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Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
From: [e-mail] (Daniel `HB9VBC' Pfund)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.psion.announce,comp.sys.palmtops,comp.answers,news.answers
Subject: PSION Series 3/3a palmtop FAQ part 1/6
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Date: 7 Aug 1997 10:13:46 GMT
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Summary: This article is a collection of information on the Psion
         Series 3(a) palmtop computers. It should be read by anyone
         intending to post to the comp.sys.psion.* newsgroups.
X-Last-Updated: 1997/05/29
Originator: [e-mail]
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Archive-name: palmtops/psion/series3/part1
Version: $VER: Psion FAQ v2.6 (Jun 1997)
Posting-Frequency: monthly
URL: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/faq.htm

             PSION SERIES 3/3a FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

                       Original author: Chris Wesley
                  Actual author & maintainer: Daniel Pfund

                                Jun97 - v2.6

   Welcome to the FAQ for the comp.sys.psion.* Usenet hierarchy. Find the
   contents table below. Questions and constructive comments are welcome.
   Send them to me at: [e-mail]

   IMPORTANT NOTE: this article does not contain any software infos on
   the Series 3c or the Siena. I will NOT include specific informations
   concerning these new machines (except hardware stuff). Maybe there
   will be a Series3c/Siena FAQ written by someone else in the future?
     _________________________________________________________________

   -CHANGE-Indicates a change since last version
   - NEW! -Indicates an addition since last version
     _________________________________________________________________

Contents

   part 1


          I. DISCLAIMER
          II. CREDITS
          III. COPYRIGHT
          IV. FAQ UPDATES
          V. WHERE CAN I GET THIS FAQ?
          VI. NEWSGROUP NETIQUETTE

  1. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION


          1.1 What is the Psion Series 3/3a?
          1.2 Which model should I buy?
          -CHANGE-1.3 When will the "new" Psion come out?
          -CHANGE-1.4 What other machines does Psion make?
          1.5 What other palmtop alternatives are there?

   part 2


          - NEW! -1.6 Where can I purchase a Psion?
          1.7 How can I contact Psion?

  2. HARDWARE


          2.1 Hardware specifications
          2.2 What batteries does the Psion use?
          2.3 How long do the batteries last?
          2.4 How does the Psion measure the battery usage?
          2.5 How can I make my batteries last longer?
          2.6 Can I use an external power supply?
          2.7 Can I upgrade my Solid State Disk (SSD)?
          2.8 Can I upgrade my internal RAM?
          2.9 Can I change the keyboard?
          2.10 Can I use a big (normal) keyboard?
          2.11 How can I build a serial link?
          2.12 How can I build a parallel link?
          2.13 What is this "soap on a rope" thing?
          2.14 How do I print with my Psion?
          2.15 Can I take my Psion through an X-Ray machine?
          2.16 Can my Psion wipe out magnetic data?

  3. SOFTWARE


          3.1 How do I reset my Psion?
          3.2 What is killing a process?
          3.3 How can I save what's on the screen?
          3.4 What is the soak test?
          3.5 How can I find a text in my memos with Agenda?
          3.6 How can I make the cursor bigger?
          3.7 How can I take out the "hum" when I record sounds?
          3.8 How safe is password protection?
          3.9 How can I change the icon of a program?

   part 3


          3.10 How can I permanently change the distance units in World?
          3.11 Why do some programs crash with an "Invalid arguments"
          error?
          3.12 Why is my Psion not switching itself off automatically
          anymore?
          3.13 How can I change the fonts in the system applications?
          3.14 Is Perl ported to the Psion?
          3.15 How do I undelete a file if I've accidentaly deleted it?
          3.16 How can I synchronize my desktop agenda with my Psion's?

