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Comment by ryukafalz | Hacker News Reader

I got one of these recently as well, and have similar feelings. MNT's devices are not for everyone; you definitely need to be prepared for some tinkering, and some things are a little bit rough at first. But for a certain kind of person (and I count myself as one of those people) they're so much fun.

It definitely has been scratching my tiny laptop itch. I think the first laptop I ever used was my dad's Libretto 70ct back in the day, and I've loved mini laptops ever since. I think they hit on the right input method with that small trackball too, it's very smooth!

I also designed a custom back panel for mine, though unfortunately I missed a few details so I'm gonna have to get it re-made. But it's fun to have so many customization options! https://www.terracrypt.net/posts/custom-pocket-reform-lids-h...

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I remember coveting the librettos! And then the slim sony laptops. These days I dont think there’s anything better than a MacBook Air though.

What’s the use case for one of these? Data centers?

I can imagine them being useful in a datacenter, yeah. So far for my own use it's been nice for writing at my nearby coffee shop, because it takes up less space on the table than a full-sized laptop and the small screen seems to help avoid distractions (so far, haven't had it for that long, etc).

And I don't travel long distances that often, but it probably fits better on train or airplane tray tables than a bigger laptop would too. I'm always worried the person in front of me will recline a bit when my laptop's in just the wrong spot and it'll shatter my screen from the top, haha.

Travel is one use case. I loved the form factor of MBA 11 for ssh and local use of Mutt.

I've been keeping an eye on MNT Pocket as a substitute. Reviews look great.

The MBA 11 was nice because it fitted in an airplane tray really well.

There’s a thread about 11” Chromebooks: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41176578

Might be a good option.

Thanks, I know, I posted that thread :)

There's almost nothing in that Libretto size from the mainstream companies. But there are small companies making 8 and 10 inch laptops. GPD seems the most popular brand but there are several you can find on Amazon, Aliexpress, and Ebay.

And then there's the Steam Deck, and variants from Asus and Lenovo. But with those you have to supply your own KB + stand. I guess they wouldn't quite count.

Yeah, I had a GPD Micro PC prior to this, and I liked it... but the hinge snapped and replacing it seems like a pretty involved process. The build quality of the Pocket Reform feels much better, and it's a lot more straightforward to get inside and swap things out than with the GPD.

that custom back panel is gorgeous! I would love to know more about how you got that made, as I now, um, need to do something similar...

you 100% did write about it, reading that now - where did you get it fabbed? tell me more :-)

I got it fabbed at JLCPCB, though later realized that the stock panel had counterbores on its mounting holes so the screws would be flush. JLC can't do that, so I'm going to see if I can DIY that with the drill press at my local hackerspace before I get the next run made.

I also accidentally got them made out of PCBs of the wrong thickness, and I forgot that the CPU module and wireless antennas would be in the top half so there's a full copper layer underneath that lettering which won't be great for wireless reception. Ah well, you live and learn :)

Nice, thanks for the added detail. I'm taking notes! Might see if I can do something similar.

I was inspired by this post on Crowd Supply for what it's worth! https://www.crowdsupply.com/mnt/pocket-reform/updates/on-ope...

Bit light on detail, but it got me a decent part of the way there.

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