Review: PsiXpda pocket computer

The PsiXpda is a tiny computer that squeezes a full PC specification into a form factor small enough to fit into a large pocket, enabling buyers to have a Windows PC that can be carried and used almost anywhere, especially with its built-in 3G broadband.

Announced in December 2009 and available now, the PsiXpda is manufactured by a UK firm of the same name, and is perhaps best described as a netbook shrunk down to the size of an old-fashioned PDA, such as those marketed by Psion in the past.

Like a netbook, the PsiXpda is capable of running most Windows applications, although compromises made in slimming it down mean that it is impractical to run anything much more demanding than email, office applications and web browsing.

The small size also implies a small battery, which means that the PsiXpda is not going to run for any great length of time away from mains power, and this proved to be the case. But since the demise of OQO last year, this system is one of the few available choices for anyone wanting a full PC in as compact a package as possible.

However, unlike a netbook, the PsiXpda is probably not a good choice for newcomers to computers, as some features such as the 3G connection require the user to jump through a few hoops to get working.

At 17.4 x 18.4 x 2.5cm, the PsiXpda is similar in size to a portable media player when closed, and weighs 430g. This makes it just about small and light enough to fit into a large jacket pocket, although we would guess most buyers will carry it in a bag or briefcase for protection.

Our review model came with a fabric carrying pouch that encloses the device completely, but how effective this would be as protection against knocks is difficult to judge.

Screen
Straight out of the box, the PsiXpda looks rather like a large smartphone, as its 5in screen faces outwards when the unit is closed. This enables it to be operated as a slate-mode tablet device, using a small stylus stowed in a slot in the front edge, or the screen can be opened like a slider phone and tilted up into a familiar laptop configuration, exposing the full Qwerty keyboard.

In either mode, the Windows pointer can also be controlled by a touchpad area directly to the right of the screen, while two mouse buttons are provided on the left side. A VGA webcam is also located next to the screen, plus brightness up/down buttons.

The touchpad area looks just like a part of the screen bezel and is not marked out in any way. It worked just fine in our tests, and we found a thumb to be the most natural way of using it. Users not comfortable with this can always use the stylus, or plug in a standard mouse.

While the screen of the PsiXpda is small, we had no problems viewing the Windows XP desktop at its native 800x480 resolution. Some people may find text a little small to read, however, and we found that when viewing documents with a lot of white background, the image appeared a little mottled in appearance, possibly because of the touch-screen overlay.

No video output is provided from the PsiXpda, so it cannot be connected to an external display. The user manual, however, hints that a future dock or cradle product may provide this function. The manual itself must be downloaded as a PDF from the PsiXpda web site.

Keyboard
The PsiXpda keyboard has a full Qwerty layout that makes keying in text easy, although it is too small for touch typing and the keys are also quite stiff to operate.

However, a side effect of the PsiXpda being so small is that you can actuall y operate it while the device is cradled in your hands. We were able to type using thumbs with the device held like this, and could easily reach the touchpad and mouse buttons as well.

This may mean that the PsiXpda could find itself a niche with engineers or IT staff, who need a computer they can use while walking around, and it also means the system can be used while you are standing on a crowded train, unlike a laptop or netbook.

Specs
The PsiXpda hardware is based on an Intel 1.1GHz Atom Z510 processor with 1GB of DDR2 memory and storage provided by a 16GB SanDisk Flash SSD module.

This specification makes the system comparable with a netbook, and our experience of using the PsiXpda largely matched this. In fact, we were surprised by how responsive it felt, and we used it quite happily for creating documents, composing emails and surfing the web.

Unlike a netbook, the operating system is the full Pro version of Windows XP, which means the PsixPda can attach to a corporate domain, for example.

The PsiXpda is also similar to early netbooks in its battery life, lasting for two hours and 30 minutes in our tests using the Battery Eater Pro benchmark. However, this represents a period of continuous use, so users may see the batteries last a little longer in practice.

