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Pro1 X: A Linux smartphone with slideout keyboard

fxtec.com

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Re: Pro1 X: A Linux smartphone with slideout keyboard

#281

Post by opan »

Don't expect support as good as a PinePhone. If this is anything like the Gemini PDA, it will only really work well with Android, and there will be many proprietary blobs that are reused via libhybris because of drivers being Android-only.

There are phones that only officially support Android and get mainlined and can run postmarketOS, but the shim that sorta-kinda works may dissuade people from doing this proper level of support. Again, look at the Gemini PDA and how its pmOS support is worse than some Samsung phones.

MediaTek and binary blobs are the source of the problem, but a company choosing these parts and then over-promising GNU/Linux support should not be ignored either. If you've ever shopped for a router to put OpenWrt on, or tried to run the Linux-libre kernel on a laptop, you'll know some companies are to be avoided. Broadcom in a router is never good, for example, and because ASUS chooses them often, ASUS is not really good either.

Re: Pro1 X: A Linux smartphone with slideout keyboard

#282

Post by willcipriano »

Website is slow to load but I finally got to see the price after a few attempts: $899 USD.

I love the idea and really need a new phone but man I wish it was a little cheaper. $500 or so it would be a no brainer but at close to a grand I feel the need to shop around.

Re: Pro1 X: A Linux smartphone with slideout keyboard

#283

Post by hyko »

takeda wrote: post #280

I placed an order for their previous model, they assured me that I should get it 4 - 8 weeks. After I didn't get anything for 6 months I messaged them that I want to withdraw my order (the phone had already old hardware during release, and it was a year old when I ordered it, but at the same time it cost as much as a high end phone). I got no response from them. I then contacted my credit card company and they charge…

Guess there’s always the Gemini - bonus is that it effectively has a Psion 5 keyboard https://store.planetcom.co.uk/products/gemini-pda-1

Re: Pro1 X: A Linux smartphone with slideout keyboard

#284

Post by simplyaccont »

commandnotfound wrote: post #279
simplyaccont wrote: post #277

It's all nice and stuff, but does it support VoLTE ? With impending shutdown of 3G networks in USA next year, without VoLTE, you can't really use phone part of the smartphone

Disabling the 3G network doesn't mean they are going to disable the older 2G networks that are widely used to make calls even if connected through LTE. Here (Czech Republic) the 3G network was disabled today and the phone part of my phone works even though VoLTE is not being used.

2G networks are already down here. Operators won't activate phones that do not support VoLTE and sending emails for past year+ warning of shutdown of 3G network

Re: Pro1 X: A Linux smartphone with slideout keyboard

#285

Post by theodric »

I bought into the Planet Gemini on the promise of a Linux-multiboot Android phone with a physical keyboard. The keyboard is too small (and poor) to be usable, the Linux distributions never progressed beyond alpha quality (not graphics acceleration even!) and the Android base was abandoned after two major revs. This one looks very much the same, down to the software base. I've learned my lesson about these kinds of devices, and I won't be going back to the well for another drink. I'd encourage you to consider well before getting too excited.

Re: Pro1 X: A Linux smartphone with slideout keyboard

#286

Post by jk7tarYZAQNpTQa »

takeda wrote: post #280

I placed an order for their previous model, they assured me that I should get it 4 - 8 weeks. After I didn't get anything for 6 months I messaged them that I want to withdraw my order (the phone had already old hardware during release, and it was a year old when I ordered it, but at the same time it cost as much as a high end phone). I got no response from them. I then contacted my credit card company and they charge…

So a scam, like the Escobar phone[1]?

[1] Marques Brownlee - The Truth About the Escobar Folding Phone! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8FJSjy3bXA

[1] Marques Brownlee - Escobar Responds! A PSA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns8ydpZ5-4o

Re: Pro1 X: A Linux smartphone with slideout keyboard

#287

Post by opan »

Snitch-Thursday wrote: post #245
aerique wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've used its predecessor the Pro1 with Sailfish OS for 4 weeks. (While having fond memories of using my Nokia Communicator in the past for SSHing into servers to fix things.) For me, the compromises were not worth it. The phone is too clunky and heavy and virtual keyboards are good enough these days.

> For me, the compromises were not worth it. The phone is too clunky and heavy and virtual keyboards are good enough these days. There are compromises like I said in previous posts. Frankly I love the physical keyboard not for long form text, but for my terminal operations or just plain old character-by-character cut/copy/paste edits in text. If there were a virtual Ctrl key on my on screen keyboard so I could do Ctr…

>If there were a virtual Ctrl key on my on screen keyboard so I could do Ctrl + V, then maybe I would swap to something else too

Hacker's Keyboard and AnySoftKeyboard have this. Also, Termux can add these keys above your keyboard for terminal tasks at least.

Re: Pro1 X: A Linux smartphone with slideout keyboard

#290

Post by jk7tarYZAQNpTQa »

LilBytes wrote: post #231
xearl wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That page you linked to is for the Pro-1. The OP is about the newer Pro-1x.

Well, was the Pro-1 ever delivered!?

Top comment as of right now says [1] they ordered one but was never delivered, and the seller never answered to emails.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26662123

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