Rolodex Rex
Quick facts |
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The Rolodex Rex credit card sized PDA
Sales pitch from when it was new
Use your desktop or laptop to enter and manage organizer data, synchronize it with REX and then view it anytime, anywhere! REX comes with REX TrueSync Information manager, a full-featured organizer software, or you can import data from your current organizer. REX-3 has 256K of memory and stores up to 3, 000 entries. Just five buttons control all features.
Information
The Rolodex Rex also known as “Franklin Rex” and “Xircom Rex” (or Rex-3) is in my opinion one of the smartest little PDAs ever made. It has the size of a credit card, or more appropriately; the size of a PCMCIA-card, and so is very easy to carry around in your wallet or pocket. The first model (this one) was strictly a “read-only” device, since it didn’t have any means for inputting data. Data was loaded into the device from the “host” computer, often a laptop, either by inserting the Rex directly into an empty PCMCIA slot, or by using a docking-station that connects to a serial port of the host computer. Synchronization with various programs was provided for by the accompanying TrueSync software. The Rex has the following functions:
- Calendar
- Address book
- Todo list
- Notes (view only)
- World clock
- Settings
You navigate using five buttons:
- Home
- Options
- Enter
- Up/Left
- Down/Right
The display has a very good contrast comparing to other PDAs of this era.
There is supposed to have been a Rex-1 before it, but I never saw that unit, and it appears it was never sold in the US or in Europe. Please correct me if I am wrong. It was later followed by the Rex Pro aka Rex-5 and Rex 5000 that had more memory and a way to enter data “in the field” and the Rex 6000 model that had a touch-sensitive screen, and several other features that made it popular. However, it also had som severe shortcomings that you can read more about on its page. Eventually, after Intel had aquired the rights it was put to rest and noone has ever since made an attempt at a credit-card sized PDA. What a shame!