Mecha Comet is a modular Linux handheld coming soon to Kickstarter for $159 - Liliputing (liliputing.com)
from mesamunefire@lemmy.world to linux@lemmy.ml on 06 Jan 23:06
https://lemmy.world/post/23965847

#linux

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koncertejo@lemmy.ml on 06 Jan 23:08 next collapse

A little worried that with swapping those components like that, it’s trying to be too many things for too many different groups of people instead of one exact thing.

I think all I really want is something shaped like this with a keyboard, like an old Blackberry that could be used as a terminal.

SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 06 Jan 23:21 next collapse

A little worried that with swapping those components like that, it’s trying to be too many things for too many different groups of people instead of one exact thing.

Isn’t that exactly what made Raspberry Pis a massive hit? Being able to be so many different things for so many different groups of people, at a reasonable price point, maximizing the groups it appealed to?

ch00f@lemmy.world on 06 Jan 23:27 collapse

Yeah, but raspberry handhelds are chonky at best.

SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 06 Jan 23:29 collapse

Right, which is why I’m implying this could be a hit because it’s the right form factor aimed at a myriad of use-cases.

Petter1@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 12:21 collapse

😏I see what you did there

dadarobot@lemmy.sdf.org on 07 Jan 00:04 next collapse

I agree that id like a nice handheld terminal, but dont a lot of people like handheld emulation consoles? Hell both of those sound great to me. I would totally get both the game pad and keyboard if i went for it.

My real concern is that it would be garbage and/or the company would fold and support would become non existent.

Maybe i just got burned by pocketchip

mesamunefire@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 00:48 next collapse

Yep its one of the bigger issues. I wanted to get a uconsole, but ive heard the support is not the greatest. And the wait times are horrendous for the hardware.

ZycroNeXuS@lemmy.sdf.org on 07 Jan 02:54 collapse

Still have my Pocket CHIP. I look at it sometimes and sigh, thinking about what could have been.

There are a couple resources around to bring it up to something approaching working on the internet, but not much, and not complete, last I checked.

Thing was great for playing terminal roguelikes, though.

JudahBenHur@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 22:08 collapse

like the unihertz titan slim?

www.unihertz.com/products/titan-slim?srsltid=AfmB…

ComradePedro@lemmy.ml on 08 Jan 13:22 collapse

Very odd specs page: “256GB memory”, “Face ID”, “Advanced GPS”, etc, To me this does not look trustworthy at all.

JudahBenHur@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 13:40 collapse

its a standard android phone its marketed toward blackberry users who had no choice but to abandon the key2 as it just got too old to be in any way secure

ocean@lemmy.selfhostcat.com on 06 Jan 23:12 next collapse

This is super cool! I’ve wondered what sort of device can I use to essentially have a phone but only interact with my own services and guarantee to some degree it isn’t calling home. This seems like a good choice for this problem :)

dadarobot@lemmy.sdf.org on 07 Jan 00:04 collapse

Postmarketos on an old phone.

mesamunefire@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 00:51 collapse

Whats the best phone one can buy for postmarketos?

dadarobot@lemmy.sdf.org on 07 Jan 02:40 collapse

Not sure what’s best, but Here’s the list of supported devices

Pretty sure there’s a pmos com they might have a more specific recommendation

mesamunefire@lemmy.world on 06 Jan 23:18 next collapse

I like the form factor, but seeing the issues with supply on hackberrypi and uconsole, im hoping they dont have the same issue. Lots of people like that form factor (including myself).

Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world on 06 Jan 23:33 next collapse

I’m intrigued simply because it’s not Android but the keyboard and gamepad are better done with existing products like the click keyboard and Gamesir.

als@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 06 Jan 23:45 next collapse

I’ve learned not to get my hopes up with kickstarters but I’ll keep an eye on this one

phanto@lemmy.ca on 07 Jan 05:07 collapse

I’m still too dumb to learn… Ask me about my OKPad! In fact, ask me for my OKPad. Please, take the god awful thing off my hands!

