A while back, my sister impulsively bought a pocket PC from Fry’s without really knowing what it was. Now she’s passed it on to me – a Matsunichi i-mat. I’ve been digging around online but most info is in Chinese. It’s running Pocket PC 2003 (version 4.20.1081) with an Intel PXA 263 at 300MHz and an IRDA port. It’s in mint condition, and I’m dying to find out if anyone else has heard of this thing.
Fast forward to today – we all carry smartphones that dwarf these old PDAs in power. Still, there’s something compelling about these early Windows Mobile devices. They were the bridge between Palm Pilots and modern phones. The i-mat seems like a rare bird; I can’t even find a dedicated community.
Anyone here ever owned or tinkered with one? Also, that IRDA port – I’ve heard you can use it to control TVs. Is there any modern software that still works with it? I’d love to give that a shot.
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title: Matsunichi i-mat Pocket PC Components
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flowchart TD
A[Matsunichi i-mat] --> B[Display]
A --> C[Processor]
A --> D[Memory]
A --> E[Storage]
A --> F[Operating System]
A --> G[Input Controls]
A --> H[Connectivity]
B --> B1[3.5-inch LCD]
B --> B2[240x320 Resolution]
C --> C1[Intel StrongARM 206MHz]
D --> D1[32MB RAM]
E --> E1[16MB ROM]
F --> F1[Windows CE 3.0]
G --> G1[Touchscreen]
G --> G2[Stylus]
H --> H1[IrDA]
H --> H2[USB 1.1]
H --> H3[Serial Port]
That’s a neat find! The PXA 263 was a solid CPU back then – I had a similar model with the same chip. Pocket PC 2003 was pretty capable for its time. You’ve got a gem there, even if it’s obscure.
As for the IRDA, yes, you can control TVs and other devices with the right software. There used to be apps like “TV Remote” or “NoviiRemote” that worked with the IR port. I think some of those are still floating around on archive sites. The IRDA on these old PDAs is surprisingly powerful – way more range than those cheap universal remotes.
Too bad most modern phones ditched IR blasters. Some Android phones had them until a few years ago, but now we rely on WiFi/Bluetooth smart home hubs. Still, it’s fun to revive old tech like this. Let me know if you need help tracking down the software – I might have something on my old backup drive.
Video Tutorial:
Official Documentation & Reference Links: