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Comment by stephc_int13 | Hacker News Reader

The problem with TE is that they are building top quality toys, not tools.

Maybe those toys can be used as tools in some niche context, but as a non-musician I wouldn't know.

I'd love to see them selling a more general purpose pocket computer, with the same high quality design and even the hefty price tag.

A pocket computer made for hackers (the tinkering kind)

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In a creative context/process I think it is a good thing if you can toy around with a device/instrument in a playful way. I'd definitely love if they would make their devices hackable though, that would unlock so much potential and the community is there.

As someone who has written a lot of music using Pocket Operators I disagree. They have been part of my songwriting tool chain for years and have pretty much worked their way into every recording I've made since I bought them. They are the perfect accompaniment when sitting down with a guitar to write music either acting as a metronome, a groove to jam over, or a complete drum/bass/synth backup with an arrangement (16 patterns and 128 measures is enough to write a good song). Also, Pocket Operators are cheap as hell, most under $100.

What's your favorite PO? (or even a couple favorites)

I loved playing with the one I have (I can't remember which it is off the top of my head). But it never became a major part of my music noodling workflow and now is collecting dust somewhere.

I do remember at some point that a friend got a different one and I was struck with jealousy over all the cool stuff it could do that mine didn't. Maybe it's time to check out a different one. Any recommendations?

po-33 is the best one. the sampler. so powerful and so cheap.

I wouldn't go so far as to call the OP-1 a toy. The interface is definitely limiting but it's also whimsical. I use mine as a kind of stress relief tool. It's small, self-contained design means I can put my laptop away and focus on playing around and creating music.

It's called the Playdate.

https://play.date/dev/

Yeah, this completely the opposite.

Two buttons, no peripherals, clearly a toy.

General purpose pocket computer, he said.

The demand was "more general purpose", though. The Playdate has an SDK and apps. The OP1 does not. I think it applies. :)

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