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Psion netBook Pro

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Psion netBook Pro
Psion Teklogix product photograph of the netBook Pro
Specifications
DeveloperPsion Teklogix
ManufacturerPsion Teklogix
TypeClamshell sub-notebook
ReleasedOctober 2003 (announced)[1]
CPUIntel XScale PXA255, 400 MHz[2]
Memory128 MB SDRAM; 32 MB flash[2]
StorageCompactFlash Type I/II; SD/MMC; PC Card Type I/II[2][3]
Display800 × 600 16-bit colour TFT with CCFL backlight, touchscreen[2][3]
SoundAC97 codec, speaker, 2.5 mm headphone/microphone socket[3]
Power12.6 V 2200 mAh Li-ion pack; 2 × AAA alkaline backup[2]
Dimensions235 × 184 × 35 mm[4]
Weight1100 g including battery pack[4]
OS / FirmwareMicrosoft Windows CE .NET 4.2[3]
PredecessorPsion netBook

The Psion netBook Pro is a clamshell sub-notebook announced by Psion Teklogix in October 2003 to replace the Psion netBook. It keeps the netBook's shape and sliding lid but has a 400 MHz Intel XScale PXA255 processor, 128 MB of RAM, an 800 × 600 TFT touchscreen and Microsoft Windows CE .NET 4.2 in place of EPOC.[1][5]

History

Psion Teklogix announced the netBook Pro in October 2003.[1] The first edition of its user manual, Rev A, is dated 10 October 2003; Rev C followed on 27 May 2004.[6][7] Psion Teklogix marketed it to mobile sales and field-service workers running customer relationship management software.[3][5]

A Linux version, Netbook Pro LX, with twice the working memory, was developed but never reached the market.[8] See Linux.

Architecture and processor

The netBook Pro uses an Intel PXA255 XScale processor at 400 MHz.[2] The boot firmware, called BooSt, reports the main logic board as "MLB rev. D" on at least one machine, with 32 MB of Samsung K9F5616U0 NAND flash of which 20 MB is reserved.[9]

Memory and storage

The machine has 128 MB of SDRAM and 32 MB of flash, which Psion Teklogix calls internal ROM.[2] Jürgen Rothberger found about 84 MB of the RAM available to the user, plus about 10 MB of non-volatile flash whose contents survive a hard reset or the complete discharge of both batteries.[8] Psion Teklogix's manual calls this area the Flash folder and recommends it for data that must survive power loss.[10]

Storage cards go in three slots: CompactFlash Type I and II, SD/MMC (SDIO-capable) and PC Card Type I and II.[3] The PC Card slot takes 5 V and 3.3 V cards but not 32-bit CardBus cards, and an IBM Microdrive worked in the CompactFlash slot in Rothberger's tests.[8]

Display and sound

The screen is an SVGA (800 × 600) transmissive TFT with a CCFL backlight and a resistive touch panel.[3] Psion Teklogix's manual describes it as a 16-bit colour display.[2] Brightness is adjustable from the keyboard; contrast is not. Other reviewers reported a faint hum at reduced brightness; Rothberger heard it only at an extreme setting.[8]

Sound is through an AC97 codec with a speaker and a 2.5 mm stereo headphone and microphone socket.[3]

Input/output and expansion

The keyboard has 58 full-size keys.[2] Ports are IrDA 1.1 and RS-232 (both 115 kbit/s) and a mini USB type-A host port for peripherals.[2] The USB host port is mini-A, so most peripherals need the adapter supplied.[8] The lid slides forward as it opens, reducing the depth needed on a desk.[5]

Hardware revisions

There are two hardware revisions, identified by the moulding on the rubber cap over the Honda connector port:[8]

netBook Pro revisions[8]
Cap reads Revision Differences
"RS232" Earlier Serial connection only through the Honda connector; serial sync cable; no built-in modem
"RS232 - USB" Later USB client connection as well as serial through the Honda connector; built-in landline modem; USB sync cable supplied

Power

The main battery is a 2200 mAh, 12.6 V Li-ion pack. Rev C of the manual gives 8 to 11 hours of use, depending on the backlight level and with no peripheral cards;[11] Rev A gave 8 to 14 hours.[6] Rothberger ran his for up to 15 hours without Wi-Fi.[8] Charging takes 3 to 4 hours at a constant rate. Two alkaline AAA cells, replaceable by the user, hold memory while the main pack is changed.[11][2] The manual gives no rating for the AC adapter.[2] See Psion netBook Pro Battery Service.

Specification

Psion netBook Pro specification[4][2][3]
Item Specification
Processor Intel PXA255 XScale, 400 MHz
Memory 128 MB SDRAM; 32 MB flash
Display 800 × 600 TFT, transmissive, CCFL backlight, 16-bit colour, resistive touchscreen
Keyboard 58 full-size keys
Storage CompactFlash Type I/II; SD/MMC/SDIO; PC Card Type I/II
Communications RS-232 (Honda connector) and IrDA 1.1, both 115 kbit/s; mini USB 1.1 host
Audio AC97 codec; speaker; 2.5 mm headphone/microphone socket
Main battery Li-ion, 12.6 V, 2200 mAh; 8 to 11 hours
Backup battery 2 × AAA alkaline
Size 235 × 184 × 35 mm (9.25 × 7.24 × 1.38 in)
Weight 1100 g including battery
Operating temperature 0 to +50 °C
Storage temperature −10 to +60 °C
Humidity 0-93 % at 40 °C, non-condensing (manual); 5-93 % (specification sheet)
Shock 0.7 m drop onto carpet
Ingress protection IP30
Compliance FCC Part 15 Class B; EN55022 Class B, EN 55024; EN60950
Operating system Microsoft Windows CE .NET 4.2

