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Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

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Re: Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

#101

Post by ljf »

praptak wrote: post #13

Smartphones solved the portable monitor problem. What humanity needs now is a truly portable keyboard. Something that you can carry as easily as a smartphone and that lets you type as conveniently as on a good laptop keyboard. Are there any promising attempts at this?

I still love my Thinkoutside keyboard https://www.cnet.com/reviews/think-outside-stowaway-universa... had it since my Nokia E61 and use it weekly. Only issue I've had so far has been that the photo support finally broke, other than that it works like new. Really great size to type on, decent travel and folds down to a great size.

Real shame they stopped making them ages ago.

Re: Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

#102

Post by afandian »

contingencies wrote: post #94
afandian wrote: post #57

Something I'm interested in is a knock-about computer for child with a text editor and a programming language. Robust enough to put in a pocket. A hinge, or larger machine, or something more expensive, would be too risky. A Raspberry Pi is great and cheap but a bit fiddly. Of course the 'computer' experience should be more diverse thant this, but having a dedicated machine feels like the equivalent of having book wit…

I also desire the ideal of education for children, so am perhaps biased, but genuinely I believe it is an underserved market. Look at the cash flowing at Makeblock and similar startups. It's definitely something that could work, if the ecosystem / materials are substantial enough. Consider BASIC era: C64, etc. It's workable. There will always be a need for low level comprehension. ASM is a thought process, not a skil…

These quotes are gold. Thank you!

Re: Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

#103

Post by 0b0001 »

ChrisRR wrote: post #69
0b0001 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you were talking about yourself only, I'd agree. But since you name humanity, one thing must be very clear: most people don't like keyboards. That's something that holds in "the developed world". Outside of the ASCII-world, that might be even more so. Smartphone keyboards with glide typing function very well for language (i.e., no passwords and no programming). They have an important feature: they provide the inpu…

I'm going to want a source on this claim. While mobile keyboards are "alright" for messaging where you can get away with errors, they're not the kind of thing you want to be using for prolonged periods, ie. writing documents or long emails. They're slow, error prone, and tiring because of the unnatural thumb movements. For any significant amount of typing and where accuracy is needed (a single letter wrong is more un…

Have a look at the Google article. I presume they do some research when claiming that keyboards aren't what a significant portion of humankind needs.

But indeed not only programmers rely on keyboards.

Re: Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

#104

Post by rinchik »

timthorn wrote: post #64
kweks wrote: post #29

A similar device that exists, has a 'real' keyboard, 4G/Wifi/BLE and a metal clamshell case is the https://store.planetcom.co.uk/products/gemini-pda-1 I've been running Android on it, but it also runs Debian apparently very well. 400dpi screen, enough to have 2 / 3 consoles open at the same time. It's most definitely saved my bacon a few times.

Their Cosmo follow up is just starting to ship, as well. Even nicer, though more pricey

Cosmo doesn't support Linux at the moment. Otherwise would be a no-brainer for me.

Re: Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

#105

Post by nrp »

ljf wrote: post #101
praptak wrote: post #13

Smartphones solved the portable monitor problem. What humanity needs now is a truly portable keyboard. Something that you can carry as easily as a smartphone and that lets you type as conveniently as on a good laptop keyboard. Are there any promising attempts at this?

I still love my Thinkoutside keyboard https://www.cnet.com/reviews/think-outside-stowaway-universa... had it since my Nokia E61 and use it weekly. Only issue I've had so far has been that the photo support finally broke, other than that it works like new. Really great size to type on, decent travel and folds down to a great size. Real shame they stopped making them ages ago.

I still have my Thinkoutside keyboard from the Dell Axim days as well. I’ve tried a few more recent folding keyboards, but nothing has met the rigidity, compactness, and key feel of that old thing. It was truly a magical product for its time.

Re: Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

#106

Post by Crinus »

tluyben2 wrote: post #95
kweks wrote: post #29

A similar device that exists, has a 'real' keyboard, 4G/Wifi/BLE and a metal clamshell case is the https://store.planetcom.co.uk/products/gemini-pda-1 I've been running Android on it, but it also runs Debian apparently very well. 400dpi screen, enough to have 2 / 3 consoles open at the same time. It's most definitely saved my bacon a few times.

I have the GPD Pocket 1 for these purposes; it's fast, it runs Windows, Linux and Android. I run Linux (Ubuntu/i3) on it. It has phenomenal battery life and it's fast enough to do reasonable .NET Core development on in cramped spaces or when my laptop is empty. I owned the Gemini as well, but, before it got stolen, I was going to sell it because Linux on that device did not really work for me while Android was not pr…

Yeah, GPD's handheld PCs are IMO better than these ARM-based computers since they are (mostly) regular x86 PCs in tiny size and i can run my existing x86/x64 applications and games with them (of which i have thousands). Though when it comes to games i prefer the GPD Win.

Honestly every time i learn about any handheld computer or gaming device i do a quick comparison in my mind with GPD's computers and outside of price the latter pretty much always come out winners (largely because they have zero competition in the real-PC-in-your-pocket space).

Re: Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

#107

Post by musingsole »

nabeards wrote: post #89
praptak wrote: post #13

Smartphones solved the portable monitor problem. What humanity needs now is a truly portable keyboard. Something that you can carry as easily as a smartphone and that lets you type as conveniently as on a good laptop keyboard. Are there any promising attempts at this?

I’ve been watching Tap a long time, but haven’t tried it yet. Previous HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11933956

I have a Tap keyboard. The mouse is phenomenal. The tapping keyboard takes some getting used to. With a full keyboard nearby, there's no justification for the cost in speed. But I'm working on a wearable computer now that I expect the Tap to be perfect for.

Re: Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

#109

Post by elagost »

shakna wrote: post #3

I loved my PocketCHIP, right up to when the software stopped getting updates, and the company ghosted everyone with hundreds of waiting orders. I still have it, but getting it working again is a couple weekend's of work. (Which makes me somewhat doubt the simultaneous claims of mainline Debian _and_ based on the same underlying hardware as the CHIP.) I love the form factor that these kinds of computers present. Howev…

Upon seeing this project I immediately searched the HN thread for fellow PocketCHIP owners. Mine's still on my shelf next to a few other handheld Linux portables that showed promise, but ended up with poor support and no updates. The real clincher for me is eMMC storage - with no way to back up or modify the storage other than their web-based flasher, the CHIP was a headache and a half to deal with, compared to other microSD-card-based SBCs, which are simple to backup and restore when needed.

I'd love to have a device like this with the longevity of a Thinkpad (still using mine from 2012) or at least my Nexus 5 (2013, and still in use!) but it seems after a year or so these all just get abandoned.

Re: Pocket Popcorn Computer: Linux in Your Pocket

#110

Post by rtkwe »

kozak wrote: post #68

USB-C headphones? Why not throw in a real 3.5 mm port? For me it's not just about having to use a dongle: USB-C doesn't provide a reliable enough connection for a wearable device.

Keeping component count low? To do a 3.5mm jack you have to include a DAC of some sort. USB-C headphones come with their own.
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