Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

GPD MicroPC looks tempting indeed...
1) Why only one touch-pad? What will left-handed people do?
2) HDMI details: is it in, out or either way? Is it possible to use one of the USB ports (full-size or USB-C) as a second video-port (for those people who want to attach VR/AR headset to HDMI port, and yet be able to output the image from screen to the projector)? And I personally dislike HDMI - prefer old-fashioned ports, such as VGA and others.
3) active cooling design is not a plus in my book. Imagine standing in desert, with ambient air temperature of 50°C, and insolation over 1kW/m². With computer running something heavy, would it overheat to extent of burning human's hands and melting plastic enclosure?

Thank you. Best wishes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Per aspera ad astra...

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

I guess the answer is obvious:
There's not enough space for a 2nd touchpad on the left side. And even if there were, one of the two touchpads would have always been useless.

That being said, I get your point. Maybe it would have been clever to have a modular design in that part, which allows you to swap the touchpad and the number keys around.
This however would have required to split the keyboard and would have made also the internal design more complicated. Also one would need at least a 3rd module for the mouse buttons.
The easier approach to address left-handers would have been a trackpoint instead of a touchpad.

The button in the middle right below the display hinge is a fan switch, so you can decide whether you want the device to run passively or not. I think that's the best option, because in other situations you'd want a fan to dissipate the heat and increase the computing power.

Besides, If you place a dark laptop in the blazing sun, so it really heats up, you won't be able to touch it with your bare hands long before the plastic melts. Plastic may deform before that point though (X220/230 anyone?).
That's why I generally think, bright colors (white, silver, light gray) are more reasonable.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Another mainline Linux device in the works...

Golden Delicious/hns is making a GTA15/PyraPhone, a phone variant of the DragonBox Pyra:

http://lists.goldelico.com/pipermail...ry/001935.html

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Out of the various open, mainline Linux phones in development, it looks like PinePhone might be the first to market:

https://baldnerd.com/pine64-has-near...ephone-design/

AND, it's as cheap as chips!

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Mechanical switches! Nice! I designed a phone with them and sent it to Nokia just before they crashed. But my phone design was not a smartphone. Still trying to make it happen one day.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Indeed. My first smartphone, Palm Treo 600, had a mechanical ringer switch. Slide left, ring. Slide right, vibrate only. I find living without it very hard.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

dated Tue Jan 1 13:49:11 CET 2019

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

reads well here (old news),
https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=7093
but their focus looks promising

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

GDP MicroPC comes with 6GB RAM now, with an added price of $15.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/g...p#/updates/all

I was already buying it, but this is still excellent news!

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

GDP MicroPC now comes with 8gb of ram. The campaign is over now, though, but it's still available, altough at a slightly higher price.

Anyways, this computer is shaping up to be a decent-specced machine with Linux available to it! And the size makes it highly portable, and that has some good usecases in certain situations...

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

While I highly appreciate that 2nd half of your sentence, I'm longing for the day, where you only post the 1st part! ;)

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Please, who has ever heard of a failure to deliver? On this site? Practically unheard of. :D

Alas, my situation, as a person who preordered this, prevents me from thinking the unthinkable... until it becomes a reality, that is...

But I can keep you posted when GDP MicroPC comes with 16gb of ram ;)

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

I got a GPD Micro PC for Christmas. It runs Linux very well. There's an Ubuntu-Mate ISO image on the GPD website that has all the bugs worked out, so you don't have to go on a device driver treasure hunt. Suspend works when you close the lid, etc. All very easy and smooth. I think this may be the best handheld gnu/Linux at the moment; I've given up on the Pyra.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

For those who consider chroot is enough for their needs, the F(x)tec Pro¹ also is a fantastic handheld and pocket device *with* telephony capability. So far it can only run full-fledged Linux distributions using chroot (namely sailfish_ubu_chroot by elros34), but it works fantastically well.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

You're right - that is beautiful, and far more pocketable than the GPD Micro PC. It's an updated N950, and the N950 had a wonderful feel to it.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

And you are so right, too!
The N950 was pocketable and the best linux device since (almost) a decade ago.
Unluckily we had to wait that long until the Pro1 which is not as pocketable as a N950 but due to screen size maximus plebis has a (just) too big screen (for my feeling). I am eagerly waiting for a just a bit smaller one. That would be my daily dream linux device.

--edit
And good to see/read you on track,
and still a (silent) member!
I miss orrery on my main SFOS device ;)

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

+1 for the Pro1. Even though not exactly officially like what's meant by a "gnu/linux machine" I have all my CLI linux things going in Android with Termux (and there are more and perhaps better possibilities). To me it's the ultimate handheld computer thing, couldn't be happier with it :-).

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

I miss Orrery too.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

As far as I read about it the Pyra finally started shipping this month.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Well, only the prototypes. This article points out that there are still significant hardware problems: https://liliputing.com/2019/12/drago...-computer.html .

Sadly, I think the Pyra and neo900 show that one or two guys working in their spare time just can't make a handheld computer in the current environment. Even if the hardware issues get ironed out and the Pyra actually ships production units, how big a community is apt to form around a device with an old 32 bit CPU first released in 2012? I know the Pyra CPU is theoretically upgradable, but I doubt any upgrade boards will ever appear. I wish small projects like these could succeed - I pre-ordered both the neo900 and the Pyra - but they mostly haven't.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

From what I have understood the issues are not hardware but software related. The prototypes are now in the hands of end users and not devs that are used to fix their own problems.

