27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
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Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
#2I 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.)
Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
#3I'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.
Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
#4I used to be a heavy user of my Psion Revo back in the 2000s. It had a highly usable full-featured office suite, and I truly used it as a laptop replacement at the time. I was able to touch-type my university course on it, and it could even fit a shirt front pocket. Honestly, the only thing that quickly made it obsolete was the lack of network connectivity (limited to infrared). It's still one of the computing devices for which I have the fondest memories.
Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
#5I 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.
Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
#6I 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.)
The Era of the PDA was completely different and IMHO superior era to today's hyperconnected smartphones.
Yes, today's iPhones and Android devices do much much more, but the devices of older days were much more polished, to the point and streamlined.
iPhone is a great evolution of Palm hardware and design philosophy, but the gamification kills most applications, and oh, the notifications too. Glad that most of the useless notifications are turned off, so I can get some battery life and my attention back.
Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
#7I 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.
A high quality screen is much cheaper to design and build than a high quality keyboard, that's why.
Also half of the people buying these devices are buying for the show. This is why MacBooks are still called $2000 Facebook Machine sometimes.
Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
#8I 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.
A high quality screen is much cheaper to design and build than a high quality keyboard, that's why. Also half of the people buying these devices are buying for the show. This is why MacBooks are still called $2000 Facebook Machine sometimes.
You're wrong about Macbooks. They're $2000 Reddit machines now.
Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
#9I loved my 3a - which followed my Nokia communicator, which replaced my cassiopeia, none of which I actually really used lol... The 3a held the most promise with it's built in basic language... looking back I wish I had just enjoyed it more rather than being tied up in the illusion of the dot com boom. Thanks for the nostalgia!
Re: 27 years later and the Psion 3a is still wonderful (2020)
#10I 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.
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