Under Construction
2026 / SUMMER EXHIBITION
GCFeatured Exhibition

GO Corporation
and the Vision of
Pen-Based Computing

GO Corporation's PenPoint, released in 1991, was the first operating system designed from the ground up for pen input rather than keyboard — pioneering gesture commands, embedded handwriting recognition, and a notebook metaphor that would echo through every stylus and touch system that followed.

GO Corporation and the Vision of Pen-Based Computing
Now on view
Permanent collection
Artifacts
Approx. 30,000
Catalogued
242
Timeline span
1987 — 2007
Recorded events
2001 milestones

Exhibitions
now on view.

One Special Exhibition Drawn directly from the museum's collection of artifacts, magazines, and primary documents.
GC Featured Exhibition
Under Construction GO Corporation and the Vision of Pen-Based Computing

GO Corporation and the Vision of Pen-Based Computing

GO Corporation's PenPoint, released in 1991, was the first operating system designed from the ground up for pen input rather than keyboard — pioneering gesture commands, embedded handwriting recognition, and a notebook metaphor that would echo through every stylus and touch system that followed.

Featured artifacts.

From the collection 18 objects selected at random, drawn from 242 in the permanent collection.
View all artifacts
Stylus Publishing 1991
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 1, Number 4 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – August, 1991 – Volume 1, Number 4
Palmtop Publications 2000
Palmtop Journal – Issue 30 (Cover)

Palmtop – Issue 30
GO Corporation 1992

GO Corporation Correspondence – Quick Start Program (April 2, 1992)
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company 1992
GO Corporation - PenPoint Architectural Reference - Volume I (Cover)

GO Corporation – PenPoint Architectural Reference – Volume I
Pen Computing Magazine 1999

Pen Computing Magazine – September 1999
Volksware, Inc. 1995
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 5, Number 7 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – July, 1995 – Volume 5, Number 7
Apple Computer, Inc. 1994
Apple Newton MessagePad – Getting Through the Day … (Brochure) – 1

Apple Newton MessagePad Getting Through the Day … (Brochure)
Philips Electronics 1997

Philips Velo Pocket Guide (Brochure)
3Com Corporation 1997

3Com PalmPilot Modem
Creative Digital, Inc. 1995

Pen Computing Magazine – June/July 1995
Pen Computing Magazine 2000
Pen Computing Magazine – November 2000 (Cover)

Pen Computing Magazine – November 2000
Volksware, Inc. 1995
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 5, Number 11 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – November, 1995 – Volume 5, Number 11
PennWell Corporation 1998
Portable Design Magazine – January 1998 (Cover)

Portable Design – January 1998
Pen Computing Magazine 1996

Pen Computing Magazine – Nov/Dec 1996
GeoWorks Corporation 1992
GeoWorks, Inc. - GEOS Software Development Kit Objects - Volume 2, Release 0.8 (Cover)

GeoWorks, Inc. – GEOS Software Development Kit Objects, Volume 2, Release 0.8 (Documentation)
Horizon House Publications, Inc. 1994
Microwave Journal – January 1994 (Cover)

Microwave Journal – January 1994
Volksware, Inc. 1996
Pen-Based Computing: Volume 6, Number 9 (Cover)

Pen-Based Computing – September, 1996 – Volume 6, Number 9
Creative Digital, Inc. 1994

PDA Developers – Volume 2.6 – Nov/Dec 1994

A chronology.

1987 — 2007 Selected from the museum's 2001 catalogued timeline events.
View full timeline
1987Software
New Handwriter by Communication Intelligence Allows Computer Input Without Typing
Called the Handwriter, the new system opens the world of computing to persons who can't or won't type. Users need not to…
1991Hardware
Hyundai Enters Pen-Computing Race
A prototype of Hyundai’s pen computer on display at COMDEX. Shipments scheduled to begin in mid-1992.
1992Hardware
GRiD Systems and Trimble Navigation Demonstrate First Pen Computer with Global Positioning System Technology
The GPS unit, manufactured by industry leader Trimble, is integrated with a GRiD PalmPAD RF pen computer.
1994Communications
Skytel and General Magic Work Together to Provide Wireless Mobile Communications
Skytel Corp., the country's leading provider of nationwide paging and one-way wireless messaging services, announces that it is working with General Magic…
1998Software
Motorola Internet and Networking Group Created to Focus On Convergence And Personal Networking
Concentrating its Smart Access Technology development in a single group allows Motorola to lead in voice, data and video integration, not only…
2000Organization
Procter & Gamble Canada Selects Quicksheet, SmartDoc Suite for Palm Computing Handhelds
Cutting Edge Software, Inc. announces that the agreement marks the first enterprise-wide selection of Quicksheet and SmartDoc.
2001Publication
Seventh Annual Mobility Awards Nominations Announced
The top mobile and wireless products selected by leading press and analysts will be revealed at the Seventh Annual Mobile Insights Conference,…

The collection.

Browse 242 artifacts Indexed by category from the collection.
    OR

    Oracle

    2 items →
    TI

    Texas Instruments

    1 item →
    CM

    Communications

    2 items →
    YI

    Young Ideas

    3 items →
    CO

    3Com

    4 items →
    LE

    Lexicus

    4 items →
    JJ

    John Jerney

    57 items →
    EC

    Event Collateral

    2 items →
    VO

    Volksware

    56 items →
    FT

    France Telecom

    3 items →
    AL

    AllPen

    3 items →
    SW

    Software

    18 items →
    BC

    Business Card

    2 items →
    ZO

    Zoomer

    2 items →

    Pen-Based Computing,
    the newsletter.

    Eight volumes · Sixty five issues The original newsletter — every issue digitized in full (soon).
    View all issues
    Pen-Based Computing – October/November, 1993 – Volume 3, Number 5

    Volume 3 · Issue 05 Pen-Based Computing – October/November, 1993 – Volume 3, Number 5

    16 pp
    Pen-Based Computing – May, 1992 – Volume 2, Number 2

    Volume 2 · Issue 02 Pen-Based Computing – May, 1992 – Volume 2, Number 2

    16 pp
    Pen-Based Computing – May, 1996 – Volume 6, Number 5

    Volume 6 · Issue 05 Pen-Based Computing – May, 1996 – Volume 6, Number 5

    16 pp
    04 · Donate

    Donate an
    artifact.

    The museum collects hardware, software, manuals, photographs, marketing collateral, oral histories, and ephemera related to the early history of stylus-based computing.

    Learn how to donate →
    05 · Subscribe Coming Soon

    PBCHM
    Monthly.

    Learn about new acquisitions, recovered manuals, oral histories, and unearthed discoveries.

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