Rating: 
Summary: Good all-round pocket computer - more than just a PDA
Review: I bought mine in 1995 in Europe. It worked fine until last year when the screen stopped working. Even though the warranty period had expired Psion USA repaired it free of charge, within about 2 weeks of my shipping the product to them. I have also found the technical service in the US (via e-mail) to be outstanding.
I have now upgraded to the Series 5mx, which has twice the memory and a faster processor. I only did this as the old one was stolen. I would not recommend upgrading unless you need the extra memeory. The only other advantage of the 5mx is that the paint on the casing is much more durable. ...I would certainly recommend the 5mx to anyone buying now.
The diary and address book work fine. I had about 1700 addresses in a 614k file. The spreadsheet is compatible with Excel, but with less functions. Sketch program is similar in performance to MS Paint. It is possible to record voices or sound, I have never found a compelling use for this feature which uses memeory quickly - 60 seconds takes about 500k.
The monochrome (grayscale) screen is OK. 2 std. AA batteries less about 20-24 hours, less if the backlit screen is used.
The main differnce I notice betwwen the EPOC operating system and MS systems is that the EPOC system never crashes - not once in 5 years, and the computer boots up instantly.
Rating:
Summary: Good all-round pocket computer - more than just a PDA
Review: I bought mine in 1995 in Europe. It worked fine until last year when the screen stopped working. Even though the warranty period had expired Psion USA repaired it free of charge, within about 2 weeks of my shipping the product to them. I have also found the technical service in the US (via e-mail) to be outstanding.
I have now upgraded to the Series 5mx, which has twice the memory and a faster processor. I only did this as the old one was stolen. I would not recommend upgrading unless you need the extra memeory. The only other advantage of the 5mx is that the paint on the casing is much more durable. ...I would certainly recommend the 5mx to anyone buying now.
The diary and address book work fine. I had about 1700 addresses in a 614k file. The spreadsheet is compatible with Excel, but with less functions. Sketch program is similar in performance to MS Paint. It is possible to record voices or sound, I have never found a compelling use for this feature which uses memeory quickly - 60 seconds takes about 500k.
The monochrome (grayscale) screen is OK. 2 std. AA batteries less about 20-24 hours, less if the backlit screen is used.
The main differnce I notice betwwen the EPOC operating system and MS systems is that the EPOC system never crashes - not once in 5 years, and the computer boots up instantly.
Rating: 
Summary: My Life in my Pocket
Review: I bought my first PSION when I was due to attend an Austrian Economics Conference at Claremont McKenna in the early 1990's. Rather than lug my overfull Filofax on the 10 hour flight from London, I opted for the PSION rather than a laptop. The little computer did an admirable job but the screen was a little samll as well as dark.When the series 5 was launched I replaced my existing one with this current model. Why not choose the Palm. Good question. I wanted a computer that could handle word processing as well as a spreadsheet and be more than an organiser. I wanted something small and inobtrusive that could fit in a jacket pocket and that was stand alone. As a reuirement was ease of portability I did not want to carry around all of the little gadgets and add ons that make this little computer such a remarkable device. I preferred a keyboard. These were all advantages over the early Palms. Why am I writing this review now after years of faithful service? Another good question. This machine has been dropped on several surfaces, it has had hot tea spilt on it, it has been passed around many, many students some of whom went on to buy later models but now it is at the end of the road. the company is getting out of hardware and focussing on software and applications. My PSION is still going strong. I prefer it to my Palm and Clie and BlackBerry. The capacity is good and I still have no add ons. I just wanted to place on record my testimony about the efficacy of such an excellent machine. Alas no matter how good the product, if the market does not cast it's vote of approval, it is doomed as is the case with the PSION family. R.I.P. old friend.
Rating: 
Summary: don't buy it.
Review: I had constant battery problems. It would tell me the backup battery needed to be replaced, then it would show the backup battery at 80%. The unit peeled all over the place. Finally, one day my unit died without explanation. New batteries did nothing for it. It is dead and this happened within one year of owning it.
Rating:
Summary: A great replace of HP 200 LX
Review: I have been using HP200LX for 5 years. The unit was broken last year and I started to look for a replacement, I have tried Nino P/PC and a HP H/PC, but none of P or H PC would do as good as the 200LX (I almost switch back to 200LX). They are either battery life too-short or too slow, just too slow to start another application which make you wait, wait and wait. But psion does just do the right thing, it keeps it in B&W, thr' not as good as colour ones, but the battery does last longer, say a month. Cann't it be done by a WinCE stuff? No. The draw backs of psion are: a bit expensive, the calculator is not as good as HP's (both WinCE and 200LX), phone book's fields can't be moved around... those are the minor ones, it's time to switch to a newer machine, think of psion, I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: The most capable handheld available
Review: I have been using the Psion Series 5 for over a year. I find it to be faster at accessing the information I want (agenda or contacts) than other PDAs. It synchronizes well with outlook on my PC in the office. Clients are amazed that they receive a follow-up letter from me the day after a call, even though I am still on the road. I e-mail from the Series 5 it to my assistant who prints it on letterhead and overnight ships it. The ability to insert graphs into my correspondence helps as well for my line of work. With add on software I now have full control over my project and time management and financial lives. My Psion is great! If it could only increase my salary for me as well....
Rating:
Summary: compared to previous psions
Review: I have had the Series 3a for two years. It was given to me, and has enormously helped ot organize my life. The features that enable you to set alarms in variable advance of an appointment come in especially handy. I have also written 6 page script outlines while in an airplaine on the word section and downloaded it into word on my macintosh. For the user who complained that this function didnt work, perhaps he should contact the manufatrurers in England to get either the appropriate software or instruction booklet. It worked for me. I can ony imagine that this version is better. And a little advice for the man with the battery problem. I have a double AA battery charger and two sets of rechargable batteris. (cost around $15) This works fine, I never need to buy batteries, they work for two weeks before I need to recharge, and I dont pollute the environment. I love my Psion.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect computer for outdoor enthusiast, backpacker!
Review: I have two of these and love them. Unlike the other palmtops, they operate on ordinary double A batteries that can be obtained anywhere. They do not need fancy rechargable batteries which are hard to obtain and hard for campers, backpackers, foreign travelers to recharge. The fact that the screen is not color seems a small compromise compared to everything it does, which is amazing!! In addition to word processing, it has a data base, spread sheets, time, games, and can be used for fax and Email. It communicates easily with the PC. And the memory is incredible for soemthing that fits in your pocket!! The screen is easier to read OUTDOORS than most laptops or palmtops. And it goes a long time without new batteries.
Rating:
Summary: Better than WindowsCE devices!
Review: I purchased the Psion series 5 because, at the time, it was the only PDA with a truly usable keyboard. After CTS/RSS surgery, I found the Palm Pilot, et al, to be difficult to use. Graffiti was easy to use but the Pilot was uncomfortable. After buying the Psion to be everything that I wanted or needed. The keyboard is great for touch typing with 2 to 3 fingers. As with any new OS and keyboard, it takes a while to become comfortable and profficient. After this brief initial phase, it became a delight to use. Things that would would enhance the Psion 5: 1. a color screen 2. an external keyboard 3. maybe a PCcard slot I would recommend the Psion 5 to anyone. I guess the best recommendation is that I bought one for my son to use!
Rating:
Summary: good link to pc - bad to mac.
Review: Most of the favorable points made in the Amazon reviews are well taken, but I have a concern which has gone ummentioned. Psion originally advertised Maclink software as able to backup to a Mac, add software - and to open documents on the Mac. It does not work for opening documents on a Mac. Psion later backed off from that claim in advertising.
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