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2017-09-19
, 15:18
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Posts: 671 |
Thanked: 1,630 times |
Joined on Aug 2010
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#142
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Originally Posted by Venemo
I confirm the GPD Pocket is not perfect,
As far as I see, there are a few possibilities in 2017:
GPD Pocket
Aside of GPD's horrendous communication, at least this project has delivered actual hardware. However the number of reports about faulty machines and GPD's sloppiness in reacting to these (see their indiegogo page) is kind of scary. At least there are a bunch of people for whom it works well, even though they ship with Ubuntu it does need some tweaking before it is usable.
But hey, this is the only device that you can actually buy out of this list.
but it is very nice out of the box.
I have already begun testing various distros to get a handle on it.
Having a keyboard again is like being back in paradise.
[Using external RF and BT keyboards with my tablets is horrible,
but onscreen keyboards are also pathetic.
My ACER w4-821 power supply smoked last week,
but this arrival means the ACER will not be missed at all.]
The GPD Pocket probably has a few more bugs to sort,
but it is here, now, and not priced out of reach.
It can be bought, it can run linux very well,
and is not tied into whatever dreamscape some walled-garden-dev
wants to inflict on consumers.
And that is pure gold.
(Ubuntu Phone was and still is a miserable disappointment)
Librem Purism 5
Good points: they have chosen a SoC vendor which actually seems to support some sort of a mainline kernel. They also recognize this will cost a LOT so have a high funding target (which either will or will not be met). However I'm unsure why they push their "PureOS". I do NOT care about yet another dead platform phone OS, I'd like to just run my favourite Linux distro. Aside of this, the hardware looks cool, but lacks a keyboard. I also don't quite understand Purism's laptops: they ship outdated but _very_ expensive hardware.
What do you guys think?
but as I alluded to above,
if the hardware needs a specific software
then this locks out Linux solutions already coded and ready to go.
And makes creating new solutions a headache of learning new
integration steps.
If we cannot load and run something
open-source and completely configurable,
in favor of some dev group's idea of
what we must be running on their hardware,
then my interest will ice over very quickly.
It is my opinion the GPD Pocket is demonstrating a way forward.
The Pyra, if they stick to their plans,
should also be an amazing machine.
__________________
Three n900s: One for stable working platform,
One fordevelopment testing Chopping Onions
One forsaltwater immersion power testing resurrected ! parts scavenging
My Mods for Wonko's Advanced Clock Plugin:
ISO8601 clock mod and Momental_IST clock mod
Printing your Email with the N900
Three n900s: One for stable working platform,
One for
One for
My Mods for Wonko's Advanced Clock Plugin:
ISO8601 clock mod and Momental_IST clock mod
Printing your Email with the N900
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2017-09-19
, 16:07
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Posts: 101 |
Thanked: 381 times |
Joined on Aug 2010
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#143
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@Venemo:
In my opinion the GPD people got one thing right (in contrast to the Gemini people) and that is providing a trackpoint. For me, this is indispensible when using a Desktop OS like Ubuntu. You definitely need a precision pointing device – otherwise any desktop OS is pointless. The N900 has a stylus and therefore Easy Debian is fine.
Last edited by JoOppen; 2017-09-19 at 16:23.
In my opinion the GPD people got one thing right (in contrast to the Gemini people) and that is providing a trackpoint. For me, this is indispensible when using a Desktop OS like Ubuntu. You definitely need a precision pointing device – otherwise any desktop OS is pointless. The N900 has a stylus and therefore Easy Debian is fine.
Last edited by JoOppen; 2017-09-19 at 16:23.
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2017-09-19
, 16:16
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Posts: 269 |
Thanked: 1,096 times |
Joined on Sep 2009
@ Hampshire, UK
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#144
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Originally Posted by Venemo
As far as I see, there are a few possibilities in 2017:
<snip>
What do you guys think?
GPD Pocket
I'm very pleased with my GPD pocket, though I can see some might not be.
GPD (it seems to me) obviously ran into some issues, technically and commercially along the way, and did the best they could in the circumstance. I think they were out of their depth trying to produce the Linux version (the way they present firmware images and git repos alone shows that). The various community members working on it have produced much better results. I installed Linux Mint from the Nexus511 image from reddit (f.hate reddit though
) and it works really well. Theres a few things I probably haven't tested yet (microphone springs to mind) and as yet no data support on the USB-C. My unit has the lid sensor / standby issue - cured by removing the hall sensor IC. I also found one screw missing internally when making the mod - not sure if that was deliberate or accidental, but I added the missing item without problem.
Build quality is excellent, it feels really robust. Only time will tell of course. IT's a little heavy to be pocketable, even if you have suiable size pockets.
