Psion, the Next Generation
December 9, 2017 11:28 PM Subscribe
Gemini: An in-depth look at the successor to the original Psion Series 5 PDA.
Back in 1997, UK-based technology company PSION launched the Series 5, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) that became popular for its compact, yet highly usable desktop-like keyboard. For younger mefites, a PDA is basically a smartphone without the phone/internet bit, although you could add that on if you wanted. Now in 2017, the AA batteries used to power the series 5 may still be widely available, but everything from connectivity (infra-red file transfer, Type 1 Compact Flash cards), screen capability, and software has changed beyond recognition. And yet people still use the series 5, probably for much the same reasons as they did back when it was cutting edge tech. Indeed, the Series 5 came first in a poll that earlier this year asked readers of the Register what old device they wanted to see resurrected.
Bought out in 2012, the PSION company lives on only as part of Motorola Solutions, and you would think that the PDA form factor has been consigned to history. However, a new collaboration is bringing the PSION back and into the smartphone age. Planet Computers has recruited the designer of the original Series 5, Martin Riddiford, to create the Gemini PDA. The device dual boots Android and Linux, works as a phone, but has the same keyboard that made the old series 5 so popular.
Bonus
- A device that's up-to-date, yet seems less sophisticated than even the Series 5.
- Another (slightly bigger) new entrant to the Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) market in 2017.
Back in 1997, UK-based technology company PSION launched the Series 5, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) that became popular for its compact, yet highly usable desktop-like keyboard. For younger mefites, a PDA is basically a smartphone without the phone/internet bit, although you could add that on if you wanted. Now in 2017, the AA batteries used to power the series 5 may still be widely available, but everything from connectivity (infra-red file transfer, Type 1 Compact Flash cards), screen capability, and software has changed beyond recognition. And yet people still use the series 5, probably for much the same reasons as they did back when it was cutting edge tech. Indeed, the Series 5 came first in a poll that earlier this year asked readers of the Register what old device they wanted to see resurrected.
Bought out in 2012, the PSION company lives on only as part of Motorola Solutions, and you would think that the PDA form factor has been consigned to history. However, a new collaboration is bringing the PSION back and into the smartphone age. Planet Computers has recruited the designer of the original Series 5, Martin Riddiford, to create the Gemini PDA. The device dual boots Android and Linux, works as a phone, but has the same keyboard that made the old series 5 so popular.
Bonus
- A device that's up-to-date, yet seems less sophisticated than even the Series 5.
- Another (slightly bigger) new entrant to the Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) market in 2017.
Oh wow. I bought a Psion 5c when they came out and I loved it. I actually still have it although I haven't turned it on in years. I took a multi-month trip between undergrad and grad school and took it with me, keeping a journal. It would fit into the pocket of jeans but also had a very typable keyboard. That thing was great.
Given that I have a phone that I never use to make phone calls this might be right up my alley
posted by RustyBrooks at 7:19 AM on December 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
Given that I have a phone that I never use to make phone calls this might be right up my alley
posted by RustyBrooks at 7:19 AM on December 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
> My only concern for the Gemini is that it will be too expensive if it ever appears.
Per the jmcomms link, starting price will be US$500. Add $100 for 4G wireless data.
posted by ardgedee at 7:36 AM on December 10, 2017
Per the jmcomms link, starting price will be US$500. Add $100 for 4G wireless data.
posted by ardgedee at 7:36 AM on December 10, 2017
There's a couple of clamshell devices I've thrown away (well, sent to recycling) and regretted, because I've wanted to shoehorn an Android device into it. One was a(n extremely tatty) Series 5, which I inherited from someone, and the other was a Nokia N90 (a weird twisty clamshell thing with a big space for a then state-of-the-art 2MPix camera). Both of them, I think, would be easy enough to put a generic Android device in, and then to wire up the keyboard as Bluetooth. It would be a great stupid project, if I had the headspace for stupid projects.
posted by ambrosen at 7:38 AM on December 10, 2017
posted by ambrosen at 7:38 AM on December 10, 2017
I would love to have something like this as an attachment clamshell keyboard + software package to a Galaxy Note or comparable phone. I mean, it would be a niche market but a fairly large niche, and maybe they could get the price down to a more reasonable $200 - $250 since they would only need to sell half of the hardware.
posted by xigxag at 7:44 AM on December 10, 2017
posted by xigxag at 7:44 AM on December 10, 2017
So far I'm not seeing how the battery life on the new one stacks up. Can it give a month of work time on a single charge like the original did on a pair of AAs?
