Content area
Full Text
There's more going on in the portable computing market than the advancement of pen-based technology and the shrinking of notebook computers. A few companies are making hand-held computers you can fold up, fit in your pocket, and take anywhere.
The Psion Series 3, unlike any other "palmtop" I know of, has a surprisingly robust word processor. This is an interesting niche in the market that hasn't been addressed by the HP 95LX (a spreadsheet-and communication-based machine), the Atari and Poqet computers (DOS palmtops), or the Casio Boss or Sharp Wizard schedulers.
The Psion is also semi-DOS compatible. Its internal file and directory structure is just like DOS, which makes managing data on the Psion easy if you're a PC user. It has an 80C86-compatible processor, but it cannot run DOS applications.
I've been using the Psion for about a week, and I'm getting pretty attached to it. All it really needs is a bigger keyboard--maybe one of the inflatable keyboards I've heard people joke about.
COMPUTER OR BIFOCALS? The 8-1/2-ounce Psion, closed, is about the size of a large eyeglass case. Unfolded, it fits comfortably in the hand. And thanks to a creative stand that pops out when you unfold it, it also sits well on a desktop: the keyboard slants forward a little, and the screen tilts to a comfortable angle.
The Psion's keyboard is a mixed bag. Despite its QWERTY layout,...