Martin Riddiford interview, designer of Psion, Gemini PDA, Cosmo Communicator
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2024
- Martin Riddiford talks about the Psion, which he designed in the 90ies it was a ground-breaking PDA design with a full mechanical qwerty keyboard. Trying to combine laptop functions in a pocketable size. In partnership with Planet Computers, Martin Riddiford is happy to have been able to bring back the full keyboard design in with Android on the Gemini PDA and now into the upcoming Cosmo Communicator design that is now being crowdfunded for $549 on www.indiegogo....
Thanks so much for this. Martin Ruddiford is an absolute Legend in PDA along with David Potter. Both originators in the Modern day smartphones industry. Basically it would be very different in 2018 without these two.
Do include David Wood in this list of legends. It was a great time to live in!
Even in 2020 the Agenda app still can’t be beaten in my opinion. Psions were awesome
Totally loved my several Psion devices from the 3 to 5MX and that 5MX keyboard has so far been the best mobile device keyboard of all time! If I could get it as a Bluetooth attachment for any smartphone, ie the mounting system allowed for the phone to be changed as new ones were released, I'd buy one, first batch, and never look back!
Martin, you can take that idea, and run with it! You have at least one guaranteed sale right here!
Never understood why some folk ask why would you want a keyboard on your phone. They don't seem to realize they have a computer that has a phone program running on it. Why wouldn't you want a keyboard for your computer?
But as was hinted at here, there are those that see the smartphone not as a productivity device that happens to allow phone calls, but as a consumption of content device that happens to allow phone calls. It now makes sense, I reckon, but seems to highlight a lack of ambition to do with what you've got, "to get work done," as was said.
But I ain't one to gossip...
Brilliant. I used the Psion PDA I have always been amazed with their industrial design team. I am actually happy they are still in flow. Cheers!
I still have my psion PDAs!!! Loved them.
Its getting to be a collector's item.
Hang on to it.
The bigger question is whether they still have their hinges, sadly I found that to be a long term problem having had and still using the 3a and 5mx. With the 3a missing the left hinge and the 5mx showing signs of cracking. Just hope they fixed that with the gemini/cosmo. side note anyone else still play any of the games such as Jumpy.
WOW! Great to see an interview with the designer of Psion, in my view one of the sleekest PDA ever. Will check the Cosmo asap! Thanks for the video by the way.
You bring something different on your channel...great I love it.
Interesting interview with a guy who's a legend! :-)
Great. I had a Psion 3a and a 5 back in the day and I thought that they were great. Good luck with the future projects.
I loved my Psion 3c and Revo - always wanted the 5mx but couldn’t afford it back then . Classic design
Wow! I had a Psion Revo, back in the days. I already love this :-)
11:00 Oh the irony of the other dude fiddling with his phone in the background.
more comment-cack-right-here.
Rather disappointing too that he doesn't appear to be supporting the product his company are selling.
@@witnesspropro looks like he was also using gemini, so perhaps he carries 2 devices
I agree. From a marketing communication & perception perspective he did the unthinkable- showed he doesn't really identify himself with the product he sells...
Its an iPhone as well, looks like a 6S from the camera, also note he has an Apple watch.
Wow I wanted to own the psion handheld device back in 98 when I was still a student in the UK.
The colleague in the background that in the meantime plays with a traditional smartphone does not make a good publicity ... :/
My father had a psion series 3, it had a basic programming guide builtin in it thanks to it I learned a lot of coding in that small machine.
Very Honest Company
I paid for mine in September 2019 and never got delivered. Planet just tried to deliver any keyboard layout they had instead of the paid keyboard as I complained for never being delivered and claimed to be refunded. 750 USD stolen. Really great company and support.
Amazing, Wish we were further along on the productivity line.
Very interesting thanks!! That makes me think why nobody is using netbooks anymore with same funcionalities available and super cheap at least on the second hand market.
He may be the designer but it is really aggravating the way he slams the prions shut... I have had several psions & am in fact in the throes of repair ing the hinge above the battery compartment as a couple of notched features have fatigued and broken away leaving the torsional hinge springs uncontrolled.
Absolutely, you had to be so careful opening and closing. The designer should definitely have known that
Back in the day I had the Psion MX5 which was a fantastic piece of kit at the time, I also had an Ericsson MC12 which ran Windows CE (Compact Edition). At the time when I used to pull them out to go through or edit Word or Excel documents people used to be amazed at them. They are still working, only problem I had was the hinge on the MC12 which was replaced once but again giving bother.
The Psion had a much better keyboard and was very easy to type on.
When you think that the first iPhones couldn't even cut and paste for the first couple of iterations puts things into perspective. It's such a pity that Psion and Microsoft didn't keep developing these machines because they were way ahead of the competition. The Palm Pilot was popular at the time but you had to learn how to write characters and it was all stylus input which was very slow.
you ware extrem way ahed of yor time🤩 Thank you !
I really feel like digging out my 5MX now. What a device!
I owned a Series 5mx back when I was at uni, it was such a fantastic device for note taking. But I really hope you guys will consider releasing a bluetooth keyboard with this design. It's just not going to be practical for many people to replace their existing smartphone with a PDA-type device that's designed for landscape use, but a bluetooth keyboard with this design that can be attached and removed as needed would be an instant purchase for me.
