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Psion already do make a StrongArm based sub-notebook. It's called either the NetBook or Series 7 depending on which configuration you order.

There is a project underway to get Linux running on these machines also but I can't find the URL for it at the moment.

Psion already do make a StrongArm based sub-notebook. It's called either the NetBook or Series 7 depending on which configuration you order.

There is a project underway to get Linux running on these machines also but I can't find the URL for it at the moment.

Psion already do make a StrongArm based sub-notebook. It's called either the NetBook or Series 7 depending on which configuration you order.

There is a project underway to get Linux running on these machines also but I can't find the URL for it at the moment.

Check out the Psion Series 7 or Netbook (The Netbook is, AFAIK, pretty much just a slightly faster Series 7 with a customisable Flash Card ROM for the OS and business-specific apps instead of the standard EPOC32 applications ROM.)

Netbook: 190MHz StrongARM with 32/64MByte RAM...
Series 7: 133 MHz StrongARM with 16/32 MByte RAM..

Personally, I have a Series 5 mx, that's a 16-greyscale model with a 36MHz ARM chip and 16Mbyte RAM. Runs off two AA batteries (and, with my usage patterns, these last weeks.)

Check out the Psion Series 7 or Netbook (The Netbook is, AFAIK, pretty much just a slightly faster Series 7 with a customisable Flash Card ROM for the OS and business-specific apps instead of the standard EPOC32 applications ROM.)

Netbook: 190MHz StrongARM with 32/64MByte RAM...
Series 7: 133 MHz StrongARM with 16/32 MByte RAM..

Personally, I have a Series 5 mx, that's a 16-greyscale model with a 36MHz ARM chip and 16Mbyte RAM. Runs off two AA batteries (and, with my usage patterns, these last weeks.)

Actually, the netbook is cute enough on its own that I think I'll keep it even if I end up using the proprietary OS that comes with it.

No reason not to *try* to run Linux on everything. Or to get a Merlin wireless card to work on a Psion or, failing that, through an analog cellular phone...

This is the kind of thing that makes life fun!

- Robin

It seems to me that Slashdot is heavy on Palm/Transmeta/Linux news but very short on information from the Symbian group (Nokia, Ericsson, Psion et al). They've been developing WAP enabled devices based on the highly succesful and robust EPOC operating system for quite some time now.

Its interesting news to see Linux moving into a new area but in this sort of arena the current leaders live on the other side of the Atlantic, check out Symbian or Psion and A release from Nokia for an overview on the reasons for Symbian and the Bluetooth initative.

Yea.that w/not a flame epoc is a really nice os..(though i wish the dev tools were free -or- cheaper).. my psion 3a just crocked.. and imo it was as good as the palm 3 series.. minus the size of course.. The new Psion Revo is only a tad larger then the palm 3 and his a bright (not backlite) b/w lcd screen.. http://www.psion.com/revo
http://www.pdabuzz.com/Reviews/Psion ~Revo.html

Palm has a huge momentum in the US, and in Europe there's no doubt that Symbian will rule the smartphone and handheld market completely. Looking at their website they have special made versions of the OS for many screen sizes and devices. It's only a question of _when_ those things will appear on the market. To get a brief hint on what's to come, look at how many awars the Psion Revo has won!

It will be very interesting to see an OS not really made to work on small devices compete in this arena. WinCE failed badly - PalmOS is doing quite well even though it's hardly a real OS, and the Symbian OS has been tailor made by first Psion and now Symbian since many many years for exactly this ...

Yeah, I have devices with WinCE, PalmOS and the Symbian OS ;) The MC218 (by Ericsson) is the one I use for my daily work ...

On the subject of keyboards - the best keyboard on any small-enough-to-be-useful PDA I've seen is the psion 5mx keyboard. I use mine a lot for telnetting into my PC. It's quite pleasant to touch type on, and at my normal usage levels, the psion (36MHz ARM 710 CPU) batteries last for ages.

How about the Psion series 7. This would seem to meet your requirements.

Hmm... I wonder how "mobile linux" will stack up against EPOC32, which is a pretty good OS for palmtops?

Also, this processor could be pretty cool for running the tao virtual machine that amiga are using for their network environment - remember, amiga have already said they're going to run stuff on top of linux in palmtops.

