Pocket Z project hopes to rekindle pocket PC form factor with a RPi Zero 2W | Hacker News Reader

Pocket Z project hopes to rekindle pocket PC form factor with a RPi Zero 2W

tomshardware.com

20 pointstriyambakam17 comments

These 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.

They solve very different problems. Smartphones are pretty much use geared towards consuming content. They are awful at creating anything meaningful.

How is a lower-powered pocket device with a hardware keyboard better at "creating anything meaningful"?

It 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).

Ever heard of Planet Computers, maker of the Gemini PDA and the Cosmo Communicator, with ties to Martin Riddiford, who formerly worked on the Psion?

No, I have not heard of any of those people, companies, or products. Why?

I was not asking you, but the point is they are exactly what the post was saying should exist.

I 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.

Do you like the Gemini? How easy is it to use two handed and not like a laptop?

I have an fx(tec) and whole it was a fun device the keyboard layout was awful and didn't lend itself to easy typing.

i'm not a super discerning keyboard user but it's definitely not a laptop. my main gripe is probably the in-between key spacing, but there's nothing you can do about that in such a small form factor. you can't quite fit your hands, so i'm using as many other fingers as you can fit. at first you tend to hit multiple keys sometimes or don't quite press the key far enough but it just takes a bit of practice and gets 95% better. all in all not terrible, not great. about what you'd expect on a device this size.

I've never used an fx(tec) but judging by the pictures it would be about in-between one of those and a laptop keyboard.

I'd say it's borderline but i've considered using it for "distraction-free"/fun stuff where i want to write something but i'm not bottlenecked on typing speed and maybe just want the novelty of the form-factor. i think the best i can say is that i don't hate it and would use it in a pinch but not for work.

I misread this:

> How easy is it to use two handed and not like a laptop?

Two-handed NOT like a laptop? Probably slightly better than touch-typing, the keys might work a tad better that way but I haven't really tried it a lot - just using it to type in web addresses and such.

Fun 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.

I was considering getting a GPD device. Did you install Linux on it?

Yes, 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.

I 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

There 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.

MNT Pocket Reform is helping prove the demand here too.

It'll probably remain niche, but damn I want one.

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