Psion Revo Plus 16MB Handheld:

  The Psion Revo Plus, looks remarkably similar to its sister product, the Revo. It also shares many of its characteristics, being a powerful, feature-rich, and lightweight PDA.

  The most notable differences from the Revo are the inclusion of an extra 8Mb of memory (making 16Mb in total) and the addition of some Web browsing software, for both standard Web pages in the form of the highly respected Opera Web browser and WAP (wireless application protocol) pages, more commonly associated with the new breed of mobile phones.

  An interesting alternative to Palm or Pocket PC organizers, the Revo Plus is stylish and slim and has a high-speed processor plus built-in long-life rechargeable batteries.

  The Revo is relatively simple to set up. Connect the AC adapter to the serial cable (the power cord does not plug into the docking station), hook up the serial cable to your PC, open the case and slide the Revo Plus into the docking station. (It cannot fit into the docking station unless the case is open.)

  A green LED confirms that the Revo is properly docked and a red LED indicates that the battery is fast charging. The battery charges to 85 percent capacity in just 1.5 hours and fully charges in four hours, and the battery lasts about 12 hours.

  The Revo Plus is based along the same lines as earlier Psion models, but with considerable cosmetic and technical improvements. You operate this organiser with the 14 touch-sensitive buttons that border its screen or by using the stylus to tap onscreen buttons and menus. Psion has made every effort to keep the operational controls above the keyboard, thus maximizing the space available for keys. Still, typing on this small keyboard requires much getting used to, and the keys' tactile feedback is not very satisfying.

  In our tests, we typed memos, made appointments, added addresses and created a sample spreadsheet using the Psion's built-in applications. Agenda and contact information automatically synchronizes with your PC.

  For other files, such as those made using the Psion's surprisingly advanced word processor and spreadsheet applications, the PsiWin software transfers and converts the files to a PC-compatible format, such as Microsoft Word or Excel. The Revo's PsiWin software is also compatible with Lotus SmartSuite, WordPerfect, dBASE and more.

  Psion licenses its EPOC operating system from Symbian, so the interface is not as instantly obvious as with a Microsoft Pocket PC/Handheld PC-based device. However, the steps to perform tasks are relatively intuitive. The Revo is accompanied by an extensive Handbook that provides a detailed introduction to the comprehensive suite of PIM applications and a CD-ROM with additional utilities and tools.

  The Revo's built-in applications are Calc, Time, Word, Data, Sheet and Cascade. Additional applications include Today View, Agenda, Contacts, Phone and Jotter. The Revo Plus also supports e-mail, SMS messaging, Web browsing, PC synchronization and connections to compatible mobile phones through its infrared port and an optional travel modem. If you are looking for an alternative to both Pocket PC and Palm OS organizers, consider the Psion Revo Plus. --Jason Weston

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