4 ms·

If they're trying to target the same customers that buy Apple and Android for the services and all the other skin-deep beauty, I think they're going to fail for

If they're trying to target the same customers that buy Apple and Android for the services and all the other skin-deep beauty, I think they're going to fail for sure. Hopefully, there's enough people that just want a general purpose computer with and open source operating system that just happens to include cellular internet connection (bonuses for me would be a a hardware keyboard, is at a size that actually fits in your pocket and has a hard switch to disconnect it from the network). I would also gladly pay more, even with the inconveniences that might come with such a device. I hope they target something like that and there are enough people that want it.

quanticle 10y ago
Hopefully, there's enough people that just want a general purpose computer with and open source operating system that just happens to include cellular internet connection (bonuses for me would be a a hardware keyboard, is at a size that actually fits in your pocket and has a hard switch to disconnect it from the network) There aren't. I'm sorry, but the number of people who actually truly care about "general purpose computing" and privacy just isn't high enough to form a viable market segment for any but the most specialized of hardware vendors. If it were not the case, we'd have seen a lot more phones with truly open hardware and software stacks. That said, if you're willing to relax the "pocketability" requirement, a laptop running GNU/Linux and tethered to your phone fulfills every other requirement. (PS: What is it with the "hardware keyboard" requirement? It's not like you're going to be writing the next great American novel on your phone. For text messaging and short e-mails what difference does it make?)
- jasonkostempski 10y ago
  "What is it with the hardware keyboard" Just typing in a simple search with any words that don't autocomplete is excruciating. URLs, user names, passwords, anything that isn't a dictionary word, are impossible to type. The only things touchscreen is good for is infrequent single taps, panning and zooming.
BuuQu9hu 10y ago
Folks interested in what you describe should probably look at the Neo900 or the Pyra: https://neo900.org/ https://neo900.org/ http://pyra-handheld.com/ http://pyra-handheld.com/

quanticle 10y ago

Hopefully, there's enough people that just want a general purpose computer with and open source operating system that just happens to include cellular internet connection (bonuses for me would be a a hardware keyboard, is at a size that actually fits in your pocket and has a hard switch to disconnect it from the network) There aren't. I'm sorry, but the number of people who actually truly care about "general purpose computing" and privacy just isn't high enough to form a viable market segment for any but the most specialized of hardware vendors. If it were not the case, we'd have seen a lot more phones with truly open hardware and software stacks. That said, if you're willing to relax the "pocketability" requirement, a laptop running GNU/Linux and tethered to your phone fulfills every other requirement. (PS: What is it with the "hardware keyboard" requirement? It's not like you're going to be writing the next great American novel on your phone. For text messaging and short e-mails what difference does it make?)

jasonkostempski 10y ago
"What is it with the hardware keyboard" Just typing in a simple search with any words that don't autocomplete is excruciating. URLs, user names, passwords, anything that isn't a dictionary word, are impossible to type. The only things touchscreen is good for is infrequent single taps, panning and zooming.

BuuQu9hu 10y ago

Folks interested in what you describe should probably look at the Neo900 or the Pyra: https://neo900.org/ https://neo900.org/ http://pyra-handheld.com/ http://pyra-handheld.com/