Can one emulate the palm or pocket pc on a psion

[johnelinger]

I posted earlier a question about migrating from the psion to the palm and /or pocketpc pdas. I was surprised to see how devoted the psion users are to their product, especially since it is not clear that PSION will be supporting its product beyond next December and there is little new software being written for it now. Clearly the Palms and Pocket PCs will be the major players in the future.
I do admit there are many things I find superior on the Psion: the keyboard, the database program, ease of use. In many ways it seems like how Betamax the better product lost out to VHS VCRs due to poor marketing.

That being said, the posts did get me thinking that if I could use my Psion and run the pharmacy program then I might be better off staying with the Psion even if it means repairing it. However, the program is not a PDF or straight datafile. It is a program that allows you to search on different factors and allows for updating on the internet automatically. I do not need the automatic update as I could do this manually. However, I think I need to be able to actually run the program. Is there anyway to do that? There are currently two programs that I could consider using. One is called epocrates (for the palm) and the other is found at PDR.net and runs on either the palm or Pocket PC OS. Are there any U.S. MDs who are using the PSion on this board? If so have they found a workaround? Any ideas would be appreciated.

John Elinger

[davidhowe01]

Having just moved to the US for a a couple of years and realizing that Psion has zero presence here, I too am looking to migrate from Psion to either Palm or Pocket PC. I'm pretty upset to have to do this but given Psion's total lack of commitment to maintaining its products I feel I should do this sooner later. Can anyone advise whether Palm or Pocket PC is closest and more importantly is there any software you can download to convert Psion files (especially data and agenda) to Palm or Pocket PC compatible files - easily and effortlessly!!

[johnelinger]

I agree that there seems to be a major disconnect between who has the better hardware/software(psion) and who has the major presence in the USA (palm/windows). In answer to your question as someone who is urgently looking into the problem as my psion now is at end of life, I can tell you the following:
1) Agenda is easy to get around. Synchronize your agenda to that of outlook on your computer using psiwin. Then when you buy your palm or windows product, it will have software that will sync with outlook. It may not be perfect as I have not looked to see if there is a unity of field matches, but it should get most of your information migrated.
2)The same holds true for the spreadsheets and word processing at least in theory ( I have not done it yet). However, you should be able to change your psion files to word files using psiwin and then download these. Some formatting issues will arise, but you will have the majority of the text.
3)The problems are in the database program and other specific application software. This weekend I spent several hours and have been able to migrate a database file from the Psion to a Compaq IPAQ. HOWEVER, it does not migrate embedded files. If you have a spreadsheet or wordprocessing object in the record that data does not migrate. I did this by using the psiwin program to convert the database file to an access database and then used Handbase (a program you have to buy) to convert the access program to a file that handbase can use after installing that software. You can visit the site at handbase.com. I don't know if it is just the learning curve but a couple of things were true. The converted files may have significant formatting issues if you have text fields. The database also is not as user friendly. And as my question above indicates, I don't think that if you have a specific program you desire to run, there is a way to get psion to act as a palm or for your use the converse.

Bottom line, it is a lot of work to switch and there will be a lot of compromises and a learning curve to using the new product. However, as you point out, Psion is not leaving us with many choices, you can either do it now or later when you have even more data.

Have you made any progress on which would be a better switch, the palm or windows operating system. I am trying to do that now. It is confusing at best. Both groups have loyal converts.

Hope this helps

[diem]

As it stands, this is hobson's choice; PcoketPC 2002 is well-featured but showing every sign of M$-bloat, which eats its battery life.

PalmOS has recently been looking very old-hat; single-tasking, 16bit etc. It has just moved to 5.0 however, a significant step in the right direction, and 6.0 will be a complete re-write. Palm may then be considered a true palmtop computer, IMO right now they are no more than a personal organiser with big ideas.

If you can hang in there for a few more months, I'd keep an eye on Palm. If not, then PPC is the only platform with anything like the functionality of EPOC.

On the other hand, talk to other US-based forum users - they seem to be getting by OK as Psion users on the left-hand side of the pond...

