OQO Model 01 Tablet Packed Full Windows XP Into the Smallest Computer of 2004

OQO, a small San Francisco startup, spent years downsizing the specifications of a complete Windows PC before releasing the Model 01 in October 2004, a feat of miniaturization measuring 4.9 by 3.4 by 0.9 inches and weighing only 14 oz. Behind the scenes, founders Jory Bell and Jonathan Betts-LaCroix had left larger companies to pursue a radical vision for an ultra-personal computer capable of delivering the full Windows software experience without the need for a special operating system or stripped-down software. Reviewers it the smallest full Windows XP computer on the market, and that claim was valid because nothing else at the time could fit a sliding keyboard, a color screen, and the full desktop version of Windows into a package that was scarcely larger than a regular PDA.

When you slide the 5-inch transflective screen up, you’ll find a small QWERTY keyboard with a numeric section, a TrackStick pointing stick, and a set of mouse buttons, all arranged for easy one-handed use. The keys are small enough that typing with both hands was never going to be a realistic option, but many owners found the layout suitable for churning out short notes or filling out forms once they figured out how to type with their thumbs.

Even with the screen shut, the device worked perfectly with a stylus, thanks to the innovative electromagnetic technology that allows it to detect its location rather than relying just on your fingers. There is a small scroll wheel at the bottom to assist you traverse web pages or move between open programs. A built-in light sensor automatically adjusts the screen brightness to match the light around you, and while the 800 x 480 resolution is adequate for fitting a standard web page on the screen without having to constantly pan left and right, reading a long document can still cause eye strain.


Under the hood, there’s a 1 GHz Transmeta Crusoe TM5800 processor, which was chosen for its low power consumption and the fact that it includes all of the supporting chips, which helps to save board space. It comes with 256 MB of DDR RAM, which is not upgradeable, and a 20 GB 1.8 inch hard drive with a clever drop sensor that recognizes when to park its heads. This arrangement appears to handle Microsoft Office documents and typical web browsing without too many problems, which is no small feat. The Silicon Motion graphics controller contains 8 MB of memory and can communicate with an external monitor at greater resolutions via a docking cable.


Wireless connectivity is provided by an integrated 802.11b Wi-Fi module and Bluetooth support, however unlike many recent devices, this laptop only features a single slow-moving USB 1.1 port on the front and a FireWire jack on the side. The extended docking cord makes things a little more intriguing. This cable is the actual key to expanding the Model 01’s capabilities, as it provides Ethernet, a VGA video output, additional USB and FireWire ports, audio connections, and power. The original Model 01 lacked built-in speakers. That meant that all sound had to be amplified by headphones or an external sound system.


When it was first released, the Model 01 was not cheap, costing $1,899 for the Windows XP Home edition and $1,999 for the Professional version. People who purchased this product were looking for a full Windows experience on the move and were willing to make some sacrifices in order to have it. Later, in 2005, OQO launched the 01+ version, which increased the RAM to 512 MB, more than tripled the hard drive to 30 GB, upgraded to the much faster USB 2.0, and even included a tiny little speaker. The essential design and sliding mechanism remained the same. OQO continued to refine the idea with each new model before abandoning the project entirely in 2009.