- Personal computers - old & new.

- Re: PsiXPda and Nokia E60 as modem

- eInk

- Synchronising Agenda & Outlook (Office 2003)

- Re: Nokia Phones & E90

- What we will be using???

- Using Windows in our future???

- Rollable Displays,

- problem loading programs

Date: 20 Feb 2007 23:18:22 +0100
From: Alan Morris <address truncated>
Subject: Personal computers - old & new.

} From: Chris Handley

} I think Ewan Spencer (who wrote the article) must have very
} different demands to many (ex) Psion owners, because there is
} no way that an E90 is going to suite some of them, whatever he says:

This does not surprise me.  I think Ewan is some oddity, especially when
he expects a computer to still work after crashing a motorbike with one!

} Sure there are LOTS of pluses, like an excellent MP3 player,

If I wanted MP3, I'd buy an MP3 player!

} great video playback,

I'd use one of my TVs, with a screen big enough to see!

} From: Chris Handley

} But I would still rather have OPL than nothing at all !

Agreed.

} The idea is that it will convert my AmigaE code into whatever
} programming language I have available, whether it be OPL, C++
} or whatever

Is that on an old CBM Amiga?  I had an Amiga B2000, which I used with a
TV sync generator to produce TV displays, but never had the need to
program it.

When The first 16 bit PCs arrived, I still programmed on a PET and
transferred it to run.  ( I wrote a line by line converter.)  Even today
M$ Word can't do some of the things I did on the PET wordprocessor!

} From: David Steer \(Plus\) <address truncated>

} I once (and still do) owned a Commodore 64 - it, along with
} the ZX Spectrum started a revolution, so did Psion.

Before a year had passed, I bought one of the first personal computers,
a CBM PET 2001 with 8K of memory.  I've still got it and three other CBM
PETs including the last 96K version.  I've also still got the VIC-20
that came before the C-64.  (Incidentally all are having to go as
storage is now too expensive, so if you know anyone who wants them with
box fulls of software, manuals, tape decks, disk drives and service test
equipment, then e-mail me.)

I never leant C as with BASIC and ASSY, I could do anything better and
faster.  I found OPL ideal, but missed the ability to call the OS at
times.

} Us Psion users are looking for a laptop replacement and that
} means we need to be able to type on it and really type.  The
} idea of carrying around a powerful Phone and a separate good
} keyboard kind of kills the device convergence game for me.

So true.

Unfortunately, there will never be a true Psion replacement.  Psions
were made to do a job.  Now products are made to appear to do a job, but
frequently fail.

Alan.

Date: 21 Feb 2007 00:26:28 +0100
From: Austin
Subject: Re: PsiXPda and Nokia E60 as modem

To: "Cozzani Franco"
Subject: question PsiXPda

>>Does anyone have experience with the POS Ltd-produced PsiXPda?

I got a 32MB Psion MX Pro, from Clove.co.uk re-manufactured with new original Psion parts by their "Authorised Repair Centre" - whoever that is. I see that the model they now sell, whilst identical to mine cannot retain its stylus - presumably they have run out of the relevant part.

I got mine just over a year ago and, apart from dropping it, which necessitated a hard reset and full restore :< it has been great, better than the old 5mx I now keep as a spare after it was repaired and has now been used so much that the lid hinge is now cracked.

I would go for it, either from Clove or, if the POS version doesn't have the stylus problem, from them.  I see that there is a significant difference in price!

The only note of caution - when I ordered mine it took 3 months to be "assembled and delivered" - much longer than they initially suggested, so check with the "manufacturer" before you order!

----------------
To: Fotograf Anders Henriksen
Subject: Nokia E60 as modem

>>Wow, it's working :-)
Thanks to Austin.

I'm absolutely delighted that you've managed to make your phone work as a modem with my help.  Well done!

Best wishes
Austin

--

Date: 21 Feb 2007 11:15:35 +0100
From: Bernard Hill <address truncated>
Subject: eInk

In message <zSXqnSKW8WpQ.vPwhVBPd@smtp.mail.dk>, The Digest <address truncated> writes

>From: Mike Dyer <address truncated>
>Subject: Rollable Displays

>Hi all,

>perhaps rollable displays will solve the small phone / large display dilemma.
>According to Brighthand.com such a phone is shortly to be released.

>http://tinyurl.com/ypzeom


I think it says it uses e-Ink as the display means. I've just bought an
eInk device, a Sony Reader (for eBooks) and the screen is VERY
impressive. The clarity is just like black ink on paper. Any eye-strain
is minimal since it's not illuminated - again, it looks and behaves just
like ink on paper. The interesting thing is that it uses no power while
it's displaying, just uses power to change the display. And for my
Reader Sony reckon 7500 page turns from their A5-size display on their
Li batteries. I've certainly not recharged mine yet after several
hundred page-turns.

