17 ms·

Smart Phone, Dumb Terminal

131 points by twillmas 5y ago

vbsteven 5y ago
The Remarkable 2 runs Android and has a USB-C port so it might support a wired keyboard. Although I’m not sure if the screen refresh and cpu are fast enough for comfortable typing. I already get frustrated using the onscreen keyboard for typing a 10 character notebook name.
- pjmlp 5y ago
  It is a custom Linux distribution, not Android.
- salamandersauce 5y ago
  It doesn't run Android. It runs Linux. There is already similar devices with front lit eInk screens and support keyboards out of the box too with Bluetooth or USB C. The Boox Note Air is an example. It's considerably more powerful than the Remarkable 2 and in the A2 refresh mode typing with a keyboard is not too bad.
- fragmede 5y ago
  You can SSH into it in order to add software to enable an external keyboard. But that's not the point of the device, which is that it's a digital pad of paper, and all the freedom from trying to draw perfect drawings in Powerpoint/Visio/Whimsical.com using a mouse. The problem with the device is that, entirely unsuprisingly, it turns out I can type way faster than I can write with a stylus after years of typing. But I really like my Remarkable2, I just haven't figured out how to fit it into my life - I've spent so long wanting a device like that, that I've got all these other things in place that I don't seem to need it. I journal using google docs, and the Remarkable2 doesn't have any integration there. I use it for quick notes, drawing diagrams and also learning to draw still life. I'm very happy with my purchase, but it is very much a niche product. I didn't buy one to get an eink terminal, so I haven't tried it out as such, and can't report on how well it does as one, but I don't think it would do well at scrolling pages like you would a terminal. (But I'm a fan of Alacritty on OS X, so my demands on a terminal are also niche.)
a9h74j 5y ago
Agree that the freewrite looks a little massive compared to the OP's travel-oriented use-case here, and that getting a bluetooth keyboard paired to something is a great use of available items. There is alse a Logitech keyboard (Multidevice K380, under $50 apparently) with a built-in notch in which to place a phone or tablet.[1] [1] https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/keyboards/k480-multi-device-wireless.920-006342.html https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/keyboards/k480-multi...
yasenn 5y ago
Android - Termux - git+vimwiki Logitech k480 as a keyboard Logitech MX Ergo as a mice
- avel 5y ago
  Unfortunately Logitech k480, as good a concept it might be, has a very mediocre button feel and also feels very bulky . That was probably on purpose, so that it can support the weight of a tablet. On the bright side it can be found for pretty cheap now.
paraknight 5y ago
I've been saying this for ages — the future setup is going to be phones as a singular device. When you get home, you'll dock it to be able to use your peripherals or extra monitors. Phones will become even more powerful, but even then anything heavy can be done in the cloud or at the network edge (with minimal latency thanks to 5g, see cloud gaming). OSs will become more convergent (Windows tried it, Huawei's doing it, PureOS if you're into Linux) but that won't even matter as the browser will be the de facto OS if it isn't already. Responsive web apps (through PWAs) will get native-level capabilities with the browser as a compatibility layer, and traditional OSs will simply be browser-running machines.
- jhatemyjob 5y ago
  Never gonna happen with phones. iOS / Android are too dominant in the "phone" space. It's gonna be a entirely different class of device.
- perryizgr8 5y ago
  Samsung Dex is pretty usable IMO. Unfortunately phone hardware seems to be just a bit lacking when you try to do desktop-like things. My galaxy S10 can keep up for a short time, but having lots of browser tabs open, a vs code instance, whatsapp open in the background can degrade performance after a few minutes when the phone starts getting hot. It seems to me the CPU/GPU can burst pretty well (maybe approaching ultrabook-style laptops) but sustained performance is just not there yet.
- bitwize 5y ago
  Nope, not even. 1) This would be tolerable with some PinePhone successor, but proprietary solutions like Samsung DEX are conducive to lock-in, more difficult for developers to target, and tend to go unsupported after a few years. 2) Phones have to become more durable. I expect my primary computing device to last half a decade. My phone's USB-C port is flaky after just over 2 years of charging it and carrying it around. How is it going to last if I'm plugging and unplugging it to/from some desktop rig? 3) They have to become more repairable too. "If it's broken, throw it away and buy new" just isn't tenable for a primary PC. 4) Getting everybody on board with "live in the pod, eat the bugs, use the cloud-connected thin client" is not going to happen.
drvdevd 5y ago
The biggest problem with using your phone as a computer is not the screen size, or app availability or anything else you might commonly think of when considering arguing about this subject. In my opinion, today it is one and only one thing - the battery. I'm presently typing this comment on a desktop, because my phone is on the charger.
- keyme 5y ago
  That's not consistent between phones. I have a low end Redmi 9T with a 6AH battery. It lasts 2 days of relatively heavy phone usage. I'm guessing it would last a whole day in a Termux shell. Edit: if anything the real issue is thermals. I also have a high end phone with a Snapdragon 888. This thing has a faster CPU & GPU than my Intel desktop. However, it's only fast for seconds, until it gets thermally throttled.
  - TchoBeer 5y ago
    The thermal issue is also something a lot of laptops run afoul of, to be fair
- diffeomorphism 5y ago
  I don't see why this is an issue. If you connect by usb-c that also charges. If you want it wirelessly you can still lie it down on an inductive charging pad, right? Or would that interfere with the connection?
sgt 5y ago
I didn't know about Obsidian - great tip. Installed it on macOS now and put the vault on my iCloud drive.
blackoil 5y ago
How feasible is to split/use compute power of multiple devices? I would love to travel with a 15" ultraportble which is good for mail/browsing but will crawls while trying to play Flight Simulator. When I reach home, it seamlessly uses power of 599$ XBox compute centre to run it on 60FPS. When I reach office it compiles millions line of code using power of a 500 core office server. Central server can be shared across devices so all devices of all members of family run at same speed/capability.
- tomjen3 5y ago
  You can buy an e-GPU, if your device has thunderbolt and isn't an M1. Compatibility isn't great and it is obviously more expensive, but it is more or less what you suggest, with the limit that you can only use it with one computer at a time.
teekert 5y ago