  4. TIPS & TRICKS FOR GENERAL USE


          4.1 Known hardware problems & solutions
          4.2 Known software problems & solutions
          4.3 Other official Psion repair centres
          4.4 User groups
          4.5 Online services
          4.6 Bulletin boards (BBSes)
          4.7 Magazines
          4.8 "Anti-thief" tips
          4.9 Lost/stolen Psions

  5. SHAREWARE AND FREEWARE


          5.1 Relevant FTP sites
          5.2 WWW internet sites
          5.3 Shareware for those without online access

   part 4

  6. CONNECTING YOUR PSION


          6.1 With an IBM or clone
          6.2 With an Amiga
          -CHANGE-6.3 With a UNIX machine
          6.4 With a Macintosh
          6.5 With an Atari
          6.6 With an Acorn Archimedes or Risc PC
          6.7 With a serial modem
          6.8 With a PCMCIA modem
          6.9 With a packet radio TNC
          6.10 With a cellular phone
          6.11 Via the IrDA port (3c/Siena)
          6.12 Terminal emulation
          6.13 TCP/IP stack

   part 5

  7. THE EMULATOR


          7.1 Limitations & bugs
          7.2 Tips & tricks
          7.3 Changing permanently the keyboard mapping

  8. PROGRAMMING


          8.1 Overview of development possibilities
          8.2 OPL programming directly on the Psion
          8.3 OPL programming from a PC
          8.4 C Development on PC
          8.5 Advanced C Development on a PC
          8.6 Available books
          8.7 How to do various things: tips & tricks

  A. SHAREWARE/FREEWARE AVAILABLE SOFTWARE


          A.1 Applications
          A.2 Games

   part 6

  B. COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SOFTWARE, SERVICES & ACCESSORIES


          B.1 Business & Legal
          B.2 Education
          B.3 Drawing, Leisure & Guides
          B.4 Navigation
          B.5 Communications & Utilities
          B.6 Diet, Health & Safety
          B.7 Time Management
          B.8 Mapping & Surveying
          B.9 Databases
          B.10 Services
          B.11 Books & Accessories

     _________________________________________________________________

  I. DISCLAIMER

   This article is provided "as is" without any express or implied
   warranties. While every effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy
   of the information contained in this article, neither the authors, the
   maintainer or the contributors will assume responsibility for errors
   or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information
   contained herein. This document is compiled in spare time for free,
   and I cannot resource thorough checking of all its contents. However,
   I am interested in making the FAQ as good as it can be, so your
   constructive feedback is welcome.

   This FAQ is not sponsored or endorsed by Psion PLC or any subsidary
   companies they may own in any way.

   This FAQ is *NOT* intended as a replacement of the User Guide which
   comes with each Psion. Be sure to read that first and - most important
   - please double read the manual and this FAQ before posting any
   questions to the comp.sys.psion.* hierarchy!

  II. CREDITS

   To create this document Chris (the original FAQ author) reviewed the
   Newsgroup activity of the old comp.sys.psion (it has split on the 19th
   of June 1996) group over some months, used that to generate a list of
   Frequently Asked Questions, used THAT to generate a FAQ structure,
   then populated it with extracted wisdom from the news traffic. So a
   lot of information here is provided by the newsgroup contributors, who
   are too numerous to credit individually. (Chris said "I'm just the
   clerk that put it all in one place.") Special thanks go to Markus
   Illenseer, who owned the first (Series 3) FAQ - from which Chris also
   extracted useful information. Chris also thanked Clive D.W. Feather,
   Daniel Senie, Roger Burton-West, for extensive helpful comments on his
   preliminary FAQ. I would like to thank Mark Gould and Jason Savage for
   their precious help and comments. Other contributors are credited in
   the sections they provided special help in compiling.

   If you have a question which is not answered in the actual FAQ, please
   Email it to me (Daniel Pfund, see address at the top of this FAQ),
   otherwise if you want more information from one specific section of
   this FAQ, please try to contact the author of that section first. All
   the Email addresses of people mentioned in this FAQ are listed here
   for convenience (in alphabetical order):

