Blloc – minimalist smartphone • Hacker News Board

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#171

Post by aghoshal » Thu, Apr 26, 2018, 3:46 AM UTC

adhambadr wrote: post #122

hestefisk wrote: post #110

Nice design. I also like the idea of built in insurance (but only 12 months, seriously?). Fact that it runs Android kills the case for me, though.

thanks. We're still negotiating extension price (for an extra 12) but will be < 20€. Whats the no-go in Android for you ? you'd go for a phone that can't install most apps out there ?

Hi Adham, I'm a reporter with TNW, and I'd like to learn more about your progress with Blloc. Please could we chat? I'm available on Twitter (@aghoshal) and via email - abhimanyu@thenextweb.com.

Thanks for your time!

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#172

Post by bArray » Thu, Apr 26, 2018, 7:25 AM UTC

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.

>its a bit of hurtful truth bArray there.

I can say from personal experience that it's never easier to hear either. Starting with good intentions is not the same as delivering a good product.

Out of interest, how far along is this project now in respect to hardware and software? Is it ready to ship once you have enough orders?

>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.

Don't get me wrong, your SW looks awesome. Actually, I would really love a version of this phone I could run Linux (proper Linux, not Android) on.

>This post just beat us before we finished relaunching our website with a simpler communication strategy and a def. a better website.

That's unfortunate. You should "relaunch" your PR push and get across some kind of "we listened" to cheaply get yourself back into public eye on good terms.

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#173

Post by a1369209993 » Fri, Apr 27, 2018, 1:23 AM UTC

jdmnd wrote: post #155

a1369209993 wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some even blunter unsolicited feedback: test your website with about:config javascript.enabled = false. thinkxl has the right idea here. Edit: also, I just realized I'm agreeing with a social justice warrior about something; I'm not sure whether to feel disgust or vindication; I'll probably go with novelty.

> I just realized I’m agreeing with a social justice warrior about something Why are you accusing thinkxl of being a “social justice warrior” and why, exactly do you feel that that undermines your agreement? Is website usability a liberal ideology? Lacking any actual justification your edit feels very out of place on hn.

Actually, I was referring to https://sonniesedge.co.uk/posts/progressive-enhancement, who literally self-identifies as a "whiney SJW feminist fuck" in the first paragraph. And it's less "undermines my agreement" and more "Eww, I'm on the same side of this argument as such-and-such evil person; please don't assume this means I agree with them about anything else.". I'd go back and clarify, but the edit window is over.

Re: Blloc – minimalist smartphone

#174

Post by swyx » Fri, Apr 27, 2018, 5:02 PM UTC

hexmiles wrote: post #86

swyx wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

no lie i would pay good money for an eink monochrome phone with an insane battery life

This seem nice, i think i will buy one https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/light-phone-2-design#

i want to surf the web on my phone still