I think the clamshell motion balancing aspect is the killer feature. There are many bluetooth keyboards but those aren't easy to use it needs to be always there always instantly usable for it to be usable every single time you want to write a text message in any app..
@@charbax The problem with it being always there is that the device is then highly compromised for other uses. We've seen excellent removable keyboards in larger form factors (Microsoft's Surface tablets, for example), why not with phones? The clamshell IS nice, I agree, but it isn't the only solution. And a bluetooth keyboard would appeal to a much wider audience than a dedicated device ever could.
@@me2olive either users want to be productive or they do not. I like to push for more productivity. Bluetooth keyboards can't be productive, Microsoft tabletty thoing is the most flimsy and anti-productive form factor for a "laptop". The way Gemini PDA is designed I am 10x more productive at all productive situations than someone with a bluetooth keyboard ever could be. For sure a design where the clamshell keyboard somehow also can slide in behind the display, that would bw nice too for easier portrait mode regular smartphone usage to be there too. Ultimately landscape is thw most productive way.
Logitech keys to go might be the answer for some people. Possibly the best genuine full size keyboard with the smallest possible volume. It’s not perfect but I’m pretty happy with it.
Thought this was very cool, I bought two Geminis because of it. Very fun device.
I agree.with the young man interviewing you. Also, I feel like you need to get a larger presents in the US. Even computer/ phone people I know.never heard of your company. The world doesn't know.what it's missing, at least most of the U.S.
A screen on the outside would change the form factor and then more considerations for screen durability. The product design on the Gemini addresses display vulnerability.
Muchas gracias por este video. THX u very much for this video dude!
talk about a gadget before it's time. you could touch type on that keyboard. brilliant design .
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@t
I don't think he understood what you were trying to say, when you tried to explain the flip back screen idea so it could be used tablet style
Victor Coleiro that’s I was wondering one hand handling like you do with your smartphone
Really need this feature did you the see the person in the background looking to his phone with one hand
A screen on both sides that folds out, 2 folds. One for the keyboard and one for a optional bigger screen. That would be a really good smart wallet. I hope you make a smart wallet.
It Will never be a big succes without a standupp phoné screen ( mix it with a Blackberry style also or at least front touch screen as well ).
Psion S5 is the best keyboard i've ever used
Some really good info on in this video, thank you! I would really like a device exactly like the Psion or the new Gemini for around £100 - £150 purely based on the writing aspect of the device with everything else being scaled down for price, also like the original Psion battery life being 25+ hours. This would be perfect for writers and people who just want an updated version of the Psion but more marketed towards people who purely need to write a lot on the go. If this exists already someone let me know! : )
It exists. It's called the Psion 5mx.
There’s the Freewrite Traveller which may be what you’re looking for but it’s £400. It’s a relevant question. The form factor and low power usage but with some of the modern day connectivity so you can get content on and off the device easily as well as have the larger capacity batteries of today. Maybe even a remake of the 5mx with wireless, Bluetooth, USB-C, Micro SD and 14500 cells. But then you have the Astro Slide that’s coming out and it’s easy to carry a powerbank if you really need that battery life.
Not being a jacket wearer, stuffing this into a jeans pocket was a stretch!
I tried to tell people years ago that this was the way to go.
double screen? Front and back full-size camera on the bottom behind the keyboard.
I want the $299 Price Back, its $649 (Including Shipping)
That keyboard is genius.
Shame that the ANDROID software from Planet Computing looks woefully dumbed down vs. EPOC (Psion) Data etc :(
i would love to have one
Yes, why isn't this the standard?
Why not having 2 physical sims in Cosmos. What a pity.
Is the battery removable?
i agree too... spot on
Yeah!
Hello!
wow, jkkmobile. that brings back memories. what happened to ya man?
@@Ccoolty :) life happened.. 4 kids and wife means no blogging. Some videos might still come out in near future...
@@jkkmobile well congrats !
Kids and wife are better than blogging, I am sure.. :)
A trackball is in great need...
i would much Rather have an dumb device to write,draw and read books on. like the old psion 5mx whit e-ink screen ore some thing like that.
Guy with bald head next to Martin, appeared like he wished he was somewhere else.... very sad.
Pointless comment, that adds nothing to the video. That guy plays a very important part in things. your comment is very sad :]
@@duncanandrews6727 no he used a standard smartphone (slap in the Companys face).
Marthy Just because you make something doesn't mean you are your products target audience. In my business I'm not my own customer, that doesn't stop me making a living off other people who are my customer.
@@WhatALoadOfTosca Ok fair enough but the reason that he did that is becuse the product is quite useless= to tiny to be a nice & slim laptopish device & to messed up (compared tp Blackberry) with its lack of stand up screen etc to be a nice smartphone.
@@marthy995 I haven't used one personally so I cannot comment. Have you used one? I know that I loved all the psion devices I owned, and I owned them all and wrote shareware for them back in the day. I loved the blackberries I owned. Never had a phone as good as a blackberry since.
This is just a revamped Nokia E90!!!!!!! Rubbish waste of resources. Hint Samsung Fold 2