Mixed feelings..
Hmm, Potter back. I'm uncertain what he would bring other than marketing gloss, the innovation has already taken place. Or maybe higher prices, if I recall Psion's marketing strategy.
Psion founder David Potter has joined the company behind the Gemini project to re-create the classic Psion PDA. Potter will act as Planet Computing's Honorary Chairman, and plans to invest in efforts to get the product off the ground. Gemini uses new designs by Martin Riddiford of Therefore, the industrial designer for the …
I loved my Psions (multiple). Where they fell down is in neglecting the connectivity - even good synch for their devices. I remember (many years ago) investing in the comms pack - about £40 I seem to remember. I seem to remember it worked and even integrated with an early version of Outlook. But communications always seemed second hand (OK, just 3s and a 5) and I remember palm coming along and eating their lunch mainly because they synched well and people were prepared to adopt them and use something else for the remote terminal.
That lack of an idea really sunk them as far as I could see. But I do like the idea of the new palmtop - and am likely to buy one.
PsiWin's main problem was; it sent a query to see if it was talking to a PDA and the acknowledgement response was to repeat back the query. Which meant that every modem (internal and external) with echo on confused it into thinking it was talking to a PDA. That one caused me no end of fun when I worked on tech support.
Current X86 isn't a proper computer. It's a hack (too many bastard children to list) of a hack (686) of a hack (pentium) of a hack (486) of hack (386) of a hack (286) of a hack (8086) of a hack (8085) of an 8080.
At least ARMs improve the architecture rather than bolting on another emulation with each generation.
Even intel want to kill it, but they're in too deep.
I'd love to see this design using x86. Proper computer, none of this Android stuff.
It's Mediatek SoC (so ARM cores), dual boots into Debian or Android. So if if you boot into Debian you have pretty much a proper computer. For battery powered device, I think ARM is better choice than x86.
And no, I did not back it. I almost did, but wasn't prepared to gamble that amount of money. If it becomes a reality I'll probably by one once the bugs are ironed out and the price is somewhat reasonable.
My new GPD Pocket Mini is almost as small and contains an Atom, runs Windows 10... despite it's 7000mah battery I don't think it would last as long as it would on ARM... wish it was a tad smaller. Still, faster and better than the old Vaio P it replaced. About to install a dual boot Linux. Sometimes you just need a pocketable computer on the road.