It has been some time since folks frequently used private digital assistants (PDAs). They had been pretty ubiquitous all through the Nineties and properly into the 2000s, however then smartphones got here alongside and put an finish to that. Nonetheless, some firms are nonetheless preventing the nice PDA struggle, together with Talisman Design. It simply revealed its upcoming PocketMage E Ink PDA and it seems to be fairly nifty.
As beforehand said, that is an E Ink machine, so it will be straightforward on the previous eyeballs. In any other case, it options an old-school clamshell case and a tactile QWERTY keyboard. It additionally has two screens, that are utilized in a reasonably novel means. There is a 3.1-inch 320 x 240 E Ink panel for studying and writing, however there’s additionally a a lot thinner OLED strip above the keyboard. This presents a fast-refresh fee for menus.
Probably the most distinctive factor right here, nonetheless, is the aesthetic. It is known as the PocketMage for a cause. This factor is obsessive about wizards. The proprietary working system is all wizard-based, which signifies that you do not rename a file — you solid a spell known as “Renamio.” It seems to be fairly cheeky and in step with one thing that Teenage Engineering might make.
The PDA additionally ships with a digital tarot deck and a dungeon crawling RPG known as Mage’s Descent. There’s even a storefront known as the Bazaar the place folks can choose up third-party apps. In any other case, it comes with an ereader, a text-based internet browser and a calendar, although extra stuff will likely be obtainable on the aforementioned Bazaar.
The PocketMage features a microSD slot, a scroll bar, a USB-C port for charging and a battery that ought to final round per week. Elevated battery life is one the important thing benefits of E Ink. It will probably additionally connect with each Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
One cool factor about this machine is that it ought to truly slot in pockets, because it’s pretty small. The identical can’t be mentioned of rival merchandise just like the Freewrite Traveler and GPD MicroPC 2. The PicoCalc can technically fit in some pockets, however outcomes will certainly differ.
The PocketMage is at present being crowdfunded and has already blown previous its aim. It prices $185 as a package that have to be assembled by the buyer and $235 for one thing that is already been constructed. It is obtainable in each “parchment” (white) and “royal purple.” The corporate says they’re going to ship in March, 2027.
