kukacster
Still Fresh
Hi, I am an old psion 3a and 5mx owner and I would like to know how pandora compares to these two in terms of usability. There is an other old psion owner who has a pandora? Thanks in advance.
Pandora Vs Psion?
- Thread starter kukacster
- Start date
Bosbeetle
Terminally lost
Hi, I am an old psion 3a
stopped reading here, and I am stil laughing.
Sorry for the offtopic reaction
stopped reading here, and I am stil laughing.
Sorry for the offtopic reaction
torpor
hack hack hack, the little machines fight back
Disclaimer: Atari Portfolio/HP200LX/Clie/PalmOS/sl5500-Zaurus/iPhone/Pandora user here .. 
Never touched a Psion box.
Its comparable, but a lot more powerful.. although there aren't any real PIM apps out there yet, it should be a pretty easy port. I think there is a powerful python-based PIM suite available somewhere, however.
Never touched a Psion box.Its comparable, but a lot more powerful.. although there aren't any real PIM apps out there yet, it should be a pretty easy port. I think there is a powerful python-based PIM suite available somewhere, however.
TJFBryant
Island Man with Pandora in my pocket
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2003
- Messages
- 535
- Age
- 45
Psion series 5 owner here.
I've used my psion for work related and college related duties. Compared to the Pandora, my opinion is that its "the next step" is portable handheld computing and leisurely activity. It blends the open source gaming people want with computer work related apps.
The psion series 5 was my second jump into the handheld computing world (behind the Sharp Wizard), To date, the Psion series 5 was the best handheld pc I've owned... until this little black box came around.
Do you need to know any specifics?
I've used my psion for work related and college related duties. Compared to the Pandora, my opinion is that its "the next step" is portable handheld computing and leisurely activity. It blends the open source gaming people want with computer work related apps.
The psion series 5 was my second jump into the handheld computing world (behind the Sharp Wizard), To date, the Psion series 5 was the best handheld pc I've owned... until this little black box came around.
Do you need to know any specifics?
skeezix
Internal Development
torpor said:Disclaimer: Atari Portfolio/HP200LX/Clie/PalmOS/sl5500-Zaurus/iPhone/Pandora user here ..
Its comparable, but a lot more powerful.. although there aren't any real PIM apps out there yet, it should be a pretty easy port. I think there is a powerful python-based PIM suite available somewhere, however.
Torpor -- so you're the other guy who had an Atari Portfolio! (and I still have mine; someday I may need to break into an ATM Terminator style
) (and I ported frotz to it, so how could I give that up? jeff
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skeezix said:torpor said:Disclaimer: Atari Portfolio/HP200LX/Clie/PalmOS/sl5500-Zaurus/iPhone/Pandora user here ..
Its comparable, but a lot more powerful.. although there aren't any real PIM apps out there yet, it should be a pretty easy port. I think there is a powerful python-based PIM suite available somewhere, however.
Torpor -- so you're the other guy who had an Atari Portfolio! (and I still have mine; someday I may need to break into an ATM Terminator style
jeff
Prrfff. Losers. Get a 200LX!
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Karel Jansens
Active Member
I've used (and still own in functioning state) a 3a, a 5mx, a 5mx Pro and a Netbook, and I'm the fresh recipient of a Panda.
My opinion? The Panda's hardware is at least two Star Trek series ahead of the last of the Psions. The software -- meh.
I wish more people would take a closer look at Psion's productivity apps (and I do mean all of them, the wordprocessor, the spreadsheet, the unforgettable data app and the agenda, which is simply the best in existence) and appreciate the sheer genius those guys managed to cram into mere kilobytes of code.
It's simple things, like the universal zoom, or the different layouts for Word and Sheet where you can choose for formatting to screen (no sideways scrolling and automatic word wrap) or formatting to print layout (WYSIWYG-ish, the Psions kinda preceded universal font engines and depended heavily on specific printer configuration files, but that doesn't change the point).
There was a Psion Series 3a emulator for DOS, and I once installed it on a HP Omnibook 425 (the subnotebook with the mouse-onna-stick and 4 PCMCIA slots for storage) to make an avant-la-lettre Series 7, but this emulator was known to be fiddly. It wouldn't even run in OS/2's DOS box, and that should mean a lot (I don't mean that I could not get it to run, but rather that nobody ever managed it in what was at the time the most advanced DOS emulator in existence). There must be a 5mx emulator around somewhere, but as that runs in Windows and was a strictly OS/2 dude back then, I never had any experience with that one. In any case, good luck on getting the sources for any of them...
