After learning old archives I found this unit seemed interesting enough. As usual, in these old articles very superficially was painted interior, so removing a small layer of dust from his set of screwdrivers that I used for the repair of portable electronics, I undertook a more detailed study of this dinosaur inside.
Result struck me as interesting, so I decided to share it with Habrasoobschestvom order not to hide the little opening in his modest garage. Please meet: IBM Simon proudly old man reclined on a rock in the company of a young moss:
A bit of history
Much later, those times when mammoths roamed the sad surface of our planet, but before the release of iPhone 5 announcement and Jelly Beans humanity began to think about the miniaturization of electronic devices that could be worn with them, and they served as desktop computers. Around this time by IBM developed the first version of the smartphone called the IBM Simon, which first went on sale in August 1994. Directly engaged in the production of Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
IBM Simon'a prototype codenamed «Angler» was presented at the fall COMDEX 1992.Even then, he was met with public interest zamentnym.
Total has sold 50,000 units. As far as I know, they are only sold in the United States through BellSouth Cellular. Retail price of the contract was $ 1,099. With dvugodichnym contract price was $ 899, which was later reduced to $ 599.
IBM Simon to receive faxes, emails, work as a pager (who remembers what it is - to orange), embedded applications run and just be helpful electronic assistant at the a time when technology was just thinking that would go out of the dusty offices in the pockets of users.Generally, in the region of 1994 were announced similar devices like the Sony Magic Link ,Motorola Marco , AT & T EO Personal Communicator . But they all share is that they were PDA with built-in radio modems. At a time when IBM Simon was unique in that it was a phone with a built-in PDA. Interestingly, the expression «smartphone» appeared later about the 1997th, but functionally IBM Simon is the first smartphone.
Brief technical details
This wonder-phone had decent enough parameters for the time:
- Vadem x86-compatible processor, 16 MHz, 16-bit
- Black-and-white touch screen with a resolution of 160x293
- OS: a version of DOS, called ROM-DOS and released by Datalight
- 1 MB of RAM (about 640 KB available)
- 1 MB flash for applications and data (compression of used, so maybe the size was a bit more)
- Built-in modem to 2400 baud
- PCMCIA slot for memory and expansion cards and applications
- Battery for about an hour of talk time and 12.8 hours in standby mode
- Half a kilo of weight
Comparison
As without comparison? I decided to compare the IBM Simon with the following devices (left to right):
Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Apple iPhone 4, a means of transferring information savage tribes (AKA Cone) and the IBM Simon. Same technique, but a side view (who can guess where he will receive a unit bump as a gift from our sponsor):
Disassembly
I am confident that the weakness disassemble and see what's inside at all that comes to hand is not just me, so let's move to this exciting process. So, remove the battery and unscrew the four screws. After that, remove the back cover: Remove the protective screen: Phone is divided into two units: the processor part (top photo) and the phone part (bottom photo).Unfortunately, I could not find the right screwdriver to unscrew the antenna that would be so deep in the phone part of the climb did not happen. But was able to get into the processor part and unscrewing the board you can see the reverse side of the CPU: Our central processor Vadem VG-230: IC Vadem VG230 is a single-crystal PC platform, which contains all the necessary peripherals XT. Vadem VG230 contains a 8086-compatible NEC V30HL processor, clocked at 16 MHz. This crystal has a PCMCIA controller, CGA LCD, controller for input stylus, XT keyboard and stuff. detailed technical information for those who are interested: Datasheetway in nature was an improved version of the processor under the label VG330, which is designed to operate at a frequency of 32 MHz. Here clearly visible Cirrus Logic CL-MD1224 and CL-MD1624, which act as a modem to 2400 baud, as well as a fax to 9600. Sony CXK58257 - a static RAM memory 32 KB. Judging by the connection is used for the modem buffer. Also here are clearly visible and the Intel Flash Hitachi Flash for user data, and DOS. visible in the far corner of the two chips Hitachi 658512LTT-10. Each of them joyfully serves as the pseudo-static RAM 512 KB. Together they organize 1 MB of RAM (available to the user about 640 KB).
Afterword
On the whole assembly seemed to me a very accurate and robust. I still have a very positive experience at the domestic acquaintance with this phone. Disassemble-assemble was easy, all components are available.
IBM Simon gives the impression of a certain ultra-book, when the minimum amount of huddled fully functional computer with small features like the small screen, no keyboard, and so on.
Modern smartphones have long passed this step and focus on maximizing the integration . For example, in modern smartphones phone part is not going fee, but is closely connected to the processing unit. Historically IBM Simon, though produced a fairly short time, but he was undoubtedly one of the pioneers who set the direction of development of mobile telephony and personal gadgets to we have already got used.
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