It's a great little useable linux box. e.g. Last night I was working on a Mathcad calculation in WinXP in virtualbox on it, while sat in front of the TV. Also scribbled a couple of short python scripts and ssh into a couple of other machines. Battery life is great - I was at 75% after probably 3 hours use. Lots of times I wouldn't bother dragging my laptop to customer visits unless I anticipated wanting it - I will certainly have the GPD along in similar situations now though. (I won't be leaving it datalogging inside a lamppost overnight like I do my Toughbook though
)Gemini - seems it should be much more pocketable than the GPD. I was initially skeptical it would end up with a linux distro available, but that seems more likely now. Great pedigree on the mechanical design. If I had written an ideal device spec before this existed, it would have been close to this... Psion5 mechanics and form factor are probably as close to perfect as I can imagine.
Librem Purism - I think it's too soon to have an opinion. I hope they succeed - whatever they come up with will be some alternative to the major players, and that must be a good thing. Too far off for me to get excited about though
Neo900 - Reusing the N900 mechanics is too limiting IMHO, even if it had arrived in a reasonable time. To work at all, it would have had to be a drop in replacement while N900 owners were still using their devices daily en masse. Now it would just feel a step backwards, even with brilliant hardware behind the screen.
Pyra - haven't been following this one, other than it seems to have been 'around the corner' forever.
'Chenphone' - I have high hopes for this one. More a 'more useful phone' than a 'more portable laptop'. Chen has been very open about his design aims and decisions. I don't think Chen can ship this year, though I obviously hope I'm wrong. Thats not because of any doubts of Chens capability, simply cynicism borne of 25+ years doing hardware design projects. (I don't think he'll miss by many months though
)
Last edited by epninety; 2017-09-19 at 16:26.
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2017-09-19
, 16:47
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Posts: 105 |
Thanked: 402 times |
Joined on Jan 2017
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#145
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Originally Posted by Venemo
What about diy (pi) handhelds/machines?
What do you guys think?
__________________
1x HTC Hermes 300 - collecting dust. WinMob. was nice...so was pre-Android xda-dev..
2x N900 - both for sale, 1x in mint condition with a qwerty keyboard (with box and all accessories) and 1x in used condition with qwertz keyboard. PM me[/B]
1x N9 16GB cyan, made in Finland - for sale PM me
1x Jolla - for sale PM me
iPhone SE - lost
iPhone 7 - 128GB
Surface Pro 4 M3 - Win10 is buggy...
Lenovo Thinkpad W520 - Xubuntu
Lenovo Thinkpad X200 - Libreboot and Trisquel
1x HTC Hermes 300 - collecting dust. WinMob. was nice...so was pre-Android xda-dev..
2x N900 - both for sale, 1x in mint condition with a qwerty keyboard (with box and all accessories) and 1x in used condition with qwertz keyboard. PM me[/B]
1x N9 16GB cyan, made in Finland - for sale PM me
1x Jolla - for sale PM me
iPhone SE - lost
iPhone 7 - 128GB
Surface Pro 4 M3 - Win10 is buggy...
Lenovo Thinkpad W520 - Xubuntu
Lenovo Thinkpad X200 - Libreboot and Trisquel
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2017-09-19
, 16:56
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Posts: 1,296 |
Thanked: 1,773 times |
Joined on Aug 2009
@ Budapest, Hungary
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#146
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Originally Posted by chenliangchen
Hey Chen, I didn't mean what I said in a negative sense.
I agree the phone is still "on paper", because I'm working 100% on the Moto Keyboard Mod at the moment.
Moto Keyboard Mod has working prototype and we are working on final units for certification and launching. You can see on twitter @LivermoriumLtd It's not vapourware.
I really hope you do the Livermorium successfully (in fact, I'm a potential buyer), but I will place more trust in that when I see the Moto Mod and the Youyota released and the customers happy. (Yes, I know the Youyota is not entirely your project but you know its success will affect your reputation.)
Originally Posted by JoOppen
Is the trackpoint really necessary in this form factor? When you're at a desk, you're more likely to just plug in a mouse; when you're on the go, you're more likely to use the touchscreen. At least that's what I think.
In my opinion the GPD people got one thing right (in contrast to the Gemini people) and that is providing a trackpoint.
Originally Posted by theonelaw
Nice to hear some good about that device, as their Indiegogo page is full of complaints.
I confirm the GPD Pocket is not perfect,
but it is very nice out of the box.
I have already begun testing various distros to get a handle on it.
Having a keyboard again is like being back in paradise.
Originally Posted by theonelaw
They say you can run other distros on it as well, which makes me wonder even more why "PureOS" is necessary. Although their intention to enhance the Gnome UX to work on that form factor is a very generous. (And of course, costly.)
The Purism is a very hopeful direction,
but as I alluded to above,
if the hardware needs a specific software
then this locks out Linux solutions already coded and ready to go.
And makes creating new solutions a headache of learning new
integration steps.
Originally Posted by epninety
Nice to hear about the battery life. Other people seemed to have less than ideal experience with it, but maybe it has been improved with some upgrades.