        Andrew Baldwin          [e-mail]
        Michael Baas            [e-mail]
        Daron M. Brewood        [e-mail]
        Roger Burton-West       [e-mail]
        Mark Chapman            [e-mail]
        Steve Clack             [e-mail]
        Nick Craig-Wood         [e-mail]
        Alban Debeaupuis        [e-mail]
        Mike Dolan              [e-mail]
        Tom Dolbilin            [e-mail]
        Paul DuBois             [e-mail]
        Clive D.W. Feather      [e-mail]
        Mark Gould              [e-mail]
        Roman Habrat            [e-mail]
        Steve Hawtin            [e-mail]
        Jochen Hollmann         [e-mail]
        Charlotte Holmquist     [e-mail]
        Markus Illenseer        [e-mail]
        Erik Johansen           [e-mail]
        Uwe Kallmeyer           [e-mail]
        Edwin Klement           [e-mail]
        Dan Ko                  [e-mail]
        Philippe Lebreton       [e-mail]
        Steve Litchfield        [e-mail]
        Neil Masson             [e-mail]
        Roger Muggleton         [e-mail]
        Blake Nancarrow         [e-mail]
        Daniel Pfund            [e-mail]
        Angus Rae               [e-mail]
        Dan Ramage              [e-mail]
        Alan Roberts            [e-mail]
        Konstantin I. Saliy     [e-mail]
        Jason Savage            [e-mail]
        Daniel Senie            [e-mail]
        Jochen Siegenthaler     [e-mail]
        Bruce Stephens          [e-mail]
        Toby Smith              [e-mail]
        Oliver Wagner           [e-mail]
        Lloyd Wasser            [e-mail]
        John A. Watson          [e-mail]
        Chris Wesley            [e-mail]
        Walter Wright           [e-mail]

   If you happen to change addresses or know the new address of someone
   on this list, please Email it to me, thanks!

  III. COPYRIGHT

   I assert copyright on this document. I encourage you to distribute it
   widely, but only in its complete and original form and if you do not
   make any money out of it.

  IV. FAQ UPDATES

   For the time being, I (Daniel) am the keeper of the FAQ. If you have
   comments or suggestions, corrections, or you have some information you
   want to see added or a request that I find some new answers, please
   let me know. Please contact me via the Email address at the top of the
   FAQ, or if that address doesn't work anymore (will stop working around
   the 20th of October 1997), then contact me at: [e-mail] which
   (should) work all the time by forwarding me my mail to my current
   account. If all else fails, do a web search on my name or check out my
   current homepage for more info at:
   http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/

  V. WHERE CAN I GET THIS FAQ?

   You're reading it aren't you? SAVE it :-). This FAQ is part of the
   "official" news.answers FAQs and is posted monthly to
   comp.sys.psion.announce and cross-posted to comp.sys.palmtops,
   comp.answers, and news.answers. If you don't have reliable Usenet
   access, you can also retrieve the FAQ by:

   FTP
          This article is archived at any site that archives
          news.answers.
          News.answers' main archive is at rtfm.mit.edu, and this article
          is available there via anonymous ftp in the directory
          /usenet/news.answers/psion-faq/partX
          Other news.answers FAQ archives are:

          + cnam.cnam.fr in the anonymous ftp directory /pub/FAQ
          + ftp.uu.net in the anonymous ftp directory /pub/usenet (also
            available via mail server requests to [e-mail], or
            via uunet's 1-900 anonymous UUCP phone number)
          + ftp.cs.ruu.nl in the anonymous ftp directory pub/NEWS.ANSWERS
            (also accessible via mail server requests to
            [e-mail]).


          You probably will find a location closer to you with the help
          of archie or some other search tool. Usually, the news.answers
          FAQs are held in a directory like
          "usenet/usenet-by-group/news.answers/" and you would be looking
          for the "psion-faq" subdirectory in there.

   EMail
          You can use the mailserver at rtfm: send a message containing
          the lines "send usenet/news.answers/psion-faq/*" to receive all
          parts or send a message containing "help" and "index" to
          [e-mail] for more information on how to obtain
          seperate parts.

   WWW
          There is a HTMLized version of this FAQ on my homepage at
          http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/faq.htm (Note that
          there is no "l" at the end of "htm", this is not a typo!)
          Please use this site for any reference from your own web pages
          because it is under my direct control and easily changeable. It
          contains links to all the Psion HTML FAQ mirrors available in
          the world as well as an archive file of both the text and the
          HTML versions of the FAQ for easy downloading and offline
          reading.
          There are also numerous WWW sites archiving all the
          news.answers FAQs. My favorite site is in Oxford at:
          http://www.lib.ox.ac.uk/internet/news/

   Please do NOT Email me or anybody else mentioned in this FAQ for the
   latest version. We simply cannot handle such matters effectively.