I do this too! I have a Logitech MX Keys, and while trying to separate work and personal devices I put my phone on my laptop stand and with 1 button I can switch the MX Keys to the iPhone and Signal/Telegram/Whatsapp/Email/Termius away. It works for more than I would have thought but I still really miss things like alt-tab, or in general the ability to navigate the UI with a keyboard. I mean why would the win/super key not open the multitasking overview? Currently it does nothing... Also, in Termius backspace works, but not delete, and page-up/down produces a ~. Little annoyances like that are everywhere. I also bought an MX Anywhere 3 to go with it, but it didn't switch device with the MX Master switches, a missed opportunity imho. Moreover, at the time I was still on Android and for example in MineCraft the mouse pointer would still behave as a finger that drags stuff. (I eventually returned it because I also found it too flat for a mouse.) So there is still much be made better but the basis is there. I guess the demand is still very low. But I bet it is also a chicken/egg story waiting to be resolved. I mean, iMovie on the iPhone is super powerful but on this screen and with touch... ugh. Now just get me a monitor that also switches with my MX Master Keys switch keys to a larger view of my Phone and we've got ourselves a (partial because I love Linux, and yeah I was so looking forward to that Ubuntu Phone Convergence thing) laptop killer.
axiolite 5y ago
It was around 2000, after buying a Cassiopeia E-100 that I realized a keyboard makes any computer massively more usable. With that I bought a Psion 5MX, used it great success, and never considered a device without a physical keyboard again. Switched off to Nokia Communicators, then several Android Sliders. All worked great. I was always the guy in the conference room who could login to servers and look-up info, despite everyone else having phones, too. A (pocket-sized) bluetooth keyboard sounds fine in theory, but it's a hassle to keep it charged and to carry around a bulky extra device you'll only use occasionally. So it'll get left at home, not there when you need it, and nearly worthless. It's only now, with every US carrier switching to VoLTE-only that I'll soon have to retire the old Android sliders and find a new option. Everything seems an unfortunate compromise. The keyboard on the Blackberry Keyone/Key2 isn't great, missing critically important keys like arrows and OK, and without being rootable, you can't remap them to make it usable. The form factor is... awkward as well. The Gemini PDA is likely to be my next stop. Unfortunately the form factor is kind of anti-phone, making it a poor choice to quickly look at your screen to check some info, or make phone calls, and only good when you really need to do a lot of typing.
- aftergibson 5y ago
  Have you seen the Astro Slide? Name aside it does look pretty interesting. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/astro-slide-5g-transformer https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/astro-slide-5g-transforme...
  - afandian 5y ago
    Before buying anything from Planet, see how well they have done at maintaining older devices. Latest release for Gemini PDA is Android 8.1, three years ago.
    - tluyben2 5y ago
      Is it not possible to put a newer Android on it yourself? Because you could run Linux on it as well?
timonoko 5y ago
There must be generation coming which has never used physical keyboard and do not ever want to. Even now, when my home automation needs some adjustment, it easier just to SSH to Emacs than to wake up, put some clothes on and go sitting by the screen. Especially with (global-set-key (kbd "å") 'hippie-expand) .
- teekert 5y ago
  Wait until they pass 35 and find that getting up and moving about is not just an annoyance but vital to keeping your body away from a state of constant little nagging pains ;)
  - timonoko 5y ago
    Shutup son. I am 69. But I cannot type with my thumbs, like people under 30. I need always two hands to use the phone.
    - teekert 5y ago
      I'm still wishing for T9 to come back... Every generation has its thing. Maybe it's time to try dictation and get past the feelings of silliness ;)
      - canadianfella 5y ago
        https://www.geckoandfly.com/8529/smart-keyboard-pro-t9-keyboard-for-google-android/ https://www.geckoandfly.com/8529/smart-keyboard-pro-t9-keybo...
      - tluyben2 5y ago
        Not sure how that works with a lot of noise and people (subway, busy streets, airplanes etc); it seems to type out complete crap random people around me are shouting. So in reality touchtyping is faster.
        5y ago
afandian 5y ago
I think a lot about PinePhone, PinePhone Keyboard, terminal and emacs org-mode. As a journal, to-do list, notes etc. I'm very tempted to buy them, when the keyboard is released. But I have a Gemini PDA which is basically the same thing but more integrated and I never use it.
- 3np 5y ago
  What is it that makes your Gemini unused, you think?
  - afandian 5y ago
    I did write a blog post or two on it on the train using termux and nano. That was cool. And the occasional SSH session. But as a phone running Android it's not quite there. Features like the LED controller app are half-baked vanity apps, and I'd rather they'd spent the time getting the lower level stuff right. Low quality phone call audio, random glitches, and software updates were mostly forgotten about. If I did want it as my primary phone I would also want a camera. The only camera was front-facing and low quality, which ruled it out. So it became a novel supplementary device rather than a daily driver. To whit, the hinge mechanism isn't well designed. In theory the spine rotates back to form a stand, but it's incredibly wobbly. So it's not much use for typing on a table. And it can't be held in the hand, as there's no stiffness. Why do I think PinePhone will be any different? The prototypes I've seen look like the hinge is stiffer. I'm not a kernel-compiling Linux enthusiast, so I don't expect to use a PinePhone as a real phone. But I do hope an SSH terminal to be simple enough to just work. So that puts it into the realm of mostly offline with sync. And org-mode is both simple and exciting, in a weird kind of a way. And that appeals to nostaliga for Psions, Palm PDAs and Newtons.
    - 3np 5y ago
      Do you know how viable (if even possible) it is to run Linux on it? There are some notes for Kali[0] and Debian[[1]. I've come across comments that it's far from ideal due to Halium but I'm yet to understand what that means in practice. [0] https://www.kali.org/blog/kali-linux-for-the-gemini-pda/ https://www.kali.org/blog/kali-linux-for-the-gemini-pda/ [1] https://support.planetcom.co.uk/index.php?title=Debian_Notes https://support.planetcom.co.uk/index.php?title=Debian_Notes
cjlm 5y ago
I picked up the delightful Jelly Comb [0] for exactly this reason. [0] https://www.jellycomb.com/products/b046-bluetooth-keyboard?variant=32936758575194 https://www.jellycomb.com/products/b046-bluetooth-keyboard?v...
- wffurr 5y ago
  That's the missing model from the Logitech lineup! They have compact keyboards, keyboards with easy bluetooth switching, and keyboards with a builtin stand, but no one keyboard that has all three.
  - hexadec 5y ago
    Have you tired the Logitech K480? It met all my needs for pairing to my phone and an Android tablet with a nifty rotary switch for changing inputs easily. They keycap shape was lackluster but overall it was a novel solution. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MUTWLW4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MUTWLW4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b...
    - wffurr 5y ago
      Aha they do have it! Thanks! Huh, they don't list that on the keyboard page! Here it is filtered to models with a phone stand: https://www.logitech.com/en-us/keyboards?filters=3964 https://www.logitech.com/en-us/keyboards?filters=3964 That one is only listed in the "iPad Keyboards" section for whatever mysterious reason.
ubermonkey 5y ago
