History

Psion has been selling it to the industrial market since the late eighties, and acquired a global player during 2000 in the shape of 600-strong Canadian firm Teklogix in a deal worth C$550. But, this model first appeared in its prototype form during March 1999 at a CeBIT conference alongside the prototype netBook.

Similarities

The NetPad, as it is known, is something of a cross between the industrial Net Book computer launched two years ago and the consumer Series 7 personal digital assistants. Like the netBook, it uses an SA-1100 StrongARM and Symbian's ER5 OS. Unlike the netBook, and unlike most water-filled novelty snowstorms, too, it's capable of withstanding a five-foot drop test onto concrete. Psion was at pains to point out that this is a product for a niche it knows well: field workers in the utilities, telcos and servicing major appliances, ticket inspectors, couriers and the like. . It has the enterprise middleware (Java, IBM MQ Series) to throw into the pot, but it's really a multi-OS company these days, despite Psion being the largest shareholder in Symbian.

The netpad itself has no Ethernet, USB or Bluetooth, but all are on the roadmap, as is a version with integrated cellular wireless. It doesn't use character recognition (although it can grab signatures), but the pop-up keyboard almost fills the screen, which isn't a bad substitute. Psion Teklogix says the device will be priced between the ruggedized Palms and full size A4 tablets,

Room for Development

Java: Java Run Time Environment with JVM and class libraries Enterprise Java 1.1.4 implementation – runs Enterprise 1.1 Java and Personal Java applications. Sun-certified implementation including AWT graphics toolkit Operating System: Symbian OS is installed in the flash ROM; operating system is software upgradeable Miscellaneous:Y2K compliant, and CE/FCC approved

The Software

Applications: Additional applications are supplied, which can be installed as required (Word, Sheet,Time, Alarms, Calculator and Voice Recorder). User-defined applications may be added

Communications:Terminal, Messaging Fax, Email, and Web Browser Email Support: SMTP, Internet POP3 and IMAP4

Web Support: HTML 3.2, HTTP/1.1, Frames, Java Applets, Java Script, SSL, GIF/JPEG graphics formats

PC Connectivity: Support via PsiWin for backup, file transfers and synchronisation to Microsoft Office, Lotus SmartSuite, Outlook and other standard PC packages.

What Psion Said during the launch on Friday 28 September 2001 in London

"It's not designed to be a consumer machine like the Series 7, but is aimed more at companies needing a tablet computer for their applications," a spokesperson for Psion said.

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