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PSION 3a Pocket Computer
What it is
Technically it's an IBM-PC in palmtop size, manufactured by PSION plc in the U.K.. It runs a
proprietary operating system, capable of multitasking.
Unfortunately, the 3a has been discontinued. When mine broke down
after 3 years of intesive use, I got a Revo, which broke down after
just 2 months, and then I got a 5mx pro, on which I spent half it's
new price in repairs during the first two years.
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What it can do
Practically it's my replacement for pen and paper as well as the
notebook-PC. The most useful properties are
- fast startup - one push of a button, and it resumes where
you (or the battery saver timeout) switched it off. As fast as you can
open your paper based time planning book, incomparable faster than the
resume mode of any notebook I've seen, let aside a boot sequence.
- multitasking with clipboard - several texts and agenda (time
planning) notes can be open simultaneously. If a piece of text is
highlighted in one task, a single keystroke transfers this text into the
current application. As good as Windows on the PC.
- small size - it fits well into the inside pocket of a jacket, so
you can take it everywhere
- long battery life - 2 rechargable AA size batteries (NiCd, 750
mAh) drive it for 10-15 hours (about 2 weeks of my intensive use), longer
than every notebook I've seen so far. A charged set of replacement
batteries fits well in any pocket, so with a charger in the bag in the
hotel room, you can stand any (business) trip. If you need more
uninterrupted operating time, get 2 alkaline cells, which last up to 50
hours.
- good memory backup - in addition to the main batteries, a lithium
cell maintains the memory contents during main battery change or
failure.
- strong mechanics - small useable things get dropped. The worst
mine had to (and did successfully) withstand was a drop onto a hard toilet
floor from a height of about 80 cm (3 feet): the main batteries flew out,
the soft reset button was triggered, but data and mechanics were
unimpressed. I just had to re-enter a few settings like battery-saver
timeout and keyclick volume.
- good built-in word processor - it supports all basic features
and leveled headlines in files up to about 40 kB and can export in RTF-,
so Winword on the office PC can read it. The largest texts I did on it,
were
- a 25 page assignment on network management: the desk buried with
literature and the Psion amidst all that
- laboratory reports of the MSc course: in the lab I logged the progress
directly into the Psion (as I would have done on paper) and later (e.g.
during a train trip) I refined it.
- good agenda software - appointments and the to-do-list (business
and private) can be all in one single place
- good third party software - there is a huge shareware archive at
the Imperial College. I use
- Plan 4.2, a project planning package (downloadable,
only 10 tasks until registered)
- the macro system (seems to be discontinued, at least the link is dead),
free and flexible, ranging from simple record and playback to
sophisticated OPL programming. In fact, every macro is an OPL program.
Amazing things can be done with it, for example aids
in HTML-editing
- websurf (discontinued due to lack of donations),
a file based web browser (yes!) - I think of HTML as a great way of
organizing masses of information
- user programmable - there is a built in editor and semi-compiler
for OPL (Organizer Programming Language, basically Basic with good
extensions, e.g. dialogue handling). The macro system also uses OPL, thus
being very powerful. I created a few programs:
- connectivity - the optional (not cheap, around 130$ retail here
in Germany) 3Link serial cable and various programs (e.g. rfm, also
avaliable on the net) enable me to access the Psion RAM-disk as drive M:
(or whatever you like) from the desktop PC. Great for backup and getting
notes to Winword.
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Why I bought one
As a computer professional, I used to have a notebook-PC. That enabled me
to do programming and some writing in the train and on branch sites. But
whenever I had to take quick notes (when doing some configuration,
storing the change request of a user or whatever), I had to write it on paper
and then either store the paper in some folders (only to search it in vain
when needed mostly) or type it again into the office PC.
Some day in 1993 I decided that this style of working has to end. I looked
for some small computer, capable of taking notes (simple word-processing) and
transferring them to the desktop PC. I looked and looked, but the cheap data
banks (<100$) had very limited capacity (around 64 kB), no PC connection
and feed on expensive silver batteries. Then in April of 1994 a friend offered
me to buy his used PSION Series 3 (non a) for about 300$ - about the same
money I got for my old 286 notebook...
I bought it and soon I couldn't imagine having ever lived without one.
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Things to keep in mind if You want to buy one
I was buying and am using a Psion Series 3 and then a 3a by myself, and
have seen several other people at work buying and using them too. From the
experiences gained there, I want to make a few recommendations, you might find
helpful if you are thinking about buying one for yourself:
- get the serial cable - it's not cheap, but what is a computer
good for, if you can't exchange any data with other computers
- buy as much internal memory as you can - expansion memory for the
slots is more expensive per MB than internal memory. A 3a or 3c with
anything less than 2 MB RAM reaches it's limits if you try just one of
those nice shareware packages, and limits are hard. You might have to
leave the agenda just to make space for one more page of text.
- take battery warnings seriously - with my old 3 (non a) I thought
I could ignore the "backup battery empty" warning that came a few months
after replacing the backup battery. After a year I dropped it, the main
batteries fell out, the backup battery couldn't maintain the required
level and I lost all the data - I thought I could do the backup (to the
PC) an hour later. Just a variation of the old theme "there are 2 kinds of
computer users: those who have lost data, and those who are going to lose
data"...
- if running on rechargable NiCd-batteries, always have a
charged replacement set with you - when NiCd batteries go flat, they
do it quickly. When the "main battery near empty" symbol appears, you have
only a few minutes left before the 3a shuts down.
- think twice before buying a Siena - it has a much smaller screen
and requires special batteries (not easily available as rechargeable
type). The smaller screen can be a significant disadvantage if you are
going to use it professionally (as I do). If you don't know whether you
will use it intensively, you have 2 choices:
- assume you will (most people do)
- ask other users,
try to borrow one, and test intensively (a hour or so) in the shop. Try to
organize a 3 page report in the word application, without any piece of
paper, starting from plain notes of ideas and finishing it into sentences
you would print for a critical customer or boss. You will soon realize
that screen space can well be worth the extra money.
- avoid buying an old (pre-a) Series 3 - it has a much smaller
screen, can't run on rechargable batteries, has much less memory and has
much weaker applications (especially agenda, no spreadsheet at all). I use
my old 3 non-a only to borrow it to people who want to check whether they
can get used to the small keyboard.
If you are offered a cheap used one, think twice: you will have to buy
separately the serial cable (approx. 130$) and the power supply (approx. 35$),
because you will need both and the previous owner will want to keep his own
ones for his new psion. The combined cost of these makes the cheap offer
usually expensive enough to get beyond a tight budget - and if your budget is
not tight, consider buying a new 3a or 3c.
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Programs I wrote
I consider these programs freeware, so use and distribute them as you like.
To know, who's interested, I'd like you to send me an email message. If you make
improvements (bugfixes, enhanced features, translations), I'd very much
appreciate to get a copy - if only for others to be able to participate.
The latest tested versions can be downloaded as .zip-files by clicking on
the name of the .zip-archive. The size is only a few kB. All archives contain
only the source code. A readme.txt file with installation instructions is
included.
- Macros to help editing HTML-files
(htmledit.zip, 9kB) - edit your website
while in the train, organize your information in a highly portable
way, by using the HTML-standard. These macros make it a lot
easier. Requires the macro system and makes use of websurf, or a
similar HTML-browser, for viewing the pages you created.
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Links to other Psion related sites
Home | Christian Missions |
Christustreff Marburg |
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Last updated: 05.05.2007 17:43:06
Martin Stut, email: 
, Marburg, Germany
URL: http://www.stut.de/psion.htm
The austrian Psion homepage contains a large list of shareware authors, programs, adresses and homepages