DOS Palmtop: Belim Pocket PC Details and specs

Belim Pocket PC (Pocket-PC)

About this machine:

Finally a French Tidalwave clone. The branding here is weak. Well weak as in "Non-existant". But at least it came with a French keyboard and with French software. Belim was merely more than a small importer, the model name "Pocket PC" is rather lame, so i call it "Belim Pocket PC" instead to make it a bit less confusing. Unlike pretty much all other Tidalwave clones this one came without the cables making it rather hard to use out-of-the-box. The cables were however available as an optional accessory.

Specs:

CPU: NEC V30 @ 7.15 MHz
Graphics: Monochrome CGA, 80 x 25 character text mode, CGA 2 color monochrome graphics mode
Display: 640 x 200 monochrome Supertwist LCD , 4 grey scales, 7.2 inch
Memory (RAM): 1 MB
ROM (Software): 1.5 MB
I/O ports: RS232 Serial (proprietary cable optional accessory), PCMCIA 1.0 Type I slot, Parallel port (proprietary cable optional accessory)
Sound: PC Speaker - Piezo
Operating System: MS-DOS 5.0
Software: MS Works 2.0, RacePen PIM (File manager, scheduler, phone book, etc), Microsoft QBasic
Size: Length 11.5 cm, Width 24.5 cm, Height 2.5 cm (4.5 inches x 9.7 inches x 1 inch)
Powered by: 2 AA batteries - rechargable or non-rechargable or AC adaptor (optional accessory), CR2032 Lithium button cell as memory backup
Weight: 590 gram (21 ounces) including 2 standard AA and CR2032 batteries
Special features: None
Released: 1992
Originally retailed for:: around 1 million italian lira (about 500 USD)
Clone of: Tidalwave PS-1000
Similar models: Zeos Pocket PC, Highscreen Handy Organizer and all other clones

Pros:
- Fully CGA compliant, so most CGA based DOS appz and games work
- Excellent keyboard

Cons:
- PCMCIA Type I won't let you access any flash cards
- Not really the smallest Palmtop ever
- Power management is rather average
- No way to boot a different OS and no way to bypass loading the drivers for cards and keyboard

Collector Value:
10 of 10

Usage Value:
7 of 10

Verdict:
Actually the only exclusive French Palmtop I know of. Otherwise a rather generic Tidalwave clone.

Back to the Palmtop PC index