Misses cardinal features.
Written: Mar 10 '01 (Updated Jan 07 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Screen, speed, built in quality apps.
Cons: small memory / no backlight / unreliable PC connection
The Bottom Line: Good if you don't want to type a lot and can live without the backlight. Great tool when mainly used for the built in - excellent - applications.
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| imreasztar's Full Review: Psion Revo |
I have been using the Revo 8MB for more than a year now, and I own a Psion Series 5 for more than three years now.
After using the "big" and "heavy" Psion Series 5, I really wanted that fits in my pocket. Something I can just pop out when needed. In addition, the Revo is a real companion; you will never leave it at home just because it's cumbersome.
The Revo got a new processor compared to the S5, double in MHz, just like the 5mx. This combined with the new, efficiently written OS, Epoc Release 5 (ER5), the machine runs quite fast. You wont wait for a long database to open up, or spend seconds searching for your e-mail. In addition, the new Epoc OS is rock solid - somewhat unusual quality compared to our PC world.
The big problem of the S5 was the screen - somewhat hard to read, many users claimed it. They made it somewhat better for the 5mx but, finally the screen is sharp and clean for the Revo.
The screen is somewhat smaller than that of the S5; it remembers me to the Series 3 range. It is easy to read from any angle, no foggy effect. Even visible in dim lighting conditions as well (when you had to put on the backlight on the S5, the Revo is still easy to read).
The smaller screen size is a big compromise however for programs. The loads of Series 5 programs just are "out of the screen". You will search hard to find playable games - the number of Revo-revised applications is increasing, but the list is not long enough yet. If you want to rely mostly on the built in apps, there won't be problem, but problems start if you want to use a useful, but older shareware. Ex. Macro5 (from pnicolas.epocboulevard.com) is a standard freeware utility app that you use on the S5, 5mx to use Ctrl+Sapce cycling between apps, to launch macros, control files, hotkeys, backlight, etc. It just does not fit the screen.
Grayscale is not a problem, for the things you would use it you can do it without color. I'm happy that Psion did not use a color LCD screen and sacrificing battery power.
The batteries are good. You can forget about them - they last for more than a week with an average daily usage. They are NiMH batteries, no memory effect, and the machine trickle charges them while it is on the docking station. You can also directly plug the AC adapter into the machine to charge the batteries, or use any 6V 500mA power adaptor.
The docking station is of perfect design. Psion always like to put some funny tricks in every machine, now the power cord is one like that. It has to be attached to the RS-232 plug at the back of your computer, so there is only one cable running over your table charring both serial data and AC power.
The only 8 MB of memory in fact is something 6 MB in reality (the OS takes some memory for running); this is used both for open apps and for data storage. If you only use the built in apps, it's enough, but forget to turn your machine in a big e-library, portable database, or e-map. You cannot add any extra memory - the only solution is to buy a Revo 16MB for a higher price. (Note that the Epoc operating system won't be any faster with more memory, or slower with less memory.)
So NO several books of 500kbyte for vReader5, no big English dictionaries with Dic or Tomeraider, no many Data files form www.pocketinfo.org, no big maps of my favorite cities with Street Planner - just my beloved software on my 80MB CF with the S5.
At least, try to get the Revo Plus with 16 MB.
The lack of backlight is also a big miss. You can never use the Revo on the coach back to home in the evening, or to search for a phone number in a dark telephone box. I think the backlight was removed to conserve battery power, as the built in AAA cells store only 2*700 mAh.
In the early days of the Psion Series 3 and 3a, backlight did not even exist (about 10 years ago), but today; it is a somewhat standard feature.
The keys are just too small for serious data input. It is enough to control the programs, or to type in a few names in data, but it hardly enough for writing long SMS text messages, or e-mail. I get really upset when a long typing goes away just because I also hit "Esc" with the "1" key, or I move towards on the screen with "Tab" when I only wanted to press "A". This is really a miss, as the Revo works well with a long list of IrDA compatible mobile phones. Connectivity to the PC is restricted to the infra port (w2k still have problems connecting to Psion, try plBeam 1.10) and to the docking station. The transfer rate is enough for daily backups, but takes a while to backup the whole 6 MB of the Revo with 115kbs. PsiWin is still much the same as before, needs improvement, you will mainly use it for backup and copy files.
