Psion Series 3a

The Psion series 3a PDA is a brilliant tool. I have used mine for six years and it has never let me down. I have written a novel on it and it fits inside my trouser pocket and can be popped out whenever I want and switched on instantly. No waiting for boot up - press the 'on' key and it's there and ready to go.

Top notch little computer.

I picked it up for $5 in a garage sale last year.

Everything was still in the original box.

The previous owner chucked it because it wasn't going. Nothing that a new button cell battery could fix. It was all go from there. Just downloaded Tetris. Cool game and ONLY 21k big. Try that on a normal PC.

Same for the accompanying software. The PC interface softeware fits on a 1.44 disk. Get the latest and greatest interface package and you need at least 25Mb space on your HD and it does essentially the same.

I've not seen a better handheld since the release of the Psion 3a.

I agree with everything said except that I could never live for six weeks with the machine in the deep freeze! I have had all the Psions from the 3 through to the 7 including the backward stepping 5mx and the Revo. By far the best (i.e the most useful) is the 3mx that I still use in preference to my latest iPAQ 3970. This modern wonder closes each file before opening any other, while the 3Series keep every file at the ready.

There is no waiting for Windows to churn into action! You can buy AA batteries anywhere in the world rather than recharging and being dependent on local voltages and plugs. The only reason for trying another machine alongside it is that Psion have stopped manufacturing them and I fear losing all one day.

If only Psion had or would have kept this model going, I am sure that there is a silent majority that would welcome the continued availabilty of this most user friendly product, especially if they kept the cost of repair at a more reasonable level

I must agree with everything Rob said. The 3a has been my faithful and ever functional assistant for about six years, during which time I have never once lost data. In 1999 I took an extended holiday and decided to see just how tough the 3a was. I backed up my data (always essential if the data is at all important)wrapped the 3a in a plastic bag and popped it into the deep freeze at minus 25 centigrade. Six weeks later, I returned and thawed it out. On pressing the 'on' button, the active files opened instantly, undamaged and exactly as I had left them. The Psion 3a has been the MOST reliable computer item I have ever owned. I find it utterly practical, economical and although it has been superceded I wouldn't change it - why should I? It does everything I want and it always works. The most satisfactory aspect of it is that it keeps files active with the cursor ready at the place you left them, so there's no boot up delay - your work is there where you left it. This also means you can save battery power while writing since you can just kill the machine with the off button while you compose a sentence or idea, switch on and jot it down. I find I can type effectively with my two thumbs while walking along which I frequently do.

good

I can only agree. The 3A does exactly what I need. It is reliable, easy to use, cheap, sturdy and fun. You can still get heaps of software on discs that you insert, and stuff can also be downloaded from the net. It never goes wrong and I have even dropped mine a couple of times and it never faltered! You can print easily from it, and as a diary, address book combined it is second to none. Psion never made a better product. You can't get a 3A new, or any 3 series for that matter, but loads are available second hand as people (stupidly) upgrade to palmtops that don't even use english !