Sturgist@lemmy.ca on 07 Jan 07:07 next collapse

Ok… I’ll bite…but for me to take it off your hands I’ll need to get a $50 deposit, and another $100 due after it’s arrived to me, you can pay shipping and duties as well…

AtariDump@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 10:21 next collapse

That bad?

goodereader.com/…/okpad-lcd-tablet-or-e-reader-or…

phanto@lemmy.ca on 07 Jan 14:16 collapse

Oh, it’s awful! I mean, I knew it was going to be a bit heavier, with the dual screens, but I figured for media and stuff I could use it like a laptop. What I didn’t know? No keyboard on the e-ink. If you have it in landscape, you have a giant, unusable keyboard on the LCD part. No backlight on the e-ink. No way to move apps from one screen to the other without closing them out completely. But this is the part that really bakes my bacon… No portrait mode on the e-ink side. None. The good eReader review seems to have missed that it’s absolutely, 100%, stuck in landscape! Also, the battery is awful. I listened to a podcast for 10 minutes, display off, and burnt 10% of the battery. I have 10-year-old laptops with better battery life. I asked for a return/refund, but of course, crickets. Their only support is apparently on a Facebook page. I won’t be getting Facebook any time soon, but I am told that they are ignoring support requests anyways.

lord_ryvan@ttrpg.network on 07 Jan 10:23 collapse

This?

Not gonna lie, that looks very difficult to use.

DaMonsterKnees@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 00:02 next collapse

My interest is piqued, but it doesn’t have a native usb-c? Only old usb-a? Am I reading that right? The c is a part of one of the attachments? Don’t love that.

circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org on 07 Jan 00:06 next collapse

If that keyboard module isn’t extremely securely attached on there, I can 100% guarantee it is breaking in my pocket.

Would have much preferred if they were going to have just one base unit with keyboard. Other modules could fit over that.

plm00@lemmy.ml on 07 Jan 01:17 next collapse

I’m intrigued. And although I read the article, I’m not entirely sure who or what this is for. It’s cool, but… what?

treadful@lemmy.zip on 07 Jan 05:26 next collapse

I feel like this would fit in some unexpected areas of mobile computing. Music, interfacing with other equipment (e.g. industrial computing), or other places where people might normally take a full laptop where that’s kind of overkill.

I’m not really sure, and I kind of wish I had a need for one.

Vincent@feddit.nl on 07 Jan 08:42 next collapse

I think it’s for the Hacker News crowd that’s always clamoring for smaller phones, or phones with a physical keyboard. Potentially for parents to give to their young children, to be able to contact them without getting them addicted to screens right away.

Not sure how big those markets are though.

[deleted] on 07 Jan 10:46 collapse

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Petter1@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 12:19 collapse

I’m thinking about crafting a phone out if a raspberry compute module (so I can upgrade my device easy with new computing modules released)

I want to add a battery, a modem, a touchscreen and a usb-PD port with video out compatibility

Maybe a little cam to scan documents as well…

[deleted] on 07 Jan 15:01 collapse

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Petter1@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 10:19 collapse
Walican132@lemmy.today on 07 Jan 01:29 next collapse

Interesting I just saw another handheld Linux device on YouTube earlier today that is launching soon. Namely the Pilet. I’m kinda interested in something like this. Though I’m not sure for what.

penquin@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 01:33 next collapse

I like how Linux has been picking up lately. Finally.

circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org on 07 Jan 03:58 next collapse

It’s just a matter of time as so many corporate products and services enshittify. That, plus FOSS’ main issue is the average person not having any idea what it is or what it means.

iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works on 07 Jan 06:02 collapse

It’s the year of Linux, just as it has been every year for the past thirty years!

penquin@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 09:24 collapse

I’ve been using Linux for about 7 year now and only last year and this year did I feel like it’s the actual year of linux

iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works on 07 Jan 01:39 next collapse

I’ll wait for retail if ever. I learnt my lesson about backing tech based kickstarters.

PineRune@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 04:35 collapse

I’m still waiting on my Soundband headphones.

Tahl_eN@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 04:54 collapse

I enjoyed my Ouya back in the day.

PineRune@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 05:34 collapse

I actually still have mine somewhere. I didn’t use it much, though.

Tahl_eN@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 08:07 collapse

Mine’s around somewhere, too. I didn’t do a lot of gaming on it, but it was a very solid media streaming box for the time.

niucllos@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 01:40 next collapse

Would love something like this for field notes, though for my uses a eink screen would be preferable. Hopefully this or the equivalent takes off and we can start getting fun variables in the future!

atzanteol@sh.itjust.works on 07 Jan 02:25 next collapse

That looks amazing.