Sounds like you need a Psion 5mx

Have you ever seen a Psion 5mx? It's OPL programming language is pretty powerful, it's giot a Java VM, and there's a Perl port. Coding directly on the psion is definitely an option for non-speed critical applications (for speedy applications, you use a C++ cross-compiler). It's even kinda fun, like programming the Amiga used to be. However, the EPOC32 default text editor is pretty poor. Emacs is a bit heavywieght, granted, but Vim or XWPE would be pretty good.

They're wonderful. EPOC32 is one of the best OSes around today. And, since they have keyboards, they make fine dumb terminals for when your prerelease X server crashes...

www.psion.com

Psions are available from www.psion.com

The 5mx is very nice. The 7 is great (color), but difficult to get hold of as yet. The Revo is a bit sad compared to the 5mx, but is cheaper, and would do as a dumb terminal.

Note that the psion also has an IrDA connection.
This means that, in Europe at least, if you're a sysadmin, one fun thing to do is hookup up a modem to your server, and run a mgetty on it. You can then use any GSM mobile phone with an IR-port (most of the nokia range) to bring up a login shell from your server on your psion no matter where you are in Europe. Also, the server can call you if it detects trouble brewing, and ask you politely to initiate a data connection...Very cool - and a psion and mobile phone fit easily in your jacket pocket (and my trouser pocket- but I've got big trousers)

Give me a Psion anytime.

consider a psion 5mx www.psion.com

they've got the best keyboards of any palmtop, 16MB ram, RS232 and IR ports, 36 MHz ARM CPU, preemptive multitasking EPOC32 OS, tcp stack (telnet clients, ftp etc. are available) - they come with a (good) web browser, including a Java 1.1 VM.

software
here
or here
Developer info here

Take a look at psion's web site for more information.. then take a look at pricewatch to find it cheap. Good luck!

Yes, colour LCDs are getting their chance now that they're actually useable (anyone looked at an old 386 laptop recently?)

The Psion series 7 is available now as a larger version of the Series 5 with full colour as well.

I'm not actually that big on the difference between colour and grayscale on a handheld (coming from someone who owns a Messagepad), but as they get cheaper, it'll be nice for the sake of what we'll be doing with them.

For the sake of browsing the web, etc. though, I'd still rather be using a Psion type machine than a Palm although a Palm is definately better for "in your pocket" quickly writing in an appointment.

- Michael T. Babcock <homepage>

Actually Psion's 5 & 7 range both support CF disks. Psion uses their own OS, called EPOC, and this OS is supported by most of the mobile phone manufacturers through an aliance called Symbian

It will be released at the end of the month. That's not too far away, and this certainly can't be considered vapourware.

As for the MicroDrive, the S7 has a CFII slot - although the specs don't specifically say that it won't support the MD, the netBook ones do, and it's basically the same machine. I can't imagine that Psion would remove that functionality.

More specs: [ Series 7 ] [ netBook ].

It will be released at the end of the month. That's not too far away, and this certainly can't be considered vapourware.

As for the MicroDrive, the S7 has a CFII slot - although the specs don't specifically say that it won't support the MD, the netBook ones do, and it's basically the same machine. I can't imagine that Psion would remove that functionality.

More specs: [ Series 7 ] [ netBook ].

Series 7

netBook

Jon.

Series 7

netBook

Jon.

ok linux gurus - how does this compare to the current state of the project to get linux working on a Psion 5 (http://www.calcaria.net/)? They've had a kernal running for a few months now. With the new Psion netBook (StrongArm 190Mhz, 64mb RAM, colour screen) due any day now, this may be the best bet for an instant-on, ultra-portable, long battery life linux protable.

ok linux gurus - how does this compare to the current state of the project to get linux working on a Psion 5 (http://www.calcaria.net/)? They've had a kernal running for a few months now. With the new Psion netBook (StrongArm 190Mhz, 64mb RAM, colour screen) due any day now, this may be the best bet for an instant-on, ultra-portable, long battery life linux system.

can't wait for this baby to hit the shelves.

See also Psion's own press release and website for the 5mx.

Regards, Ralph.