For a really long time, I never left town without my laptop, even if it was a pleasure trip. I have lots of stuff there I might want on a personal level, plus for the last 14 years I've been in a broad role in a small software company that kind of requires it. (I mean, it doesn't, and I'm not griping, but it's easier for everyone else if I limit the amount of time I'm truly unreachable, so I pick and choose.) The incredible growth in on-device capabilities from my iPad + a keyboard went a long way towards making that unnecessary; adding a remote desktop client (for access to the back-end Windows server things I might want) closes the loop. Unless I'm dead sure I'll NEED a full computer on a trip, I don't take one now. The default has become "nope." Even -- especially! -- as a photo management platform, because my iPad has ample storage and I'm a Creative Cloud user. I used to have to carry the laptop to dump and process photos during the trip (to avoid dealing with 2,000 all at once when we got home). Now I can go day by day, sync to Adobe, cull and do some processing, and just take the final pass once I'm home. That's great. (Ironically, this same era has seen me become increasingly deep into Orgmode, which is annoying, because as great as it is on a desktop there's still no truly great way to work with it from mobile short of setting up sync to a Linux box and using mosh/ssh.)
- aikinai 5y ago
  I’m curious why you prefer the iPad and keyboard over a laptop since adding the keyboard typically makes the iPad both bigger and more unwieldy than a laptop. I ask because I also like the vague idea of not taking a laptop, but I’m not going to do any serious typing on a screen keyboard and adding an external keyboard makes the iPad less portable than a laptop (plus you probably need a stand and mouse as well to reach the physical usability of a laptop).
  - post_break 5y ago
    I'm the same way. My iPad is smaller, lighter, has cellular so I can get in generally everywhere. The battery (before my M1 Macbook Pro) lasted much longer, and didn't put out heat. It also had my movies for the plane. So it was killing two birds with one stone.
  - ubermonkey 5y ago
danohuiginn 5y ago
For me, a folding bluetooth keyboard was what made the difference. It really tilts my default time-to-fill behavior from consuming towards producing. I'd also recommend having a ring on the back of your phone, so you can prop it at a good viewing angle. I've been writing with obsidian, coding via ssh. Jupyter notebooks and other browser-based environments are also good, though much smoother with a tablet-sized screen.
dTal 5y ago
I got a GPD Micro PC a couple months ago and I'm in love. It's a magical size - exactly small enough to slip into a back pocket like a chunky phone, and exactly large enough that it's actually practical to use desktop software on it. It's ergonomically first-rate - I've done CAD work on it. And it's durable too - I've dropped it several times already and it's barely even scratched. It's also unlocked a class of activity I didn't know was possible - long-form writing while out walking. I can get 50wpm with great tactile feedback on the tiny keyboard. It's all in on thumb typing, and having struggled with a Cosmo Communicator for a year I can absolutely say that that is the correct decision for a mobile device. The vast majority of the time there's no handy surface nearby. Now that I essentially have a laptop on me at all times, phones hold no appeal for me anymore. None. This is the class of device I've always wanted. All it really needs in order to replace a phone completely is a cell modem which can wake it from suspend, and ideally the standard "mobile" sensors such as GPS, cameras, and gyros. And waterproofing, I guess.
- kilroy123 5y ago
  What model do you have? It seems pretty under powered to me. What exactly do you do on it?
  - dTal 5y ago
    N4120 model. Quad core and 8gb of RAM is underpowered? It's not the best gaming machine to be sure, and I have to be a little more careful with my browser tabs than on my 64GB workstation... but there's not really anything glaring it outright can't do. Hard to answer what I do on it, since the answer is "everything". I run Plasma 5 on mine. Right now I have a lot of firefox windows open, Quassel (IRC), Qalculate, some file managers, some terminals, and some text editors. For heavy duty I sometimes remote into my workstation (graphically) which is fast enough on a LAN to use CAD and all the rest of it. I've even done ANSYS simulations this way.
    - neolog 5y ago
      How many browser tabs do you usually have open?
underscore_ku 5y ago
get a PinePhone with Ubuntu Touch and throw the iphone to trash
Multicomp 5y ago
I've been looking around at old sharp zaurus organizers and psion mx5 devices for the use case of offline portable word processor that can save text files to eventually go to PC via CF / SD card. for this years nanowrimo. Most psions are 300 bucks, i can't justify that though i love the idea. And the 15 buck zaurus organizers either only have a 30 character 'memo' function or are so old they only run DOS and have to sync via serial cable. Anyone have any suggestions on a palmtopish machine with qwerty keyboard that can write txt or rtf files to an sd card and can be had for 100 or less on ebay? I'm currently resisting trying to hack a Smart Response XE and instead trying to put a pi zero w and a 1.3" inch screen and battery into the front margin of a Unicomp Model M and just viming my way to victory whilst syncthing makes the file magically appear on my pc whenever the device is on home wifi, but an integrated device would be more pocketable. the model m word processor is more for taking over long writing sessions where i currently lug an actual wheelwriter around. this small device would be even more portable, sitting at the beach, in the car etc.
- selfhoster11 5y ago
  If a "wireless keyboard" form factor suits you, look into Alphasmart devices.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
joeman1000 5y ago
Similar to what I’ve been doing lately. Bought an M1 iPad (different story…) and have been using MOSH and Blink Shell to access my computer at home running emacs. Has been a blast doing journaling, logging my time in org-mode, writing notes in org-roam for uni subjects. Has been a game-changer for me. I know it’s just a ‘dumb terminal’ but the experience is so seamless it’s incredible. MOSH makes sure the connection doesn’t drop out when I lock the device and come back half a day later. I can be on the train home and fire up that buffer I had going this morning writing a paper in LaTeX, with proper syntax highlighting, completion, snippets… incredible.
- mathewsanders 5y ago
  What is the UX for switching between apps or moving the screen like? Can you do this with keyboard shortcuts or do you find yourself switching between keyboard and touch screen for some interactions? I find this idea of using a keyboard super appealing but don’t like the idea of switching between keyboard and screen all the time. At least a virtual keyboard is on the screen!
  - throwaway413 5y ago
    Alt+tab works fine on iOS, and I’m pretty sure you can trigger the app switcher view with a shortcut, can’t remember.
  - joeman1000 5y ago