With the new screen, I'm thinkin' no.
posted by clawsoon at 8:36 AM on December 10, 2017
With the new screen, I'm thinkin' no.
posted by clawsoon at 8:36 AM on December 10, 2017
I’m not clear, is there a nubbin mouse? A touchscreen? Or is it all keyboard driven?
posted by leotrotsky at 8:48 AM on December 10, 2017
posted by leotrotsky at 8:48 AM on December 10, 2017
So far I'm not seeing how the battery life on the new one stacks up.
It's about 12 hours of use it looks like. It's basically a large cell phone with a large cell phone battery (4220mAh). Something that lasts for a month doesn't have enough horsepower for most of the applications that first world consumers want to use such devices for and just about everyone is trained to charged their gizmos as they go to bed. Also, it's pretty much ubiquitous to find USB chargers wherever you are at this point, so it can run off of AC on ways that weren't reasonable to expect when the original came out and would have required carrying a wall wart with you.
posted by Candleman at 8:53 AM on December 10, 2017 [3 favorites]
It's about 12 hours of use it looks like. It's basically a large cell phone with a large cell phone battery (4220mAh). Something that lasts for a month doesn't have enough horsepower for most of the applications that first world consumers want to use such devices for and just about everyone is trained to charged their gizmos as they go to bed. Also, it's pretty much ubiquitous to find USB chargers wherever you are at this point, so it can run off of AC on ways that weren't reasonable to expect when the original came out and would have required carrying a wall wart with you.
posted by Candleman at 8:53 AM on December 10, 2017 [3 favorites]
I still have two Psion 5mx's. I also had a Diamond Mako (a rebadged Psion Revo) once upon a time, and except for the battery issues it was pretty much my favorite UMPC. They're great little machines, I'd love to see an updated version.
posted by 1adam12 at 9:22 AM on December 10, 2017
posted by 1adam12 at 9:22 AM on December 10, 2017
I am customer number 46 on the Indiegogo campaign (I saw it come up and nearly sprained my mouse finger :-)
Like a camera, the best keyboard in the world is the one you have with you when you need it. I've tried to love the iPhone (and Android) on-screen keyboards, including Swype, and I'm sorry, I just don't. I've tried to love folding bluetooth keyboards: yup, one more thing to remember to carry, and they tend to be cheaply made with badly-designed layouts (and they break, too). The Psion keyboard was the best pocketable solution to carry-everywhere-type-anywhere, and I've been waiting two decades for a worthy successor to show up.
posted by cstross at 9:23 AM on December 10, 2017 [5 favorites]
Like a camera, the best keyboard in the world is the one you have with you when you need it. I've tried to love the iPhone (and Android) on-screen keyboards, including Swype, and I'm sorry, I just don't. I've tried to love folding bluetooth keyboards: yup, one more thing to remember to carry, and they tend to be cheaply made with badly-designed layouts (and they break, too). The Psion keyboard was the best pocketable solution to carry-everywhere-type-anywhere, and I've been waiting two decades for a worthy successor to show up.
posted by cstross at 9:23 AM on December 10, 2017 [5 favorites]
On the GPD Pocket: I've got one right now.
Engineering-wise, it's lovely. The keyboard is a bit eccentric in layout, but the chiclet keys feel no worse than my Macbook Pro. The screen is a hi-definition 7" unit. The chassis feels as well built as a piece of high-end kit from Apple—it's that well made.
