The Psion netBook is a small

subnotebook Subnotebook, also called ultraportable, superportable, or mini notebook, was a marketing term for laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than a typical notebook-sized laptop. Types and sizes As typical laptop sizes have decreased over t ...

computer developed by Psion. Released in 1999, it was for the mobile enterprise market.

Description

Similar in design to the later, consumer-oriented

Psion Series 7 The Psion Series 7 is a subnotebook computer from Psion that was released in 2000. In size it is fairly original: larger than a palmtop or handheld machine, but smaller than a laptop computer. It was the first and last of the Psion series to hav ...

, the netBook has a

clamshell design The flip phone or clamshell is a form factor of a mobile phone or other device which is in two or more sections that fold via a hinge. If the hinge is on a long edge the device is more likely to be called clamshell than flip phone (e.g., No ...

, a

Video Graphics Array Video Graphics Array (VGA) is a video display controller and accompanying de facto graphics standard, first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, which became ubiquitous in the PC industry within three years. The term can n ...

(VGA) resolution touch-sensitive colour screen, 32 MB

random-access memory Random-access memory (RAM; ) is a form of computer memory that can be read and changed in any order, typically used to store working data and machine code. A random-access memory device allows data items to be read or written in almost the ...

(RAM), 190 MHz

StrongARM The StrongARM is a family of computer microprocessors developed by Digital Equipment Corporation and manufactured in the late 1990s which implemented the ARM architecture, ARM v4 instruction set architecture. It was later acquired by Intel in ...

SA-1100 processor and a

QWERTY QWERTY () is a keyboard layout for Latin-script alphabets. The name comes from the order of the first six keys on the top left letter row of the keyboard ( ). The QWERTY design is based on a layout created for the Sholes and Glidden ty ...

computer keyboard A computer keyboard is a peripheral input device modeled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches. Replacing early punched cards and paper tape technolog ...

. The RAM is upgradeable by adding an extra 32 MB chip. The netBook is powered by a removable rechargeable

lithium-ion battery A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also s ...

, giving a battery life of 8 to 10 hours. The netBook runs the EPOC ER5

operating system An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common daemon (computing), services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems scheduler (computing), schedule tasks for ef ...

, the predecessor of

Symbian Symbian is a discontinued mobile operating system (OS) and computing platform designed for smartphones. It was originally developed as a proprietary software OS for personal digital assistants in 1998 by the Symbian Ltd. consortium. Symbian OS ...

OS. Unlike the

, the netBook operating system runs from RAM. A

Java virtual machine A Java virtual machine (JVM) is a virtual machine that enables a computer to run Java programs as well as programs written in other languages that are also compiled to Java bytecode. The JVM is detailed by a specification that formally describe ...

runtime system In computer programming, a runtime system or runtime environment is a sub-system that exists both in the computer where a program is created, as well as in the computers where the program is intended to be run. The name comes from the compile t ...

(environment), conforming to

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...

version 1.1.8, is available. In October 2003, Psion Teklogix announced the ''NetBook Pro'', replacing the original netBook. This was similar to the earlier model, but upgraded with a

16-bit 16-bit microcomputers are microcomputers that use 16-bit microprocessors. A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits depends on the integer representation used. With the two ...

colour Super VGA (SVGA, 800 × 600 pixel) display, 128 MB of RAM, and a 400 MHz

Intel Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 ser ...

XScale XScale is a microarchitecture for central processing units initially designed by Intel implementing the ARM architecture (version 5) instruction set. XScale comprises several distinct families: IXP, IXC, IOP, PXA and CE (see more below), with some ...

PXA255 processor running

Windows CE Windows Embedded Compact, formerly Windows Embedded CE, Windows Powered and Windows CE, is an operating system subfamily developed by Microsoft as part of its Windows Embedded family of products. Unlike Windows Embedded Standard, which is base ...

.NET Framework The .NET Framework (pronounced as "''dot net"'') is a proprietary software framework developed by Microsoft that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It was the predominant implementation of the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) until bein ...

4.2 instead of EPOC. It is also possible to run

Linux Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, w ...

on this model. An open-source project ''OpenPsion'', formerly ''PsiLinux'', ported

to the Psion netBook and other Psion PDAs.

Included software

* Agenda – a

personal information management Personal information management (PIM) is the study of the activities people perform in order to acquire or create, store, organize, maintain, retrieve, and use information items such as documents (paper-based and digital), web pages, and email mes ...

program * Bombs – a

minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...

game * Calc – a calculator * Comms – a

terminal emulator A terminal emulator, or terminal application, is a computer program that emulates a video terminal within some other display architecture. Though typically synonymous with a shell or text terminal, the term ''terminal'' covers all remote term ...

* Contacts – a contacts manager * Data – a flat-file database program * Email – an email, SMS and fax client * Jotter – a multipage scratchpad * NetStatRF – a

Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols, based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio wav ...

card monitor * Program – an

Open Programming Language Open Programming Language (OPL) is a programming language for embedded systems and mobile devices that run the operating systems EPOC and Symbian. It was released by the British company Psion in 1984. Use Originally designed for use on thei ...

(OPL) editor * Record – a voice recording program, for use with the in-built microphone * Sheet – a

spreadsheet A spreadsheet is a computer application for computation, organization, analysis and storage of data in tabular form. Spreadsheets were developed as computerized analogs of paper accounting worksheets. The program operates on data entered in c ...

and graphing package * Sketch – a drawing program (for use with the touch-screen interface) * Spell – a spellchecker,

thesaurus A thesaurus (plural ''thesauri'' or ''thesauruses'') or synonym dictionary is a reference work for finding synonyms and sometimes antonyms of words. They are often used by writers to help find the best word to express an idea: Synonym dictionar ...

and anagram program * Time – a world clock and alarm program *

Opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

– a web browser * Word – a

word processor A word processor (WP) is a device or computer program that provides for input, editing, formatting, and output of text, often with some additional features. Early word processors were stand-alone devices dedicated to the function, but current ...

The ''Netbook'' trademark

Psion registered the trademark ''NETBOOK'' in various territories, including European Union and , which was applied for on 18 December 1996 and registered by

United States Patent and Trademark Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Alex ...

(USPTO) on 21 November 2000. They used this trademark for the netBook product, discontinued in November 2003, and from October 2003, the NETBOOK PRO, later also discontinued.

began use of the term '' netbook'' in March 2008 as a generic term to describe "small laptops that are designed for wireless communication and access to the Internet", believing they were "not offering a branded line of computers here" and "see no naming conflict". In response to the growing use of this term, on 23 December 2008, Psion Teklogix sent cease and desist letters to various parties including enthusiast website(s) demanding they no longer use the term "''netbook''".Psion threatens netbook sites over trademarks
During the twelve years since Psion first lodged the original netbook trademark, the term had become perceived as sufficiently generic that later derivative marks were rejected by the USPTO citing a "likelihood of confusion" under section 2(d), including "G NETBOOK" ( rejected 31 October 2008), MSI's "WIND NETBOOK" () and Coby Electronics' "COBY NETBOOK" ( rejected 13 January 2009).

References

External links

Psion Teklogix website

Psion Teklogix
– EOL products {{Psion–Symbian Psion devices Personal digital assistants Personal information managers Computer-related introductions in 1999