Psion Epoc

The most effective miniature business computers

Index to my Psion and Epoc miniature computer pages.

Epoc is the operating system used by Psion computers since 1997, and in some GSM mobile phones in 2001. It is stable, feature rich, runs well on slower, battery conserving CPUs, and has a wealth of applications available. In 1997 Epoc 32 replaced the earlier range of SIBO pocket computers made by Psion since before 1990. Epoc formed the basis for the Symbian operating systems used by the major cellular phone manufacturers.

The eighty or so pages in this section of my web site describe the Epoc based Psion and compatible computers, their remarkable built in applications, and software available to run on them. Think of a Psion as a Swiss Army Knife of computing. Not your first choice for large projects, but compact, portable, and robust, always handy, and capable of handling more tasks than you initially think. Some people run their entire business from a Psion computer.

Applications

The built in applications in the Psion and other Epoc computers.

Agenda
Calendar, diary, anniversaries, 100 todo lists, alarms and organiser. Day, week, month, year, anniversary and todo views, flexible appearance and layout. Unlimited alarms. Multiple Agenda files.
Calc
A simple tape view calculator, plus a scientific calculator, swap from right hand to left hand operation.
Comms
Terminal emulation, communications package, ASCII, X and Y modem file transfer, use serial port or infrared (not in Revo).
Contact
vCard compatible contact and phone list, integrates with email, infrared beam entries (not in early Psion 5).
Data
Multiple flexible flatfile databases, with customised appearance, easy to configure with many field types including memos, drawings, Word files.
Dialler
DTMF dialling from within Contacts, Agenda and Data, without a modem.
Email
Email multiple mailboxes via infrared cellular phone, external modem, or PCMCIA card via adaptor. Also handles SMS and Fax.
Help
The extensive system wide help facility is a specialised instance of the Data application.
IrDA
Connecting to phones, printers, Psion and other PDAs, or Windows 9x PCs using the infrared port
Jotter
Quick organised jotter for those urgent notes (not in early Psion 5). Like Help, this is a specialised instance of the Data application.
Program
OPL organiser programming language, write your own object oriented, multitasking, graphics software (not in Revo).
Printing
Print via serial or optional parallel cable, or beam infrared, to some common printers. Print via PsiWin connection package on your PC to any Windows printer.
Record
Record voice notes and sound files, save sounds for alarms, convert MPG files on your PC and play them. External controls on Series 5 (not in Revo).
Sheet
Spreadsheet with over 100 functions, do fancy layouts and graphs for printing, embed sheets in Word files.
SIS
Automatic program installer and uninstaller works within the Psion, as well as directly from your PC. Download SIS programs from the net and install without a PC if you wish.
Sketch
A simple bitmapped drawing tool, embed pictures in Word or Data files (not in Revo).
Spell
Spelling checker, thesaurus, crossword help and anagram hints.
Time
Time in hundreds of cities, locations and distances apart, multiple alarms, world map, sunrise and sunset times, country and city dial codes.
Web
Web browser and jpg and gif picture viewer. Use PC to convert AVI to animated gif and play them. Provided on CD for some models.
Word
Word processor with outliner, style gallery, templates and spelling checker. Embed spreadsheets and graphs, sketches for signatures or illustrations.
Zoom
The Zoom in and Zoom out buttons let you change the size of material in applications to suit your eyesight and application viewing needs.

Epoc Computers Described

A one paragraph description of some Epoc based computers, with links to more detailed descriptions. See my Psion page for a more extensive list.

Psion 3a (1993)
Released in 1993 as an upgrade to Psion 3 (1991), with a larger 480x160 display, and some additional applications.
Psion 3c (1996 upgrade)
Communication port brought onboard, upgraded applications, larger memory (1 MB and 2 MB), 480x160 display, with backlight.
Psion 3mx (1998)
Internal modifications to increase the clock speed by a factor of three. Last in the SIBO range.
Psion 5 (June 1997)
First 32 bit version, with a faster and more capable ARM processor, touch screen, 4 MB or 8 MB of RAM memory and 6 MB of ROM with the EPOC operating system and applications, IrDA connections for GSM mobile phone and printing,
Geofox (October 1997)
A wonderfully clear 640x320 display, and glidepoint mouse instead of a touch screen.
Oregon Scientific Osaris (1998)
A lower cost (US$350 and US$400) version with a 320 x 200 display, 8 MB and 16 MB models and different ARM CPU.
Psion 5mx and 5mx Pro (June 1999)
Twice the speed, and 16 MB of memory, using Epoc Release 5, but only minor patches to the applications.
Ericsson MC218
Rebadged Psion 5mx, expanded to 12 MB ROM with Ericsson applications including a WAP browser and mobile phone support.
Psion netBook (June 1999)
VGA colour display (the first colour Psion), and 190 MHz StrongARM CPU, plus a Compact Flash and PCMCIA slot.
Psion 7 (September 1999)
A cheaper retail version of the netBook, with a slower processor, and 16 MB RAM (expandable to 32 MB).
Psion Enterprise netPad
Rugged water resistant pen tablet with 640 x 240 backlit colour display.

Psion Sites and software

Links to lots of Psion sites and Epoc software.

Psion 3
Programs for the discontinued Psion 3 range
Banking
Bank account, investment tracking, financial calculators
Books
Books in digital form to read on a Psion
Business
Business, financial and accounting programs
Database
Database programs and tools, to extent the Data application
Drawing
Drawing, sketching, CAD, vector drawing
Encrypt
Encode, encryption and security, password protection
Editors
Text editors and substitutes therefore
Emulators
Emulate Sinclair, PC and others, and their games
Games
Play time with your Psion, all the old favourite games
GPS
GPS, location and mapping, streets plans
Internet
Access email, web, news, irc, telnet, and others
Maps
lSources of maps in digital formats
Medical
Medical software
Misc
Various programs
Photos
Where to find the inside photos of various Psion models
PIM
Agenda assistants and PIM and contact managers
Printing
Drivers and printer helpers
Programming
Computer languages and tools
Readers
eBook and other text and book readers
Science
Astronomy, maths and calculators, science and technology
Sites
Other Psion and Epoc sites
Sounds
Music and sound tools, recording
Sync
Synchronising with a PC, converting file formats
Time
Time logging and management
Utilities
Various utility programs

Psion communications

Notes on Psion communications solutions.

Psion 3 communications
Obsolete note of Psion 3 communications
Epoc 32 communications
Psion 5 connections
BigPond Mobile
Telstra Big Pond phones
Travelling
On the road communications
My local ISP
Internet Whitsunday communications

Miscellaneous Information

Bugs
Placeholder for a list of bugs and problems.
Convert
Using regular Psion applications to convert files.
Hints
A list of hints and tips.
History
History of Psion computers.
Keys
Keyboard shortcuts.
Learn
Where to learn more on using Epoc.
OPX
Extending the facilities in OPL.
OPL
Organiser Programming Language.
vs Palm
Where Psion is more appropriate to use than Palm.
Recommended
Placeholder for software recommendations.
Reviews
Reviews of Psion models from the computer press.
SIS
The software install system and using it.


ericlindsay.com -> epoc

email Webmaster