HP OmniBook 300

The OmniBook 300 was a compact subnotebook designed for instant mobile productivity. It combined a 386-class processor, pop-out mouse and flash-storage options in a machine weighing roughly three pounds.

It launched HP’s OmniBook notebook family and anticipated the thin business ultraportable.

Notable Features

• A spring-loaded mouse slid from the side of the case for use.
• Flash-based configurations offered silent, low-power storage and rapid startup.

Historical Significance

• It launched HP’s OmniBook notebook family and anticipated the thin business ultraportable.

Collector’s Notes

• Original HP manuals, peripherals and software media are particularly useful because many interfaces and formats were proprietary.
• Memory, storage, displays and expansion hardware should be documented because configurations often changed during a system’s working life.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	HP OmniBook 300
Manufacturer	Hewlett-Packard
Launched	Friday, January 1, 1993
Discontinued	1994
Country	United States
CPU	Intel 386SXLV at 20 MHz
Units Sold
Form Factor	Thin subnotebook
Power	Rechargeable battery or AC adapter
Networking	Optional PCMCIA modem or network adapter
Operating System	MS-DOS and Windows 3.1
Expansion / I/O	PCMCIA, serial, parallel, VGA and docking interfaces
Keyboard	Full notebook keyboard with pop-out mouse
Storage	Flash storage or hard disk depending on configuration; external floppy
Sound	PC speaker
Colours	Monochrome
Graphics	VGA-compatible monochrome graphics
Display	9-inch 640 x 480 monochrome LCD
ROM	BIOS with instant-on software support
RAM	4MB standard; expandable to 8MB
CPU Speed	20 MHz