    You can CMD-TAB to other apps as on macOS. There are many of the same keyboard shortcuts translated to iPadOS, even some emacs movement keys in all text boxes! There isn’t enough room to have more than one thing open usually, so lots of CMD-TAB action. Normally I’m doing one or the other - typing or annotating/drawing with the pencil. If I need touch-interaction when typing I can use the trackpad. I can’t say it’s a perfect experience, or even a practical one, but I still enjoy it. Maybe it’s just the novelty of the setup. It weighs more (with the keyboard-case) than my MacBook Air, but it does have a nicer screen and it is waterproof. It lends itself more to portability for sure. I tend to just chuck it in my bag more often than I did with my laptop.
  - 5y ago
girvo 5y ago
I’m a big believer in this idea; so much so that I have a Bluetooth keyboard for my Boox Note 2 e-ink tablet. Very writing, reading books and note taking via the stylus focused, though e-ink refresh even on a device like this might be too slow for some (depending on what refresh setting you choose), it’s entirely replaced the need for paper in my life — and for travelling at least around Queensland it’s been brilliant.
reportgunner 5y ago
> I'm typing this post on my iPhone in the Obsidian iOS app using a Logitech K380 Bluetooth keyboard and I feel like a 90s computer hacker. 90's computer hacker ? I don't know, this sounds nearly as consumer as it gets.
- andai 5y ago
  Yeah, that would be more like, a half dozen used ThinkPads under each arm, each running a different OS :)
- fistynuts 5y ago
  This article should have been a tweet: "Hey guys I bought a Bluetooth keyboard and it lets me type stuff! #hacktheplanet"
  - pope_meat 5y ago
    I mean, at least open it and void the warranty, common man.
sixty4bit 5y ago
This is nice and all, but what I am waiting for is the phone to power my desktop setup. I walk up, drop the phone into a dock, and my three 27" monitors all wake up with the desktop exactly as I left it. To get there I think the GPU will have to be embedded in the monitors, and some interesting operating system hoops will have to be jumped through. Do cords have enough bandwidth now to support this? I honestly don't know the answer to this question. I feel like the answer is yes. The other idea is just to mount the phone to a head mount display and go VR or AR. But I feel like that is going to require way more advancement in resolution on the phone screens to get right. We can get there. We are super close. The iPad with an M1 chip probably already has the power to do it. Maybe one or two more years and this is not only feasible but purchasable. I'm a buyer.
- emilecantin 5y ago
  Funnily enough, you can kinda already do this with a USB-C dock. I have one for my MacBook Pro, and when I plugged my phone in it launched a desktop interface that ran on my phone. It could only use one screen, though.
- stonemetal12 5y ago
  I am really hoping the steam deck gets close to that.
- chronogram 5y ago
  I don’t know why you’d want that. The place where I have my big monitor is where I also have the space for a computer that has enough room to be always fast and quiet for my tasks that I can leave running things, while my phone is something that I need for communication which can help with information/scheduling and that I would like to have with me at all times. Having all my work on my phone would make me leave that phone at home and get an extra phone, I just wouldn’t trust myself with all that even if I have backups.
  - fsflover 5y ago
    > The place where I have my big monitor is where I also have the space for a computer If you have a single device for everything, you do not need syncing and backups are needed only for one device.
wffurr 5y ago
Logitech has a few models with a builtin phone stand, too, so you can prop up the phone or tablet as you type. They all have number pads, though, instead of the compact layout. Update: If you click to the "Tablet Keyboards" section instead of the regular "Keyboards" section, there's the K480 which is a compact model with phone stand: https://www.logitech.com/en-us/mobile/keyboards https://www.logitech.com/en-us/mobile/keyboards Why that's not listed in the regular keyboard section remains a mystery... Do mouse cursors work on iPhones yet or just iPad OS? Because there's other models that have a trackpad on the side, which could be neat. Ah, there's an accessibility setting to enable it, but it's not the same as the iPad OS mouse support.
leephillips 5y ago
In 2013 Mark O’Connor wrote a series of articles about his experiments with nomadic computing using ipads, Linodes, and bluetooth keyboards. He was kind of a pioneer in this area: https://yieldthought.com/post/31857050698/ipad-linode-1-year-later https://yieldthought.com/post/31857050698/ipad-linode-1-year...
adkadskhj 5y ago
Man, a personal hosted VPN for all my junk is my dream. Can't wait to get something selfhosted, tail-scail-like setup. Something i can get into from anywhere and work from anything. I'm tempted to order a bluetooth keyboard like this post just to have it in the car and be able to work from my iPad/iPhone in a pinch (assuming internet). For someone wanting an easy, at home VPN for setups just like in the blog - is anything on the market competitive with Tailscale's UX? Ideally there would be no proxy, no VPN hosted on DigitalOcean that i fear being a weak point.. Instead, i'd like: 1. A redirect hosted on DigitalOcean, acting as a self hosted DynIP. No security issue here i'd think? 2. After hitting my real IP, connect to a VPN on a predetermined port. 3. Get access to bells and whistles now on the priveledged network. Bonus points if i could assign DNS entries like `ssh me@workmachine.fake` or `http(s?)://videostreaming.fake` Tailscale makes me a bit nervous, as cool as they are i'd prefer entirely self hosted. Though i may give them a try just to experience this UX. edit: https://blog.tonari.no/introducing-innernet https://blog.tonari.no/introducing-innernet innernet might be what i'm looking for
- c0nfused 5y ago
  For the last decade or so I have been running cheap Asus routers on my home network. They support dyndns and OpenVPN out of the box. I assume that other manufacturers offer the same thing. I haven't poked around in the guts of their vpn setup. But it's generally password protected and I would assume in the clear. So I replace accounts frequently and only leave it running if I am out of town and have some project I may need access to. Basically you vpn to yourname.dyndnsprovider.com and you are done. The rest is DNS Setup which.is sort of up to you but you can easily configure to something like machinename.home.mydomain.net
  - m4rtink 5y ago
    Microtik routers can also run a VPN just fine. :)
- maccolgan 5y ago
  Zerotier?
smoldesu 5y ago
This is neat, but both Android and iPhone are really poor choices if you're looking to travel with a computer. Particularly on the iPhone side of things, you're basically screwed if you lose your network connection, since you aren't going to be doing many interesting things with the local shell. Android is a little better, but you'll still end up SSHing into another machine to get any valuable work done. Good, cheap x86 laptops are like $80 right now. That's about how much you'd pay for one of those fancy Logitech keyboards, but it comes with an entire computer, too.
desktopninja 5y ago
I tasted this with the Display Dock for Lumia phone. My initial setup was USB/Wifi KB + miracast + android phone. And it worked just as well. Overseas phones seem to have more capabilities than what we get stateside.
ohiovr 5y ago
Uber had trouble with their app being hard to manage deployments for large for sanctioned downloads over cellular. I suggested they opt for a thin client approach. It can't work they said because it requires the internet to work. I'm unemployable in tech because of good reasons.