If someone were to write PandaLinux equivalents of Word, Sheet, Data and Agenda -- and by that I mean functional equivalents to the versions that came with the Series 7/Netbook, I'd pay her or him actual money to own a copy of them.
But I'm a grumpy old fart, obviously, so it doesn't count...
My opinion? The Panda's hardware is at least two Star Trek series ahead of the last of the Psions. The software -- meh.
I wish more people would take a closer look at Psion's productivity apps (and I do mean all of them, the wordprocessor, the spreadsheet, the unforgettable data app and the agenda, which is simply the best in existence) and appreciate the sheer genius those guys managed to cram into mere kilobytes of code.
It's simple things, like the universal zoom, or the different layouts for Word and Sheet where you can choose for formatting to screen (no sideways scrolling and automatic word wrap) or formatting to print layout (WYSIWYG-ish, the Psions kinda preceded universal font engines and depended heavily on specific printer configuration files, but that doesn't change the point).
There was a Psion Series 3a emulator for DOS, and I once installed it on a HP Omnibook 425 (the subnotebook with the mouse-onna-stick and 4 PCMCIA slots for storage) to make an avant-la-lettre Series 7, but this emulator was known to be fiddly. It wouldn't even run in OS/2's DOS box, and that should mean a lot (I don't mean that I could not get it to run, but rather that nobody ever managed it in what was at the time the most advanced DOS emulator in existence). There must be a 5mx emulator around somewhere, but as that runs in Windows and was a strictly OS/2 dude back then, I never had any experience with that one. In any case, good luck on getting the sources for any of them...
If someone were to write PandaLinux equivalents of Word, Sheet, Data and Agenda -- and by that I mean functional equivalents to the versions that came with the Series 7/Netbook, I'd pay her or him actual money to own a copy of them.
But I'm a grumpy old fart, obviously, so it doesn't count...
Karel Jansens
Active Member
Tried it. Didn't like it.SomeGuy99 said:Prrfff. Losers. Get a 200LX!
Basically (productivity-wise, that is) the same problem as the Panda: It runs an operating system that is horrible maladjusted to the physical device.
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Karel Jansens said:Tried it. Didn't like it.SomeGuy99 said:Prrfff. Losers. Get a 200LX!
Basically (productivity-wise, that is) the same problem as the Panda: It runs an operating system that is horrible maladjusted to the physical device.
Better than a Portfolio though. Losers! B)
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torpor
hack hack hack, the little machines fight back
skeezix: I have two Portfolios, still .. Plus all the accessories, though for some reason I've lost the RAM cards over the years ..
Plus all the accessories, though for some reason I've lost the RAM cards over the years ..
Karel Jansens
Active Member
I guess not every PDA can be a Newton.SomeGuy99 said:
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skeezix said:torpor said:Disclaimer: Atari Portfolio/HP200LX/Clie/PalmOS/sl5500-Zaurus/iPhone/Pandora user here ..
Its comparable, but a lot more powerful.. although there aren't any real PIM apps out there yet, it should be a pretty easy port. I think there is a powerful python-based PIM suite available somewhere, however.
Torpor -- so you're the other guy who had an Atari Portfolio! (and I still have mine; someday I may need to break into an ATM Terminator style
jeff
Me too! Me too! (and also a HP95lx and a HP200lx).
No panda yet, though, although I'm patiently waiting. I have to agree that the Psion software is rather outstanding, but that also has a bit to do with the platform - That was the only device to actually be manufactured with proper keyboard (and what a keyboard!) after touchscreen technology got usable in small devices. After it was the long night brought upon us by the newtons and palms and whatever - all touchscreen, no keyboard
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TitanUranus
Active Member
I keep my Casio Cassiopeia E-10. It's an ancient ppc, but still runs a speccy emulator and gameboy games (both on its 4 bit monochrome display). It's got good battery life and batteries are easy to replace (uses tripple A's). After that I moved onto an IPAQ 5xxx something or other, bought 2 off ebay but though they were nice to look at battery life was too shit for words. I moved onto the gp32 and it's still my favourite for gaming - and then to the Wiz, which was good but got sold so I can afford a Pandora. With luck, the Pandora will do all the business crap the IPAQ and Cassiopea could do (and then some) and will also kick some major anus with it's emulation and gaming power, battery life should be nice as well. But I'll never sell my Casseopia or my GP32. They both make great little spare devices for when the world explodes and I'm left all on my own with only a massive stack of batteries and solar cells to power all my gadgets. The gameing controls of the Pandora have been raved about, and I really look forward to testing that D-Pad, cause right now the best thing I've ever used was that little control stick on my gp32. Maybe if the screen dies I'll try attaching it to my Pandora one day, it's a lovely little thumb stick....
amishaziz
Member
Previously owned a couple of Psions, a 3, and a 5. The Psions were really slick, gave both away to admirers.
