The Geofox One - In Depth



Introduction
The Geofox appeared late last year as the other machine using the EPOC32 operating system, and I have been longing to have a look at one ever since. Early in February, a 16 Mb Geofox One arrived on loan, and I've been using it instead of my Series 5 since then. I must thank Geofox for taking the initiative in approaching Archive with the offer of a machine, and for all the help they've provided. As you'll see, Geofox are very interested in, and aware of, the Acorn market, and that's something to welcome.

What Do You Get?
As well as the machine itself, you get two CDs of support software, and various bits of documentation. One of the CDs contains a rebadged version of PsiWin, called EPOC Connect, and the other has backup copies of the Message Suite and the other pre-loaded software. Geofox supply the machines with batteries fitted, the clock set, and the Message Suite already installed, which is one of the many "Value Added" aspects of their service over the Psion alternative. One comment about the CD of Message Suite and Modem files is that the disc name includes a RISC OS "illegal" character, meaning that the CD cannot be read without resorting to a PC. It's a measure of the approach of Geofox to their customers that when I reported this I was told that they weren't aware of the problem, but would correct it with the next release of the software in April.

Update: I've subsequently discovered that the original CD can be read with the latest version (1·55) of CDFix, which you can download from the link here. The most recent Geofox CD doesn't need this, but unfortunately does something very weird to the filer display, meaning you have to resort to a PC to get the Message Suite off it.


A Chess Display on the Larger Screen

The machine also has Purple Software's excellent Chess, and a cut-down version of EnRoute in ROM. The latter only includes medium resolution maps of the British Isles and the USA, but the level of detail is good enough for general route finding.

It's difficult for a Series 5 user to come up with an impartial assessment of the Geofox One without comparing it to the Psion machine, and I suppose that you might want help in deciding which one to buy (as none of the other handhelds have a RISC OS file transfer application), so I'll try to give you a flavour of the machine as a whole.

Size
It's a bit bigger than the S5 so it won't easily fit in my shirt pocket (my favoured way of carrying the Psion), and only just fits in my trouser pocket. It is slimmer than the S5, and feels comfortable to carry in the hand like a small notebook. I imagine most people would routinely carry it in a briefcase or handbag rather than a pocket.

Screen
The screen is wonderfully large and clear at 640 x 320 pixels and 153 x 76 mm, which is 80 pixels deeper than the 134 x 50 mm screen of the S5. That translates into more of a document, spreadsheet, or Web page visible at any one time.


A Spreadsheet on the Series 5

In fact the combination of more pixels and a screen that is larger pro-rata gives even more on show at a time at the same zoom level. The screenshot above shows a Sheet file on the S5, and that reveals six more lines of the same file when opened on the Geofox One.


The Same File on the Geofox One

The screen is clearer because of the lack of the touch sensitivity, and really is superb. One of the selling points of the machine is claimed to be its use for mobile communications, and email and Web browsing are much more comfortable thanks to being able to see more at a time.


A Web page on the S5...


...And on the Geofox One

It has to be the main attraction and makes my S5 screen feel very cramped in comparison! The backlight is a gentle blue instead of the S5's green, and whines very slightly rather than buzzing. It is actually a dual-level one, and can be set to be much brighter when on mains power. Battery life is a bit shorter than for the S5, thanks to the bigger screen drawing more current. Geofox suggest 25 hrs max. against the S5's 35 hrs max. but as with the S5, it depends on how much you use sound, the serial link, Infra Red transfers and backlight. With heavy use of all, and little use of the mains adaptor, I got 10 hours with my first set (and not much more from my S5 under those conditions), but am now being more circumspect. I'm getting an average current of around 93 mA instead of the 65 mA my S5 comes in at.

Most S5 third-party software works, with some applications (e.g. Grapher, Mapper, S5Zip, VReader5, Plan, etc.) using the full screen. Others (e.g. Procyon, DP5Bank, and lots more) run in the top portion of the screen with a lot of blank space in the 80 pixels below. Some applications behave oddly from time to time, but I'm starting to talk to the authors to let them know (if they don't already).