   If the date at the top of this FAQ is more than a couple months old,
   there is probably a new version available online.

   If you're interested to learn how I prepare this FAQ, you can check
   out my page about that at:
   http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/8130/howfaq.htm

  VI. NEWSGROUP NETIQUETTE

   I thought it might be useful to include a few words about using the
   comp.sys.psion.* newsgroup hierarchy. We get a steady trickle of
   transgressions and the ensuing admonishments. Maybe we can fix these
   before they happen in future. Egg-sucking grannies may skip this
   section. (Does that work outside the UK?)
    1. READ THE FRIENDLY MANUAL (RTFM) and then the FAQ before posting
       any questions! Remember that thes groups are here to help you out
       but only if the answer can't be found by yourself. Also remember
       that each time you're posting a question to the group, hundreds
       (if not thousands) of people will read your question. If the same
       questions come up again and again, people will just get bored and
       not answer anymore...
    2. DON'T BE RUDE. Obvious? Apparently not. Our newsgroup is an oasis
       of civilization in a sea of adolescent vitriol and worse. Let's
       keep it that way. Say it nicely or don't say it at all. If you
       need to be uncomfortably direct, do it in personal mail - don't
       post it.
    3. When responding to a post, most handlers will give you an edit pad
       with the original post inserted. Delete most of this, leaving only
       the part which will set the context for your reply. This is more
       effective communication, it cuts down on crud to scan through, and
       reduces phone bills for those that pay them.
    4. Official NETIQUETTE says you should not use the net for
       advertising, but the prevalent view here is that the current level
       of activity is useful without being obtrusive.
    5. Posting binaries is definitively not recommended in the
       comp.sys.psion.* usenet groups! There is a seperate Psion binaries
       group called comp.binaries.psion which is a moderated group. The
       moderator is Erik Johansen. If you wish to post to this group,
       either Email your binary directly to the news group's Email
       address: [e-mail] and it will arrive to the
       moderator or if your news program is configured correctly, post it
       directly to the group. You will receive a message in return
       usually in a laps of 2-3 days maximum to confirm your binary. It
       has been agreed that very large programs which are not Psion
       specific (ie: don't run directly on the Psion) should NOT be
       posted there but to the relevant computer group. But you should
       send a small message to the comp.binaries.psion group stating that
       you have just posted your program. It is also common practice to
       send a description of your binary; it helps to know if it's worth
       downloading it or not! Usually, this description has the same
       subject line but with part0(/x) suffix. All postings to this group
       have been archived and are indexed on the following FTP site:
       ftp.it.dtu.dk/pub/psion/index.html
    6. Consider whether you should be mailing or posting. PING-PONG
       personal dialogues may - or may not - be of interest to others. If
       not, please don't post.
    7. Post to the relevant newsgroup, and please don't cross-post!
       Here's a guide to help you:
          + comp.binaries.psion
            Used for ALL Psion binaries. Also used for large source code.
          + comp.sys.psion.announce
            Used for posting announcements about new programs/hardware;
            the FAQ is also posted to this group. This is a low volume
            group and it's moderated, that means that all postings must
            get approved first by the moderator (Michael L. Kaufman). If
            your news server does not send your post to the moderator
            (but they all do generally), you can send it yourself
            directly for approval at [e-mail].
          + comp.sys.psion.apps
            Used for posting questions/answers to all Psion related
            programs; frequented by all Psion programmers to get your
            feedback and ideas of course ;-)
          + comp.sys.psion.marketplace
            Used for selling/buying Psion articles
          + comp.sys.psion.misc
            Used for any subject which does not fall into one of the
            other categories...
          + comp.sys.psion.programmer
            Used for posting programming questions ( OPL / C / ... ), NOT
            programs!
          + comp.sys.psion.reviews
            Used for posting reviews about Psion programs/hardware. This
            group is also moderated by Michael L. Kaufman and again, if
            your news server is not set up correctly, you can also send
            your postings directly to him at [e-mail].

     _________________________________________________________________

1. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION

  1.1 What is the Psion Series 3/3a?

   I will describe the more advanced 3a here. Refer to the hardware
   section to see what you lose on the Series 3.