The manual prints the weight as "1100 g / 2.95 lb"; 1100 g is 2.43 lb, and the specification sheet gives 2.4 lb.[4][3] Psion rates the netBook for the same 0.7 m drop onto carpet.[12] The "1 m drop onto a wooden surface" in OpenPsion's netBook specification list is not a Psion figure.[13]

Firmware

Psion Teklogix released four updated ROM images after launch, with interim versions available through customer support. Rothberger advised every user to update, because the updates fixed the bugs that got in the way of daily use.[8] The launch firmware's IrDA configuration left the port almost unusable; the first operating system update fixed it, but neither version included a "generic IrDA modem" profile, so dial-up through a mobile phone needed registry entries added by hand.[14] Early ROMs warned about the battery once it fell below 50 %.[8] The German-localised ROMs truncate text in some dialogue boxes, a fault that remained after all four updates; Rothberger recommended the English ROM, since the keyboard layout can be set separately.[8]

The last Windows CE 4.20 ROM image is hosted by Paul Vigay's Psion archive.[15] The boot firmware, BooSt, has a menu with display, touch, audio and RAM tests and a YMODEM image loader; see Psion netBook Pro Troubleshooting Guide.[9]

Known faults

  • The rubberised lid covering, which replaced the netBook's leather, was glued "quite sloppily" (recht schlampig) on a good many machines, sitting out of its recess and standing proud on one side.[8]
  • The rubber caps over the USB, serial and audio sockets stand proud at the corners, pull out easily and can tear off.[8][14]
  • The PC Card and CompactFlash slots sit just above the base, so the machine has to be lifted to change cards.[8]
  • Machines are offered for sale with the left hinge broken or missing, and collectors report that the hinges broke even when the machines were new.[16] Rothberger praised the hinge mechanism, which contains a switch that can suspend the machine on closing and wake it on opening.[8]

See Psion netBook Pro Troubleshooting Guide.

Linux

Main article: PsionLX

Psion Teklogix's Linux version, Netbook Pro LX, was never released.[8] Beta builds dated November 2004 and January 2005 survive, and a small number of development machines with 256 MB of RAM and 64 MB of flash carried it. Community Linux builds followed, from the GPE and Ångström images of 2005 to 2007 to jLime in 2012. The PsionLX page covers its history, the surviving files and a reconstruction that boots from CompactFlash.

Documentation

Main article: Psion netBook Pro Documentation

Psion Teklogix's user manual (Rev C), quick start guide (Rev D) and specification sheet are hosted, with Marc Nijdam's note on the BooSt supervisor mode. No service manual, spare parts list or exploded diagram is known to survive.

General maintenance

Main article: Psion netBook Pro General Maintenance

Troubleshooting

Main article: Psion netBook Pro Troubleshooting Guide

Battery service

Main article: Psion netBook Pro Battery Service

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Psion netBook", Wikipedia. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 NETBOOK PRO User Manual Rev C, p. 134 (specifications: display, power, processor and memory, miscellaneous).
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 Psion Teklogix, "NETBOOK PRO Hand-Held Computer" specification sheet, NBPRO 05/05. Hosted on this wiki: File:Psion netBook Pro Specification Sheet.pdf.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 NETBOOK PRO User Manual Rev C, p. 133 (specifications: physical and environmental).
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Mauricio Freitas, "Psion Netbook Pro review", Geekzone, 31 August 2004. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Psion Teklogix, NETBOOK PRO Win CE 4.2 User Manual, P/N 8100012 Rev A, 10 October 2003, title page and p. 116 (power requirements). Hosted on this wiki: File:Psion netBook Pro User Manual (Rev A).pdf.
  7. ↑ Psion Teklogix, NETBOOK PRO User Manual, P/N 8100012 Rev C, 27 May 2004. Hosted on this wiki: File:Psion netBook Pro User Manual (Rev C).pdf.
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 Jürgen Rothberger, "Review: Psion Netbook Pro" (in German), July 2007. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Marc Nijdam, "How to enter the BooSt superuser mode in the Netbook Pro", v1.0, July 2007. Hosted on this wiki: File:Psion netBook Pro BooSt Supervisor Mode.pdf.
  10. ↑ NETBOOK PRO User Manual Rev C, p. 65 (The Flash folder).
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 NETBOOK PRO User Manual Rev C, p. 121 (Battery life; charging times).
  12. ↑ Psion Teklogix, "netBook" product datasheet, NBOOK-01/01-5K-A4-UK, February 2001. Hosted on this wiki: File:Psion netBook Datasheet (2001).pdf.
  13. ↑ OpenPsion, "Linux on the Psion netBook HOWTO", section 3.4. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Jürgen Rothberger, "Review: Psion Netbook Pro" (in German), original version, March 2004. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  15. ↑ "Psion, NetBook, NetBook Pro and EPOC Support", vigay.com. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  16. ↑ "How bad is the 'hinge defect' on the Psion Teklogix Pro Netbook?", HPC:Factor forums, September-October 2023. Retrieved 2026-09-30.


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