Team is indeed too small, but I am fairly optimistic about the Pyra. We will hopefully see more of them shipped in a couple of months.
As with the Pandora the software situation will improve once people and especially devs start using it.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

This concerns me more about how the market is currently being accessed by these people that think that such an item would sell in huge amounts a generation (or two or three) later.

With that said, still not surprised about the outcome of this project.

Unfortunately it just drives home the fact that the want for an alternative devices needs to catch on within a company that has the means and resources as well as the vision. These small projects are great, drives some items forward, but fail all too often.

I know, stating the obvious...

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Best linux handheld: N900. At least for me. Just waiting to switch using Leste and to see how it works with that. N900 is enough for my needs for using linux on the go with a phone. Others may need more from their device, but "the best" qualification is depended on your needs.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Below a link to a Pyra demo video from one of the prototype owners. Software is indeed WIP but most important stuff seems to be working after a bit of tinkering. Folks buying a Linux device are usually okay with that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Je...ature=youtu.be

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Sometimes I was thinking this Pyra project just takes too long time to finish but at least they delivered (even if it's WIP).
Oh, and google is evil: https://invidio.us/watch?v=l1JeqS90HdU

They have a phone project going on as well.
:)

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

I didn't know about invidio.us, I like it. Thanks for that (and thanks t-b for the video).

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

They have a phone project going on as well?
Really?
Project Ara was cancelled...
And rumour of its ressurrection ...is just that...rumour...
The new Pixel perhaps you mean...
Other than the now defunct ara project and the new pixel...I am unaware of any other new project by google...

Let alone google making a gnu/ Linux handheld ...
Which is completely contrary to their core philosophy and corporate and business model direction...

That is the purpose of this thread after all...
"...gnu/ Linux handheld..." ...
Not latest Android offering or IPhone offering...or their kneecapped spinoffs ...

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

I think he meant that EvilDragon and associates behind the Pyra have a phone project, not Google.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

First Pyra's shipped to the pre-pre order group.
https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/thr...he-pyra.99296/
Rough around the edges, but that was to be expected for a project like this. Took a while, but at least one of the few Linux projects that delivers a product.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Thanks for reporting.
"Took a while" is an understatement. And still "rough around the edges"...
I remember being interested in this years back... and soon gave up.
If I had placed a pre-order in 2016, I'd be seriously p***ed off by now.
OTOH, they could've just given up, so kudos for that.
By the time it comes out the hardware will be almost as out of date as an N900...

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

This is basically a 'hobby project' and most people paying upfront are still enthusiasts and love this product.
Unlike other projects you could get your money back as well without any problem. Clearly a lot of pre-orders haven't been cancelled and once it is produced new orders will follow as well. It is still a unique device.

Pretty sure there are still folks here who would love to see a Neo900 in 2021 as well, but that is a dream that will never come through...
The Pyra is built with updates in mind though so who knows, maybe an improvement will follow soon for the more demanding customer.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

I'll admit that I was looking at it through the eyes of someone looking for a Linux phone, and the Pyra clearly isn't that.
I do not belong to the target group for this product.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Yea, this is where I am at too; N900 is still my dialy phone. I have a pinephone and seem to be settling towards Debian until Leste matures a bit.
But until things like
-Bluetooth and USB tethering both in and out
-hardware video acceleration
-reliable power management including wake from sleep
-USB OTG
there are more but as it is not my everyday phone, but development is active.

The N900 suffers badly having a no fully useful browser options and face it a microscopic screen but it is still a good phone and audio player, especially with working Pebble watch integration so I cna easily shuffle songs when driving.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Same boat Biketool.

Though some of my hold ups are different the results are the same ... trying to use the PinePhone as a daily make you miss your n900, even without the keyboard :).

There are many great thing and not ready thing on the Pine Phone, but since you mentioned The pebble. I was able to install RockWork, which allowed me to not only link to the pebble, but install apps and watch faces!! Now no need for iOS or andriod phone to update the pebble!!

This was an amzing discovery I made while messing with the multi-OS-boot-img. Perhaps you can find some fun with itthis info too :)

x

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

You know by now i am an F(x)tec fanboy BUT :D

Just since i did not read about following in this thread:
There have been great advancements on the Pro¹ mainline front recently achieved by the SoMainline Team. I do not have any details on working features but following tweet looks like at least some connectivity is already up using Postmarket OS.
https://twitter.com/kholk/status/1347319808078045191

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Sad, but true..over 10 years old Nokias are still best for me and it seams that there is not coming handheld that is every way better than N810 and N900, if you take best things from both.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

One new option to have Linux smartphone + qwerty keyboard :

PinePhone keyboard prototype transforms the Linux phone into a tiny Linux laptop
by BRAD LINDER - APRIL 23, 2021
https://linuxsmartphones.com/pinepho...-linux-laptop/

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Hopefully soon! I have been waiting a while now, for a bleeding edge linux hacker gadget the keyboard will not come soon enough.
The Pinephone works great with Mobian but not quite ready for everyday driver vs N900; it still needs a good Pebble watch program and audio book player, and getting a full day out of a battery on standby mode without any charging(even with no actual use).

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

Droid4 Droid4 !!!!

WOO WOO WOO

/me runs around in circles and bonks into the wall.

Re: What's the best Handheld gnu/linux machine for 20XX?
 

If we look at the Pinephone with keyboard now and also look back, it's true to say that it has been a long way but it's slowly getting there. It was a huge mistake that the Nokia n950 wasn't released back in the days. After the legendary n900 there was nothing similar available for a long time. Now there is the FxTec Pro as well.