David Potter, the man who put Psion in the palm of your hand, logs off at 82

6 hours ago

David Potter, founder of Psion, passed away on June 28, just before his 83rd birthday.
Psion was a key British tech firm from the 1980s-2000s, known for software for Sinclair computers and pioneering handheld devices like the Organizer and Series 3.
Potter diversified Psion into applications software and handheld computers, leading to the development of EPOC OS, which later became Symbian and powered early smartphones.
He had a knack for poorly-timed share deals, such as selling Psion shares before they quadrupled in value, and once predicted Amazon might flop while being bullish on Psion.
Potter was born in South Africa, studied at Cambridge and Imperial College, and worked as a professor before starting Psion in 1980 with capital from successful investments.
He received numerous honors, including a CBE and the Mountbatten Medal, and was a philanthropist, co-founding The David and Elaine Potter Foundation and saving openDemocracy in 2013.
Colleagues praised Psion's innovative culture and Potter's influence, noting he was a deep thinker who inspired a generation of tech leaders.

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