Psion 5mx good for ebooks?
scotty
I am thinking of picking up a 2nd hand 5mx. eBay is getting a little
frustrating of late.
Anyway...In researching, I have noted a few things...Perhaps you Psion
users could confirm or deny?
Screen cables ALWAYS die, it's just a question of when.
PsiWin only works under Win98--no Win2k or XP? What about Linux?
Can you use a Psion 5mx to read ebooks (converted text files)? Are
there readers and converters out there?
Thanks!
Of course, if you have a 5mx that you'd like to part with, please reply
to me here. I would also be amenable to a Newton2100 swap for a Psion 5mx.
Scott
Boris Borisovich
> Hi folks,
>
> I am thinking of picking up a 2nd hand 5mx. eBay is getting a little
> frustrating of late.
From my researches, there is a goodly number of 2nd hand machines on ebay
from time to time, so don't despair. Some people are re-manufacturing the
5mx, you might like to look at www.posltd.com and www.clove.co.uk. Not
sure they have hit the market yet though.
>
> Anyway...In researching, I have noted a few things...Perhaps you Psion
> users could confirm or deny?
Well it's a friendly group, so I'm sure everyone will chip in.
>
> Screen cables ALWAYS die, it's just a question of when.
This is a regrettable part of 5mx's - but OTOH, I've had a 5 mx since it
came out (was that in 1999?) and while I cannot say that it has had
constant use, nothing like, I haven't had the screen cable problem. The
other way of looking at it is to say that it is easily repaired. This can
be done by www.posltd.com or an alternative (which I haven't tried - I've
never had to!) is www.psionflexi.co.uk. POS are a very helpful outfit,
never tried Psionflexi, but others on this NG and elsewhere have said
good things about them.
>
> PsiWin only works under Win98--no Win2k or XP? What about Linux?
Not true, the latest version of PsiWin (2.3.3) works under Win xp. You
can get it at www.psience5.net (as well as a vast array of other goodies
- the good thing about the Psion's demise is that much of the software is
now free - so running a Psion is a cheaper option than say Palm or Pocket
PC).
You're on your own with Linux - no idea.
>
> Can you use a Psion 5mx to read ebooks (converted text files)? Are
> there readers and converters out there?
Yes of course - I use ebook, available from www.psience5.net for free.
There are others, including the (free) MobiPocket reader. The webmaster
at Psience5 is currently writing a text to Palmdoc converter for the
Psion, and an early version is available on his site.
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> Of course, if you have a 5mx that you'd like to part with, please
> reply to me here. I would also be amenable to a Newton2100 swap for a
> Psion 5mx.
No thanks - I'm holding on to mine!!
>
> Scott
>
>
scotty
Thanks for the answers. I guess this leads to my follow-up
question...Would a 5mx be a good buy in this day and age?
To keep things in perspective, I use a Newton 2100 for daily pda things
and books. I drifted over to Palm for a little while in the form of a
Handspring Visor Edge, and earlier, a Palm m505, but I always returned
to the Newt.
The 5mx intrigues me as it is smaller, and lighter than the Newt, does
all of what I use a Newt for and has a kickass keyboard built in.
So...Assuming I don't drop more than $200 American on this 5mx, is it a
good buy?
Thanks,
Scott
David Sumbler
> Would a 5mx be a good buy in this day and age?
>
> So...Assuming I don't drop more than $200 American on this 5mx, is
> it a good buy?
You're asking on the wrong newsgroup really - we're nearly all Psion
junkies anyway! So I'd say yes, go for it. I have two 5mx-s, so that
I can swap if the one I'm using gets dropped or stolen. Or if the
screen cable dies - yes, this does happen after a while, but I use my
Psion constantly. With less usage, I dare say the screen cable would
last for years and years.
If you can get a 5mx for $200 or less, I'd say it's well worth
having.
> PsiWin only works under Win98--no Win2k or XP? What about Linux?
I don't use Windows, but in any case someone else has answered that
already. On Linux you could probably get PsiWin working using Wine or
Qemu, but I use a proper Linux app., plptools, which I find excellent.
See http://plptools.sourceforge.net/
David
--
David Sumbler
Please reply with a followup to the newsgroup.
However, if you _really_ want to send me an e-mail,
replace "nospam" in my address with "aeolia".
Boris Borisovich
snip
>
> The 5mx intrigues me as it is smaller, and lighter than the Newt, does
> all of what I use a Newt for and has a kickass keyboard built in.
