Jeff Hawkins
Jeffrey Hawkins is an American businessman, computer scientist, neuroscientist and engineer. He co-founded Palm Computing — where he co-created the PalmPilot and Treo — and Handspring.
He subsequently turned to work on neuroscience, founding in 2002 the Redwood Neuroscience Institute.[3] In 2005 he co-founded Numenta, where he leads a team in efforts to reverse-engineer the neocortex and enable machine intelligence technology based on brain theory.
He is the co-author of On Intelligence (2004), which explains his memory-prediction framework theory of the brain, and the author of A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence (2021).
Person Details
PalmPilot, Handspring
ACM Prize for Mobile Computing
Biography
Hawkins joined GRiD Systems in 1982, where he developed rapid application development (RAD) software called GRiDtask. As vice president of research from 1988 to 1992, he developed their pen-based computing initiative that in 1989 spawned the GridPad, one of the first tablet computers.
Hawkins founded Palm Inc., in January 1992. In 1998 he left the company along with Palm co-founders Donna Dubinsky and Ed Colligan to start Handspring.
In March 2005, Hawkins, together with Dubinsky (Palm's original CEO) and Dileep George, founded Numenta, Inc.
Artifacts
3 artifacts in the collection
Oral History
Did you know or work with this person? If so, we would like to include your story on this page. Share what you remember.
Connections
This person's place in the wider network of people, organizations, and artifacts. Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, and tap any node to focus its connections.
Mentions
Where Jeff Hawkins is named across the museum — in timeline entries, journal articles, and the narratives of related artifacts, organizations, and people.
Timeline
- 3Com Awarded U.S. Patent No. 6,000,000; Receives Milestone Patent in Ceremony at Commerce Department for Palm Computing's Synchronization Technology Timeline entry … e Method for Synchronizing Multiple files on Two Different Computer Systems" by inventors Jeff Hawkins and Michael Albanese, the patent outlines the HotSync(R) technology used in Palm Computin …
- Center for Innovative Learning Technologies and Palm Computing Honor Winners of Educational Software Contest via Live Webcast Timeline entry … eteness of their documentation. An independent panel of judges appointed by CILT includes Jeff Hawkins, co-founder, chairman and chief product officer of Handspring and inventor of the Palm co …
- Center for Innovative Learning Technologies Joins with Palm Computing to Sponsor Educational Software Contest for Handheld Devices Timeline entry … cumentation, and will be judged by an independent panel appointed by CILT. Judges include Jeff Hawkins, co-founder, chairman and chief product officer of Handspring and inventor of the Palm(TM …
- First-Ever DemoMobile Conference Maps Direction of Portable Computing Timeline entry … ept products from leading suppliers of mobile computing technology. Presenters include: - Jeff Hawkins, co-developer of the Palm handheld and co-founder of Handspring, Inc., will present a key …
- GeoWorks Announces First Software Developers Conference: "GEOS: The New Profit Platform" Timeline entry … vide his vision of the long-range opportunity for mass-market consumer computing devices. Jeff Hawkins, chairman of Palm Computing, will address the benefits of GEOS' rapid product development …
- GeoWorks Enters Pen Computing Market; Announces Pen/GEOS; Targets Sub-$500 Mass Market Devices Timeline entry … Pen/GEOS. Palm Computing, a recently formed software company headed by ex-GRiD executive Jeff Hawkins, has committed to developing applications under Pen/GEOS. According to Hawkins, "Palm is …
- GeoWorks Joins Tandy and Casio to Develop New Family of Personal Information Processors Timeline entry … s possible." Among those developing GEOS-based applications is Palm Computing. Founded by Jeff Hawkins, formerly V.P. of Research at GRiD Systems, Palm is committed to the hand held and consum …
- GRiD Introduces PC-Compatible Computer that Recognizes Printed Handwriting Comments … PenPoint, which aimed to break away from the real and perceived limitations of DOS. Note Jeff Hawkins here. Even while at GRiD, Hawkins was already thinking about smaller, more mobile devices …
- GRiD Introduces PC-Compatible Computer that Recognizes Printed Handwriting Timeline entry … weight laptop computers and GRiD’s leadership position in the field systems marketplace.” Jeff Hawkins, GRiD’s director of advanced programs, explained that: ”GRiDPad brings together leading e …
- GRiD Moves High Volume Portable Manufacturing to Texas and Appoints Two New Vice Presidents Timeline entry … rd for 13 years with particular emphasis on operating systems and distributed networking. Jeff Hawkins, formerly GRiD's director of advanced products, was named to the newly created position o …
