PsiXpda 3G UMPC hits the UK, reminds us of a PDA we had 14 years ago
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted December 4th 2009 8:39PM
posted December 4th 2009 8:39PM
It looks like we weren't the first to think that the DigiCube MIDPhone-50 looked awfully familiar. The Psion Series 5 PDA, you may recall, featured the same sliding-clamshell design back in 1995 -- and its still a beloved gadget among many folks overseas (though it never really caught on here). One man who wishes to bring the PDA into the 21st century is an ex-Psion employee named Paul Pinnock who, with his partner, has apparently brought the Windows XP-powered MIDPhone to the west and rebranded it the PsiXpda. Being marketed as the successor to the Series 5, this guy doesn't have the RS-232 port, monochrome display, or twenty hours of battery life -- but with 3G, WiFi, and a 1.1GHz Atom processor, we ain't complaining. That said, the 2-4 hour battery life (depending on whether or not you're using 3G) is a little disheartening. For ordering info, hit the source link -- and prepare to feel about £500 (about $830) lighter.
Maybe Microsoft should just drop Windows Mobile-looks like Windows XP is the new mobile OS :)
Looks just like the Sharp D4, and seeing as many UMPCs have been based off that, I'm guessing this is too
Honestly, even people with $830 burning a hole in their pocket would probably rather not buy this. It just tries to be too many things, and probably can't do any of them that well. Probably would have been a hit a couple years ago, but now? Meh.
worst piece of shit I have ever seen
Oh god, primass will never shut up now
I never really understood this form factor. Why on earth would you want one of these over a nice smartphone?
Oh god, primass will never shut up abouy this now
"... reminds us of a PDA we had 14 years ago"
Like, with a really kick-ass color screen? ;-) Ok, it's very similar to the old HP 200LX's, and Psions of the olden days of yore and, if it's got a full blown version of XP, it's going to be a bit more powerful than just a PDA. AND it's a phone too. So yeah, I guess somebody would buy it. But (imho) a lot more folks are gonna buy an Android device instead.
Why do i think of the sony vaio UX? it was bulkier, but it could run windows vista/7.
@YvesOfWinter This is also sold as the eKing S515 which also runs Windows 7, and a variety of Linuxes (Ubuntu, Moblin, Mandriva and possibly Jollicloud) Chippy of UMPC Portal did an unboxing here: http://www.umpcportal.com/2009/11/eking-s515-tiltslider-umpc-unboxing-and-overview/
Actually it reminds me a bit of the Psion Revo.
Not that that's a bad thing.
What's the point of getting this thing if you only have 2-4 hours of battery life?
Reminds me of the Touch Pro 2. Just not as Bulky.
I still have a Psion 5 in a drawer somewhere. Just can't let the thing go. I don't know that people realize how awesome the dang thing was in the world of the original Palm Pilot.
I don't care if you have the best eyes in the world, that screen will be almost impossible to read.
My new HTC HD2 is far more useful and sexy, and my business phone the Nokia N97 (revamped by Nokia with new camera lens and cover, new GPS software and 2.0 Rom) is a better choice too, and finally even my reserve/fun phone, HTC' s Hero.
And when I'll be able to exchange the Hero for the Moto Milestone or maybe SE X10 , it will probably be the best of all of them.
This thing is unneeded and does'nt stand a chance: there's just too much good and serious hardware around these days (so much so in fact that even though I feel kinda ridicolous with 3 smartphones, I am unable to give away anyone of the 3 , they 're just too good and I can't decide which is the best)
I still miss my Psion Series 5, sitting in a drawer with a broken screen. I might even prefer it over my Android phone, depending on the task. So, if this thing is just a bit like my beloved Series 5, then yeah, I'm interested. Though I'd rather see an Android phone with the Series 5 keyboard and slideout screen/keyboard.
Oh and Engadget? The Series 5 has a different sliding clamshell design, the screen was on the inside when closed on the Psion.
For some strange reason this looks like a very nice piece of hardware to me. Like if I had the money, I'd be interested in getting one if the quality was there. I don't think I've ever said that about a UMPC or MID before. Hmm...
Shouldn't PsiXpda be Psixpda?
I still have my Series 5, it still works, and its still a mystery why it wasn't the PDA of the 90's for corporate America. I wrote several documents on it and moved them seamlessly into MS word. Sliding a keyguard would instantly turn it into a tapeless audio recorder without turning it on or opening it up. You could read the screen in the brightest sunlight or turn on the backlight (think Timex Indiglo) and use it in the dark. Putting the one of the worst operating systems on a similar updated device tempts me not.
