IBM Simon is the world's first smartphone. What's inside?

Foreword

Somehow I fell into the hands of a certain entertaining device - an IBM Simon mobile phone. It is interesting in that it is the first smartphone in the world. That is, the phone features combine PDA, touch screen and the ability to install third-party applications.
After studying the old archives, this device seemed interesting enough to me. As usual, in these old articles the internal structure was painted very superficially, so having removed a small layer of dust from my set of screwdrivers, which I used to repair portable electronics, I took up a more detailed study of this dinosaur from the inside.
The result seemed interesting to me, so I decided to share this with the Habrasociety so as not to hide these small discoveries in my modest garage.

I ask you to get acquainted: the old IBM Simon proudly lays on a stone in the company with young moss:

A bit of history

Much later than those times when mammoths wandered sadly on the surface of our planet, but even before the release of iPhone 5 and the announcement of Jelly Beans, humanity began to think about miniaturizing electronic devices so that they could be carried with them and they would serve as desktop computers.
Around this time, IBM developed the first version of the smartphone called IBM Simon, which first appeared on sale in August 1994. Mitsubishi Electric Corp. was directly involved in the production.
IBM Simon's prototype, code-named “Angler,” was unveiled at COMDEX in the fall of 1992. Even then, he was greeted by the public with remarkable interest.
A total of 50,000 devices were sold. As far as I know, they were only sold in the US through the BellSouth Cellular. The price without a contract was $ 1099. With a two-year contract, the price was $ 899, which was then reduced to $ 599.
IBM Simon could receive faxes, emails, work like a pager (who remembers what it is like an orange), run embedded applications and just be a useful electronic assistant at a time when technology was just thinking about moving from dusty Offices in the pockets of users.

In general, in the region of 1994, similar devices were announced such as Sony Magic Link , Motorola Marco , AT&T EO Personal Communicator. But all of them were united by the fact that they were PDAs with built-in radio modems. At a time when IBM Simon was unique in that it was a phone with built-in PDA features.
Interestingly, the expression “smartphone” appeared later around 1997, but functionally, IBM Simon is considered the first smartphone.

Brief technical data

This miracle phone had quite good parameters for that time:

• Vadem x86-compatible processor, 16 MHz, 16-bit
• Black and white touch screen with a resolution of 160x293
• OS: its own version of DOS, named ROM-DOS and released by Datalight
• 1 MB RAM (approximately 640 KB available)
• 1 MB flash for applications and data (compression is used, so the possible size was slightly larger)
• Built-in 2400 baud modem
• PCMCIA slot for memory and expansion cards and applications
• Battery for about an hour of talk and 8-12 hours in standby mode
• Half a kilo of weight

Comparison

How then without comparison? I decided to compare IBM Simon with the following devices (from left to right):
Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Apple iPhone 4, Wild Tribal Information Tool (AKA Bump), and IBM Simon. The same technique, but a side view (who guesses which device will receive the Bump as a gift from our sponsor):

Disassembly

I am sure that it’s not just me who has the weakness to understand and see what’s inside everything that falls into the hands of, so we’ll move on to this fascinating process.

So, remove the battery and unscrew the four screws. Then remove the back cover: Remove the protective screen: The phone is divided into two devices: the processor part (top in the photo) and the phone part (bottom in the photo). Unfortunately, I could not find the correct screwdriver to unscrew the antenna and therefore could not get deeper into the telephone part. But then I was able to get into the processor part and having unscrewed the board, you can see the back side with the central processor: Our central processor Vadem VG-230:












The Vadem VG230 chip is a single-chip PC platform that contains all the necessary XT peripherals.
Vadem VG230 contains an 8086-compatible NEC V30HL processor operating at a frequency of 16 MHz.
On this chip there is a PCMCIA controller, a CGA LCD controller, a stylus input controller, an XT keyboard and more.
More detailed technical information for those who are interested: Datasheet
By the way, in nature there was an improved version of this processor labeled VG330, which is designed to operate at a frequency of 32 MHz.

Here you can clearly see the Cirrus Logic CL-MD1224 and CL-MD1624, which perform the functions of a modem for 2400 baud, as well as a fax up to 9600 baud.
The Sony CXK58257 is 32 KB of static RAM. Judging by the connection, it is used for a modem buffer.
Intel Flash and Hitachi Flash for user data and DOS are also clearly visible. In the far corner are two Hitachi 658512LTT-10 chips. Each of them joyfully performs the functions of a 512 KB pseudo-static memory. Together, they organize 1 MB of RAM (approximately 640 KB is available to the user).

Afterword

In general, the assembly seemed to me very neat and sound. I had a very positive impression when I was getting to know this phone internally. It was not difficult to disassemble-assemble, all components are available.
IBM Simon gives the impression of a kind of ultra-beech, when a fully functional computer with small features like a small screen, lack of a keyboard, etc. is crammed into the minimum volume.
Modern smartphones have long passed this step and are focused on maximum integration. For example, on modern smartphones, the telephone part no longer comes as a separate board, but is closely connected with the processor module.

Historically, IBM Simon, although it was produced for a fairly short time, but it was undoubtedly one of the pioneers who determined the direction of development of mobile telephony and personal gadgets, which we are very accustomed to.