… For 2008.

jimitsoni18@lemmy.zip on 07 Jan 07:23 next collapse

2008 was awesome!

SeekPie@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 11:17 next collapse

Being on Lemmy sometimes makes me feel like everyone here is old. Y’all talking about the years that I was born in as if it was like yesterday.

AbsoluteChicagoDog@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 13:32 next collapse

You were born in multiple years?

SeekPie@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 14:03 collapse

I’d rather not give my birth year in a public post. I was just keeping it vague.

(It’s not 2008 btw)

Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 07 Jan 14:03 next collapse

Worry not: in 20 years’ time people born in 2028 will all pretty much look like kids to you.

iheartneopets@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 22:45 collapse

(They are, that’s why everyone gets bent out of shape when boomers are criticized here)

Auli@lemmy.ca on 08 Jan 13:35 collapse

I doubt there are a lot of boomers here

iheartneopets@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 23:53 collapse

Having been here since July of last year, there definitely are. The demographics skew towards older tech bro types, in my experience.

netvor@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 20:46 collapse

Let’s make 2025 2008 again!

lord_ryvan@ttrpg.network on 07 Jan 10:17 collapse

That still looks awesome NGL

heavy@sh.itjust.works on 07 Jan 03:48 next collapse

Sorry, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. If you can’t make this stuff at scale, no way you could sell it at $160 a unit.

circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org on 07 Jan 03:56 next collapse

While I hope I’m wrong, I agree this thing will go the way of most Kickstarters. It is interesting, but it will never have appeal outside of the hobby space, and the cash needed to get this thing off the ground will be immense.

Petter1@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 12:10 collapse

They just use really low spec hardware…

jaxiiruff@lemmy.zip on 07 Jan 04:33 next collapse

ugly and bulky, when linux is on a form factor like the new razr or samsung z flip phones then Ill care

jagged_circle@feddit.nl on 07 Jan 04:56 next collapse

Gross. Why would they launch on a scam platform like kickstarter?

Let me know if they launch on crowdsupply

iturnedintoanewt@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 05:52 next collapse

Ooof. After having a pinephone, I know what 2 or 3GB of RAM can handle these days. Not much, really. Specially the moment you open the browser. I’m going to pass from any project that doesn’t attempt to at least get close to this decade’s standards.

utopiah@lemmy.ml on 07 Jan 07:23 next collapse

Specially the moment you open the browser

I’d be curious, did you profile if it’s for all pages or only some? I’d expect e.g. Facebook or Instagram to be more demanding than Lemmy or ProtonMail but to be honest I have no idea.

lord_ryvan@ttrpg.network on 07 Jan 10:21 next collapse

I had a Windows Phone with 2GB of memory before, even (old) Reddit was horrendous, let alone Proton Mail with all its JavaScript and images.

filcuk@lemmy.zip on 07 Jan 11:02 collapse

Prefetching, prediction, media, infinite loading (gradually) or aggressive tracking can increase the usage.
I’ve had a single jira page use 6GB on Firefox.

herrvogel@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 16:23 collapse

At least with that 6gb you get the nice, streamlined, intuitive and responsive user experience that we all know and love Atlassian for.

InFerNo@lemmy.ml on 07 Jan 13:16 next collapse

My current Android phone has 4GB and it’s really smooth. I’ve got 90 Firefox tabs open and several apps. I’d love to see that level of optimization in a startup, but more RAM will just mask the bad optimization.

OsrsNeedsF2P@lemmy.ml on 08 Jan 17:22 collapse

As an ex-Andrpid dev, all this optimization is what killed the creativity. Every feature you currently have is hyperoptimized (even with dedicated battery optimizations turned off for the most popular apps), and as a result nothing you can’t easily change is changeable anymore.

Want a widget that self updates every couple minutes by connecting to the internet? Can’t have that, even if the user explicitly accepts it. Want to customize behavior of things in the settings? Nope. Want to hook into the phone memory and do crazy hacks? Not even with root. Want to keep running some checks to determine when to send a notification? Can’t do that either, non-push notifications are all scheduled in advance.

