GPD Pocket

[vcoleiro1]

Does Apple sell any products in these states?

Just FYI, I had a talk with GPD today about replacement batteries for the WIN. I mentioned some people had queried buying one.

Basically GPD told me that they have not listed replacement batteries on their store because of the issues with shipping batteries with a number of carriers. However, they told me that if anyone needed a replacement battery, that they should contact GPD directly and they may be able to arrange a way to deliver it.

 

[sulu]

Sounds good. Though I would have preferred a battery that is actually swappable. (I make that a hard requirement or any laptop I buy, but for a device this small I'd be willing to compromise.)
So assuming that all the advertisement is true, the only thing that's stopping me now from wanting a GPD pocket is the lack of a 3rd USB port and an SD card slot

 

[Faust]

Honestly, 8GB for a Windows machine in 2017 might not be so useless. This is a voracious OS.

I agree with Grench's analysis: if I was buying this device, I would buy the Windows version as the price is the same. If the Linux version was even just 5$ less, I would choose the Linux version instead. That's how much I value the windows OS. But I'll take the free license, even if it's just for an eventual resell value.

Also you might be in a situation where the Linux drivers are sub-par for some months/years and you're better off using windows in the beginning before switching.

With the current processor it is, it's the bottleneck part.

 

[vcoleiro1]

@sulu
It would have been good if they added the uSD slot. They have tried to make up for it a little by offering an Indiegogo perk for $10 more which includes a USB C Hub that adds: USB 2.0 port, a Micro USB port, a Micro SD port, an SD port

ie the one below:

 

[sulu]

It would have been good if they added the uSD slot.

Yes, it would have been. But actually, I was talking about a full-size slot. And I mean one that swallows the card completely.

They have tried to make up for it a little by offering an Indiegogo perk for $10 more which includes a USB C Hub that adds: USB 2.0 port, a Micro USB port, a Micro SD port, an SD port

That's the hardware implementation of a poor excuse for two reasons:
1. It blocks all of the other ports (maybe except for the USB A port). So effectively you trade a card reader for HDMI and the audio jack. I say that's a bad trade.
2. Adapters are ugly. There's a reason why I want a tiny device. I want to save space. If I wouldn't, I'd use my laptop, which has a much more comfortable screen and is much more powerful. After all, the name of that device is GPD Pocket, and that's where I want to put that device - all of it. I can't do that with the adapter plugged in. Maybe I can do that after unplugging the adapter, but that means I have to unmount any devices that are provided by the adapter.

btw:
I see no dedicated charging port, so I guess that's supposed to be done via the USB C port. That makes two USB ports I'm missing.
That fictitious 2nd PCB on the left side would have come in very handy: 2 more USB ports (evenly spread), a full-size SD card slot and an audio jack on the correct side would have made this device so much more valuable.

 

[vcoleiro1]

@sulu

You could use a short extension cable and it won't block any ports. Or buy a different Hub that has a short lead built in.

I'm with you on having to carry extra adapters and having them hang them off the thing, I don't like that either. I suppose that it is however not much of an issue to carry, those things can be very small. But yeah, it would have been better to integrate them

 

[rygD]

It makes sense that they are cutting some corners, as they want to get it out quick, while it is still relevant. The upgrades are a nice touch, too. I think your average consumer (as opposed to umpc/palmtop/handheld enthusiasts) may not notice what they are missing out on until it is too late, as they will be mainly focused on the "big" specs and the size/portability.

If they do Ubuntu (ewww) right it will probably attract a certain hardcore crowd. Had I never found the Pandora and Pyra, and had heard about the Pocket having official Linux support, it probably would have made it to the top of my computer want list.

 

[vcoleiro1]

Well it seems it has found a mark with a number of people. Not even 48 hours into the campaign and it has already raised:

$853,015 USD from 2080 backers ie 427% of their $200,000 target

 

[Jebe457]

I don't really see the point of the Pocket over the Win.


As a palmtop UMPC the Pocket looks like it will have ergonomic issues.

On a ThinkPad the TrackPoint is positioned between the G, H, & B keys which spaces it so your thumb naturally rests on the upper right click button while your finger is on the TrackPoint making a viable alternative to the TrackPad. The Pocket has the TrackPoint right on top of the mouse buttons which I only see working ergonomically it you can do some kind of finger roll click motion.

On the Win you're already reaching strain potential with thumb typing, and at 7" verses 5.5" the Pocket will be much worse in this respect. So I'm not seeing how using it as a palmtop isn't going to tend to result in ergonomic issues.


As a Windows Tablet stand in it's heavy enough one handing it will lead to arm fatigue and there's very few options to try to hold it in Portrait. While I wouldn't advocate using the Win that way, at least it's viable to do so.


I was looking at it as a potential device to replace my Nexus 7 with, but I quickly realized the main thing I use my Nexus 7 for is one-handed eReading and the GPD Win is already kind of pushing it for that. Am I missing something?

