Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

mcgst.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 289 posts

Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

#51

Post by ndsipa_pomu »

regularfry wrote: post #28
atdrummond wrote: post #2

I loved my Psions. I truly miss having a smaller form factor computer. If I could possibly an iPhone with an attached physical keyboard, I’m certain that I could do a huge amount of work that I presently do with my laptop. (I know I can get an external keyboard but there’s something far more useful and satisfying about a properly integrated device.)

There do exist things like the Gemini and the Astro Slide, which I've always looked at as a potential replacement, but they always seem to just miss the mark. The closest I've come to the same sort of experience was the Nokia N900, which was remarkable in a lot of ways.

I'm still waiting for delivery on the Astro Slide after ordering it over a year ago. As it was on IndieGogo, I can't even get my money back.

Probably best to avoid Planet Computers - they lie about availability and delivery dates.

Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

#53

Post by oliwarner »

stavros wrote: post #50
oliwarner wrote: post #49

Lots of focus on the hardware here but its form factor still exists in niches. What has vanished, is our ability to do general-purpose computing at ~8MHz. Consider the computers you had in the 90s. Windows 3.11 and Office ran on a 286 but I sit here with 12 cores at ~4Ghz just to post this crumby comment. We are spoilt. It really makes me yearn to do more with less.

I think that looking at it from a MHz standpoint is a red herring. How many things can you do per watt now, than you could per watt then?

And power consumption is a —among other things— a function of transistor size and process. A lot has changed in 30 years, but our methods of programming these things has veered towards incredible wastefulness.

Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

#54

Post by sufehmi »

msh wrote: post #18
tobiasbischoff wrote: post #5

I will never understand why we do not have this kind of device anymore. A small computer, running linux, proper keyboard, integrated LTE - it would be a messaging and writing dream. Back in the days i developed custom software for the Revo, the SDK was a dream to work with as well.

You can still have it. You can order one at https://store.planetcom.co.uk Comes preinstalled with android, but you can load linux on them instead if you so wish.

Don't

Mine is now have its hinge broken.

Also its battery is almost dead, have emailed Planet asking for replacement (and how much) - and have been ignored for WEEKS. Looking at online forums, some have been ignored for MONTHS.

Keyboard feels very sloppy. And some of them must be pressed very hard - while others register multiple clicks even when touched very lightly.

Forget about the camera - it sucks so bad compared to even a cheap chinese smartphone. Just use it to scan QR codes at most, and even that it have problems from time to time.

And so on, so on.

Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

#55

Post by coldtea »

stavros wrote: post #50
oliwarner wrote: post #49

Lots of focus on the hardware here but its form factor still exists in niches. What has vanished, is our ability to do general-purpose computing at ~8MHz. Consider the computers you had in the 90s. Windows 3.11 and Office ran on a 286 but I sit here with 12 cores at ~4Ghz just to post this crumby comment. We are spoilt. It really makes me yearn to do more with less.

I think that looking at it from a MHz standpoint is a red herring. How many things can you do per watt now, than you could per watt then?

Better ask, how many things you could do per watt now, if software had that era's leanness?

Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

#56

Post by meindnoch »

tobiasbischoff wrote: post #5

I will never understand why we do not have this kind of device anymore. A small computer, running linux, proper keyboard, integrated LTE - it would be a messaging and writing dream. Back in the days i developed custom software for the Revo, the SDK was a dream to work with as well.

It wouldn't be able to cope with Electron. Or the "modern" Web in general.

Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

#57

Post by coldtea »

bayindirh wrote: post #15
ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're wrong about Macbooks. They're $2000 Reddit machines now.

Thanks! Oh, looks like I'm old now. :c

Reddit is for old geezers, so I doubt any of the above answers is in any way in touch with 2023.

And I'm not sure who calls Macbooks "$2000 Facebook machines". That sounds like the ancient DOS era bs that "Macs are toys" (funny, the PC ended getting all the gamers and meat-and-potatoes OS needs, i.e. email+web, older people).

In the west, where they can afford it, a huge chunk of programmers, graphic designers, data analysts, video editors, musicians, writers, etc use Macbooks, disproportionally more so than the general public's share of macOS, or the share of those professions on Linux).

Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

#58

Post by jagged-chisel »

gawrex wrote: post #20
jxf wrote: post #3

I've never had a Psion, but as I've become a dad, I've wished for devices for digital literacy that weren't tablets or phones. Something dumb with a dictionary, encyclopedia, calendar, an editor, and a few games, and physical keyboard is a great, safe introduction to the digital world.

You should check out uConsole [1] from ClockworkPI. It still has WiFi, but you can probably disable it. [1] https://www.clockworkpi.com/product-page/uconsole-kit-rpi-cm...

It’s a Linux system. You can definitely disable anything you want.

(The current question is whether the uConsole ever ship)

Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

#59

Post by teruakohatu »

gawrex wrote: post #20
jxf wrote: post #3

I've never had a Psion, but as I've become a dad, I've wished for devices for digital literacy that weren't tablets or phones. Something dumb with a dictionary, encyclopedia, calendar, an editor, and a few games, and physical keyboard is a great, safe introduction to the digital world.

You should check out uConsole [1] from ClockworkPI. It still has WiFi, but you can probably disable it. [1] https://www.clockworkpi.com/product-page/uconsole-kit-rpi-cm...

This device seems too good to be true. Have they shipped any?

Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)

#60

Post by kalleboo »

tobiasbischoff wrote: post #5

I will never understand why we do not have this kind of device anymore. A small computer, running linux, proper keyboard, integrated LTE - it would be a messaging and writing dream. Back in the days i developed custom software for the Revo, the SDK was a dream to work with as well.

Most people think - if I'm already carrying a smartphone carrying a second computer seems like overkill. If you want a better keyboard just get a Bluetooth one.
Post reply on HN