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Notes |
Manufacturer |
Psion (UK) |
Model |
Organiser Model 1 |
Date Launched |
Mid 1984 |
Price |
£100 |
Microprocessor type |
Hitachi HD6301X @ 0.9216 MHz |
ROM size |
4 kilobytes |
Standard RAM |
2 kilobytes of normal RAM, plus 8 kilobytes of EPROM on a plug in cartridge, which held 10900 characters of data (presumably only 6 bits were used per character, and packed into bytes, ie 8*1024*8/6=10922). |
Maximum RAM |
Maximum of 32 kilobytes of EPROM using two 16 KB 'data packs'. |
Keyboard type |
Small keys similar to a pocket calculator. |
Supplied language |
POPL (Psion Organiser Programming Language) which was similar to BASIC. |
Text resolution |
One line of 16 characters, 6.4mm high, on liquid crystal display. |
Graphics resolution |
No graphics |
Colours available |
Monochrome |
Example Screenshot |
|
Sound |
None |
Cassette load speed |
No tape interface |
Dimensions (mm) |
142 x 78 x 29 |
Special features |
Built-in clock and calendar (but there was no alarm function). |
Good points |
Very robust construction with a slide-off protective case. |
Bad points |
There was no way to entirely delete entries from the database. They could be marked as erased but still took up space in the (small) memory. This was because the storage used Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory which could only be cleared by removing the memory pack from the Psion and exposing it to bright ultraviolet light through the window on the top in the optional Psion Formatter. This cleared all data on the pack. |
How successful? |
The model 1 organiser was a reasonable success but the improved model II, with a larger display and more memory, sold about half a million units over a period of ten years. |
Comments |
The Psion Organiser (especially the Model II) was the world's first practical Personal Digital Assistant at a time when the Filofax was still a novel idea. |
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