- Handspring Founder Jeff Hawkins Elected to National Academy of Engineering Timeline entry … ring, Inc. (Nasdaq: HAND) today announced that company founder and chief product officer, Jeff Hawkins, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Election to the National Academ …
- Handspring Founder Jeff Hawkins Elected to National Academy of Engineering Title Handspring Founder Jeff Hawkins Elected to National Academy of Engineering
- Handspring Introduces Breakthrough Class of Expandable Handheld Computers Timeline entry … of the handheld computer," said Handspring co-founder, chairman and chief product officer Jeff Hawkins. "Everywhere I turn people want to do more with their Palm computers. They want to have m …
- Handspring, Inc. Selects Public Relations Firm Switzer Communications, Inc. Timeline entry ×2 … ed today that it will represent Handspring, Inc. Handspring is the new company created by Jeff Hawkins and Donna Dubinsky, formerly of Palm Computing. Having successfully established the handh …
- Handspring, Inc. Selects Public Relations Firm Switzer Communications, Inc. Timeline entry ×2 … ed today that it will represent Handspring, Inc. Handspring is the new company created by Jeff Hawkins and Donna Dubinsky, formerly of Palm Computing. Having successfully established the handh …
- J.D. Edwards Information Technology Leadership Award for Collaborative Innovation Given to Jeff Hawkins, Founder of Palm Computing Timeline entry … s has awarded the Information Technology Leadership Award for Collaborative Innovation to Jeff Hawkins, founder of Palm, Inc. Mr. Hawkins was selected for the award by a nominating committee o …
- J.D. Edwards Information Technology Leadership Award for Collaborative Innovation Given to Jeff Hawkins, Founder of Palm Computing Title … .D. Edwards Information Technology Leadership Award for Collaborative Innovation Given to Jeff Hawkins, Founder of Palm Computing
- MIT/Stanford Venture Laboratory features Jeff Hawkins, Co-founder, and Donna Dubinsky, President of Palm Computing Timeline entry … Calif. — September 12, 1992 — The MIT/Stanford Venture Laboratory Saturday announced that Jeff Hawkins and Donna Dubinsky will present their company's distribution strategy for selling palmtop …
- MIT/Stanford Venture Laboratory features Jeff Hawkins, Co-founder, and Donna Dubinsky, President of Palm Computing Title MIT/Stanford Venture Laboratory features Jeff Hawkins, Co-founder, and Donna Dubinsky, President of Palm Computing
- Mobile Insights Announces Nominees for the Third Annual Mobility Awards Timeline entry … 220 -- Proxima/Lightbook -- Sharp/XG - E690U -- NEC/MultiSync MT800 Outstanding Person -- Jeff Hawkins (USR/Pilot) -- Steve Lair (TI/Notebook PCs) -- Tom Scott (Toshiba/Notebook PCs) -- Steve …
- Mobility Award Winners Announced at Mobile Insights '97; Industry Leaders Recognized at the Mobile Insights 1997 Conference Timeline entry … M/Travelstar VP 2.5, 1.6GB Portable Projectors -- Proxima/Lightbook Outstanding Person -- Jeff Hawkins (USR/Pilot) Technology Achievement -- Compaq/Armada Multifunction Notebook Product of the …
- Palm Computing Executive Discusses Handwriting Recognition Technology at Industry Gathering Timeline entry ×2 … a recent speech titled "Will Handwriting Recognition Ever Work?", Palm Computing chairman Jeff Hawkins explored the reasons pen computing interfaces and handwriting recognition have frustrated …
- Palm Computing Introduces PowerInk Technology for PDAs Timeline entry … r more difficult than technologists had originally thought,'' said Palm Computing founder Jeff Hawkins. ''By developing PowerInk, we have overcome the obstacles associated with the pen interfa …
- Palm Computing Names New Chief Executive Officer Timeline entry ×2 … n of president and chief executive officer. Palm Computing was founded in January 1992 by Jeff Hawkins, formerly vice president of research at GRiD Systems and a leader in the pen computing fi …
- PalmPilot Organizer Creators Secure Funding and Sign Licensing Agreement With 3Com Timeline entry ×2 PALO ALTO, Calif. — November 5, 1998 — Donna Dubinsky and Jeff Hawkins, the principals behind the development of the wildly popular PalmPilot(TM) handheld compu …
- Questor Software Introduces Dekstop Link for Zoomer Timeline entry … k to connect their Windows desktop applications with built-in applications on the Zoomer. Jeff Hawkins, Founder and Chairman of Palm Computing, said, "Integrating Questor's Desktop Link techno …
- RedHerring.com's 'Live Q&A' to Feature Handspring Founder Jeff Hawkins Timeline entry ×2 … before a worldwide interactive audience as RedHerring.com presents a "Live Q&A" featuring Jeff Hawkins, co- founder of Palm Computing and founder of Handspring (Nasdaq: HAND), the leading prov …
- RedHerring.com's 'Live Q&A' to Feature Handspring Founder Jeff Hawkins Title RedHerring.com's 'Live Q&A' to Feature Handspring Founder Jeff Hawkins
