• Pocket PC users - did you know Microsoft have a Pocket PC - PC emulator that could be handy for demos? Visit Microsoft Pocket PC Developer Site

• Display a Psion Series 3a palmtop (Pocket Book) screen on a PC

Many schools use palmtop computers for word processing, recording results as well as for data logging. They find that a price of £250 for the basic machine and under £500 for one complete with a data logger, a class set of them is almost affordable. Another, not to be sneezed at, advantage is that they are small and unobtrusive.

The downside is that the palmtop computer does not display on a monitor for demonstrations. But by using a free piece of software, called a PC-Series 3 emulator, you can use desktop computer to demonstrate things. The funny but useful thing is that it can log data through the PC serial port.

What to do:

• Find a consenting PC expert to help
• Get the file S3emul.exe from Psion's www.psion.com support pages. This is the Psion PC Emulator that allows you to run palmtop software on a PC. There are other emulators here you might try - for example if you want some hands-on practice with the Psion Series 5 now's your chance.
• Move the file to a PC folder (call it, say ‘Psion’) on your computer. Double click on it and it will extract itself in the folder.
• Link up your palmtop to the PC, run whatever transfer software you use (for example PsiWin) and copy your Psion data logging software folders into the folder.
• Learn the contents of the Readme.wrd file about the function keys and exit the emulator.  
• Open Notepad, write this batch file (call it say, Psion.bat) and save it to the folder

cd c:\psion

SUBST M: C:\PSION

SUBST N: H:\

C:\Psion\s3aemul.exe

SUBST M: /D

• Right click on the batch file in Windows and check the MSDOS settings to make sure Windows runs in MSDOS mode. The emulator says it doesn't work within Windows but it seems to anyway.
• Put a shortcut to the batch file on your desktop and click it to run it.
• There are no guarantees but this works with the palmtop logging software supplied for Xemplar's Pocket Lab, LogIT, Live, and Datameter 1000. It gave spurious readings on occasion but that expert may be able to help.

© IT in Science. Updated