# REX 6000

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The **REX 6000** is an ultra-thin [Personal Digital Assistant](/source/Personal_Digital_Assistant) (PDA) produced by [Xircom](/source/Xircom), and later [Intel](/source/Intel), from about 2000 to 2001. The REX may be synchronized by inserting it in a host [PC](/source/Personal_computer)'s PCMCIA/PC-card slot. Docking stations were manufactured for connection to hosts without PC card Type-II slots, which allows the REX to be connected via a [USB](/source/Universal_Serial_Bus) or [serial](/source/Serial_port) connection.

The REX 6000 is the successor to the [Franklin](/source/Franklin_Electronic_Publishers) [REX 5000](/source/REX_5000), with a notable difference being the addition of a [touch screen](/source/Touch_screen).[1] In addition, it is possible to remove and install executable code (including both custom applications and the [operating system](/source/Operating_system) itself). As with the earlier models, the REX 6000 hardware was developed by the [Citizen Watch Company](/source/Citizen_Watch_Co.,_Ltd) of [Japan](/source/Japan), marketed as the "DataSlim-2". The firmware for previous REX models was written by [Starfish Software](/source/Starfish_Software), but the REX 6000, though modeled on previous versions, included a complete re-write of the firmware.

The REX 6000 does not support [handwriting recognition](/source/Handwriting_recognition) and to enter data, a [virtual keyboard](/source/Virtual_keyboard) is used. The standard REX 6000 has an [American](/source/United_States) keyboard layout, although [third-party](/source/Third-party_developer) software allows for other keyboard layouts. The pre-installed software for the Rex consists of the following:

- [Calendar](/source/Calendar)
- [Address book](/source/Address_book)
- To-do list
- [Notebook](/source/Notebook)
- [World clock](/source/World_clock)
- [Calculator](/source/Calculator)

Third-party software ("add-ins") include games, painting programs, [spreadsheets](/source/Spreadsheet) and replacements or improvements of the pre-installed software. Most third-party software was developed by users with customized versions of the [Z88DK](/source/Z88DK) [compiler](/source/Compiler) or the [Small Device C Compiler](/source/Small_Device_C_Compiler) (SDCC).

The earliest release of the REX 6000 had 1 [MB](/source/Megabyte) of [flash memory](/source/Flash_memory), while later releases doubled this to 2 MB. (Earlier REXes stored user data in [RAM](/source/RAM) with the operating system in [ROM](/source/Read-only_memory).) The REX has 32 [KB](/source/Kilobyte) of RAM, but only 12 KB is available for application developers. It uses a 4.3 [MHz](/source/Megahertz) [Toshiba](/source/Toshiba) [microprocessor](/source/Microprocessor) compatible to the [Zilog Z80](/source/Zilog_Z80), has a 240 × 120 [pixel](/source/Pixel) [monochrome](/source/Monochrome) [LCD](/source/Liquid_crystal_display), and is capable of providing beep sounds to deliver alarms and reminders. The REX 6000 is powered by two button-type CR2016 [lithium](/source/Lithium) cells.

Around 2002 Intel acquired Xircom and subsequently discontinued this product line.

## References

1. Brown, Marge (6 February 2001). ["Xircom REX 6000 MicroPDA"](https://uk.pcmag.com/xircom-rex-6000-micropda/31851/review/xircom-rex-6000-micropda). PC Mag UK.

## External links

- [The Rex 6000 Help Page](http://rex6000.fortunecity.com/) (February 2012 version on the Internet Archive: [The Rex 6000 Help Page](https://web.archive.org/web/20120205211909/http://rex6000.fortunecity.com/))
- [Rex 6000 website with addins and other useful info.](https://archive.today/20110711020708/http://rexstuff.fortunecity.com/)
- [A forum for Rex discussion](http://rexforum.com)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [REX 6000](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REX_6000) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REX_6000?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.