[davidhowe01]

Thanks for the advice on converting. As I suspsected the 100s of addresses I have in my database are going to be the biggest pain.
I'm leaning towards Palm today. Yesterday it was PPC. Everything in my head tells me that I should get an IPAQ - cool screen and graphics - looks and behaves like a real PC. But I still despite alot of asking around have not found anyone who really loves PPC. However, there are tons of people who love their Palms.
Ultimately what's holding me back here is the thought of having to go through all of this again if I make the wrong choice. Could Palm go the way of Psion and abandon its users cos it's suddenly losing out to PPC. After all, PPC is backed by Microsoft who are unlikely to go out of business in the long term. And there seem to be loads more new PPC machines coming on the market compared to Palm.
Really like the sound of the new IPAQ H1910 - really light and small, but not actually out yet. But also love the light and smallness of the Tungsten. It's a real pain. At some point I may just toss a coin!

[johnelinger]

Doubt you will have the same problem if you choose the Palm product as with Psion. They are too big a part of the market so that if Palm does go belly up there will be someone like intellisync that will fill the nitch with conversion programs. Matter of fact I think they have done most of it already.

I have narrowed my choices to the Clie (Palm), Treo(Palm +cell phone), the Compaq or the Axim from Dell. The latter is new out. It has the advantages of being cheaper and having built in CF and another built in method for memory attachements as opposed to the sleeve required for the IPAQ. I also have you bias toward the PPC due to microsoft. However, every review I have read rates the Clie as the best out there. I think I will probably go with them. Need to make a decision in the next week.

Good luck with your choice,

[Beakynet]

Just a thought, are you aware of the following Psion Medical Site:

http://www.palmaris.com/

Palmaris Medical Ltd is worth a look at for medical programs.

;)

Also, for general information try:

http://www.pdamd.com/vertical/home.xml

:p

[GadgetFreak]

Originally posted by davidhowe01
I'm leaning towards Palm today. Yesterday it was PPC. Everything in my head tells me that I should get an IPAQ - cool screen and graphics - looks and behaves like a real PC. But I still despite alot of asking around have not found anyone who really loves PPC. However, there are tons of people who love their Palms.


I had a 5MX and a Revo and I switched to an IPAQ and I love it. I think one reason that you find more Palm advocates is that, well, a lot more people have Palms than Pocket PCs. What I like most about the IPAQ is the ease in synching with my desktop. I can do it wirelessly in my office or with my cell phone by calling my office's modem bank. I have had maybe 4 problems synching in a year and I synch more than once daily on average. In contrast, I started timing it and I was spending more time trying to get my Psions to synch than I was actually spending using them. And that wasnt remote synching either. Thats why I gave up on Psion. I also love the screen on the Psion. I bought a battery extender and an expansion pack plus with exchangeable batteries for the IPAQ and using on very long flights (NY-Tokyo) for instance is no problem. Also, the functionallity on the IPAQ is very good. That being said, it is a little on the big side so I also have a Treo 90 in my pocket most of the time and find it a very useful tool. I use the IPAQ mainly as a notebook replacement with an external keyboard. Many times unless I have a lot of typing or document editing to do I just leave the notebook behind now.

[Sonny]

I have a Psion 5mx and a Palm m130.

I can beam information between the two machines easily without any special software. All information transfers correctly to the receiving machine.

Sonny

[BigFrank]

Well I've also taken the move from Psion to iPaq. Having been using the iPaq for four days now, (Yes it was a Christmas present) its crashed at least once per day. For entertainment value its great. I can listen to my mp3 files, connect to the Internet via my bluetooth phone and chat to my friends via MSN Messenger.

But this Christmas present was bought for work purposes. Next year I have a project where I'm rolling PDA's of some description out to our sales staff. From everything I've seen so far its brilliant for home users and home entertainment value. Time will tell if it's good for business.

Psion were ahead of their time with their products. If they had continued the range I'm sure we would have had a product that would have integrated bluetooth, wirelass LAN and modem and a colour screen with sound. But sadly they haven't so I have to resign myself to the fact that again I am being forced down the Microsoft route with inferior bloatware.