It (GPD pocket) 's a great little useable linux box. e.g. Last night I was working on a Mathcad calculation in WinXP in virtualbox on it, while sat in front of the TV. Also scribbled a couple of short python scripts and ssh into a couple of other machines. Battery life is great - I was at 75% after probably 3 hours use. Lots of times I wouldn't bother dragging my laptop to customer visits unless I anticipated wanting it - I will certainly have the GPD along in similar situations now though. (I won't be leaving it datalogging inside a lamppost overnight like I do my Toughbook though
What's your experience, is it possible to type on the GPD Pocket with thumbs? Can you use it on-the-go (eg. on a tram or bus while commuting), or is it too big for that?
Something I miss from the N900 / N950 era is to have a device with a keyboard I could use for IRC and email (and maybe lightweight coding) while commuting to work in the morings (and back home in the afternoon).
Originally Posted by epninety
Indeed, let's hope they get it right!
Gemini - seems it should be much more pocketable than the GPD. I was initially skeptical it would end up with a linux distro available, but that seems more likely now. Great pedigree on the mechanical design. If I had written an ideal device spec before this existed, it would have been close to this... Psion5 mechanics and form factor are probably as close to perfect as I can imagine.
Like I said, I like the Gemini keyboard much-much more than the GPD Pocket. So given the choice of the two, I would pick the Gemini.
Originally Posted by epninety
Sadly, I agree.
Neo900 - Reusing the N900 mechanics is too limiting IMHO, even if it had arrived in a reasonable time. To work at all, it would have had to be a drop in replacement while N900 owners were still using their devices daily en masse. Now it would just feel a step backwards, even with brilliant hardware behind the screen.
Originally Posted by epninety
Yep, that's my assessment about it too.
Pyra - haven't been following this one, other than it seems to have been 'around the corner' forever.
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2017-09-19
, 17:11
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Posts: 269 |
Thanked: 1,096 times |
Joined on Sep 2009
@ Hampshire, UK
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#147
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Originally Posted by Venemo
I don't have it at hand right now, but I was thinking about this last night, and the answer is no. I have large hands, but the GPD is a little too big and the weight balance is wrong, to hold in my hands and type comfortably, at least for me. I think essentially it's not comfortable to reach the spacebar with the thumb unless the device is too far forward in the palm to hold comfortably.
What's your experience, is it possible to type on the GPD Pocket with thumbs? Can you use it on-the-go (eg. on a tram or bus while commuting), or is it too big for that?
Something I miss from the N900 / N950 era is to have a device with a keyboard I could use for IRC and email (and maybe lightweight coding) while commuting to work in the morings (and back home in the afternoon).
Then again, I'm not sure I've held a device like that since N810/N900 because touchscreens are too 'touchy' for my clumsy thumbs, so maybe I'm just out of practice.
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2017-09-19
, 17:29
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Posts: 101 |
Thanked: 381 times |
Joined on Aug 2010
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#148
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Originally Posted by Venemo
At least with the N900 the Stylus is indispensible IMHO when using EasyDebian because the desktop symbols are so small you cannot easily hit them with our finger. That is why Easy Debian on the N9 is not usable. Even when editing a document (one good reason for having a HW keyboard) a precision pointing device (along with the arrow keys) is very helpful to place the cursor precisely.
Is the trackpoint really necessary in this form factor? When you're at a desk, you're more likely to just plug in a mouse; when you're on the go, you're more likely to use the touchscreen. At least that's what I think.
That is why in particular with a small screen I want to have a trackpoint or stylus. Admittedly, with the Vaio P I was missing the touchscreen (while I liked the track point). So for me it is good to have both.
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2017-09-19
, 19:07
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Posts: 1,296 |
Thanked: 1,773 times |
Joined on Aug 2009
@ Budapest, Hungary
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#149
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Originally Posted by JoOppen
If I wanted to use a desktop OS with a small screen, I'd increase the font size or scaling (eg. in Gnome you can do both), which would effectively make it readable on the small screen and make the controls big enough for finger use.
At least with the N900 the Stylus is indispensible IMHO when using EasyDebian because the desktop symbols are so small you cannot easily hit them with our finger.
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2017-09-19
, 19:18
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Posts: 101 |
Thanked: 381 times |
Joined on Aug 2010
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#150
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Originally Posted by Venemo
Increasing fonts and symbols is one way of using desktop OSs on a small screen. I prefer to take advantage of the high resolution and keeping everything small. That's why I need a stylus or trackpoint. But I guess that's just me.
If I wanted to use a desktop OS with a small screen, I'd increase the font size or scaling (eg. in Gnome you can do both), which would effectively make it readable on the small screen and make the controls big enough for finger use.
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| alternative, device, f*ck apple, f*ck google, f*ck it all, f*ck microsoft, linux, open source, tablet, unobtainium |
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Moto Keyboard Mod has working prototype and we are working on final units for certification and launching. You can see on twitter @LivermoriumLtd It's not vapourware.
And on engineering side, the "Pocket PC" is actually being easier than Keyboard Mod. I don't see the showstopper for not being able to make it.
Livermorium is not a big company and I can't support 2 projects working together. Everything will be better once we get the first product officially launched with Moto.