AbsoluteChicagoDog@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 13:31 next collapse

My phone has 3gb and it’s fine. Don’t leave 10,000 tabs open.

haves@sh.itjust.works on 08 Jan 13:52 collapse

Website currently lists 4gb

Kajika@lemmy.ml on 07 Jan 06:07 next collapse

yet an other hardware from 10+ years ago. here we have an ARM Cortex-A53 from what it seems to be 2012. Maybe it is actually compatible with OpenGL 3…

Petter1@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 12:09 next collapse

I would pay more than 1000$ at this point for a modern high DPI open device with mobile internet compatibility and all drivers in mainline kernel. Just give me good hardware, I can handle the software on my on, tank you 🤭

TMP_NKcYUEoM7kXg4qYe@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 14:04 collapse

If you want all drivers in the mainline kernel, you clearly cannot handle the software on your own. The reason why linux phones suck are the drivers that are either bad or don’t exist. The desktop (or palmtop I guess) environments are pretty usable if you run it on something with good drivers (like QEMU - my favorite phone).

Petter1@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 17:07 collapse

Yea, I did not phrase it well enough 😂 I just don’t want to be supervised by these large phone OS giants, because they think it is more convenient

What do you mean with QEMU? Are you running a Linux VM on your android phone?

TMP_NKcYUEoM7kXg4qYe@lemmy.world on 09 Jan 12:47 collapse

It was a joke about the fact that PostmarketOS considers only QEMU a “main” device. Every real phone is in the “community” section because they’re too buggy. So the only good device to run that OS on is a virtual one running inside your desktop.

Petter1@lemm.ee on 09 Jan 22:09 collapse

😆I see

I think I would run Arch on such a device

InFerNo@lemmy.ml on 07 Jan 13:13 collapse

Our beloved consoles from the 80s and 90s were built with off the shelf parts, this is no different. Custom hardware in a niche market would lead nowhere.

737@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 07 Jan 22:47 collapse

this comparison is really bad. consoles built with 6502s could get away with it, since everything they ran were games crafted in assembly to fit the timings to the last clock cycle. this product is supposed to run modern graphical software.

zygo_histo_morpheus@programming.dev on 07 Jan 07:15 next collapse

I’ve been wanting a phone with a keyboard for a long time, I don’t think I’ll get this one (I specifically got a fairphone in part so I wouldn’t have to think about buying a new phone for a couple of years) but I think that this could be really nice for some specific usecases that are underserved today.

riodoro1@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 09:33 next collapse

Can I just send you five years worth of „we’re sorry we’re behind schedule” messages and then ghost you instead? If so send me $159

loudWaterEnjoyer@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 07 Jan 11:59 next collapse

I will do it for $149, don’t be stupid and come to me!!!

ICastFist@programming.dev on 07 Jan 12:49 collapse

$145.99 with me, just look at these CU-RAH-ZY savings!!!

BarrelAgedBoredom@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 19:30 collapse

I’ll do it for free. Just going it for the love of the game

737@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 07 Jan 22:37 next collapse

the specs and the execution (2cm thick) seem reasonably bad, so i do think its pretty reasonable to manufacture in a small batch at that price

Roopappy@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 01:50 collapse

My first thought: If this ever ships, I’ll eat an outboard motor.

riodoro1@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 13:53 collapse

one cylinder 5hp or eight cylinder 300hp? Or maybe an electric?

zergtoshi@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 12:08 next collapse

Looks nice and I’d like it even more, had it an USB-C port with display output.
But even in the current configuration it’s a nice gadget at a reasonable price point.
4 GB RAM is not exactly great for a kind of desktop computer (even with Linux), but using this thing as a server with a built-in keyboard and display would have saved me some trouble I faced with unresponsive RaspberryPis.

bpt11@sh.itjust.works on 07 Jan 13:18 next collapse

Those look really cool, I would be pleasantly surprised if they ever came to fruition

surph_ninja@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 13:28 next collapse

Why the fuck would a handheld need an ethernet port?

The pro-linux developers just can’t stop designing things to their own specific needs and skillsets. No concept of designing & marketing for a wide audience.

FlappyBubble@lemmy.ml on 07 Jan 15:18 next collapse

How can this possibly present a problem? People with specific needs developing new hardware - seems like a great idea to me. I can definetly see a use for this sort of device for network people. It could function as a travel router when needed. Another more obacure use could be penetration testing. Just because you can’t imagine a use case doesn’t mean it’s useless.

surph_ninja@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 15:22 collapse

I can absolutely think of use cases for it. Would 100% support an expansion port for it.

But as a default feature on a mobile device? Moronic design choice. But again, just a classic out-of-touch decision from Linux developers. Very on-brand.

