCIA Slots (2x Type II/1x Type III) - Not available if hard disk is installed |
| Networking | Modem |
| Other I/O | - 1x Dock Connector - 1x CompactFlash Card Reader - 1x Proprietary Keyboard/Mouse Connector - 2x Headphone Out - Infrared |
| BIOS | IBM BIOS w/ Easy Setup |
| Pointing Device | TrackPoint, Digitizer Pad |
Resources
 Brochure |
|---|
Common Faults & Maintenance
Vinegar Syndrome
Most PC110s have developed Vinegar Syndrome due to Japan's humid conditions. As far as I am aware, the correct replacement polarizer film for the PC110's LCD is not available, which was a major problem for many years. As mentioned above, you can now get Active Matrix upgrade kits for them to mitigate this.
Battery Leaks
The PC110's NiMH reserve battery is highly prone to leaking, and should be removed to prevent damage.