Drawbacks: it doesn't have 4G/LTE build-in — it's wifi/bluetooth (or ethernet via a dongle). This is basically a maxed-out ultimate netbook with an Atom CPU; consequently it runs Windows 10, but not particularly fast. And (whine) the beta 1 release of Scrivener 3 for Windows takes a couple of minutes to load and then freezes—I suspect it's not optimized for the low-end processor in the GPD Pocket, because other applications like Chrome or Microsoft Office run just fine. Finally, sleep mode under Windows chews up battery (drains about 50% per day), so you can't really count on it for instant-on (although loading from hibernation is acceptably fast, because of the SSD).
Also, it's significantly bigger than the Gemini. How much bigger? Well, the Gemini is the size of a phablet phone, like the Samsung Note series or the iPhone 6/7/8 Plus. The GPD Pocket weighs about as much as an 8" tablet (e.g. iPad Mini), is twice as thick, and about the same height but two-thirds the depth. Good luck fitting that in any pocket unless you wear combat pants.
posted by cstross at 9:29 AM on December 10, 2017 [4 favorites]
Engineering-wise, it's lovely. The keyboard is a bit eccentric in layout, but the chiclet keys feel no worse than my Macbook Pro. The screen is a hi-definition 7" unit. The chassis feels as well built as a piece of high-end kit from Apple—it's that well made.
Drawbacks: it doesn't have 4G/LTE build-in — it's wifi/bluetooth (or ethernet via a dongle). This is basically a maxed-out ultimate netbook with an Atom CPU; consequently it runs Windows 10, but not particularly fast. And (whine) the beta 1 release of Scrivener 3 for Windows takes a couple of minutes to load and then freezes—I suspect it's not optimized for the low-end processor in the GPD Pocket, because other applications like Chrome or Microsoft Office run just fine. Finally, sleep mode under Windows chews up battery (drains about 50% per day), so you can't really count on it for instant-on (although loading from hibernation is acceptably fast, because of the SSD).
Also, it's significantly bigger than the Gemini. How much bigger? Well, the Gemini is the size of a phablet phone, like the Samsung Note series or the iPhone 6/7/8 Plus. The GPD Pocket weighs about as much as an 8" tablet (e.g. iPad Mini), is twice as thick, and about the same height but two-thirds the depth. Good luck fitting that in any pocket unless you wear combat pants.
posted by cstross at 9:29 AM on December 10, 2017 [4 favorites]
The specs on planet computer say touch screen.
I wonder how this would work for presenting slides in a talk.
posted by medusa at 11:30 AM on December 10, 2017
I wonder how this would work for presenting slides in a talk.
posted by medusa at 11:30 AM on December 10, 2017
This ain't perfect, but it looks promising. I want a sub-netbook-sized Linux system with mobile data and a real keyboard so bad I can taste it.
posted by brennen at 12:59 PM on December 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by brennen at 12:59 PM on December 10, 2017 [1 favorite]
I had a Psion, a Palm Pilot, a G1, and even a Model 100 at different points, all incredibly promising technology when they were introduced. There was this lull between the birth of portable computing technology, and the invention of smartphones, when these things were all manufactured but not many people had a use for them. I had this idea that I would one day be able to compute anywhere, working on my great novel or the next killer app while sitting on the bus. Of course I had no idea that all that would come true, except that I'd spend hours per day aimlessly browsing social media instead of actually doing anything productive.
posted by miyabo at 1:06 PM on December 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by miyabo at 1:06 PM on December 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
I lusted after the original Psion 5 but never had the funds, I have no material need for this but strangely enough, I want it. I hope there's still a place in the world for this, loved that cantilevered keyboard.
posted by arcticseal at 1:19 PM on December 10, 2017
posted by arcticseal at 1:19 PM on December 10, 2017
I had a Psion Series 3 and loved it but unfortunately the Series 5 I replaced it with was somehow never up to the mark, despite the fantastic keyboard arrangement, so I too have been eagerly awaiting a replacement. Of course my expectations are so much higher now - I want to do a whole lot more with a pocket computer than what I could do with a Psion, even though that seemed like a ridiculously powerful machine at the time.