@(Unverified) I have been using Psions since 1992, and own two Series 5s. The PsiXpda bears no resemblance to any of the Psion handheld computers because it is a rebadged Asian TABLET UMPC!! What attracted us hard-core Psion fans was the clamshell form factor, allowing you to put the device in your pocket, or drop it, and still protect its wonderful though monochromatic screen.
I have been using the UMID M1 mbook since Dynamism began supplying it, with Win XP, the same screen size as the PsiXPDA, a stylus but no mouse (which doesn't matter for us Psion users), a 16GB SSD, a webcam, microphone, microSD card holder, WiFi and Blue tooth and a 5-hour battery. The entire well-working package costs 450 US Dollars. Even with 3G, the short battery life of the PsiXpda renders it useless. It is simply an attempted exploitation of Psion UK loyalty and I, for one, won't (ever) buy it!.
Is that res for real?
Or a bad shop...
@Oli D
Can it really be a "bad" photoshop if you have to ask?
@Hydraulics
Well Its an impossible resolution, so I would have thought that the photo editor would have used a lower res capture
@Oli D
it is real. The company that commissioned is well known in the UK, see here: http://psixpda.com/home
@Jah I don't doubt that the product exists, im referring specifically to the screen shot, the resolution is WAY too fine to be possible.
Unless they know something we dont.
This isn't a Psion 5 replacement I am afraid. Firstly the battery life, one of the main things that Psion's had was the stupidly long run times off of two AA batteries. And then there is the OS. WindowsXP? Egh. Another strength that Psion had was its operating system. Fast, lean and efficient, with practically no lag. Hmm, XP is, er, well. EPOC was great, good looking and worked very well with a touchscreen or keyboard. I suppose, seeing as EPOC will never come back as it has been butchered into a mobile OS now, maybe something like a custom build of Android could be used? Get rid of the Atom and put in a far more power efficient CPU (ARM or the new NVIDIA Tigra if you want graphics ability). The original 5 had a decent screen res (640x240) for the sort of thing it needed to do, wordprocessing etc. So cramming a massive resolution into a small device is a bad idea. Anyone who has used an Aspire One with its 9" 1024x600 will know the eye strain it can cause with prolonged use.
I really want this to be a Series 5 replacement, a simple little PDA that I can type reasonably easy on, will last more then all day and can fit in an oversized pocket (the 5 was never a small machine!).
Looks more like my Psion 7 to me.
@peterjohndean
Psion 7 is a Notebook size device. The PsiXpda is closer to the Psion 5 in sizem but I agree the the way the display is positioned makes it look like a Psion 7. By the way IMHO, the Psion 7 was even further ahead of its time than even the Psion 5 was in 1997!
We had 800×480 umpcs 4-5 years ago. Its unusable. Another umpc with too many design compromises though I recognise the price and form factor is good.I’d want Windows 7 , a wider screen, higher resolution, and a better chip inside. Its just too much of a compromise as it stands right now.
a) Name: NINA
b) email: admin@iphonbe.com
c) URL: http://www.iphonbe.com/
I'm still quite happy with my Sharp Mobilon HC-4600, kthx.
Looks like the HP jornada I used to own.
I have a M1 Mbook, which is slightly smaller than the PsiXPDA sans 3G. The Mbook is usable with most apps. The key point is that this form factor is not for the masses. It is for th e professional that needs very compact computing on the move. But I have to say battery life is important as is a quick start. The only advantge of XP is that there are 100s of free apps out there. The PsixPDA and Mbook (M1 & M2) require investment to set-up, unlike the Psion 5 which had great software and hardware integration so all the majoe functions worked without any configuration. We need some apps designed specifically for these small form factor devices. By the way I have a HTC HD2, and Palm Pre and have had a HTC Touch Pro2 and the PSIXPDA is not a competitor for these powerhouse Smartphones it is an adjunct.
This is just a rebranded Eking S515
I have been using Psions since 1992, and own two Series 5s. The PsiXpda bears no resemblance to any of the Psion handheld computers because it is a rebadged Asian TABLET UMPC!! What attracted us hard-core Psion fans was the clamshell form factor, allowing you to put the device in your pocket, or drop it, and still protect its wonderful though monochromatic screen.
I have been using the UMID M1 mbook since Dynamism began supplying it, with Win XP, the same screen size as the PsiXPDA, a stylus but no mouse (which doesn't matter for us Psion users), a 16GB SSD, a webcam, microphone, microSD card holder, WiFi and Blue tooth and a 5-hour battery. The entire well-working package costs 450 US Dollars. Even with 3G, the short battery life of the PsiXpda renders it useless. It is simply an attempted exploitation of Psion UK loyalty and I, for one, won't (ever) buy it!.