   The Psion Series 3 and 3a are palmtop computers. Though packaged as
   personal organisers, they are fully general, programmable, powerful
   computers. The quality of the built-in applications, coupled with the
   power saving hardware make Series 3's excellent personal organisers.
   The sophisticated operating system, the hardware, the built-in
   programming language, and the options to program in C and assembler
   make them excellent general-purpose computers, with the major benefits
   of compactness and battery endurance.

   Optional link facilities can connect the Series 3 to desktop machines,
   allowing data backup and access to the resources of the larger machine
   from the Series 3. Modems, fax modems, printers and other peripherals
   may also be connected via industry-standard serial and parallel
   interfaces.

   The built-in applications include a database manager, a sophisticated
   word processor, time manager, world date/time and dialling codes
   database, calculator and spreadsheet. The latest models (1Mb and 2Mb
   RAM models) also include the spell checker/thesaurus and a patience
   game (solitaire card game). Many other applications are available
   commercially and from shareware outlets. More details in the last part
   of this FAQ.

   The built-in OPL programming system provides a structured BASIC-like
   programming language with access to all the features of the machine.
   This includes the ability to program polished Windows/Icons/Menus
   interfaces like those found in the built-in applications.

   The sound interface can record and playback digital sound. DTMF
   dialling tones can be created which allow the Series 3a to dial
   numbers directly through a telephone.

  1.2 Which model should I buy?

   This question is really a personal matter. I would definitively
   suggest getting a Series3a (and not 3) because of the greater screen
   resolution. As for which memory model, this depends entirely of your
   needs and what you plan on doing with your Psion. In general, the more
   memory the better (and keep in mind also that the 1/2Mb models offer
   the spell checker/thesaurus and solitaire game which you might need).
   If you're reading this, you probably have access to Psion
   free/shareware also. You will see that these programs will quickly
   fill up your memory ;-) so I would suggest to get the biggest model
   (2Mb). If on the other hand, money is tight and you don't plan on
   using much more than the Agenda and the built-in apps, then I think a
   512k is big enough for you. As you can see, there is no simple
   solution to this answer!

  1.3 When will the "new" Psion come out?

   Good question... next please!

   Joke apart, nobody really knows. So please folks, just stop asking!
   Before the 3c was announced, people didn't expect a new Psion until
   1997, but Psion was 3 months early (just in time for Christmas,
   heh?!).

   The reason no one knew exactly is that Psion is quite relunctant to
   give such information simply because they've learned from the past
   (from Osborne computers to be more precise ;-) .

   Psion have formally announced that their will be new machines during
   the year 1997. By the time you read this, the new "Series 5" will
   probably be available as it has been rumoured to come out during June
   97. That will mean the end of this FAQ... as I'm sure the Series 5
   will be a must-have fantastic palmtop!

   People were hoping for Infrared comms (IrDa compliant), PCMCIA (most
   debated!), RISC (ARM 7100) 32bits, pen for navigation (but hopefully
   still a keyboard!), backlight ... You see that Psion have added most
   of these features into the 3c!

  1.4 What other machines does Psion make?

    1.4.1 WorkAbout

   This is the latest Psion machine. Very comparable to a Psion Series
   3a, it is more robust and has an A-Z keyboard for size reasons. One
   nice point: a back lit screen is present. Targeted at the vertical
   market, thus not so well known to the general public.

    1.4.2 Acorn Pocket Book (by Acorn)

   Re-badged Series 3a, aimed at education-related markets. Contains all
   the 3a applications, though named differently, plus a spell checker,
   thesaurus and a graph plotting application in a 2MB ROM. Password
   protection capability is removed. Costs about 20 GBP more than a 3a.

    1.4.3 Series 3

   The immediate predecessor to the Psion Series 3a is the Series 3. It
   is the same machine in size and concept, but is more limited in many
   respects. See the hardware comparison table in section 2a for a list
   of differences.

