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Pocket Z project hopes to rekindle pocket PC form factor with a RPi Zero 2W
- PmTKg5d3AoKVnj0 2y agoFun project -- although the GPD Pocket 1 and GPD Pocket 2 fulfill this niche at a more enterprise level. I am a happy user of a GPD Pocket 2 which I use to run Zotero, mainly, to read while traveling or standing in line doing errands. Certainly more expensive though.
- triyambakam 2y agoI was considering getting a GPD device. Did you install Linux on it?
- PmTKg5d3AoKVnj0 2y agoYes, I have installed NixOS on my GPD Pocket 2, which works OK. Have not encountered issues. The optical mouse actually works quite well and my hands can operate it with thumbs, while walking around or lying in bed, as well as more typical typing while stationary. I would advise against getting a GPD Pocket 3. It's basically the size of a normal netbook and defeats the "pocket" monicker imho. Depending on your distro you may have to set up a configuration that rotates the screen and/or digitizer to the right orientation.
- entropicdrifter 2y agoI have the GPD Win 1 and GPD Win 2. Ubuntu MATE fully supports the GPD pocket PCs. Most distros will run fine on them because they're Intel SoCs, but MATE had the earliest support for stuff like getting screen rotation right and bundling all of the more obscure drivers
- bee_rider 2y agoThese kinds of products are fun and nice, but I doubt anybody is planning on rekindling anything really. We already have smartphones. If somebody wants to kindle some mass-market adoption of tiny computers… they should release a nice little clamshell keyboard for popular Android phones and a better software ecosystem.
- bhhaskin 2y agoThey solve very different problems. Smartphones are pretty much use geared towards consuming content. They are awful at creating anything meaningful.
- sjs382 2y agoHow is a lower-powered pocket device with a hardware keyboard better at "creating anything meaningful"?
- bee_rider 2y agoIt probably runs a normal-ish Linux distro that is easier to toss programs together in. The software stack on smartphones seems pretty bad, although I have an iPhone so I’m probably seeing the least-productive phone environment. (I like my phone but I wouldn’t try to make anything out of or using it, it is just a consumption device).
- Apocryphon 2y agoEver heard of Planet Computers, maker of the Gemini PDA and the Cosmo Communicator, with ties to Martin Riddiford, who formerly worked on the Psion?
- nilamo 2y agoNo, I have not heard of any of those people, companies, or products. Why?
- Apocryphon 2y agoI was not asking you, but the point is they are exactly what the post was saying should exist.
- sottol 2y agoI just bought NOS Gemini! I tried some of the Windows CE Pocket PCs like the Journada and the Psion 5 line in the mid-2000s but CE was too limiting, the Psions were better. The Planet Computer devices have kinda been the fulfillment of that 20y dream. I haven't had time to install Linux on the Gemini yet but it's fun. Not sure it would replace my main phone though.
- radicaldreamer 2y agoThere were several excellent Sony laptop designs which were amazing for portability and weight. I really miss the 2015 MacBook personally, it was an excellent laptop with a fantastic portable design.
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- rozenmd 2y agoMNT Pocket Reform is helping prove the demand here too. It'll probably remain niche, but damn I want one.