131 points by twillmas 5y ago

The Remarkable 2 runs Android and has a USB-C port so it might support a wired keyboard. Although I’m not sure if the screen refresh and cpu are fast enough for comfortable typing. I already get frustrated using the onscreen keyboard for typing a 10 character notebook name.

pjmlp 5y ago
It is a custom Linux distribution, not Android.
salamandersauce 5y ago
It doesn't run Android. It runs Linux. There is already similar devices with front lit eInk screens and support keyboards out of the box too with Bluetooth or USB C. The Boox Note Air is an example. It's considerably more powerful than the Remarkable 2 and in the A2 refresh mode typing with a keyboard is not too bad.
fragmede 5y ago
You can SSH into it in order to add software to enable an external keyboard. But that's not the point of the device, which is that it's a digital pad of paper, and all the freedom from trying to draw perfect drawings in Powerpoint/Visio/Whimsical.com using a mouse. The problem with the device is that, entirely unsuprisingly, it turns out I can type way faster than I can write with a stylus after years of typing. But I really like my Remarkable2, I just haven't figured out how to fit it into my life - I've spent so long wanting a device like that, that I've got all these other things in place that I don't seem to need it. I journal using google docs, and the Remarkable2 doesn't have any integration there. I use it for quick notes, drawing diagrams and also learning to draw still life. I'm very happy with my purchase, but it is very much a niche product. I didn't buy one to get an eink terminal, so I haven't tried it out as such, and can't report on how well it does as one, but I don't think it would do well at scrolling pages like you would a terminal. (But I'm a fan of Alacritty on OS X, so my demands on a terminal are also niche.)

a9h74j 5y ago

Agree that the freewrite looks a little massive compared to the OP's travel-oriented use-case here, and that getting a bluetooth keyboard paired to something is a great use of available items. There is alse a Logitech keyboard (Multidevice K380, under $50 apparently) with a built-in notch in which to place a phone or tablet.[1] [1] https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/keyboards/k480-multi-device-wireless.920-006342.html https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/keyboards/k480-multi...

yasenn 5y ago

Android - Termux - git+vimwiki Logitech k480 as a keyboard Logitech MX Ergo as a mice

avel 5y ago
Unfortunately Logitech k480, as good a concept it might be, has a very mediocre button feel and also feels very bulky . That was probably on purpose, so that it can support the weight of a tablet. On the bright side it can be found for pretty cheap now.

paraknight 5y ago

I've been saying this for ages — the future setup is going to be phones as a singular device. When you get home, you'll dock it to be able to use your peripherals or extra monitors. Phones will become even more powerful, but even then anything heavy can be done in the cloud or at the network edge (with minimal latency thanks to 5g, see cloud gaming). OSs will become more convergent (Windows tried it, Huawei's doing it, PureOS if you're into Linux) but that won't even matter as the browser will be the de facto OS if it isn't already. Responsive web apps (through PWAs) will get native-level capabilities with the browser as a compatibility layer, and traditional OSs will simply be browser-running machines.

jhatemyjob 5y ago
Never gonna happen with phones. iOS / Android are too dominant in the "phone" space. It's gonna be a entirely different class of device.
perryizgr8 5y ago
Samsung Dex is pretty usable IMO. Unfortunately phone hardware seems to be just a bit lacking when you try to do desktop-like things. My galaxy S10 can keep up for a short time, but having lots of browser tabs open, a vs code instance, whatsapp open in the background can degrade performance after a few minutes when the phone starts getting hot. It seems to me the CPU/GPU can burst pretty well (maybe approaching ultrabook-style laptops) but sustained performance is just not there yet.
bitwize 5y ago
Nope, not even. 1) This would be tolerable with some PinePhone successor, but proprietary solutions like Samsung DEX are conducive to lock-in, more difficult for developers to target, and tend to go unsupported after a few years. 2) Phones have to become more durable. I expect my primary computing device to last half a decade. My phone's USB-C port is flaky after just over 2 years of charging it and carrying it around. How is it going to last if I'm plugging and unplugging it to/from some desktop rig? 3) They have to become more repairable too. "If it's broken, throw it away and buy new" just isn't tenable for a primary PC. 4) Getting everybody on board with "live in the pod, eat the bugs, use the cloud-connected thin client" is not going to happen.

drvdevd 5y ago

The biggest problem with using your phone as a computer is not the screen size, or app availability or anything else you might commonly think of when considering arguing about this subject. In my opinion, today it is one and only one thing - the battery. I'm presently typing this comment on a desktop, because my phone is on the charger.

keyme 5y ago
That's not consistent between phones. I have a low end Redmi 9T with a 6AH battery. It lasts 2 days of relatively heavy phone usage. I'm guessing it would last a whole day in a Termux shell. Edit: if anything the real issue is thermals. I also have a high end phone with a Snapdragon 888. This thing has a faster CPU & GPU than my Intel desktop. However, it's only fast for seconds, until it gets thermally throttled.
- TchoBeer 5y ago
  The thermal issue is also something a lot of laptops run afoul of, to be fair
diffeomorphism 5y ago
I don't see why this is an issue. If you connect by usb-c that also charges. If you want it wirelessly you can still lie it down on an inductive charging pad, right? Or would that interfere with the connection?

sgt 5y ago

I didn't know about Obsidian - great tip. Installed it on macOS now and put the vault on my iCloud drive.

blackoil 5y ago

How feasible is to split/use compute power of multiple devices? I would love to travel with a 15" ultraportble which is good for mail/browsing but will crawls while trying to play Flight Simulator. When I reach home, it seamlessly uses power of 599$ XBox compute centre to run it on 60FPS. When I reach office it compiles millions line of code using power of a 500 core office server. Central server can be shared across devices so all devices of all members of family run at same speed/capability.

tomjen3 5y ago
You can buy an e-GPU, if your device has thunderbolt and isn't an M1. Compatibility isn't great and it is obviously more expensive, but it is more or less what you suggest, with the limit that you can only use it with one computer at a time.

