Compaq Aero

The Compaq Contura Aero was popularized as a line of computer handhelds produced by Compaq Computer Corporation. It was succeeded by the iPAQ line. The Aero name was first used for small sub-notebooks computers that Compaq produced in the mid-90's, the Contura Aero 4/25 and 4/33c.

Early Subnotebook

The Compaq Contura Aero 4/25 and 4/33c were among the earliest subnotebook computers that acted as a precursor to netbooks. They were released in 1994 and originally ran MS-DOS and Windows 3.1. They were also able to run Windows 95 after its release in 1995. They were part of Compaq's Contura line of laptop computers but were smaller, also had a mobile phone feature.

4/25

• a 486sx-based subnotebook running at 25Mhz
• VGA monochrome display
• 170Mb hard disk drive
• 1 PCMCIA slot
• standard parallel and serial ports
• 3.8 x 26 x 19 cm

4/33c

• a 486sx-based subnotebook running at 33Mhz
• passive matrix color display
• 1 PCMCIA slot
• standard parallel and serial ports
• 4.3 x 26 x 19 cm

Notebook Computer series

Other laptops in the Contura series include the 3/20, 3/25, 3/25c, 400, 400C, 400CX, 410C, 410CX, 420C, 420CX, 430C, 430CX. These were not ultra-portable subnotebook computers. The "X" designation denoted an active matrix screen. These laptops do not have the "Aero" designation

3/20

• 386SL running at 20Mhz
• VGA monochrome display
• 2MB of RAM
• 40 or 84MB of Hard disk
• External Trackball that attached to the side of the laptop

3/25

• 386SL running at 25Mhz
• VGA monochrome display
• 4MB of RAM
• 60 or 120MB of Hard disk
• External Trackball that attached to the side of the laptop

List of Aero handhelds

• Compaq Aero 1500 Palm-size PC
• Compaq Aero 2100 Color Palm-size PC
• Compaq Aero 8000 Handheld PC Pro

This line of palm-sized PCs from Compaq was first succeeded by the Compaq C-Series and then by the Aero 1550 Pocket PC. The line of handheld devices starting from the Aero 1550 Pocket PC were finally moulded into the iPAQ line of handheld devices, which is currently handled by Hewlett-Packard, after their acquisition of Compaq.