This thing looks as though it could be good though my first thought on seeing it is that a chunk of my breakfast bagel is going to end up inside the hinge and when I close it that's not going to go so well.
posted by merlynkline at 1:23 PM on December 10, 2017
This thing looks as though it could be good though my first thought on seeing it is that a chunk of my breakfast bagel is going to end up inside the hinge and when I close it that's not going to go so well.
posted by merlynkline at 1:23 PM on December 10, 2017
I've tried to love the iPhone (and Android) on-screen keyboards, including Swype, and I'm sorry, I just don't. I've tried to love folding bluetooth keyboards: yup, one more thing to remember to carry, and they tend to be cheaply made with badly-designed layouts (and they break, too).
An iPad and the portable Apple bluetooth keyboard work fine for me (the older one -- model MC184LL/B -- which you can buy very cheaply these days).
Presumably would work as well with a phone or phablet. Not a pocket solution but if you're willing to carry a bag for accessories anyway....
posted by snuffleupagus at 1:35 PM on December 10, 2017
An iPad and the portable Apple bluetooth keyboard work fine for me (the older one -- model MC184LL/B -- which you can buy very cheaply these days).
Presumably would work as well with a phone or phablet. Not a pocket solution but if you're willing to carry a bag for accessories anyway....
posted by snuffleupagus at 1:35 PM on December 10, 2017
I'd given up hoping for something like this and gone all in on Chromebooks - Will this be the one true writing device?
posted by Artw at 5:24 PM on December 10, 2017
posted by Artw at 5:24 PM on December 10, 2017
I've never understood the current trend for pairing up a tablet and keyboard. I always see a lot of businessmen working this way in airports and it makes me wonder why. It's probably a workflow thing. Once you've put a nice case on that tablet, is there really that much weight saved vs a thinbook ultrabook? Japan - domestically at least - still sells sub-notebooks that make the tablet + keyboard combo look foolish for my money. If they came with a UK keyboard, I'd take one over that GPD any day.
I suspect that most Gemini buyers will see it as a phone upgrade, so possibly the post-crowdfunding price won't be quite as big of a deal.
posted by Juso No Thankyou at 1:15 AM on December 11, 2017
I suspect that most Gemini buyers will see it as a phone upgrade, so possibly the post-crowdfunding price won't be quite as big of a deal.
posted by Juso No Thankyou at 1:15 AM on December 11, 2017
> Ouch.
I guess? It's in the iPad ballpark and cheaper than upper-tier smartphones so while $500 is a lot of money, if it is really all that and durably-built, it doesn't sound unreasonable for something in limited production.
What was the crowdfunded price?
posted by ardgedee at 4:27 AM on December 11, 2017
I guess? It's in the iPad ballpark and cheaper than upper-tier smartphones so while $500 is a lot of money, if it is really all that and durably-built, it doesn't sound unreasonable for something in limited production.
What was the crowdfunded price?
posted by ardgedee at 4:27 AM on December 11, 2017
They're still taking pre-orders at $200 below the final MSRP, which is a decidedly good deal. $400 for an ultra- portable LTE netbook with good specs actually seems like a fantastic bargain.
If the device is any good, and they can match that price point at scale, they'd have a hit on their hands.
I'm cautiously optimistic. I've been pretty unhappy with the evolution of portable computing, and this thing almost completely undoes all of the things I dislike. It's a tiny laptop that runs "real" Linux, has a good keyboard, and two USB-C ports (notably, more than a MacBook). The non-LTE model even has GPS, which is a really nice touch that most tablets don't bother to implement.
Suffice it to say, I'm gladly taking a gamble on this. I hope it succeeds.
posted by schmod at 5:27 AM on December 11, 2017
If the device is any good, and they can match that price point at scale, they'd have a hit on their hands.