For connectivity, the PsiXpda has 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a built-in Huawei 3G modem supporting speeds up to 3.6Mbit/s.

There are also two USB ports on the device. A full sized one at the rear of the case enables standard USB peripherals such as a mouse or a memory stick to be used. On the left of the case is a mini USB port, primarily provided to connect the PsiXpda to another PC to swap files.

The remaining I/O on the PsiXpda consists of a 2.5mm audio jack (a headset is supplied), a docking connector on the front of the device, and a micro SD slot for Flash storage cards.

Wireless connections
The Wi-Fi adapter is an internal USB device, so does not show up on the Windows notification area or in Device Manager until it is powered on by pressing the Fn and W keys. Only then will the network icon appear and allow you to connect to a wireless network.

In our tests, we found the PsiXpda had less wireless range than a laptop, and tended to lose the signal when used indoors on the other side of the building from our wireless access point.

Bluetooth is enabled by the same hotkey, and is managed on the PsiXpda by a supplied utility called BlueSoleil.

Oddly, while the W key is marked with a wireless symbol to indicate its function, there is a separate key marked with an antenna next to the space bar that actually does nothing. This is reserved for future development, according to the manual.

Using the built-in 3G mobile broadband is also less than straightforward. Unlike Windows 7, which now has built-in support for this kind of network connection, Windows XP requires some client software to manage the connection.

The PsiXpda ships with a tool called Mobile Partner for this purpose, and this must be configured with settings specific to the network to be accessed, such as the Access Point Name.

Like the Wi-Fi adapter, the modem must first be powered on by a hotkey combination, this time by pressing Fn and G.

Once configured, however, we had no problems using Mobile Partner to establish a 3G internet connection. We tested using a SIM supplied by Vodafone, and we found this delivered quite satisfactory performance for browsing the web, although it's not as speedy as Wi-Fi.

Mobile Partner also enables the user to send and receive text messages, and even make and receive voice calls using the supplied headset. However, this is so cumbersome that most buyers are likely to use the PsiXpda for data access only and carry a separate phone.

The fact that neither the Wi-fi nor 3G seem to be present when the PsiXpda boots up may cause users some confusion at first, but the flip side of this is that these wireless interfaces are less likely to get left on and drain the battery without you noticing.

As an aside, users running the 3G connection would be well advised to configure the Windows Update service not to automatically download updates, as it will otherwise do this even with large multi-megabyte patches and happily eat up all your bandwidth and data allowance.

PsiXpda users can also exchange files with another PC via a direct USB connection.
This requires some Intel USB client software on both systems. On the PsiXpda, a utility controls which folders can be accessed, while its counterpart tool on the host PC maps the PsiXpda as an extra drive letter.

Other software pre-installed on our review unit included the OpenOffice.org 3.1 office suite, Firefox and Thunderbird, plus the Pidgin IM messaging client.

Battery
The 1850mAh lithium ion battery pack inside the PsiXpda is not much larger than a playing card and less than a centimetre thick. It can be pulled out via a removable panel on the right edge of the case.

Another removable panel on the on the underside of the case reveals the 3G modem module, and the slot to insert the network SIM.

Overall, we were impressed with the PsiXpda, although several colleagues on V3.co.uk expressed their opinion that they would sooner have a netbook than such a small system.

The £449.99 including VAT price also looks steep compared to a netbook, but some phone handsets cost as much, and it should be borne in mind that the comparably sized OQO pocket computer left buyers with little change out of £1,000.

Our few quibbles with the PsiXpda are that the power adapter is moulded into a UK-style mains plug, which makes it less convenient when travelling abroad. The power connector to the PsiXpda itself is also minuscule and drops out easily if you move the system while charging.

Intel Atom Z510 1.1GHz processor, 1GB DDR2 memory, 16GB Flash SSD storage, 5in 800 x 480 touch-screen display, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3.6Mbit/s 3G broadband modem, 430g weight, Windows XP Pro SP3