teekert 5y ago

I do this too! I have a Logitech MX Keys, and while trying to separate work and personal devices I put my phone on my laptop stand and with 1 button I can switch the MX Keys to the iPhone and Signal/Telegram/Whatsapp/Email/Termius away. It works for more than I would have thought but I still really miss things like alt-tab, or in general the ability to navigate the UI with a keyboard. I mean why would the win/super key not open the multitasking overview? Currently it does nothing... Also, in Termius backspace works, but not delete, and page-up/down produces a ~. Little annoyances like that are everywhere. I also bought an MX Anywhere 3 to go with it, but it didn't switch device with the MX Master switches, a missed opportunity imho. Moreover, at the time I was still on Android and for example in MineCraft the mouse pointer would still behave as a finger that drags stuff. (I eventually returned it because I also found it too flat for a mouse.) So there is still much be made better but the basis is there. I guess the demand is still very low. But I bet it is also a chicken/egg story waiting to be resolved. I mean, iMovie on the iPhone is super powerful but on this screen and with touch... ugh. Now just get me a monitor that also switches with my MX Master Keys switch keys to a larger view of my Phone and we've got ourselves a (partial because I love Linux, and yeah I was so looking forward to that Ubuntu Phone Convergence thing) laptop killer.

axiolite 5y ago

It was around 2000, after buying a Cassiopeia E-100 that I realized a keyboard makes any computer massively more usable. With that I bought a Psion 5MX, used it great success, and never considered a device without a physical keyboard again. Switched off to Nokia Communicators, then several Android Sliders. All worked great. I was always the guy in the conference room who could login to servers and look-up info, despite everyone else having phones, too. A (pocket-sized) bluetooth keyboard sounds fine in theory, but it's a hassle to keep it charged and to carry around a bulky extra device you'll only use occasionally. So it'll get left at home, not there when you need it, and nearly worthless. It's only now, with every US carrier switching to VoLTE-only that I'll soon have to retire the old Android sliders and find a new option. Everything seems an unfortunate compromise. The keyboard on the Blackberry Keyone/Key2 isn't great, missing critically important keys like arrows and OK, and without being rootable, you can't remap them to make it usable. The form factor is... awkward as well. The Gemini PDA is likely to be my next stop. Unfortunately the form factor is kind of anti-phone, making it a poor choice to quickly look at your screen to check some info, or make phone calls, and only good when you really need to do a lot of typing.

aftergibson 5y ago
Have you seen the Astro Slide? Name aside it does look pretty interesting. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/astro-slide-5g-transformer https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/astro-slide-5g-transforme...
- afandian 5y ago
  Before buying anything from Planet, see how well they have done at maintaining older devices. Latest release for Gemini PDA is Android 8.1, three years ago.
  - tluyben2 5y ago
    Is it not possible to put a newer Android on it yourself? Because you could run Linux on it as well?

timonoko 5y ago

There must be generation coming which has never used physical keyboard and do not ever want to. Even now, when my home automation needs some adjustment, it easier just to SSH to Emacs than to wake up, put some clothes on and go sitting by the screen. Especially with (global-set-key (kbd "å") 'hippie-expand) .

teekert 5y ago
Wait until they pass 35 and find that getting up and moving about is not just an annoyance but vital to keeping your body away from a state of constant little nagging pains ;)
- timonoko 5y ago
  Shutup son. I am 69. But I cannot type with my thumbs, like people under 30. I need always two hands to use the phone.
  - teekert 5y ago
    I'm still wishing for T9 to come back... Every generation has its thing. Maybe it's time to try dictation and get past the feelings of silliness ;)
    - canadianfella 5y ago
      https://www.geckoandfly.com/8529/smart-keyboard-pro-t9-keyboard-for-google-android/ https://www.geckoandfly.com/8529/smart-keyboard-pro-t9-keybo...
    - tluyben2 5y ago
      Not sure how that works with a lot of noise and people (subway, busy streets, airplanes etc); it seems to type out complete crap random people around me are shouting. So in reality touchtyping is faster.
      - 5y ago

afandian 5y ago

I think a lot about PinePhone, PinePhone Keyboard, terminal and emacs org-mode. As a journal, to-do list, notes etc. I'm very tempted to buy them, when the keyboard is released. But I have a Gemini PDA which is basically the same thing but more integrated and I never use it.

3np 5y ago
What is it that makes your Gemini unused, you think?
- afandian 5y ago
  I did write a blog post or two on it on the train using termux and nano. That was cool. And the occasional SSH session. But as a phone running Android it's not quite there. Features like the LED controller app are half-baked vanity apps, and I'd rather they'd spent the time getting the lower level stuff right. Low quality phone call audio, random glitches, and software updates were mostly forgotten about. If I did want it as my primary phone I would also want a camera. The only camera was front-facing and low quality, which ruled it out. So it became a novel supplementary device rather than a daily driver. To whit, the hinge mechanism isn't well designed. In theory the spine rotates back to form a stand, but it's incredibly wobbly. So it's not much use for typing on a table. And it can't be held in the hand, as there's no stiffness. Why do I think PinePhone will be any different? The prototypes I've seen look like the hinge is stiffer. I'm not a kernel-compiling Linux enthusiast, so I don't expect to use a PinePhone as a real phone. But I do hope an SSH terminal to be simple enough to just work. So that puts it into the realm of mostly offline with sync. And org-mode is both simple and exciting, in a weird kind of a way. And that appeals to nostaliga for Psions, Palm PDAs and Newtons.
  - 3np 5y ago
    Do you know how viable (if even possible) it is to run Linux on it? There are some notes for Kali[0] and Debian[[1]. I've come across comments that it's far from ideal due to Halium but I'm yet to understand what that means in practice. [0] https://www.kali.org/blog/kali-linux-for-the-gemini-pda/ https://www.kali.org/blog/kali-linux-for-the-gemini-pda/ [1] https://support.planetcom.co.uk/index.php?title=Debian_Notes https://support.planetcom.co.uk/index.php?title=Debian_Notes

cjlm 5y ago

I picked up the delightful Jelly Comb [0] for exactly this reason. [0] https://www.jellycomb.com/products/b046-bluetooth-keyboard?variant=32936758575194 https://www.jellycomb.com/products/b046-bluetooth-keyboard?v...

wffurr 5y ago
That's the missing model from the Logitech lineup! They have compact keyboards, keyboards with easy bluetooth switching, and keyboards with a builtin stand, but no one keyboard that has all three.
- hexadec 5y ago
  Have you tired the Logitech K480? It met all my needs for pairing to my phone and an Android tablet with a nifty rotary switch for changing inputs easily. They keycap shape was lackluster but overall it was a novel solution. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MUTWLW4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MUTWLW4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b...
  - wffurr 5y ago
    Aha they do have it! Thanks! Huh, they don't list that on the keyboard page! Here it is filtered to models with a phone stand: https://www.logitech.com/en-us/keyboards?filters=3964 https://www.logitech.com/en-us/keyboards?filters=3964 That one is only listed in the "iPad Keyboards" section for whatever mysterious reason.

