Comment by fractallyte | Hacker News Reader

Comment by fractallyte | Hacker News Reader

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The Jolla smartphone (https://jolla.com/phone/) is a handheld Linux computer - definitely NOT a toaster! (Here's my comment from a few weeks ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11278620). Overlook the mediocre hardware, it's the software (OS and apps) that defines this phone; there's nothing else like it, anywhere. (It's made by the same engineers that developed the legendary Nokia N9.)

Access via SSH from your PC, or use its native terminal app. Mine is even running Emacs (natively!), plus Android applications. I haven't even mentioned 'The Other Half' - which allows for hardware expansions such as e-ink displays, keyboards, sensors, etc.

With a bluetooth keyboard - the best options are currently a Jorno (https://jornostore.com/), but soon a TextBlade (https://waytools.com/) - this is a marvellous machine. Sure, I'm telling everyone about it - this is the smartphone I always wanted; it deserves to succeed!

Incidentally, I have both a Psion 5mx and Revo. This is the first device that truly feels like a successor.

[Aside: after a long delay, the TextBlade is finally being beta-tested by users, and should be shipping soon.]

Except here's the thing. All those devices are about trying to get desktop-like abilities out of something that is inherently not-desktop like.

I don't want a dock, or a touch-screen, I want multiple monitors, setup at the right height.

I don't want a textblade, or a bluetooth keyboard, as cool as they seem conceptually. Because fundamentally, a cool little portable keyboard is still, qualitatively, a shitty keyboard. I want actual full sized mechanical keyboards. Why would I ever use such a thing if i had an option?

I want a comfortable ergonomic chair, and a nice spacious desk. because I don't know about anyone else, but I swear I get headaches and muscle spams after I attempt to read much from my smartphone or laptop.

Don't get me wrong, I have a smartphone, and I have a little dell ultrabook for when I'm travelling. But I can't have my XX-buffers open in emacs on my phone, whether it be linux or not, and I would never try to turn my phone into a desktop computer, or pretend that it is comparable.

I don't have an ipad or tablet, i admit. I can't for the life of me figure out a use for them that doesn't take away features from an ultrabook while adding anything else.

I of course know why they (phones and tablets) selling so well. Because they aren't effectively consumed as computers. They are media consumption, entertainment and communication devices.

But if they ever manage to pry my desktop from my cold, dead hands, I think I might just have to weep and off myself. I don't think that's a world i want to live in. Thankfully, although its not "sexy", i think it'll be around for a while yet.

Although, try working at a corporate and asking for a powerful desktop to, you know, actually do work. This obsession with tablets/mobiles/laptops is already having a very harmful effect on my professional life, because its becoming standard to equip employees with substandard equipment, and the apple hipsters are...quite frankly...fully on board and driving that into professional spheres as well. The consultants turn up with their little mac notebooks, and its just "jesus christ..."...shakes head

/end rant

I like the idea but it's still an odd compromise.

The Jorno looks like I'd be better off carrying a full size laptop. It's not about fitting in my pocket, it's about usability on the bus, train, standing up, etc.

The TextBlade is vaguely the same as far as I can tell?

I want something like the Pyra - a Blackberry keyboard - something I can hold and press with my thumbs. For a sit-down experience I have a laptop. The phone gets pulled out in other situations.

I don't want or need a touch screen at all. The BlackBerry was an excellent experience. I'm fully aware that I'm in a niche.

This is possible with 'The Other Half': https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2028347278/tohkbd-the-o...

Sadly, no longer available...

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