FlappyBubble@lemmy.ml on 07 Jan 15:59 next collapse

What do you think the obvious use case of the device ia then? It runs Linux, has pogo-ecpansion and is obviously niché as is. I would argue that it’s a device developed by Linux users/developers for Linux users/developers. In this case an Ethernet post is on brand as you said yourself. No matter if you think it’s “out of touch” or not, whatever you mean by that.

surph_ninja@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 16:22 collapse

And this thinking is exactly why it will always be niche. A complete inability & unwillingness to move beyond that.

Might as well put a damn ham radio in it. The Linux crowd will love it, and everyone else won’t know what the hell to do with it. Seems what they’re going for.

737@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 07 Jan 23:01 collapse

guess what, linux already is the perfect kernel for mobile devices, with android. there also is some work being done by kde and gnome to make wayland work well on general mobile devices. you clearly have no clue what you’re talking about and are just being a whiney asshole for no reason whatsoever.

737@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 07 Jan 23:23 collapse

maybe linux desktop software developers should be allowed to develop software for their own use? after all, a lot of this work is done by volunteers. just because not all of it panders to the average user, doesn’t mean it’s bad software.

This product is not reflective of any trend in the linux desktop software developer community at all. its just a badly designed, low volume tech product with horrible specs. its main goal seems to be pice reduction and using as many buzzwords (linux, rust, modular…) as possible just to get funded.

please consider deleting your comments they are just pointlessly insulting toward free software developers.

i am aware that linux is mostly corporately maintained, tough this does not apply to desktop applications / software a non server admin would use.

surph_ninja@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 23:27 collapse

So now we can’t even speak of Linux’ poor usability?! Hah. Fat chance.

737@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 08 Jan 19:27 collapse

sounds like a skill issue

surph_ninja@lemmy.world on 09 Jan 00:44 collapse

Exactly. Most people have skill issues with this. Stop gatekeeping.

737@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 10 Jan 06:48 collapse

what are you even taking about? at first you just insult free software developers, then you imply this insult was a meaningful critique of the usability of linux and now i am gatekeeping (you?). weird ass mf.

lightnsfw@reddthat.com on 07 Jan 16:22 collapse

The pro-linux developers just can’t stop designing things to their own specific needs and skillsets. No concept of designing & marketing for a wide audience.

You mean the wide audience that’s already catered to by every other tech company?

surph_ninja@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 16:29 collapse

There it is. The self-defeating attitude that got us here, and keeps us here.

lightnsfw@reddthat.com on 07 Jan 18:42 collapse

If here is where the niche products are I’m happy to stay. I haven’t been able to upgrade my phone in almost a decade because they’re all catering to the mainstream now. Most people don’t care about doing anything cool with their devices.

dino@discuss.tchncs.de on 07 Jan 13:34 next collapse

plastic garbage

Olgratin_Magmatoe@slrpnk.net on 07 Jan 14:05 next collapse

Pretty neat, but probably not something I’d buy

Michal@programming.dev on 07 Jan 22:59 collapse

I keep saying the same about the iPhone but they keep making new ones

Sam_Bass@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 15:23 next collapse

Looks suspiciously like a smartphone with an external KB plugin

HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com on 07 Jan 15:45 next collapse

I would really love a return to a concept where you have a tablet that docks into a full size laptop form factor. Even better if the dock can have a graphics card.

abaddon@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 20:55 collapse

Agree. Sometimes I want a tablet, sometimes a laptop but I don’t need or want 2 separate devices of that size. I recall quite a few Android projects (Mirabook, Project Linda) that would use a phone with a laptop dock but I’d prefer a phone as a standalone device and a secondary, larger & more powerful, device that can have multiple forms.

HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com on 07 Jan 21:38 next collapse

yeah I also don't want android.

abaddon@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 21:56 collapse

Was just using that as an example. It would be great to see a Linux device with this capability. I have played around with a few Linux phones and convergence was a feature that received attention so I think there’s hope.

HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com on 07 Jan 22:04 collapse

really feel framework is perfect for this. Make the screen a tablet. Have the additional graphics and hard drive on the base. Actually the microsoft surface book was basically what I want but with a company that sells it with linux and supports it with their company distro.

tempest@lemmy.ca on 07 Jan 22:43 collapse

Microsoft still make the surface pro

Irelephant@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 15:58 next collapse

It looks cool and all, but its probably going to have like 400mb of ram and an rp2040 like every other linux handheld device.

piexil@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 18:50 next collapse

It has a 3gb ram and an a53

Perfectly reasonable specs

isVeryLoud@lemmy.ca on 07 Jan 19:28 collapse

Not for 2025, sorry.