ubermonkey 5y ago

For a really long time, I never left town without my laptop, even if it was a pleasure trip. I have lots of stuff there I might want on a personal level, plus for the last 14 years I've been in a broad role in a small software company that kind of requires it. (I mean, it doesn't, and I'm not griping, but it's easier for everyone else if I limit the amount of time I'm truly unreachable, so I pick and choose.) The incredible growth in on-device capabilities from my iPad + a keyboard went a long way towards making that unnecessary; adding a remote desktop client (for access to the back-end Windows server things I might want) closes the loop. Unless I'm dead sure I'll NEED a full computer on a trip, I don't take one now. The default has become "nope." Even -- especially! -- as a photo management platform, because my iPad has ample storage and I'm a Creative Cloud user. I used to have to carry the laptop to dump and process photos during the trip (to avoid dealing with 2,000 all at once when we got home). Now I can go day by day, sync to Adobe, cull and do some processing, and just take the final pass once I'm home. That's great. (Ironically, this same era has seen me become increasingly deep into Orgmode, which is annoying, because as great as it is on a desktop there's still no truly great way to work with it from mobile short of setting up sync to a Linux box and using mosh/ssh.)

aikinai 5y ago
I’m curious why you prefer the iPad and keyboard over a laptop since adding the keyboard typically makes the iPad both bigger and more unwieldy than a laptop. I ask because I also like the vague idea of not taking a laptop, but I’m not going to do any serious typing on a screen keyboard and adding an external keyboard makes the iPad less portable than a laptop (plus you probably need a stand and mouse as well to reach the physical usability of a laptop).
- post_break 5y ago
  I'm the same way. My iPad is smaller, lighter, has cellular so I can get in generally everywhere. The battery (before my M1 Macbook Pro) lasted much longer, and didn't put out heat. It also had my movies for the plane. So it was killing two birds with one stone.
- ubermonkey 5y ago

danohuiginn 5y ago

For me, a folding bluetooth keyboard was what made the difference. It really tilts my default time-to-fill behavior from consuming towards producing. I'd also recommend having a ring on the back of your phone, so you can prop it at a good viewing angle. I've been writing with obsidian, coding via ssh. Jupyter notebooks and other browser-based environments are also good, though much smoother with a tablet-sized screen.

dTal 5y ago

I got a GPD Micro PC a couple months ago and I'm in love. It's a magical size - exactly small enough to slip into a back pocket like a chunky phone, and exactly large enough that it's actually practical to use desktop software on it. It's ergonomically first-rate - I've done CAD work on it. And it's durable too - I've dropped it several times already and it's barely even scratched. It's also unlocked a class of activity I didn't know was possible - long-form writing while out walking. I can get 50wpm with great tactile feedback on the tiny keyboard. It's all in on thumb typing, and having struggled with a Cosmo Communicator for a year I can absolutely say that that is the correct decision for a mobile device. The vast majority of the time there's no handy surface nearby. Now that I essentially have a laptop on me at all times, phones hold no appeal for me anymore. None. This is the class of device I've always wanted. All it really needs in order to replace a phone completely is a cell modem which can wake it from suspend, and ideally the standard "mobile" sensors such as GPS, cameras, and gyros. And waterproofing, I guess.

kilroy123 5y ago
What model do you have? It seems pretty under powered to me. What exactly do you do on it?
- dTal 5y ago
  N4120 model. Quad core and 8gb of RAM is underpowered? It's not the best gaming machine to be sure, and I have to be a little more careful with my browser tabs than on my 64GB workstation... but there's not really anything glaring it outright can't do. Hard to answer what I do on it, since the answer is "everything". I run Plasma 5 on mine. Right now I have a lot of firefox windows open, Quassel (IRC), Qalculate, some file managers, some terminals, and some text editors. For heavy duty I sometimes remote into my workstation (graphically) which is fast enough on a LAN to use CAD and all the rest of it. I've even done ANSYS simulations this way.
  - neolog 5y ago
    How many browser tabs do you usually have open?

underscore_ku 5y ago

get a PinePhone with Ubuntu Touch and throw the iphone to trash

Multicomp 5y ago

I've been looking around at old sharp zaurus organizers and psion mx5 devices for the use case of offline portable word processor that can save text files to eventually go to PC via CF / SD card. for this years nanowrimo. Most psions are 300 bucks, i can't justify that though i love the idea. And the 15 buck zaurus organizers either only have a 30 character 'memo' function or are so old they only run DOS and have to sync via serial cable. Anyone have any suggestions on a palmtopish machine with qwerty keyboard that can write txt or rtf files to an sd card and can be had for 100 or less on ebay? I'm currently resisting trying to hack a Smart Response XE and instead trying to put a pi zero w and a 1.3" inch screen and battery into the front margin of a Unicomp Model M and just viming my way to victory whilst syncthing makes the file magically appear on my pc whenever the device is on home wifi, but an integrated device would be more pocketable. the model m word processor is more for taking over long writing sessions where i currently lug an actual wheelwriter around. this small device would be even more portable, sitting at the beach, in the car etc.

selfhoster11 5y ago
If a "wireless keyboard" form factor suits you, look into Alphasmart devices.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

joeman1000 5y ago

Similar to what I’ve been doing lately. Bought an M1 iPad (different story…) and have been using MOSH and Blink Shell to access my computer at home running emacs. Has been a blast doing journaling, logging my time in org-mode, writing notes in org-roam for uni subjects. Has been a game-changer for me. I know it’s just a ‘dumb terminal’ but the experience is so seamless it’s incredible. MOSH makes sure the connection doesn’t drop out when I lock the device and come back half a day later. I can be on the train home and fire up that buffer I had going this morning writing a paper in LaTeX, with proper syntax highlighting, completion, snippets… incredible.

mathewsanders 5y ago
What is the UX for switching between apps or moving the screen like? Can you do this with keyboard shortcuts or do you find yourself switching between keyboard and touch screen for some interactions? I find this idea of using a keyboard super appealing but don’t like the idea of switching between keyboard and screen all the time. At least a virtual keyboard is on the screen!
- throwaway413 5y ago
  Alt+tab works fine on iOS, and I’m pretty sure you can trigger the app switcher view with a shortcut, can’t remember.
- joeman1000 5y ago
  You can CMD-TAB to other apps as on macOS. There are many of the same keyboard shortcuts translated to iPadOS, even some emacs movement keys in all text boxes! There isn’t enough room to have more than one thing open usually, so lots of CMD-TAB action. Normally I’m doing one or the other - typing or annotating/drawing with the pencil. If I need touch-interaction when typing I can use the trackpad. I can’t say it’s a perfect experience, or even a practical one, but I still enjoy it. Maybe it’s just the novelty of the setup. It weighs more (with the keyboard-case) than my MacBook Air, but it does have a nicer screen and it is waterproof. It lends itself more to portability for sure. I tend to just chuck it in my bag more often than I did with my laptop.
- 5y ago

girvo 5y ago

I’m a big believer in this idea; so much so that I have a Bluetooth keyboard for my Boox Note 2 e-ink tablet. Very writing, reading books and note taking via the stylus focused, though e-ink refresh even on a device like this might be too slow for some (depending on what refresh setting you choose), it’s entirely replaced the need for paper in my life — and for travelling at least around Queensland it’s been brilliant.

