PSION Series3 Pocket computer

[pjw]

Could I interest anyone in buying my trusty PSION Series3 Pocket computer? Particularly anyone going to the German meeting in May, to save me the hassle of posting it etc. Details to follow if an interest is shown..

[pjw]

I see Im going to have to show a little more leg here:

The PSION Series 3 (S3) is a hybrid PDA/computer. Powered by two AA
batteries, which under normal condition should last for several months. In
addition it uses two 3V button batteries (type 1620, not included), one for
maintaining the information during battery replacement, the other for
maintaining the extra 512K RAM pack.

The computer:

Dims: 165 x 85 x 22 mm, 265g (incl batteries).
Screen: 240 x 80 px (approx 40 char by 8 lines) monochrome LCD.
CPU: 16 bit NEC V30H (80C86 compatible), 3.843 MHz.
RAM: 256K
ROM: 385K
OS: Multitasking

Software:

It comes with built-in software like World (info, dial), Calculator, Time
and alarms, Database (create your own), Agenda, Word Processor, and the OPL
programming language.

All this is of the high quality you would expect of PSION, superceded now
only by modern devices.

The machine has had light use from about 1992 to 1997 but by then the menu
pad failed making it impossible to access certain functions. A handy person
could perhaps repair this them self or get it fixed by someone else. Apart
from that, the machine is still in good working order. You can use all the
productivity software as usual. I particularly enjoyed OPL, the inbuilt
programming language!

OPL is similar to SuperBASIC. It has some superior constructs that would
have been great to implement in S*BASIC too, such as menu constructs, and
proportional fonts handling.

Interfaces:

Serial interface RS232 (requires 3-Link, included)
Parallel 3-Link - Centronics (not included)

Solid state disks:

Battery backed RAM SSD (1 x 512K included, sans battery)
Flash SSD (1 x 256k included)
The file system is MSDOS compatible, but the SSDs are none-standard, so
transfers must be done using the 3-Link package.

3-Link

This is a separate comms package. I've successfully used it to copy files
back and forth between the S3 and a PC. Using QTPI's Xmodem (IIRC) it was
pretty fast and painless to do the same for S3 <-> QL transfers. I also
wrote bespoke S*BASIC programs to transfer and translate data between some
S3 and QL formats.

The included software on floppy is still perfectly readable, although I
havent tested the package recently.

Condition

The overall condition of the hardware, books, packaging etc, is good,
although not pristine. The keyboard keys appear to have yellowed a bit. The
main unit comes complete in the original box.

The menu pad, as mentioned, is the only thing that doesn't work.

Price

£100 for the lot + P&P

Are you going to the QL_IST_40 do in Germany in May? If so I'll bring it
along so you can see it there and save yourself the P&P!

RAM and Flash RAM packs

:

S3-Link and software

[NormanDunbar]

Maybe, just maybe, 30 years ago I'd have been interested but apart from my QL (emulator), I have no interest in retro stuff thrse days.

Sorry.

Cheers,
Norm.

[Cristian]

Even though I'm not interested in buying, I recognize that's a nice and clever machine

[pjw]

Maybe, just maybe, 30 years ago I'd have been interested but apart from my QL (emulator), I have no interest in retro stuff thrse days.
<>

Nor me I was just hoping it might interest a collector. After all this place is full of them.

It might be of some use to someone who needs a PDA but wishes to stay off-grid; theres no Google, Fakebook or telcoms peeping over your shoulder there..

I really enjoyed OPL. Its like SuperBASIC in almost every respect and has some nifty additional features such as the MENU construct that, suitably extended, would be ideal to implement in SBASIC. A darn sight simpler to use than Qptr et al. In fact I had a go at trying to implement some of the features from OPL but hit some Doldrums and never revived the effort. I guess this was one of the reasons I hung onto the machine for so long: to have it as a reference.