My phone has 16 GB of RAM, 3 GB is ridiculous, especially with the modern web.

Michal@programming.dev on 07 Jan 22:58 next collapse

With 640x480 screen i doubt it’ll be used for web browsing, unless you use lynx. Firefox in a pinch, but my guess is this will appeal mostly to Linux terminal users.

piexil@lemmy.world on 19 Jan 02:16 collapse

yeah people arguing about the usefulness of this thing clearly aren’t the target audience

And they should just accept that lol

Zetta@mander.xyz on 08 Jan 01:47 next collapse

Was your phone $150?

twei@discuss.tchncs.de on 08 Jan 10:20 collapse

Would you buy one that is? (assume the specs that this thing has, also consider that your answer has to be valid when you eventually get it in 5 years or so)

piexil@lemmy.world on 19 Jan 02:15 collapse

It’s a small indie company and $150. Be reasonable

737@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 08 Jan 19:45 collapse

rp2040 can’t run linux?

Irelephant@lemm.ee on 09 Jan 13:01 collapse

thats part of the joke.

Solrac@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 16:41 next collapse

3gb RAM? 32gb emmc? This feels a bit like a raspberry pi project. Up the specs at least 6gb to at least no[t look like yet another microdeck with emulators, please… I like the concept, but as is, it leaves plenty to be desired

oatscoop@midwest.social on 08 Jan 01:41 collapse

Netbooks need to come back with modern hardware.

If I need an ultra-portable computer one in a usable form factor would be amazing.

mactan@lemmy.ml on 07 Jan 17:50 next collapse

this would have been really cool 15 years ago

MIDItheKID@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 02:21 collapse

Funny story. LG made something with a similar concept about 10 years ago and it never really took off. The LG G5 was a modular smart phone that was supposed to have a bunch of cool modules, but they never came to fruition.

I had one, but mostly because I loved having a swappable battery. Never had to charge my phone, I would just have a spare battery charging on my desk and I would swap it out before I left the house.

TheTurner@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 06:52 next collapse

Motorola had a similar phone. It was cool at the time, but just never took off. It was the Moto Z series.

IsoKiero@sopuli.xyz on 08 Jan 11:46 collapse

Jolla had similar concept too at 2013. I had one and back then it was really, really nice phone. Maybe not in a sense that flagship models from big vendors were, but I really enjoyed the UI and modular options was a huge selling point at least for myself. Then they started to work with a tablet which failed on pretty much all fronts and the whole company practically disappeared.

Tattorack@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 20:39 next collapse

I wonder who this is made for?

The article calls it a “smartphone sized pocket computer”, but that describes smartphones too; they already are pocket computers. And they’ve had decades of design and development behind them.

So… This device has a tiny touchscreen, and a keyboard, rather than having the whole thing being a touchscreen. So instead it has a modular bottom half… Which… Sounds like it’s trying to solve a problem that would’ve been a problem in like… The 90s, maybe, but has been solved by using… A touchscreen that can change the type of input it is flexibly, like smartphones do.

It can’t call, like a smartphone, despite being a smartphone sized device. It has USB A 2.0 sockets and an Ethernet socket… Which makes it once again sound incredibly out-dated, like a device found in a time capsule, because USB C is smaller and faster than USB A 2.0, and can potentially be used for damn near anything. Which includes connecting to the Internet.

Its battery looks very weak. Its CPU looks very weak. It has a tiny amount of RAM, and a tiny amount of storage. It is outclassed by any affordable, midrange smartphone, at nearly the same price too (if you avoid big brand names).

EmilieEvans@lemmy.ml on 07 Jan 22:22 next collapse

This device has a tiny touchscreen, and a keyboard, rather than having the whole thing being a touchscreen.

That’s awesome. I still miss my Blackberry Passport (keyboard and large 1:1 screen).

Tattorack@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 22:41 collapse

Tiny keyboards were a nightmare. There’s a reason why the Blackberry failed. You might like it, but then you’re part of a minority.

