I developed some PalmPilot applications, though they never went anywhere. I used Pocket C, which was a simplistic but workable environment that was interpreted on the device. I was also using IBM ThinkPads for factory controls around the same time period.
The PalmPilot had nice tiny form factor, probably its primary asset. A second benefit is that it had no fan. It was pretty typical for fan / heat / dust problems to bring down long-term software installations, along with the lifespan of CRT displays. Something like an IBM PC clone, if un-maintained, was good for at most a few years.
The PalmPilot hardware port was conventional RS232, so it was easy to mate it with outboard hardware. On later PP's, when they went to USB, I was able to interface them through the IR data port.
The PalmPilot had nice tiny form factor, probably its primary asset. A second benefit is that it had no fan. It was pretty typical for fan / heat / dust problems to bring down long-term software installations, along with the lifespan of CRT displays. Something like an IBM PC clone, if un-maintained, was good for at most a few years.
The PalmPilot hardware port was conventional RS232, so it was easy to mate it with outboard hardware. On later PP's, when they went to USB, I was able to interface them through the IR data port.