[FA:GLOBAL] IBM WorkPad Z50 boxed with accessories

I worked for IBM UK in PC support in the 1990's, the golden age of ThinkPads, and subsequently built up quite a collection of the early and unusual ThinkPads, which I am now reducing. This thinning out of my ThinkPad collection continues with the listing of this rare and collectible WorkPad Z50 manufactured in May 1999.

This is quite an oddball of the range, not least due to it running Windows CE. Whilst labelled as a WorkPad rather than a ThinkPad, it bears more than a passing resemblance to the ThinkPad 240 and of course it comes with the legendary ThinkPad keyboard and TrackPoint. What other Windows CE portable can boast that?! It's sometimes said that the Z50 is the only ThinkPad with a MIPS processor, making it even rarer than the PowerPC 820, 850, and 860 models.



Listed on eBay with a £1 start and international delivery available:

Damn that is bad ass :-)

Would love to own that but im broke after my Jornada excursions recently ;-)

Does this have a CF slot along with a PCMCIA ?

You're not kidding about the resemblance:

https://www.hpcfactor.com/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=14738

Ever since C:Amie's review for this device, I've always found it interesting.

Here's some more reading:

The MIPS Thinkpad
Improving System Performance (from HPC:Factor)
Using the Workpad in Clamshell Mode

Nice comparison with the 240, I did hesitate to mention other IBM ultraportables as I don't know how well known they are outside of - ahem - specialist circles!



Front table, back row all ThinkPad 701C/CS, front row: ThinkPad 500, ThinkPad 235, PC110, ThinkPad 240, WorkPad Z50

Also you may be interested in the strip down and clean up thread I did for this machine recently on the ThinkPads.com forum, with lots of photos.

Edited by red-five 2024-03-11 11:08 AM

Very interesting device! I'm not really in the market for one, but I'll definitely add it to my will-buy-eventually-list.

Cool device.

Imagine a next generation model with:

- Full-sized touch screen
- Smaller form factor
- Butterfly keyboard

Well that's quite a collection @red-five
As much as I want a working Z50 this is going to be far too expensive for me!

Thanks for the interest, I've heard from its new owner that it has arrived safe and sound and has become part of a larger collection.

The £1 start is a leap of faith but all part of the fun of the auction!

Congratulations on the sale!

Honestly it’s in great shape! You took very good care of it.