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Anyone interested in this might consider the GPD MicroPC. It has become my go-to "fits in a cargo pocket" computer. They had a battery controller issue initially with the Indiegogo batch, but that has been solved on the ones you can get from Amazon now.
I don't see this succeeding. Silicon keyboard will be a pain to use. Case is too bulky to carry on person. LORA/GNSS seems like a solution looking for a problem. Screen is too small for dev work. This doesn't manage to sit comfortably in any of the popular portable computer categories and I don't really see a niche for it.
Screen is too small for dev work. I use Termux on my phone with a bluetooth keyboard occasionally and it works really well for light dev work. I wouldn't want to work in it all day, but if you're just hacking a shell script or some nodejs stuff you don't need a massive monitor.
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.
Two years ago I was looking for somoething highly portable with a physical keyboard. Found the Gemini on Indiegogo. I backed it there, travelled for almost a year on a bicycle with the Gemini in a bag and it's still running. The Debian distro has its issues, though...
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.
Last I checked no 4g/SMS/calls with debian. Same old driver story of why we only have android phones and not Linux phones. Fixing that was/is the big promise of the librem 5.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Two years ago I was looking for somoething highly portable with a physical keyboard. Found the Gemini on Indiegogo. I backed it there, travelled for almost a year on a bicycle with the Gemini in a bag and it's still running. The Debian distro has its issues, though...
I was really interested in that and so very nearly backed it but was wary of the software support. Can you elaborate on the Debian issues? Would you still recommend one? (I don't care about telephone features)
+ settings for screen-lock-on-idle aren't saved - sometimes I want the screen to be always on, but it doesn't work
+ screen brightness goes to 100% every time you unlock the screen (and to lower it again, you have to increase it first)
+ and a few other things in that ballpark
Maybe they fixed it, but a while ago the whole update process broke because of a bad Open Office package. I'll switch to Android / Kali Linux (which wasn't supported in the beginning) soon.
EDIT: But yea, I would still recommend it if you want something super portable with an actual keyboard. I don't know if I would pay the retail price, though.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Last I checked no 4g/SMS/calls with debian. Same old driver story of why we only have android phones and not Linux phones. Fixing that was/is the big promise of the librem 5.
Can it dual boot?
Any of the following, if I'm not mistaken:
Android / Android rooted / Debian / Sailfish / Kali
I would prefer a bigger screen instead of a physical keyboard.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I was really interested in that and so very nearly backed it but was wary of the software support. Can you elaborate on the Debian issues? Would you still recommend one? (I don't care about telephone features)
It's mostly minor things + settings for screen-lock-on-idle aren't saved - sometimes I want the screen to be always on, but it doesn't work + screen brightness goes to 100% every time you unlock the screen (and to lower it again, you have to increase it first) + and a few other things in that ballpark Maybe they fixed it, but a while ago the whole update process broke because of a bad Open Office package. I'll switch…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Can it dual boot?
It can triple boot :) Any of the following, if I'm not mistaken: Android / Android rooted / Debian / Sailfish / Kali