 

[levi]

Despite the name, I don't see this as a pocket device - it's designed for five-fingered typing, not thumb typing (I hope - I've never tried a keyboard that exact size - but as you surmise, it's too big to hold and comfortably thumb type on). It's not even replacement for a tablet - all the promo shots show it being used like a laptop. Similarly, it's designed to fit in a hand/man bag not your trouser/jacket pocket.

Thinking it through, it's a bit of a daft name, but there you go. it's a laptop, but one you can fit in a smaller bag, and it's lighter. It's the same reason people bought eeePCs a few years ago, except even more so.

But yeah, the mouse nipple is in completely the wrong place.

 

[ible]

but it's "Smaller than Smaller", so ...

Spoiler

maybe it could have been "GPD Purse" or "GPD Manbag".

 

[TheOldOne]

On the Win you're already reaching strain potential with thumb typing, and at 7" verses 5.5" the Pocket will be much worse in this respect. So I'm not seeing how using it as a palmtop isn't going to tend to result in ergonomic issues.

A minimum bezel on the win like it looks like will be on the pocket would allow somewhere around a 5.8 inch screen. I have large hands and could handle thumb typing on the win but the pocket is to big for that.

 

[vcoleiro1]

So 68 hours in - almost 3 days , they have raised $1,041,506 USD from 2535 backers ie 521% of their $200,000 goal

Compare that to the GPD WIN which I think got about half that ie 535K after 60 days

 

[elwing]

The successful gpdwin campaign for sure helps...

 

[TheOldOne]

Honestly, 8GB for a Windows machine in 2017 might not be so useless. This is a voracious OS.

I agree with Grench's analysis: if I was buying this device, I would buy the Windows version as the price is the same. If the Linux version was even just 5$ less, I would choose the Linux version instead. That's how much I value the windows OS. But I'll take the free license, even if it's just for an eventual resell value.

Also you might be in a situation where the Linux drivers are sub-par for some months/years and you're better off using windows in the beginning before switching.

My mother has a 10 inch windows netbook with 2gb of RAM and it handles MS Office including Outlook just fine. 8GB is not needed even on Windows for that.

 

[vcoleiro1]

I have 4GB on my PC and have had numerous memory issues. And that's just browsing using Chrome with a lot of tabs open

The thing is, it's not a one suit fits all thing, it depends on the user and what they do.

 

[levi]

Yeah, Chrome is reportedly a bit of a memory hog, but it trades that against speed. I've got 2GB here, and I've got 11 tabs open (I periodically transition tabs to bookmarks, and have done that quite recently), and I've probably opened and closed 50-100 tabs today, yet it's only using just over 512MB of RAM. I guess if this were a 64-bit machine, it might use a bit more as each of those firefox processes might need up to twice as much space to store their code, but I'd expect most of the RAM used by firefox to be filled with browser data, which shouldn't grow.

 

[vcoleiro1]

It depends , I have only 2 tabs open now This Pyra forum tab and a tab for the GPD Pocket Indiegogo page. Just with only those two tabs Chrome is using almost half a gig of RAM. I have noticed the memory usage also depends on what site your viewing, some take up a lot.



Also, if you are using an image editing app, well then all bets are off. Particularly if you're like me who while in the middle of an image edit you decide to go do some Chrome browsing to find an image for something that you want to add.

 

[b_o_b]

I don't really see the point of the Pocket over the Win.

No gaming controls and 7" screen makes it a totally different beast.

Despite the name, I don't see this as a pocket device

Pocketable is different for everyone - I usually wear jeans and I don't like to put my phone or even my wallet in my jeans so there is almost no device I will call pocketable..
I do consider this to be a mobile computer and in that capacity it will be more capable for me than the Pandora, Pyra or Win. Larger screen, larger keyboard and the lack of gaming controls makes it look more 'professional' as well. I like that it is quite thin too.

A minimum bezel on the win like it looks like will be on the pocket would allow somewhere around a 5.8 inch screen. I have large hands and could handle thumb typing on the win but the pocket is to big for that.

What can be used to thumbtype is different for anyone see video. More important than that is that can you work out a method to use it while holding it in your hands. I can thumb type pretty fast on my eeepc 700. The eeepc 700 is much larger than the GPD Pocket. I can also hold it with one hand and type with another or a combination of the two. If possible I'd rather not thumb type though and use two hands on small keyboards it looks something like this

I am more worried about the lack of long term support and quality issues in hardware or software that will never be solved. Pandora is 6 years old and still gets software updates and if something fails I can get support from this community or ship it to ED.

Still very tempted to buy one but I don't really like pre-ordering. Was there a price difference between the pre-ordering price of the GPD Win and the price after it hit the market?

 

[vcoleiro1]

Still very tempted to buy one but I don't really like pre-ordering. Was there a price difference between the pre-ordering price of the GPD Win and the price after it hit the market?

Yes, The GPD WIN was on Indiegogo for $299 . After the Indiegogo campaign for the WIN, it retailed for $330-$360. There was maybe a couple of brief times were someone sold it on sale for $300 with coupons I think. But yeah, generally it was more after the Campaign.