I'm cautiously optimistic. I've been pretty unhappy with the evolution of portable computing, and this thing almost completely undoes all of the things I dislike. It's a tiny laptop that runs "real" Linux, has a good keyboard, and two USB-C ports (notably, more than a MacBook). The non-LTE model even has GPS, which is a really nice touch that most tablets don't bother to implement.
Suffice it to say, I'm gladly taking a gamble on this. I hope it succeeds.
posted by schmod at 5:27 AM on December 11, 2017
I've never understood the current trend for pairing up a tablet and keyboard. I always see a lot of businessmen working this way in airports and it makes me wonder why
Because most of the time you want it to be a tablet and you probably have a full blown business laptop with you. Some tasks are well suited to a tablet+keyboard. Like note-taking and email sessions (with more than short replies). Or metafilter participation and similar, for that matter. Or, in other words, exactly what people used to use the Psion for.
I find similarly priced subnotes (i.e. not an Air or Surface) largely frustrating. They do nothing well. Bad displays, bad keyboards (especially if detachable), underpowered internals for their desktop OSes. A good tablet is a good tablet and the Apple portable keyboard has normal key size, spacing & travel etc (for a contemporary scissor switch keyboard) if you want better text entry into your mobile apps.
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:20 AM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Because most of the time you want it to be a tablet and you probably have a full blown business laptop with you. Some tasks are well suited to a tablet+keyboard. Like note-taking and email sessions (with more than short replies). Or metafilter participation and similar, for that matter. Or, in other words, exactly what people used to use the Psion for.
I find similarly priced subnotes (i.e. not an Air or Surface) largely frustrating. They do nothing well. Bad displays, bad keyboards (especially if detachable), underpowered internals for their desktop OSes. A good tablet is a good tablet and the Apple portable keyboard has normal key size, spacing & travel etc (for a contemporary scissor switch keyboard) if you want better text entry into your mobile apps.
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:20 AM on December 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
I can put in a good word for the Logitech iPad keyboard/case things. They're a pretty decent compromise, especially if you already have a reason to have an iPad. It doesn't add much bulk, but allows you to use the tablet like a laptop.
My partner has one (and already has a few good reasons to be in the iPad ecosystem) -- it ends up being a surprisingly good laptop replacement for his particular use-case. The iPad is a completely different device when paired with a good keyboard.
posted by schmod at 5:18 AM on December 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
My partner has one (and already has a few good reasons to be in the iPad ecosystem) -- it ends up being a surprisingly good laptop replacement for his particular use-case. The iPad is a completely different device when paired with a good keyboard.
posted by schmod at 5:18 AM on December 12, 2017 [1 favorite]
I just clicked through to the Indigogo. The wi-fi only is $299, getting close to the level I could buy it with only a minor look of scorn from my non-gadget obsessed spouse..
Hmm...I think as I idly click the buy link. If it turns out good I could sell my ipad. Then I see they want to charge me $70 shipping. Come on!
I'll wait and buy a second hand one from somebody who buys it for the novelty and gets sick of it, same way I got my 5mx 17 years ago.
posted by bystander at 3:45 AM on December 17, 2017
Hmm...I think as I idly click the buy link. If it turns out good I could sell my ipad. Then I see they want to charge me $70 shipping. Come on!
I'll wait and buy a second hand one from somebody who buys it for the novelty and gets sick of it, same way I got my 5mx 17 years ago.
posted by bystander at 3:45 AM on December 17, 2017
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I only did some minor dev work on the Psi5 but it always felt like this would be how all computers would work in the future. Obviously, it didn't turn out that way. My only concern for the Gemini is that it will be too expensive if it ever appears.
(My expense comment comes from using a Pinebook for the first time yesterday. Sure, it's large and fairly cheaply made, but it's paper-thin, has a quad-core ARM A53, and is USD 100.)
posted by scruss at 6:05 AM on December 10, 2017 [4 favorites]