There's a few patches on the Geofox Web site that I've loaded onto the machine to correct some known bugs (e.g. it does a soft reset if it goes into a 16 colour mode unless the right patch is there). I'd recommend their Web site as a good one for Psion owners too, as there's some useful information on application keystrokes, tips to maximise battery life, etc.

Keyboard
The keyboard has more keys, with less need to use the "Fn" key to access common punctuation marks and calculator functions. That is a particular delight compared to the S5, and having both the hyphen and apostrophe available with a single keypress is a boon to anyone who writes a lot. I find the keyboard is not quite as easy to type on as the S5, but much better than the S3a as there's more room and a better response from the keys. I very quickly got used to it, and now feel very comfortable with it apart from a few reservations:

The standard S3 and S5 technique of "thumb typing" while holding the machine in both hands is possible, but not very comfortable. It helps to put it on a table or lap if possible, and the fact that the screen can be positioned at any angle (even folded flat) is very handy in finding a good reading position. The base of the machine is quite slippery and a little uneven, so it does move around a little on a hard surface, but not too badly. Nevertheless some rubber feet would help, as indeed a bit more weight at the front of the keyboard would help increase the machine's stability when used on the lap. No sooner had I mentioned this to Geofox than a set of rubber feet arrived for me to attach to the machine!

The "mouse pad" takes more getting used to, and I think the S5 touch screen has "spoiled" me for that, as I keep having to resist the temptation to tap the screen. I'm learning the keystrokes rather quicker than I did with the S5! You can adjust the "mouse" speed from the Control Panel, but I find even on maximum that I can't easily get the pointer from one side of the screen to the other. I also find the pointer hard to locate at times as it almost disappears against a dark background, such as a large passage of highlighted text. It isn't as quick or convenient as a touch screen, but the increased screen clarity of the Geofox One is well worth that sacrifice. I certainly wouldn't consider making any serious use of Sketch or some of the more pen-based games with the pad, but you should remember that lots of laptops use exactly the same system. The keys beneath the pad are small, but fairly easy to use in conjunction with the pad. I'd prefer a little more room between them, the pad, and the main keys, but if all these little desires were satisfied, the machine would get bigger and bigger.

I have two other minor niggles:

Summary
The Geofox is aimed at a different market to the Series 5, being billed as a laptop alternative for business travellers. The large screen and use of the "mouse pad" instead of pen are understandable choices for folk who are moving from a laptop. The PCMCIA slot means you can use a modem card or a CompactFlash disc with a suitable adaptor. The modem will drain the batteries in less than 30 minutes, so normally it is disabled unless on mains (but you can override that). As the mains adaptor comes with the modem models, and is a multi-voltage one with different "heads" for UK, US and mainland Europe, that isn't too much of a restriction. You can also use a desktop modem connected to the other serial port, as with the S5. It's an interesting machine, and well worth considering in its own right. If the modem card, wonderful screen, and excellent support (Geofox give a three year hardware guarantee and lifetime technical help) attract you, and you wouldn't mind sacrificing the touch screen of the S5 for the greater clarity, then it could be for you. Alternatively, the larger size, shorter battery life, lack of touch screen and rubbery keys might make you choose the Series 5 instead. If only the keys of the S5 could be grafted onto the Geofox One, and the screen retain its clarity but be touch-sensitive, there'd be no decision to make!

What do I think? I think it's great - better than the Series 5 in many ways, and excellent value for money (especially now the prices have just dropped).

How to Get One
If you want to buy one, Geofox sell direct via mail order, and CJE Micro's have recently become a Geofox dealer. The 16 Mb Professional version retails for £570, including mains adaptor and modem, or £410 on its own. There is a 4 Mb model for £35 less, but I'd strongly recommend going for the 16 Mb one instead, as you can't add more on-board memory after purchase.

Geofox are at

140, Cambridge Science Park,
Milton Road, Cambridge,
CB4 4GF
email support@geofox.com
telephone 01223 425444.
They have kindly agreed to let Archive hang onto the review machine as a service to subscribers. Consequently I'm very happy to try to answer any questions from people thinking of buying one, and pass on any hints you may have on either EPOC32 machine.

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