From: jil@linus.mitre.org (Jon Leivent)
Subject: Re: Psion 3
Organization: Research Computer Facility, The MITRE Corporation, Bedford MA
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 22:40:40 GMT

In article <Ieg_Yb600WB3F_fmQa@andrew.cmu.edu> Greg Howard Rhodes <gr1c+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:

   I keep on seeing posts about the Psion 3...I've never seen it. I once
   owned something made by Psion, though. It was about 4'' x 9'' x 1'',
   and tall, not wide. The case kinda slipped on from the bottom. On the
   top were various ports, and I also had a bar-code reader for it. What
   was this machine, (I no longer have it) and how does it relate to the
   Psion 3?

   I was looking through Byte and they had a ad in the back for the
   company selling something they called "Palmtop computer", for $300. It
   looked kinda one of the Franklin dictionaries, but had the word Psion
   on it. What is this?

   In general, a short review of the Psion 3 would be great.

   Greg Rhodes
   gr1c@andrew.cmu.edu


Greg,

I purchased my Psion 3 about 2 months ago.  It is a MS-DOS-compatible
machine running an 8086 processor.  However, it has its own
menu-oriented operating system, which gives it a very easy to use
interface.  This OS is also process-based, so you can have multiple
things running simultaneously.

It comes with a MS-WORD-like word processor, that has text-style
capability, and can even show proportionally-spaced text (unusual for
a palmtop), boldface, and italics.  It also comes with the standard
agenda, phone book data base, alarm, password, and world map
capabilities that most palmtops come with, since they are primarily
targetted to execs.  There is a nice, full function calculator with
scroll capability, and hex format for us hackers.  It can even dial
touch-tone phone numbers.

However, unlike most other palmtops, the PSION has a distinct
programmer-flavor to it.  It has a built-in program editor, and its
own programming language (called OPL - a funny combination of BASIC
and Pascal) and compiler.  OPL gives the programmer very easy access
to the menu, windowing, and graphics capability built into the
machine, making it very easy to write applications with nice
interfaces.  OPL functions can even be incorporated into the
calculator, so that you can write your own calculator functions.  An
OPL manual comes with the machine.  There are indications that Psion
also has a C compiler for it, but I have no info on this (wish I did!).

The case, when closed, is 6.5" x 3.5" x .875".  It fits easily into my
old HP41C leather case.  The LCD screen is 16 lines by about 40
characters (about 40, since I use the proportionally spaced option).
The screen contrast is adjustable from the keyboard (another unusual
option for palmtops).  There is an auto-off capability that is
settable.  When the machine is shut off, it remembers EVERYTHING, even
what you were last editing, and anything that was running.  I
previously had one of those Casio organizers, and it had an auto-off
mechanism that was not settable (hard-set to about 5 minutes) and that
couldn't be turned off (the Psion's can), and it lost anything I was
working on (unless I manually saved it) when it shut off.  I returned
it after about 3 days because of this brain-dead feature.  Some Casio
design engineer should be hung by the thumbs for that one.

The keyboard is QWERTY, but obviously smaller than normal.  It takes
some getting use to.  I myself am not too fond of the pressure
required by the keys (that Casio was nicer there), but have gotten use
to the spacing.  Some standard symbols have been re-arranged to allow
use of the calculator without using the shift key (+ and * are
unshifted).

I also purchased the Link cable and software for IBM PC's - it gives
the Psion full file transfer capability.  The PC hooked to it becomes
essentially a remote disk(s) that the Psion can access directly from
its menu-oriented OS.  Word-processor files can be converted into and
out of RTF format for transfer to and from MS-Word and other WPs.  The
Link can also drive a printer - but I haven't tried this.

It has 256K of builtin RAM, which is shared by the OS, applications,
and files (initially, the OS takes up about 45K).  There are two
expansion slots.  Psion sells their own memory cards and ROM packs.
There are two types of RAM cards - "Flash" cards that operate like
EPROM and need no battery backup, and normal RAM cards that do need a
battery backup (lithium hearing-aid type).  RAM cards range up to
2Meg, so a completely populated Psion can have 4.256Meg available.
The flash-cards must be bulk-erased, and so cannot be used to extend
the OS/application dynamic memory space - they're for files only.

The machine runs on 2 AA batteries, and a lithium hearing-aid battery
for emergency backup.  After 2 months of everyday use, I just replaced
the AA cells (it tells you when they're getting low).  It can also
take a 9v external power source.  Mine cost me $350.

I have recently received a copy of the Psion newsletter - you get it
for sending in the warranty card.  Psion seems to make all sorts of
hand held computer widgets - a new one even has built in cellular
phone data communication capability.  Psion recently moved from
Connecticut to Concord, Mass (their headquarters is still in England,
I guess).  The address is:

PSION Inc.
555 Virginia Road
5 Concord Farms
Concord, MA 01742
(508)371-0310

--
Jon Leivent
MS K329
The MITRE Corporation
202 Burlington Road
Bedford MA, 01730-1420

email: jil@mitre.org
tel: (617) 271-7648
fax: (617) 271-2352