- Tandy Corp. Announces Intent to Create New Family of Personal Information Processors Timeline entry ×2 … focusing exclusively on the emerging market for consumer palmtop computers. Its founder, Jeff Hawkins, was formerly vice president of research at GRiD Systems Corporation. Palm Computing is a …
- Xilinx, Handspring, And Portable Design Magazine Announce Winner Of The "Cool Module" Design Contest Timeline entry ×2 … on put forth by the teams submitting entries into the 'Cool Module' design contest," said Jeff Hawkins, founder, chairman and chief product officer at Handspring, Inc. "Our hats go off to Xili …
Journal
- A Conversation with Palm Computing's Jeff Hawkins Journal article … There are a number of pioneers in the world of pen computing—and then there are pioneers. Jeff Hawkins, founder and chairman of Los Altos, California-based Palm Computing, falls into the later …
- A Conversation with Palm Computing's Jeff Hawkins Title A Conversation with Palm Computing's Jeff Hawkins
- A Conversation with PEN PAL's Sam Wiegand Journal article ×2 … g these have been MobileSoft's Pete Snell, PenRight!'s David Marino, and Palm Computing's Jeff Hawkins. After all this, it's time to come full circle and talk with a person that not only worke …
- A Conversation with PenRight!'s David Marino Journal article ×2 … n mobile computing. He recalled: "That was GRiD's forte initially, laptop computers. When Jeff Hawkins and Ken Delaney introduced the concept of pen computing in 1989, that strength expanded t …
- GeoWorks and Palm Computing Think Small is Better Journal article … used in the GEOS system and GRiD's PenRight! environment. The GRiD connection comes from Jeff Hawkins, founder of Palm Computing, and former V.P. of Research at GRiD Systems Corp. where he wa …
- IBM Joins the Pen Race and more... Journal article … recognition application from a new startup company headed by former GRiD VP of research, Jeff Hawkins, called Palm Computing. Hawkins said his company plans to introduce handwriting recogniti …
- News Briefs and Upcoming Events Journal article … r to the Wacom digitizer tablet). Call 602-948-6540 or 800-458-5888 for more information. Jeff Hawkins, formerly Grid's VP of research, has formed a new company called Palm Computing, dedicate …
- Short Cuts: Roaming Around the Mobile Computing Industry Journal article … S. Robotics, with Palm's outstanding shares being converted into those of its new parent. Jeff Hawkins, founder and chairman of Palm commented to Pen-Based Computing: "We are very excited abou …
- The Focus Shifts to Palmpads Journal article … formance should be available in the Tandy/Casio product line. Palm Computing is headed by Jeff Hawkins, formerly of Grid Systems, and the main architect of the handwriting recognition software …
- The Low End Moves Forward Journal article … recognition application from a new startup company headed by former Grid VP of research, Jeff Hawkins, called Palm Computing. Hawkins said his company plans to introduce handwriting recogniti …
Artifacts
- GO Corporation - Regis McKenna Clipping Alert (March 22, 1993) History … personal communicators ran the PenPoint operating system, and Palm Computing — founded by Jeff Hawkins, who had designed the GRiD Convertible — together with Palm's planned Zoomer, which Casio …
- Handspring Add-On & Accessories Catalog History ×2 … yer, modem, or GPS receiver to the handheld.2 Handspring had been founded in July 1998 by Jeff Hawkins and Donna Dubinsky, both veterans of Palm Computing, and by August 2000 its Visor Deluxe …
- Palm Connect for Zoomer (PC Version) History … tware from Palm Computing, a then-recently-formed company headed by former GRiD executive Jeff Hawkins.3 Palm Computing had been founded in January 1992 by Hawkins, and that June it named Donn …
- Palm Graffiti (for Newton) Package History … nd printed in the United States in late 1994.1 Palm Computing had been founded in 1992 by Jeff Hawkins, formerly vice president of research at GRiD Systems Corp., where he was the principal ar …
- Palm Graffiti (for Newton) Package Description Graffiti was a single-stroke shorthand handwriting recognition system developed by Jeff Hawkins (Palm Computing). By using a simpler alphabet, computers could easily recognize handwriti …
- Palm Graffiti (for Zoomer) Package History … g, Inc.3 Palm Computing had been bound up with the Zoomer from the start. Company founder Jeff Hawkins, who started Palm Computing in 1992 after serving as vice president of research at GRiD S …
- Palm Graffiti (for Zoomer) Package Description Graffiti was a single-stroke shorthand handwriting recognition system developed by Jeff Hawkins (Palm Computing). By using a simpler alphabet, lower-powered handheld devices could easil …
- PDA Developers West '96 Conference Details (Pamphlet) History … wireless palmtop.1 Keynote speakers included Andy Hertzfeld, cofounder of General Magic; Jeff Hawkins, chairman and founder of Palm Computing; Andy Seybold, author of Using Wireless Communica …