SynopsisTantilize@lemm.ee on 07 Jan 23:52 next collapse

And they didn’t fail because of their keyboard…

Tattorack@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 00:41 collapse

Yeah they did. It was a pretty major factor. The moment touchscreen phones began to exist, Blackberry became past-tense.

[deleted] on 08 Jan 01:07 next collapse

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SynopsisTantilize@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 02:35 collapse

It was them sticking with proprietary software instead of going with Android. I’m sticking to those guns.

EmilieEvans@lemmy.ml on 08 Jan 09:17 collapse

Wide display: perfect for reading A4 documents

keyboard: nicer to type. Also, the passport was as wide as, well … , a passport so it is a pretty decently sized keyboard which isn’t comparable to the tiny Q10.

The passport was never meant to be a generic for the masses device. It is a beautiful specialized tool.

Michal@programming.dev on 07 Jan 22:54 next collapse

Full-size usb, Ethernet and keyboard mean you can use it as a Linux computer, install arbitrary debian packages, run shell scripts, python scripts, and you don’t need any dongles. This is the differential factor. You can’t do the same on a smartphone, and it’s not supposed to be a smartphone. Why would you need a separate sim card when you can simply tether Internet from your phone?

I get that this device isn’t for you, but there are people who don’t want to write and maintain apps through apps stores and simply want to copy simple scripts into a small device they can have with them. It’s a niche market and good for them for trying to fill that niche.

I wonder what they use for charging port if not usb c…

Tattorack@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 00:45 collapse

You can do all that with USB C and a touch keyboard. There is no good reason under the sun to make a device that is this dated in concept.

Whatever the market is they’re trying to fill, it’ll be so extremely niche that this product is already a failure. It’s not the first time some kind of ultra niche product from kickstarter failed before launch because except for a small handful even cared.

Michal@programming.dev on 08 Jan 04:20 collapse

How do you install utilities like kubectl and azure CLI on Android?

petsoi@discuss.tchncs.de on 08 Jan 07:08 next collapse

If you get a phone and install PostmarketOS on it, you could also get pretty far on it, couldn’t you?

Mikina@programming.dev on 08 Jan 10:06 collapse

I can do that and more on my Pinephone running Kali Nethunter. While it’s mostly a gimmick with awfull battery life, I’ve already used it a few times mostly in regards to wifi pentesting for my cyber-sec job, i.e when going to lunch onsite and you notice a new wifi AP you didn’t see when inside the office you’re working on.

And since it has an USB-C, I can simply plug in a dock with two USB-As, Ethernet, PD and HDMI, to turn it into a full-fledged Kali desktop.

Michal@programming.dev on 08 Jan 14:18 collapse

Pinephone looks great and the keyboard case seems very ergonomic. Fo you use it as your daily driver?

Mikina@programming.dev on 09 Jan 07:37 collapse

I tried it like a year ago, maybe more, and it wasn’t ready for that. The battery life was awfull (which was a SW issue of the OS not being able to stand-by properly), and accepting calls wasn’t really reliable. It’s more of a gimmick and great as a side-phone, but I wouldn’t use it as a daily driver.

But the situation might’ve changed.

mostlikelyaperson@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 01:01 collapse

For people who like a concept more than practicality. There’s maybe a handful use cases that this specific device fits in that isn’t covered better by existing tech, but I guarantee if that thing actually gets kickstarted and arrives severely delayed in several years, it’ll show up in a couple YouTube videos with people sort of uncertain what to use it for, and in the vast majority of cases it’ll end up in some drawers after having been used a few hours tops.

Tattorack@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 02:06 collapse

My thoughts exactly. I’ve seen several such devices already, probably the most expensive and over-designed one being the Apple VR, and it’s always the same story.

devilish666@lemmy.world on 07 Jan 21:53 next collapse

Basically Android is Linux but…in weirdest way if i must say.
Now…we just need to make it modular right…???

737@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 07 Jan 22:42 next collapse

i cannot see a use case for this. just get a steam deck instead

doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 07 Jan 23:02 next collapse

It’s much smaller, lighter, and cheaper than a steam deck. Seems good for emulating retro games. Definitely a niche product, but cool.

737@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 07 Jan 23:04 collapse

Raspberry Pi with a display and 3d printed case? would be far more powerful and probably would have nicer software support

doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 08 Jan 02:02 collapse

Maybe. But that means a lot more diy, and once your done with buying a pi, screen, battery, and all the 3d prints, you’re in about $160 anyway.

crossdl@leminal.space on 07 Jan 23:04 collapse

A user after my own heart.