    1.4.4 Series 3c

   The immediate sucessor to the Psion Series3a; was launched 05Sep96
   (same time as the Siena). It has the following added features:
     * Infra Red connector for Psion to Psion or Psion to printer
       connections
     * RS232c internal connector for fast connections (upto 57k6)
     * Toggleable backlight screen (US model only?)
     * Data APP includes a table view and sort option
     * Agenda supports a month view (finally!)
     * Jotter application added
     * Calc application cosmetically changed
     * Sound editor included
     * Filer app (sort of File manager) with the much awaited "move"
       command ;-)
     * OVAL run time in ROM (for programmers)
     * Tips on startup a la MS
     * Optional add on synchronizers for Lotus Organizer and Schedule+
     * Optional self powered PC-CARD (PCMCIA) adapter

   But, it must also be noted that the 3c does NOT have the definitions
   in it's spelling checker/thesaurus application. Psion didn't have
   enough room in the ROM to keep them.

    1.4.5 Siena

   This is not really a palmtop computer, but should more be classified
   as a "PDA" (Personal Digital Assistant). It is basically the same as a
   3a but available only in 512k/1Mb RAM versions with a half-sized
   screen (240*160 pixels). It also includes Jotter but not Files nor
   Oval. Next to the top half of the screen you can find a numeric
   keypad. Unexpandable (no SSD slots built-in, but you can buy an SSD
   adapter); has built-in RS-232 port. See Psion's web site for more
   infos.

    1.4.6 Organiser II series:

     * CM - available in 16K only, 16x2 screen, limited software
     * XP - available in 16K or 32K, 16x2 screen, limited software
       (database, OPL)
     * LZ - available in 32K or 64K (LZ64), 20x4 screen, introduced
       notepad (basic text processor), dialing codes database, on-screen
       clock)

   There is an Organiser II homepage at
   http://homepages.enterprise.net/djw/psion/psion.html

  1.5 What other palmtop alternatives are there? (by Jason Savage)

   See section 2.1 for the Psion Series 3 and 3a hardware specifications.

   Make: Apple
   Model: Newton MessagePad 120

   Processor
          Model: ARM 610
          Speed: 20 Mhz
          Bit size: 32-bit

   Display
          Type: Monochrome, reflective LCD
          Pixel Screen size: 320 x 240

   Memory
          Size: 1MB RAM (385K user data & 639K system) or 2MB RAM (1,361K
          user data & 687K system)

   Expansion slots
          Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0)
          Number: 1

   Dimensions
          Size (W x D x H): 10.16 x 20.32 x 2.9 cm (4.0" x 8.0" x 1.2")
          Weight: 480 grams (16 ounces)

   Power Requirements
          Batteries: 4 x AA (main) & 1 x CR2032 (backup)
          Battery Life (Approx): Up to 22 hours
          Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes

   Input/Output Ports
          Serial (max speed): Yes, RS-422 8-pin DIN (230,000 bps)
          Parallel: No
          Infrared: Yes, (38,400 bps)
          Other: Optional FAX modem

   Keyboard: Yes, Popup virtual keyboard (QWERTY, Numeric, & Phone pad)

   Included Applications:

          + Newton Intelligence (Handwriting Recognition, Object Oriented
            Database Programming language and Communications services)
          + Calendar (like Agenda)
          + NewtonMail (email client)
          + To-Do Lists (like Agenda)
          + Rolodex-like Address Book (like Data)
          + Digital Ink ScratchPad
          + Calculator (like Calc)
          + World Time Clock (like World)
          + Dictionary (13,000 words)
          + Notion List Manager (like Data)

   Make: Casio
   Model: Z-7000 (AKA: Zoomer, Tandy Z-PDA, AST GRiDPad 2390)

   Processor
          Model: NEC V20
          Speed: 7.7Mhz
          Bit size: 16-bit

   Display
          Type: Monochrome reflective, touchscreen
          Pixel Screen size: 320 x 256

   Memory
          Size: 1 Mb (384K user data & 640K system)

   Expansion slots
          Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0)
          Number: 1

   Dimensions
          Size (W x D x H): 10.76 x 17.62 x 2.6 cm (4.2" x 6.8" x 1")
          Weight: 430 grams (15.2 ounces)

   Power Requirements
          Batteries: 3 x AA (main) & 2 x CR2032 (backup)
          Battery Life (Approx): 100 hours (catalog: 90 hours)
          Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes

   Input/Output Ports
          Serial (max speed): Yes, 10-pin, (19,200 bps)
          Parallel: No
          Infrared: Yes, (9600, Casio)
          Other: Round telescoping pen