>
> So...Assuming I don't drop more than $200 American on this 5mx, is it a
> good buy?
>
> Thanks,
> Scott
Well, the 5mx may be smaller and lighter than a "Newt", but it is far
larger and heavier than other PDA's out there these days.
A good buy is where you buy something that does what you want of it: the
5mx is an excellent PDA, the Agenda functions are by and large the best out
there (still), and as you like books, it will enable you to read books. And
yes, the keyboard allows you to do some serious work on it.
There are downsides: the murky grey-green screen is not at all good by to-
day's standards (I don't want you to be disappointed if you buy one off
ebay without having seen it first). Another thing is that PsiWin will
enable you to achieve some level of compatibility between the inbuilt Psion
apps and Office, but it is not perfect (no conversion programs are
perfect).
So: you're buying yesterday's technology which still works to-day, if you
are willing to make it work, it will work, and work very well, as people in
this NG will tell you, but you are going to have to accept some
compromises: no bluetooth, no USB, no WiFi, no colour screen.
Don't let me put you off: I have tried PPC for some years, and have finally
gone back to the Psion, it has advantages that still can't be bettered.
However, the important thing is that it does what I want it to, that may
not be true of everyone.
Hope you give it a go!
Boris
Bob G
scotty wrote:
>
> Can you use a Psion 5mx to read ebooks (converted text files)?
>
Only at the risk of losing your eyesight - the 5mx screen is pathetic.
Phil Aypee
I've got two 5mxs and the screencables show no sign of going
- but it is a notorious bug with most 5mxs. Paul at
http://www.psionflexi.co.uk/ is very helpful and knowledgeable.
Pinnock (http://www.posltd.com/) have an excellent reputation
but I believe their replacement flexi-cables are not as good as
Paul's.
There are several eBook readers for the 5mx, most of them
free. Simon Quinn's EBook (now free) is probably the best.
It reads all the common formats and can be configured as a
vertical reader (the best way to read eBooks on the Psion).
It supports Aportis files (Palm files, compressed), text files
and TCR files (compressed) - a format peculiar to Psions.
There are DOS utilities to create them which run on the
Psion. The TCR format is "abandonware". Simon also has
the DOS utilities on his site,
http://www.geocities.com/ebookepoc/, along with EBook itself.
Certainly the Psion screen isn't ideal but lots of us put up
with it as we find the machines otherwise superb. Old it may
be but there is still nothing better for my purposes (except
even older Psions!). The Agenda application is particularly
good - and better suited to a handheld than even a portable.
Clove, http://www.clove.co.uk/, and Pinnock occasionally have
"remanufactured" 5mxs, probably built from spare parts
bought from Psion or their suppliers. They're a better bet
than eBay. If you get one, buy a CF card (one that will work
in it, not all will - Martin Guthrie, http://www.pscience5.net/,
has a list). I have one file for TomeRaider that is nearly 16 MB
so I *need* a CF.
The Psion CF slot won't work unless it's closed so only memory
cards will work in it. The Psion has no Bluetooth or USB,
communication is by a serial com port (which doubles as a
parallel port for printing).
There is loads of free software for most purposes - about the
only things on the Psion *not* available as enhanced
applications are the word processor and the spreadsheet.
Apart from hundreds of games there are database managers
(relational too), PIMs, web browsers, eMail clients, this
newsreader, calculators, programming suites, FTP clients, site
scoopers, HTML editors, MP3 players, planetariums and much,
much more. There is JAVA stuff too.
*But it's an old-fashioned machine.*
As an excellent PDA the 5mx is an excellent PDA. As a
handheld computer it seems to be unrivalled yet. With a
better screen and better connectivity . . . but it hasn't
got them.
: · (
Take care,
Phil.
"Time wounds all heels."
Thi
> PsiWin only works under Win98--no Win2k or XP? What about Linux?
>
> Can you use a Psion 5mx to read ebooks (converted text files)? Are
> there readers and converters out there?
Linux: you can get almost same functionality under linux even without
psiwin. Plptools is what you need under linux. Than you can mount psion
c, z, CF as a directory. It is even better than under windows. Remote
clipboard work also great. Printing should work too, but i did not check
it. I printing trough infra red port directly to printer.
For conversion i use psiwin (with wine). Or some great conversion
program on psion (2ConvU, nConvertor)
I have psion s7, it is big, old. But there is not anything better.
Thi
scotty
Of course, I am not entirely sure about whether or not the serial cable
is packed in or not...
Scott