It's been over two years since I enjoyed the hospitality of NORI, his wife, and a large contingent of HP Palmtop users in Japan. ("NORI" is the system operator for the HP Palmtop section of Japan's online service, NIFTYServe.) No where in the world is the passion and creativity for the HP Palmtop greater, or the user group community stronger than in Japan. If you think I might be exaggerating, check out this issue's twenty page series of articles on the HP Palmtop in Japan.
Both the content and creation of these articles demonstrate the strength of the Japanese user community. The articles, a collaborative effort of a team of leaders of the Japan HP Palmtop user community, reflect hundreds of hours of collaboration, creation, translation, and editing. These articles describe some of the most important software and hardware advances created by Japanese HP Palmtop enthusiasts. As a service to our readers, you will be able to find almost all the software from Japan discussed in this issue on our www.PalmtopPaper.com Web site and on this issue's HP Palmtop Paper ON DISK set.
The other theme of this issue is HP's two-pronged Palmtop strategy. With the announcement of HP's upcoming Windows CE-based palmtop, many might assume that HP will abandon the DOS 200LX platform. Apparently not! On February 3, HP announces its new four megabyte 200LX Palmtop and a dramatic price reduction of its two megabyte 200LX. Further, Windows users can now, finally, easily exchange data between their desktop and the Palmtop. HP worked closely with Puma Technology to create a useful, useable, and reasonably priced Windows-to-100/200LX transfer and synchronization utility.
To help our readers understand HP's Palmtop strategy in depth, Khaw Kheng Joo, the HP Palmtop division's general manager agreed to talk with me. In these pages you'll find Khaw's interview and my in-depth analysis of new Windows CE-based Palmtops.
With this issue we begin our sixth year. What makes this publication unique and strong is that we depend on you, the HP Palmtop user located in any of 80 countries for most of its material. The fact that the quality of material we receive keeps getting better, demonstrates the versatility, usefulness, and endurance of this HP Palmtop platform. We invite you in 1997 to once again enjoy your HP Palmtop Paper subscription as well as to contribute to the body of Palmtop knowledge in these pages.