   Keyboard: Yes, Virtual Pop-up software QWERTY, A-Z or International

   Included Applications:

          + Date Book (like Agenda)
          + Address Book (like Data)
          + Note Book (Digital Ink Scratchpad & Document Manager with
            outliner)
          + Pocket Quicken (Financial Organiser)
          + America Online (Access software for the service provider of
            the same name)
          + Calculator (like Calc)
          + Forms Calculator
          + World Clock (like World)
          + Language Translator (26 languages & up 1000 words per
            language)
          + Games (Solitaire, Pyramid Solitaire & UKI)
          + File Manager
          + Consumer Information
          + U.S. Information
          + World Information

   Make: Hewlett Packard
   Model: 200LX

   Processor
          Model: variable speed Hornet
          Speed: 7.91 MHz
          Bit size: 16-bit

   Display
          Type: CGA-compatible FTN liquid crystal
          Pixel Screen size: 640 x 200

   Memory
          Size: 1 or 2MB of RAM

   Expansion slots
          Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0)
          Number: 1

   Dimensions
          Size (W x D x H): 16 x 8.64 x 2.54 cm (6.3" x 3.4" x 1")
          Weight: 312 grams (11 ounces)

   Power Requirements
          Batteries: 2xAA (main) & 1xCR2032 (backup)
          Battery Life (Approx): 80 hours
          Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes

   Input/Output Ports
          Serial (max speed): Yes, 9-wire (115K?)
          Parallel: No
          Infrared: Yes
          Other: No

   Keyboard: Yes, QWERTY

   Included Applications:

          + Pocket Quicken (Financial Organiser)
          + cc:Mail (E-mail client)
          + Data Communications (VT-100, ANSI & TTY emulation)
          + Lotus 1-2-3 r.2.4 (like Sheet)
          + Laplink (like Remote Link) for file transfers
          + Appointment Book (like Agenda)
          + Phone Book (like Data)
          + HP financial calculator (like Calc)
          + Memo editor with outliner (like Word)
          + Notetaker (like Notepad)
          + Database (like Data)
          + Filer (like File Manager)
          + Worldtime & Stopwatch (like World)
          + System Macros
          + Application Manager
          + Setup Utility


          See also the following WWW site for a more complete comparaison
          of Psion3a-HP200lx with over 170 articles:
          http://www.primate.wisc.edu/people/dubois/psion/index.html

   Make: Hewlett Packard
   Model: OmniGo 100 Organizer Plus

   Processor
          Model: Intel 80C186 compatible
          Speed: 16 Mhz
          Bit size: 16-bit

   Display
          Type: FSTN LCD with Touchscreen
          Pixel Screen size: 240 x 240

   Memory
          Size: 1MB RAM

   Expansion slots
          Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 1.0: SRAM memory cards no Flash
          or Modems)
          Number: 1

   Dimensions
          Size (W x D x H): 15.3 x 9.5 x 2.6 cm (6" x 3.7" x 1")
          Weight: 329 grams (11.6 ounces)

   Power Requirements
          Batteries: 2 x AA (main) & 1 x CR2032 (backup)
          Battery Life (Approx): ?
          Provision for AC Adaptor: No

   Input/Output Ports
          Serial (max speed): Yes, 10-wire, (?)
          Parallel: No
          Infrared: No
          Other: Yes, Pen

   Keyboard: Yes, QWERTY (5 function keys)

   Included Applications:

          + Appointment book (like Agenda)
          + Phonebook (like Data)
          + Notepad (like Word)
          + Database (like Data)
          + Worldtime and stopwatch (like World)
          + Jotter (Digital Ink Scratchpad)
          + Geoworks Book Reader
          + Financial Tools
          + Spreadsheet (like Sheet)
          + Emulated HP 12C financial calculator (like Calc)
          + Graffiti handwriting system (handwriting recognition)
          + Transfer (like Remote Link)
          + Setup Utility (like Install)
          + Solitaire

   Make: Motorola
   Model: Envoy Communicator

   Processor
          Model: Motorola Dragon 68349
          Speed: 16 Mhz
          Bit size: 32-bit

   Display
          Type: Reflective FSTN Touch Screen
          Pixel Screen size: 480 x 320

