The Motorola Envoy personal communicator was a pioneering device that allowed users to send and receive information over the Ardis wireless network, which was a joint venture Motorola had with IBM. At time of launch it cost around $1,500 (equivalent to $2,680 in 2021).
It was operated by tapping on-screen boxes or an on-screen keyboard with a finger nail or stylus. It also offered "electronic ink capability" that allowed users to capture handwritten notes, but it did not recognise handwriting.
It used the General Magic "Magic Cap" object-oriented operating system which included a diary, phone dialler, address manager, notebook, calculator, games and "integrated electronic mail and communications management".
Bundled applications included America Online and Online Airline Guide services (which were initially only accessible via a land-line connection); AT&T Co’s PersonaLink electronic mail client, RadioMail wireless text-only messaging; Intuit Inc’s Pocket Quicken SmartWallet; and PenWare Inc’s PenCell spreadsheet.
The Envoy was powered by a Motorola Dragon I/68349 microprocessor and had 1Mb of RAM and 4MB of software in ROM. It allowed local point-to-point data transfer at up to 38.4Kbps using it infra-red port and it had two Type II PCMCIA slots.