In the mean time I will use my psion for word documents, spreadsheets, route planning with GPS, databases, contact information and e-mail synchonisastion with Lotus Notes.

Long live Symbian/EPOC

[netBookBabe]

Originally posted by BigFrank
In the mean time I will use my psion for word documents, spreadsheets, route planning with GPS, databases, contact information and e-mail synchonisastion with Lotus Notes.In other words, all the really useful stuff. ;) Oh, and by the way, you can use it to chat to your friends on MSN Messenger!

Long live Symbian/EPOCI second that!

Julie

[johnelinger]

I don't disagree with anyone who says that the Psion has the best hardware and the best native operating system. It is the only one that even provides a database program standard if one excludes the non-popular version of Microsofts PDa operating system.

Psion's problems in the US were/are 2-fold. (1)They never captured enough of the market share to convince 3rd parties to write software for the OS. I can get a US drug database for the Palm or PPC. But not for the Psion. I can get programs for the American Heart standards for cardiac resuscitation for the palm but not for the Psion etc. (2)They did not listen to consumers and try to compete with Palm and Pocket PC. The Revo was a step in the right direction (smaller/lighter) but too little/too late (not color, not wireless web enabled).

I am a reluctant adopter of the Palm. Its native software is not as good. However, for my usage the sum of the 3rd party software and the native palm OS is grreater than the sum of 3rd party software and native OS of Psion. I leave reluctantly. I was an original HP 100LX user and in many ways I believe that system is better than the Palm or Pocket PC. However, without software/hardware support it has gone the way of the dinasaur. I fear without the continued support of Psion the 5mx will go the same

[GadgetFreak]

I somewhat agree as to what Psions problems are in the US. I must say that in addition to the lack of software in comparison to the Palm, I think the biggest problem with Psion was PsiWin. I thought it was absolutely terrible. My experience with both Palm and IPAQ since software is that at least if one is synching to Outlook/Exchange, both are vastly superior to PsiWin in everyway.

I use an IPAQ for all of the things you mention, Word, Excel mail schedule etc and find that mine crashes less than my 5MX for the same applications. When I have had IPAQ crash problems, it has been with a few applications. Unfortunately, Compaq shipped those things with a an application that caused a lot of trouble. You can find out more about it and how to remove it (which saves a world of trouble) on the IPAQ boards. Yes, I realize that the OS should prevent this, but let me reiterate that in my experience, Psions crashed more than my IPAQ. And Palm, there is really no comparison. They dont do as much, but what they do they do very, very well. As a standalone computer, Psions are quite good, but as a handheld extension to a desktop computer I found them badly lacking.

[BigFrank]

Must say that if we're talking PsiWin then yes it's been my experience that it's very badly written software and has caused me no end of trouble in crashes. As yet though I've had very little problem with the actual Series 5mx crashing. Certainly not on the scale that I've had with the ipaq.

Yes the ipaq may integrate brilliantly with Outlook/Exchange but what if you don't use Outlook/Exchange. So far I've found that if my loyalty lay with Microsoft then I'd have no problem with the Ipaq working with all my system apart from a few crashes here and there. But hey what do a few system crashes mean to a business ;-)

Its good to see that Psion still have such a following, but as previous posts have said, we need to recognise that Psion hardware is becoming antiquated and that there will be no updates to hardware.

I'm saddened that I'm being forced into what I still consider a second rate solution with the Ipaq. But hey it's gonna make my users very happy when they get a new toy! ;-)

[Basss]

I must say as a user of both a 5mx and a Casiopeia em-500 that my casio has the nasty habbit to crash somewhat like 2 times a day and my 5mx never did this..

Psiwib=n has never caused any problem but activesynch letteraly wiped out my outlook so I had to put it together again with my psion.

Do you lads know that there will be about 20 new machines running er7 or er8 are coming in 2003. Machines like a P800 and the new Nokia's??? so there is a life for Symbian!