   Memory
          Size: 1 MB

   Expansion slots
          Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0) slots
          Number: 2

   Dimensions
          Size (W x D x H): 14.8 x 19.2 x 2.9 cm (5.8" x 7.6" x 1.2")
          Weight: 770 grams (1.7 pounds)

   Power Requirements
          Batteries: Rechargeable Ni-Cad (main) & 1 x CR2032 (backup)
          Battery Life (Approx): 8 hours
          Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes, combined with Charger

   Input/Output Ports
          Serial (max speed): Yes, 14-pin MagicBus (38,400 bps)
          Parallel: Yes, MagicBus
          Infrared: Yes, FSK compliant
          Other: 2 round full length pens, 4800 bps send/receive radio
          packet modem, 9600 bps FAX send modem & 2400 bps data modem

   Keyboard: Optional, QWERTY

   Included Applications:

          + Date Book (like Agenda)
          + World Time Clock (like World)
          + Address Book (like Data)
          + Notebook (like Agenda To-Do List)
          + Calculator (like Calc)
          + America Online (connection software for the service provider
            of the same name)
          + AT&T PersonaLink (connection software for the service
            provider of the same name)
          + SmartWallet

   Make: Sharp
   Model: ZR-5000 & ZR-5000FX AKA: Zaurus K-PDA

   Processor
          Model: Sharp Proprietary
          Speed: ?
          Bit size: 16-bit

   Display
          Type: DFSTN LCD, Touch screen (finger or stylus)
          Pixel Screen size: 320 x 240

   Memory
          Size: 1MB RAM (750k user data & 250K system)

   Expansion slots
          Type: Type II PC-Card (PCMCIA 2.0)
          Number: 1

   Dimensions
          Size (W x D x H): 17.0 x 10.0 x 2.54 cm (6.7" x 3.9" x 1.0")
          Weight: 385 grams (13.6 ounces approx.)

   Power Requirements
          Batteries: 2 x AA (main) & 1 x CR-2032 (backup)
          Battery Life (Approx): Up to 60 hours (~2 months)
          Provision for AC Adaptor: Yes

   Input/Output Ports
          Serial (max speed): Yes, 15-pin proprietary, (19,200 bps)
          Parallel: No
          Infrared: Yes, (IrDA & ASK Compliant)
          Other: Round pen & FAX modem with ZR-5000FX

   Keyboard: Yes, QWERTY configuration

   Included Applications:

          + Activities (like Agenda)
          + Contacts (like Data) limited to 3 files
          + Data Files (also like Data) limited to 3 files
          + Notes (Digital Ink Scratchpad)
          + Documents (like Word) with Spell Checker
          + Outline (like Outline mode in Word)
          + Home & World Clocks (like Time & World)
          + Calculator (like Calc)
          + Filer (Manages Printing, Faxing, Email & File transfers)
          + Messaging (E-mail client)
          + FAX/Sending (FAX client)
          + Terminal Mode (ASCII & VT-100 emulation)

   Make: USR
   Model: Pilot

   Specs thanks to David Richards at [e-mail]

   Processor
          Model: Motorola 68328 "Dragonball"
          Speed: 16 MHz?
          Bit size: 16-bit

   Display
          Type: Monochrome, reflective LCD
          Pixel Screen size: 160 x 160

   Memory
          Size: 512K ROM
          128K RAM (Pilot 1000), 512K (Pilot 5000), or 1Mb upgrade

   Expansion slots
          Type: Proprietary memory (replaces RAM)
          Number: 1

   Dimensions
          Size (W x D x H): 3.2" x .7" x 4.7"
          Weight: 385 grams (5.7 ounces approx.)

   Power Requirements
          Batteries: 2 x AAA (main)
          Battery Life (Approx): 30 hours
          Provision for AC Adaptor: No

   Input/Output Ports
          Serial (max speed): Yes, Proprietary edge connector (57,600
          bps)
          Parallel: No
          Infrared: No

   Keyboard: Yes, Popup virtual keyboard (QWERTY, Numeric, accent)

   Included Applications:

          + Date book
          + Address book
          + To Do List
          + Memo pad
          + Calculator

   End of part 1/6
     _________________________________________________________________

   [Go to next part]
     _________________________________________________________________


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