NetPad

An industrial Psion Epoc pen computer released in September 2001.

Psion Teklogix netPad

Rugged water resistant pen tablet with a half VGA 640 x 240 backlit 256 colour display, dynamically switchable from landscape to portrait format. It is somewhat larger and heavier than the Psion 5 range, at 215mm x 85mm x 25mm, and 508 grams with battery (8.47 x 3.35 x 0.99 and 1.12 lbs). It was designed by Psion Enterprise for industrial use, and is water resistant and designed to withstand a drop of five feet, with an IP67 rating.

There is an on screen keyboard using the touch screen display, and it comes with a pointer.

It has an Intel SA-1110 Strong ARM CPU running at 206MHz, with 16 MB of internal flash ROM, and 16 MB or 64 MB of SDRAM. The add on external memory is via a MMC memory card, not the Compact Flash used by the Series 5. It cold boots from the MMC using a single operating system and applications file. Supplied with a CD of applications for enterprise use and modification, and a SDK, since it would normally contain custom applications.

It has an IrDA 1.1 port capable of 115 kbps, as is the serial RS232 port. It has 8 bit sound with microphone and loudspeaker. Like the netBook, it is powered by a 875mAH replaceable rechargeable Li-Ion battery for 8 to 10 hours, with an optional 1400 mAH battery pack available. The backup battery will retain data for up to 48 hours. There is an external battery charger that works through a docking adaptor.

Software is ER5 (not ER6) with JVM 1.1.4. As an industrial design, it has a user configurable operating system loaded into Flash memory, like the netBook. Applications supplied on CD are Mail, Web, Word, Sheet, Contact, Agenda, Jotter, Voice, and a software keypad.

There are five models. The 1100 has 16 MB SDRAM, and lacks navigation button and the two progarmmable softkey. All other models have 64 MB SDRAM. The 3500 and 3700 models have the 1400 mAH battery pack, to assist with the Symbol 923 barcode scanner they include. The 1200 and 3500 model have a transmissive (indoor) display. The 1400 and 3700 models have instead a transflective (outdoors) display.

Although originally apparently designed for a mid 2000 release, the netPad was not released until 28 September 2001. Prototypes were known to be working prior to the end of 2000.

Hardware

Processor

32 bit Intel StrongArm SA-1110 (206 MHz).

Display

256 colour VGA 640 x 240 LCD with pen touch screen. A transmissive (indoor) display is used in the 1100, 1200 and 3500 model. A transflective (outdoor) display is used in the 1200 and 3700 model.

Weight, Size, Power

508 g or 1.12 pound, including battery pack. 215mm x 85mm x 25mm (8.47 x 3.35 x .99 inch) Rechargeable 875 mAh (or optional 1400 mAh, as standard in 3500 and 3700 models) Li-Ion battery pack. Eight to ten hour optimal battery life. Rechargeable backup battery for up to 48 hours data retention. Docking station accepts AC power for recharging.

Memory

16 MB flash ROM for operating system and applications. 16 MB SDRAM (1100 model) or 64 MB SDRAM (1200, 1400, 3500, 3700 models). All models accept MMC card.

Keyboard

Software on screen keyboard supplied. Except in 1100 moddel, also has navigation button, and two programmable softkeys. Touch screen and stylus.

Audio

8 bit digital sound, speaker, microphone.

Communications

RS232 port to 115 kbps, IrDA 1.1 115kbps.

Software

Epoc Release 5 (ER5).

Word

Word processing. Multiple fonts, bold, italics, bullets, borders, etc. Headers, footers, page numbers. Paragraph styles. Embed sketches, spreadsheets, sounds. Spelling checker built in. Zoom display. WYSIWYG. Password protect files. Print direct from all applications, or via PC using Windows printers.

Spell

Spelling checker, thesaurus, solving anagrams, crossword clues.

Sheet

Spreadsheet. Text formatting similar to word processor, auto-sum, 100 functions, hold columns and rows, zoom, graphics for seven chart types including 3D. Up to 30 row by 17 columns visible. Password protect files.

Printing

Printing support for a small selection of printers, via optional parallel printer cable or IrDA infrared, or via Windows using True Type fonts. Print preview multiple pages at a time. Third party printer support.

Sketch

Drawing tools, using stylus provided with Psion. Clipart library, zoom, resize. This is a paint (pixel oriented) drawing package, not a vector oriented package.

Agenda (I am not certain Agenda is supplied)

Multiple different files of Agenda items. Time management and diary, with day, week, month and year views. Unlimited alarms, user supplied sounds, silent alarms, flexible repeat entries. Anniversaries. Attach notes, sketches, sound. 100 To-do lists, various arrangements, optionally in other views. Custom views of entry types. Very powerful PIM.

Database

Card view of records, list view of multiple records, embed sketches, sound or objects, sort, set type sizes and fonts, various types of data including memos, set limits to some data entries, import and export as CSV, tab format. Very flexible.

Contacts

vCard style address book, integrated into eMail application.

Jotter

Quick note jotter, based on Data.

Record

Record voice and sounds. Store 2 minutes per megabyte with compression, up to 4 minutes with ADPCM. Use as alarm sounds. There is a bug with the microphone, which does not always make contact with the motherboard. Pressing down very hard on the case above the microphone (near right hand shift key) will often cure it for a while.

Calculator

Four function with "tape". Also scientific, multi function, with ten memories. Use touch screen if desired. Swap from left hand to right hand use.

Time

Select sounds or recordings for alarms, local times in 700 locations, add your locations own. Flexible multiple alarms. Daylight saving. World map. Dawn and dusk times. Distances between cities. Latitude and longitude information. Lists past alarms, future alarms. Digital or analog appearance of clock.

PC Docking

Windows 95/NT PsiWin2 conversion program included, Psion appears as an icon in Windows Explorer. Convert to and from multiple PC word processor, database and spreadsheet formats, also sounds and some graphics. Sync with Outlook and other PIMs.

Programming language

OPL editor and translator. Suitable for reasonably large (4000 lines typical) object oriented menu driven full graphics programs very similar to built in applications. Free OPL, C++ and Java SDK available to developers from Symbian web site.

Communications

VT100 and TTY terminal emulation, ASCII, Xmodem, Ymodem protocols.

Email

Simple email, SMS and fax program, multiple POP3 addresses, take addresses from Contact.

Web

Opera commercial browser included.

FTP

FTP client.

Java

Java 1.1.4 run time is supplied on CD, however it is very large.

System

System display showing folders, file properties. File manager. Cut and paste clipboard. Control panel, change many preferences.

InfraRed

IrDA IrCOMM file transfer via PsiWin (Windows 9x). IrDA transfers between other Psion devices. Print direct to IrDA printers like HP 5MP and Brother BJC80. IrOBEX object transfers.

I got my original material from www.psionusa.com/EnterpriseSolutions/Netpad but the netPad site seems to be http://www.psionteklogix.com/main/netpad.htm