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Blloc – minimalist smartphone

blloc.com

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Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#161

Post by HappyFapMachine »

thinkxl wrote: post #135
etatoby wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What website? I only saw a white page. (I have Javascript disabled)

Looks like you are getting downvoted. I upvoted you, so I'll leave this here because is relevant: https://sonniesedge.co.uk/posts/progressive-enhancement Come on, the website is only text, images, and a few forms, why would you render it in JavaScript. I don't see any additional benefit compared with plain HTML, CSS. It is not a rich web application, even if it were. Also, there's been server-side rendering for a whi…

"No, you’re the kind of shit that enjoys arguing with people, rather than empathising with them."

Oh my, the article describes itself.

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#162

Post by HenryBemis »

etatoby wrote: post #129
thinkxl wrote: post #52

So, I'll give some unsolicited recommendations for your website, regarding accessibility: - The contrast between the body text and background is to low; it makes it difficult for people with visual impairments to use the website. - Font size and font weight, the font is too thin and adding this to the low color contrast, it makes it even more difficult to read. - Images that don't add meaning (textually) to the page,…

What website? I only saw a white page. (I have Javascript disabled)

Same here. Using Firefox, I only block Stripe and Jquery (used for Stripe as someone commented), and still see white-space.

I won't honor it with my IE (don't feel like giving Stripe a ping).

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#163

Post by HenryBemis »

HappyFapMachine wrote: post #161
thinkxl wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looks like you are getting downvoted. I upvoted you, so I'll leave this here because is relevant: https://sonniesedge.co.uk/posts/progressive-enhancement Come on, the website is only text, images, and a few forms, why would you render it in JavaScript. I don't see any additional benefit compared with plain HTML, CSS. It is not a rich web application, even if it were. Also, there's been server-side rendering for a whi…

"No, you’re the kind of shit that enjoys arguing with people, rather than empathising with them." Oh my, the article describes itself.

Now, there is one angry person :)

I stopped reading the article after 10 lines. I'm not easily offended, but when reading an opinion that has the F-word every line, it's just a turn-off.

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#164

Post by sebastienrocks »

adhambadr wrote: post #94
thinkxl wrote: post #52

So, I'll give some unsolicited recommendations for your website, regarding accessibility: - The contrast between the body text and background is to low; it makes it difficult for people with visual impairments to use the website. - Font size and font weight, the font is too thin and adding this to the low color contrast, it makes it even more difficult to read. - Images that don't add meaning (textually) to the page,…

thx for taking the time, will consider the feedback in our re-launch (we were working already on making our pos better) this thread took us by surprise while reworking it

To add on the original comment:

Your website, ironically, breaks at a smaller viewport (at least my small screened firefox on desktop).

I would really consider making this work on tablet / mobile devices, and fixing the accessibility ASAP. Especially considering the product you are trying to sell.

How can I trust your phone hardware if your website doesn't meet modern day standards?

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#165

Post by deft »

adhambadr wrote: post #112
bArray wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a while now people have bypassed Facebook's API restrictions for chat and news-feed by using the "mbasic" webpage version. It's pretty trivial to get around most of their API hostility. How long that'll last I don't know, but it's a pretty important service for connecting people in places with very low bandwidth. But... That said, building one decent chat app is a massive time sink in itself. Then do this for man…

its a bit of hurtful truth bArray there. We did already pull back a bit on most of our SW promises and packed them inside a "beta-mode" as we realised after testing a personal driver phone is no experimenting ground. This post just beat us before we finished relaunching our website with a simpler communication strategy and a def. a better website.

Thanks for your honesty. I do hope your project succeeds and the root turns out how you planned, I just have some doubt. It's been tried before. Keep working at it :)

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#166

Post by anthk_ »

nine_k wrote: post #12
anthk_ wrote: post #9

Meh. Just give me some portable device like the PocketCHIP or the ZipitZ2, not this hipster bullshit.

This is just for a different audience than CHIP. Good luck running e.g. Google Maps or Firefox on a CHIP.

Also, Surf with the PSP user agent is really good.

But someone will create a clamshell like device as the old 90-00's PDA with Linux, and it will show Android as a clunky device to create media instead of being just a TV substitute.

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#167

Post by jjrh »

01001010 wrote: post #114
jjrh wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lot of people want eink on a laptop (including myself) - mostly for the benefit that it's readable in the sun and low power. My understanding is the refresh rate is still too slow and the cost of a large panel is pretty high. I'd just grab a used thinkpad, chromebook, whatever and treat it as a dumb terminal. Pretty much how I used my laptop these days, ssh -X to a powerful machine and go. emacs --daemon / emacsclien…

Yes! My most recent search for any developments in e-ink laptops was literally yesterday. My understanding is that current e-ink screens are not technically limited to low refresh rates, but are artificially limited to save power. (I think someone hacked their e-reader to run linux at fairly high refresh rates?) Regarding dumb terminal, if your situation allows you to I feel this is currently one of the better option…

Maybe I don't quite understand what you want then. If you want minimal productivity focused machine just setup your system that way. Install the tools you need and call it a day?

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#168

Post by promeus »

Good idea. Actually this year in the same thougts direction i refused to buy iPhone X. I use iPhone SE with minimal setup of Reeder, Protonmail, Viber, Mullvad Vpn. Made shortkey to homne button for reducing white point and aded black and white color filter. I am definetely your customer base but this is what i want: 1. High res ink display. 2 Open source OS, no ties with Google. 2. Web based apps (like Palm OS). 3. Security by default, hardware encryption etc. 4. Default mail client. 5. Third party GPS / Maps/. 6 Original visual language. If someone made this, i will spend 500+ eur instantly.:)

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#169

Post by ktosobcy »

nine_k wrote: post #141
ktosobcy wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see lumia/microsoft tiles ;-)

Which is good, to my mind.

ditto.

I really liked the UI of windows mobile 8 (10 a bit less so) and I find it quite unfortunate that MS decided to 'kill' the platform (there are rumours about new lumia, buuuut) - it was very well optimised, it was easy to grasp and was intuitive, even for older people (got one for my dad and didn't have to explain too much how to use it).

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#170

Post by laughfactory »

I'm unclear from the website what exactly the pitch is. I really like the idea of a grayscale medium intelligence phone which helps counter the addictive nature of smartphones and is focused around the essentials: maps, camera, calendar, email, slack...

For some time my wife and I have both been wanting a dumber minimal smartphone, to help break our addiction to our phones without depriving us of their usefulness. This might be a good fit, but it's hard to tell from the website.

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