The downside at the moment is that the screen does a black-white
inversion to erase which looks a bit odd but you get used to it. I
*think* it's superimposing the negative image in order to wipe the
screen before re-drawing a new screen.

The Reader doesn't flex so the issue of bendy does not come into it.

Anyway if it's eInk, then I will be considering it.
--
Bernard Hill
Braeburn Software
Author of Music Publisher system
Music Software written by musicians for musicians
http://www.braeburn.co.uk
Selkirk, Scotland

Date: 21 Feb 2007 15:24:08 +0100
From: Karl Wagner <address truncated>
Subject: Synchronising Agenda & Outlook (Office 2003)

I wonder how Gary is doing with that sync problem of his.

  Karl

---------------------------------

Date: 21 Feb 2007 19:17:26 +0100
From: Mike Dyer <address truncated>
Subject: Re: Nokia Phones & E90

Date: 17 Feb 2007 13:31:54 +0100
From: Steve <address truncated>
Subject: Nokia Phones & E90

Hi there,

I have been reading with some interest about the E90 phones etc, as I am thinking about replacing my Nokia 6230i phone.
The main reason for replacing is that the screen on the 6230i is small (and I am nearer 60 that 50 years old !) and I would like something a little better all round really !

What I wouldn't really use it for :-
* Phone calls (most of my use is 99% texts !)
* email : nice to have as a feature, but I have no emails that urgent now ! Any comments/thoughts from anyone would be appreciated !

Kindest Regards,

Steve Denney

------------

Hi Steve,

I'd strongly suggest you get a phone with a qwerty thumboard if you're into texting and email.

Look at the success of the Blackberry for instance, sometimes nicknamed the 'Crackberry' as it's so addictive.

I love my Treo, though there's some interesting mobiles coming out soon, have you seen the HTC S710 ?

http://tinyurl.com/2jjlqh

Regards,

Mike Dyer.

Date: 22 Feb 2007 11:42:38 +0100
From: "Cozzani Franco" <address truncated>
Subject: What we will be using???

Hello everybody.

David Steer wrote, concerning the exchange on the new Nokia E90:

"Still, one day, our Psions will die and we will all be using 7inch HTCs
Or Windows Vista UMPCs!  Because, lets face it - size does matter!  And
as We get older and our eyesight does down hill, a crisp clear sun proof
screen on 2 inches just doesn't cut it!"

Sorry David, I just cannot let this one go!

Using only Windows?? Over my dead body! This is what I will be using as
of next year:
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2500

Scroll the article down, I do not mean the 10-yrs old model, I mean the
new mini Macbook Pro being dreamed/discussed.
And concerning our eyes getting old... the large icons in the dock in
OSX (that you can make smaller or bigger, and you have the magnifying
effect by scrolling over them. Try using windows (XP) on a small screen
and you understand what I mean.



I have been repeated this over and over (and will keep doing so):

Psions like the 5mx are unmatched in a number of areas: I am still
amazed at the OS functionality and size vs capability of my battered
MC218, and I am still using it! It is my "Robinson Crusoe" machine.
Unmatched!



But Windows is not the only alternative to Psion computing
(Communicators like the new E90 are another thing, I will post shortly
on that) and:

Macs + OSX are much better for everything that you do with Windows. Now
that you can also run Windows on Intel Macs, you can also use "that"
application which does not exist for the Mac.

But, with a smallish Apple laptop, you do discover that some of the
magic in using Psions is still there. Only better.



Kind regards,





Franco COZZANI
Brussels

Date: 22 Feb 2007 11:49:35 +0100
From: "Cozzani Franco" <address truncated>
Subject: Using Windows in our future???

Hello everybody,



Further to my previous posting on the subject, have a look at the first
part of this article.



http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2513



Kind regards,



Franco COZZANI

Brussels

Date: 22 Feb 2007 12:35:46 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman <address truncated>
Subject: Rollable Displays,

Answer to: Mike Dyer

Re.: Rollable Displays - The idea is great but do we really want to go back to greyscale screens (for those that still use a 5MX / Revo  it is no difference of course). Why not project the screen onto a wall, that would be fun !?

Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK

Date: 23 Feb 2007 11:48:50 +0100
From: "Cozzani Franco" <address truncated>
Subject: problem loading programs

Hello everybody.



I am trying to install apps on the D drive of my MC218 (clone to the
5mx), using a Sandisk CF card of 512 MB, and I get error messages with
all of them when I try to run them (they apparently installed in the
extras menu just fine).

These same apps worked in the past, when installed on the C drive, and I
tested one (Solun) on the D drive a couple of days ago, using an old 32
MB card.

The 512 card works otherwise fine with folders and files, and moving
files back and forth with a Win PC running XP.

I am running PsiWin vers. 2.3.3.



Any clue, please?



Thanks, F



Franco COZZANI
Brussels