Technically the Deck is more expensive but that’s exactly what I did, went with a Steam Deck.

There’s also Samsung DeX or other desktop-like experiences from an Android device.

w3dd1e@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 01:18 next collapse

I see a lot of negativity in the comments. And yeah, this thing probably isn’t something I’m going to get, but at least they are trying something that isn’t a generic rectangle of glass like all the others. I miss the days of fun gadgets.

humble_pete_digger@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 02:10 next collapse

I like the generic rectangle block of glass.
Don’t understand why they insist on a physical keyboard.

TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com on 08 Jan 02:30 next collapse

i am personally sick of shiny rectangles. physical keyboards are the buttons on your cars dash instead of the shiny rectangle on your car’s dash.

porous_grey_matter@lemmy.ml on 08 Jan 06:26 collapse

Cars’ buttons need to be used while preferably not looking at them, that’s a pretty different situation to a smartphone

Cysioland@lemmygrad.ml on 08 Jan 13:59 next collapse

Also, I can somewhat type eyes-free on a smartphone keyboard because of the combination of autocorrect and my fingers remembering where the touch points are relative to the screen

netvor@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 20:43 collapse

Being able to use a keyboard without looking at it is a good thing.

Only thing that makes it “different situation” for smartphone is that they just don’t have the keyboards. (And some of us kinda accepted that…)

w3dd1e@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 03:06 next collapse

I don’t mind it, but I also don’t hate that people are trying something new! Maybe it fails, but maybe it’s awesome!

DeaDvey@lemmy.ml on 08 Jan 19:57 collapse

I much prefer physical keyboards and find it difficult to use touchscreen, so a mobile, qwerty keyboard sounds great to me.

humble_pete_digger@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 21:02 collapse

What phones u guys been using for the last 15 years? I haven’t seen slide out keyboards for about that long

DeaDvey@lemmy.ml on 09 Jan 14:12 collapse

Nokia 105, Wish it had qwerty though.

Tattorack@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 02:23 collapse

Fun useful gadgets. A gadget for the sake of a gadget is just another word for “e-waste”.

[deleted] on 08 Jan 10:20 collapse

.

netvor@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 20:40 collapse

I get it, but a gentle reminder, often the best way for society to have an awesome projects is to have a lot of projects.

[deleted] on 08 Jan 22:56 collapse

.

Manifish_Destiny@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 01:25 next collapse

Too bad it’s packed full of features I don’t care about and lacks ones I do.

These handhelds are cool but I think I’ll skip this one.

kehet@sopuli.xyz on 08 Jan 08:29 next collapse

Well that looks cool. I just hope I would have use for such device.

I wonder how they plan to keep updating this Mechanix OS after initial sales slow down

dorumon@lemm.ee on 08 Jan 08:57 collapse

It’s going to be just like my pocket chip and die quickly after in terms of software support. Where I had to run my own hacks and also run archive debian repositories for the hardware itself only for the flash to die a year afterwards. I can say though it was the coolest device I had and hacking it was really neat especially with the UI and scaling apps on the device.

toastal@lemmy.ml on 08 Jan 09:46 next collapse

What I like about this is that I could theorhetically install a non-QWERTY keyboard instead of being locked to such an inefficient layout. Yes, eventually you can learn to touch type, but learning it would be nice to have the keys since it will be a nonstandard layout at that size & when you hand it off to other folks, it’d be completely unexpected to hit q & get a '.

Mars2k21@sh.itjust.works on 08 Jan 14:34 next collapse

Cool emulation machine and design, even if it isn’t the most practical thing ever.

OsrsNeedsF2P@lemmy.ml on 08 Jan 17:16 next collapse

dink@lemmy.world on 08 Jan 17:30 next collapse

I feel like it’s almost too generic to be useful. All the “standard” attachments make it a thing that already exists (and those things are usually much stable and supported). If they get enough 3rd party attention prior to launch, that could change.

I wish they would have spent the time and effort just committing to the smartphone idea. Linux and the Linux community could greatly benefit from more open source smartphone devices.

justblackcoffeeplease@lemmy.ca on 10 Jan 02:27 collapse

Hopefully gphoto2 will run in this. It would make a less bulky intervalometer than the one I built with a raspberry pi and an attachable display.