5 ms·

I deeply desire one of these that also has 4G LTE. The idea of a portable linux shell that could also make phone calls by typing in something like "call 773-202

I deeply desire one of these that also has 4G LTE. The idea of a portable linux shell that could also make phone calls by typing in something like "call 773-202-LUNA" just sounds super appealing!

calgoo 3y ago
To me it’s to opposite! I’m looking for a device that does not have a baseband on it. I can always hotspot + vpn if I need access to the outside world, but no direct access to the device. Add some encrypted chat software, and got the perfect communication device.
- pgeorgi 3y ago
  https://store.planetcom.co.uk/products/gemini-pda-wifi-only https://store.planetcom.co.uk/products/gemini-pda-wifi-only was an option but sadly they pivoted to devices with baseband only... There's https://pyra-handheld.com/ https://pyra-handheld.com/ but it's semi-existent not-quite-vaporware for about a decade already (props on the staying power of looking to get this project finished, though!)
  - yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
    Gemini also the disadvantage of horribly out of date software. Encrypted chat software is not a good combination with Android 8.1 missing years of security patches.
  - forsakenkraken 3y ago
    Planet Computers are probably going down the drain soonish after the fairly disastrous crowdfunding for the Astro phone. I know a friend who has a Gemini and he wasn't impressed either. However I am massively biased, as I paid for a Astro which I'm still waiting for several years after the kickstarter finished. To be fair, they have had pretty major issues with the ODM, but still we've only just found that out recently. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/astro-slide-5g-transformer/x/24837475#/comments https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/astro-slide-5g-transforme...
- catherd 3y ago
  I make a VoIP/WiFi phone that excludes any sort of cellular radio because that's what I want as well: https://wiphone.io https://wiphone.io
pezh0re 3y ago
I wonder if you could build on Jeff Geerling's work: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2022/using-4g-lte-wireless-modems-on-raspberry-pi https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2022/using-4g-lte-wireless...
AshamedCaptain 3y ago
You know you can do that on Android with termux, right? https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Termux-telephony-call https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Termux-telephony-call
- kragen 3y ago
  until termux gets banned from android for empowering users too much, anyway it's already banned from updating in google play
  - KetoManx64 3y ago
    Just use F-Droid or download from GitHub then. The power of Android is that you're not in a walled Google Garden and you are in control and can sideload whatever you want from wherever you want.
    - kragen 3y ago
      that's what i'm doing now, but it's probably only about 3 years away that google disables the api level that termux depends on; then you'll have to install lineageos or something in order to be able to use termux
spicybright 3y ago
One project I think about a lot but will probably never do is build a DIY smart phone, writing all the UI and features myself. There's people on youtube that have done this. They're basically off the shelf parts and a raspi glued together in an awkward brick of wires and electronics. I'm interested in learning how to get the hardware all working together, but also making wacky UI that deviate from normal smart phones. Too bad I'm lazy!
- krabizzwainch 3y ago
  Ha I actually had the same thoughts about building an eReader with an eink display and everything. I actually put it together and wrote it with Python for epubs and everything. Then I realized I suck at UI stuff so it’s just sitting at like 65% complete… which is better than my average project actually!
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
serf 3y ago
the clockwork-pi uconsole is a handheld small linux device with 4g options; don't know if they are shipping yet.
- exabyte 3y ago
  That keyboard looks incredibly hard to type with, no?

I deeply desire one of these that also has 4G LTE. The idea of a portable linux shell that could also make phone calls by typing in something like "call 773-202-LUNA" just sounds super appealing!

calgoo 3y ago

To me it’s to opposite! I’m looking for a device that does not have a baseband on it. I can always hotspot + vpn if I need access to the outside world, but no direct access to the device. Add some encrypted chat software, and got the perfect communication device.

pgeorgi 3y ago
https://store.planetcom.co.uk/products/gemini-pda-wifi-only https://store.planetcom.co.uk/products/gemini-pda-wifi-only was an option but sadly they pivoted to devices with baseband only... There's https://pyra-handheld.com/ https://pyra-handheld.com/ but it's semi-existent not-quite-vaporware for about a decade already (props on the staying power of looking to get this project finished, though!)
- yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
  Gemini also the disadvantage of horribly out of date software. Encrypted chat software is not a good combination with Android 8.1 missing years of security patches.
- forsakenkraken 3y ago
  Planet Computers are probably going down the drain soonish after the fairly disastrous crowdfunding for the Astro phone. I know a friend who has a Gemini and he wasn't impressed either. However I am massively biased, as I paid for a Astro which I'm still waiting for several years after the kickstarter finished. To be fair, they have had pretty major issues with the ODM, but still we've only just found that out recently. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/astro-slide-5g-transformer/x/24837475#/comments https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/astro-slide-5g-transforme...
catherd 3y ago
I make a VoIP/WiFi phone that excludes any sort of cellular radio because that's what I want as well: https://wiphone.io https://wiphone.io

pezh0re 3y ago

I wonder if you could build on Jeff Geerling's work: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2022/using-4g-lte-wireless-modems-on-raspberry-pi https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2022/using-4g-lte-wireless...

AshamedCaptain 3y ago

You know you can do that on Android with termux, right? https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Termux-telephony-call https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Termux-telephony-call

kragen 3y ago
until termux gets banned from android for empowering users too much, anyway it's already banned from updating in google play
- KetoManx64 3y ago
  Just use F-Droid or download from GitHub then. The power of Android is that you're not in a walled Google Garden and you are in control and can sideload whatever you want from wherever you want.
  - kragen 3y ago
    that's what i'm doing now, but it's probably only about 3 years away that google disables the api level that termux depends on; then you'll have to install lineageos or something in order to be able to use termux

spicybright 3y ago

One project I think about a lot but will probably never do is build a DIY smart phone, writing all the UI and features myself. There's people on youtube that have done this. They're basically off the shelf parts and a raspi glued together in an awkward brick of wires and electronics. I'm interested in learning how to get the hardware all working together, but also making wacky UI that deviate from normal smart phones. Too bad I'm lazy!

krabizzwainch 3y ago
Ha I actually had the same thoughts about building an eReader with an eink display and everything. I actually put it together and wrote it with Python for epubs and everything. Then I realized I suck at UI stuff so it’s just sitting at like 65% complete… which is better than my average project actually!

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

serf 3y ago

the clockwork-pi uconsole is a handheld small linux device with 4g options; don't know if they are shipping yet.

exabyte 3y ago
That keyboard looks incredibly hard to type with, no?