Now you can't record sounds, as with the S5 and 5mx, but I don't miss this feature either. You can still download your funny alarm sounds from www.pocketinfo.org, and play them.
The case is solid and rigid, finally no cracks, peeling rubber or broken hinges as it was with the S5. Well, I haven't experienced yet - but I also take care of it.
The price dropped from the 440 USD what I had to pay for it some time ago, but I still consider as high, for such a machine. However, Psion always asked more - for the more.
From the software side, the machine uses the same Epoc suite as Revo Plus, Diamond Mako, Series 5mx, Series 7 and netBook. They are far away ahead from Win CE by my opinion, but there are still place for new developments. Well, the Agenda is great, hundreds of features, options. Word is good for write smaller notes, or to start writing letters. I mainly use Sheet to keep track of my expenses and for data input. Data handles well my contacts database with more than 1000 names and 16 fields each (the new Contacts application is much less customizable than Data - you should avoid using it).
The manual is short. Psion thinks that the CD-Rom and the built in huge help will replace a good book. I would prefer comprehensive book format manual compared to read it in PDF on a PC screen, or the help file on the Revo itself. However, it is very handy to have that big help file always with you.
It will take at least two-month usage when to think to start to exploit the capabilities - but the Revo will still have many hidden features for you. If you had a Psion before, however, you won't have problems. It also takes a while to change to Psion based from paper based - it's not easy, friends!
Nevertheless, all this is already done by the old but good Psion Siena (series 3 range) from 1996.
Summary:
This machine is not for: typing resources in the library or long e-mails, reading books in a dark coach, using e-maps, or for holding large databases on the move. While, it can be your choice if you can live on with the built in apps only, the low memory and the lack of the backlight. I can't.
March 1 2001
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Update (Aug 21 '01)
Many friends report me problems with the battery management. If you don't charge it at the beginning as described in the manual, you can fool your machine's circuitry. You have to hard reset the Revo to a "factory" state to overcome this problem.
Another big problem though: PsiWin.
PsiWin is the standard connection, conversion and synchronizing suite for Epoc devices.
At least PsiWin 2.3.3. came along this summer allowing synchronization with MS Outlook 2000, but it is still very unstable.
The most of the problems raise when installed over Windows 2000, where sometime I have to kill even explorer.exe from the task manager to be able to get PsiWin back to life. The fact that PsiWin can't use the infrared connection of Windows 2000 is just a small annoying fact because you are most likely to use your Revo with the supplied excellent cradle.
Any solution? Try to downgrade to Windows 98, PsiWin is more stable on it. Alternatively, just don't want to synchronize and use your Revo on its own, as most Psion users regularly do, including me.
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Update (Jan 07 '05)
The Revo is still out there and is still working in an excellent way. Though monochrom, and only with an RS232 port, it still has the highest quality of on-board software, Agenda, Word, Excel, Notes, etc. If you can live without USB connectivity, this is still the best bet compared to PocketPCs and Palms. At the moment, I use a Palm Tungsten T (I have it for almost 2 years now), but it freezes at every second Hotsync.
Where the Revo still excels, is at the dictionary front. My best bet for electronic English-English dictionaries is the Collins CoBuild, which runs wonderfully on a Revo, plus, you get the full keyboard to enter words. Read my review here: 'The' English-English ESL Dictionary.
Read my other Psion reviews:
Psion Series 5
Psion Series 3mx
Psion Series 7
Psion EnRoute for PC
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 440
Recommended for: Students - Stylish and a Best Value
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Epinions.com ID:
imreasztar
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Location: Budapest, Hungary
Reviews written: 28
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
Bio/chemical engineer who loves mobile tech
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