Oddly I kept my two Porfolio's (both upgraded), top battery life, and no gumf in the software.
I am looking forward to see how the Pandora will stack up, day to day.
@ SomeGuy99:
The HP200LX, looks seriously better, but the old Portfolio got me first (it came out first).
Oddly I kept my two Porfolio's (both upgraded), top battery life, and no gumf in the software.
I am looking forward to see how the Pandora will stack up, day to day.
@ SomeGuy99:
The HP200LX, looks seriously better, but the old Portfolio got me first (it came out first).
torpor
hack hack hack, the little machines fight back
I actually really liked my hp200lx, bums me out that I lost it .. was a very, very useful machine and had a better screen than the Portfolio, but I liked writing software on the Portfolio better - the keys were a lot easier to use for code, than on the hp200lx. If you look around in the Atari Portfolio software archive, you'll find some of my old games for it .. wrote quite a few apps on the Portfolio itself (bollocks to cross compiling!) in Turbo C1.0/1.1 .. those were the days ..
Karel Jansens
Active Member
Actually -- dare I write this? -- I found the Newton MessagePad's PIM software to be superior to the Psions'! (not the office programs, mind). And, contrary to popular belief, the ParaGraph handwriting recognition is really amazing. I used my Green Brick to take handwritten notes in meetings and mail the text out at the end -- without any editing and without recognition mistakes. I had a keyboard for it and ended up never using it.Moxie said:After it was the long night brought upon us by the newtons and palms and whatever - all touchscreen, no keyboard
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joseluisjazz
Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 399
I used a Psion5mx between the years 2000-2003 and I loved it. The keyboard was fantastic, it's unsurpassed on that size. I used it to program in the pascal-like language the unit had (called OPL) and even found the way to make simple c++ extensions to the language compiled with gcc from the very Psion. But I used it as a PIM mainly, and Karel Jansens doesn't exaggerate a bit, the software was very well thought, it was very easy to use. And very powerful for the size. I liked the sensation of feeling independent. I wanted to do everything with the little machine. (Powered with 2 AA lasted 20+ hours!!)
One of the bad parts was that that I really wanted to use linux in some form, but this machine only supported a custom v.2.9something of gcc and compatibility with many software was hindered. Another hindrance were the communications. It only supported IRDA and CF typeI. I had an IRDA modem for connecting to internet and an IRDA-ETH adaptor for connecting to a LAN but they were not very reliable, and an IRDA thermal printer that worked not-so-well... Another bad thing was the lack of an active community like this one.
The Pandora has wifi, bluetooth, USB, SDHC... Runs linux like a champion... It's much more powerful, although I'd love to have the Psion's keyboard instead of current one. Or at least to have enter&space positioned in the middle for better thumbtyping. But that's another story.
The thing is my brother admirably still uses his Psion 5MX in these days for making webpages and things like that. And yesterday I showed the Pandora to him and he made this photo of his actual working desktop. That is my pandora running [topic='55812']Powder[/topic]. Seems like my brother's mini keyboard is the perfect companion to the Pandora :lol: .
One of the bad parts was that that I really wanted to use linux in some form, but this machine only supported a custom v.2.9something of gcc and compatibility with many software was hindered. Another hindrance were the communications. It only supported IRDA and CF typeI. I had an IRDA modem for connecting to internet and an IRDA-ETH adaptor for connecting to a LAN but they were not very reliable, and an IRDA thermal printer that worked not-so-well... Another bad thing was the lack of an active community like this one.
The Pandora has wifi, bluetooth, USB, SDHC... Runs linux like a champion... It's much more powerful, although I'd love to have the Psion's keyboard instead of current one. Or at least to have enter&space positioned in the middle for better thumbtyping. But that's another story.
The thing is my brother admirably still uses his Psion 5MX in these days for making webpages and things like that. And yesterday I showed the Pandora to him and he made this photo of his actual working desktop. That is my pandora running [topic='55812']Powder[/topic]. Seems like my brother's mini keyboard is the perfect companion to the Pandora :lol: .
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