reportgunner 5y ago

> I'm typing this post on my iPhone in the Obsidian iOS app using a Logitech K380 Bluetooth keyboard and I feel like a 90s computer hacker. 90's computer hacker ? I don't know, this sounds nearly as consumer as it gets.

andai 5y ago
Yeah, that would be more like, a half dozen used ThinkPads under each arm, each running a different OS :)
fistynuts 5y ago
This article should have been a tweet: "Hey guys I bought a Bluetooth keyboard and it lets me type stuff! #hacktheplanet"
- pope_meat 5y ago
  I mean, at least open it and void the warranty, common man.

sixty4bit 5y ago

This is nice and all, but what I am waiting for is the phone to power my desktop setup. I walk up, drop the phone into a dock, and my three 27" monitors all wake up with the desktop exactly as I left it. To get there I think the GPU will have to be embedded in the monitors, and some interesting operating system hoops will have to be jumped through. Do cords have enough bandwidth now to support this? I honestly don't know the answer to this question. I feel like the answer is yes. The other idea is just to mount the phone to a head mount display and go VR or AR. But I feel like that is going to require way more advancement in resolution on the phone screens to get right. We can get there. We are super close. The iPad with an M1 chip probably already has the power to do it. Maybe one or two more years and this is not only feasible but purchasable. I'm a buyer.

emilecantin 5y ago
Funnily enough, you can kinda already do this with a USB-C dock. I have one for my MacBook Pro, and when I plugged my phone in it launched a desktop interface that ran on my phone. It could only use one screen, though.
stonemetal12 5y ago
I am really hoping the steam deck gets close to that.
chronogram 5y ago
I don’t know why you’d want that. The place where I have my big monitor is where I also have the space for a computer that has enough room to be always fast and quiet for my tasks that I can leave running things, while my phone is something that I need for communication which can help with information/scheduling and that I would like to have with me at all times. Having all my work on my phone would make me leave that phone at home and get an extra phone, I just wouldn’t trust myself with all that even if I have backups.
- fsflover 5y ago
  > The place where I have my big monitor is where I also have the space for a computer If you have a single device for everything, you do not need syncing and backups are needed only for one device.

wffurr 5y ago

Logitech has a few models with a builtin phone stand, too, so you can prop up the phone or tablet as you type. They all have number pads, though, instead of the compact layout. Update: If you click to the "Tablet Keyboards" section instead of the regular "Keyboards" section, there's the K480 which is a compact model with phone stand: https://www.logitech.com/en-us/mobile/keyboards https://www.logitech.com/en-us/mobile/keyboards Why that's not listed in the regular keyboard section remains a mystery... Do mouse cursors work on iPhones yet or just iPad OS? Because there's other models that have a trackpad on the side, which could be neat. Ah, there's an accessibility setting to enable it, but it's not the same as the iPad OS mouse support.

leephillips 5y ago

In 2013 Mark O’Connor wrote a series of articles about his experiments with nomadic computing using ipads, Linodes, and bluetooth keyboards. He was kind of a pioneer in this area: https://yieldthought.com/post/31857050698/ipad-linode-1-year-later https://yieldthought.com/post/31857050698/ipad-linode-1-year...

adkadskhj 5y ago

Man, a personal hosted VPN for all my junk is my dream. Can't wait to get something selfhosted, tail-scail-like setup. Something i can get into from anywhere and work from anything. I'm tempted to order a bluetooth keyboard like this post just to have it in the car and be able to work from my iPad/iPhone in a pinch (assuming internet). For someone wanting an easy, at home VPN for setups just like in the blog - is anything on the market competitive with Tailscale's UX? Ideally there would be no proxy, no VPN hosted on DigitalOcean that i fear being a weak point.. Instead, i'd like: 1. A redirect hosted on DigitalOcean, acting as a self hosted DynIP. No security issue here i'd think? 2. After hitting my real IP, connect to a VPN on a predetermined port. 3. Get access to bells and whistles now on the priveledged network. Bonus points if i could assign DNS entries like `ssh me@workmachine.fake` or `http(s?)://videostreaming.fake` Tailscale makes me a bit nervous, as cool as they are i'd prefer entirely self hosted. Though i may give them a try just to experience this UX. edit: https://blog.tonari.no/introducing-innernet https://blog.tonari.no/introducing-innernet innernet might be what i'm looking for

c0nfused 5y ago
For the last decade or so I have been running cheap Asus routers on my home network. They support dyndns and OpenVPN out of the box. I assume that other manufacturers offer the same thing. I haven't poked around in the guts of their vpn setup. But it's generally password protected and I would assume in the clear. So I replace accounts frequently and only leave it running if I am out of town and have some project I may need access to. Basically you vpn to yourname.dyndnsprovider.com and you are done. The rest is DNS Setup which.is sort of up to you but you can easily configure to something like machinename.home.mydomain.net
- m4rtink 5y ago
  Microtik routers can also run a VPN just fine. :)
maccolgan 5y ago
Zerotier?

smoldesu 5y ago

This is neat, but both Android and iPhone are really poor choices if you're looking to travel with a computer. Particularly on the iPhone side of things, you're basically screwed if you lose your network connection, since you aren't going to be doing many interesting things with the local shell. Android is a little better, but you'll still end up SSHing into another machine to get any valuable work done. Good, cheap x86 laptops are like $80 right now. That's about how much you'd pay for one of those fancy Logitech keyboards, but it comes with an entire computer, too.

desktopninja 5y ago

I tasted this with the Display Dock for Lumia phone. My initial setup was USB/Wifi KB + miracast + android phone. And it worked just as well. Overseas phones seem to have more capabilities than what we get stateside.

ohiovr 5y ago

Uber had trouble with their app being hard to manage deployments for large for sanctioned downloads over cellular. I suggested they opt for a thin client approach. It can't work they said because it requires the internet to work. I'm unemployable in tech because of good reasons.