Psion delivers Symbian-free smartphone

WHAT A disappointment when Psion Teklogix - the company which claims it invented the PDA - announced that has gone back to its roots with a new ruggedised device – the Ikon.

The blurb even trumpeted the fact that users can purchase this PDA phone with a choice of three different OS. But that's CE 5.0; Windows Mobile 6.0 classic or 6.0 professional.

Sadly Symbian – the OS which Psion created as EPOC - isn't one of the options. Worse still, given that the Psion Revo had the best keyboard of any PDA, the Ikon has a regular phone keypad.
So it ain't a PDA, really. It's just another smartphone. None the less, it's packed full of communications options. Not only has it got 3G and regular cellular (GSM) capabilities. It's also go Wi-fi (802.11b/g).

Plus the latest version of Bluetooth and better still a built-in GPS facility. No prizes for guessing that its processor is an Intel Xscale - PXA270 624MHz. It takes MicroSD cards, too.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Ikon boats a pretty decent camera – two megapixels, in fact.

Before you get too excited, don't expect to find the Ikon in retail shops. Teklogix sells through VARs in the UK. Which means there isn't a price for just one unit either.

If Teklogix isn't inclined to offer a Symbian version of the Ikon, the INQ wonders if a Linux version might be viable? µ

L'INQ
www.psionteklogix.com