second exodous
Advanced Member
Well, at least you'll get tons of people asking about why you're talking on a banana and that could lead into talking about the Pyra.
How is it as a phone?
- Thread starter steppenroth
- Start date
tigerroast
YOUNG VORHEES
Smart(ish)-watch+wireless earphones is the optimal solution for me. Having a Pebble Time Round allows me to communicate with people while I'm doing something (I text way more than I talk, and Pebble's/Android Wear's voice-to-text isn't bad), and it generally makes using my phone as a phone easier since I basically skip a step.
I must say, at this juncture, that the Pebble grants this ease-of-use with the Galaxy S5 Active generally not being a pain-in-the-ass to use as a phone/communication device and light+small enough to fit into the pockets of my somewhat-close-fitting pants. The Pyra will never go into my pockets and will live in a bag when I'm out and about, which is not an issue since I carry a bag everywhere I go. However, having to pull the Pyra out of a bag whenever it rings or pings is a major pain-in-the-ass. Inconvenient tools are unused tools.
The Pebble eliminated a step with the GS5A It will eliminate 2 steps with the Pyra. Pebble+BT earphones will kill 3 steps. As for Fitbit killing Pebble, you can find the OG models second-hand for hella cheap, and finding them isn't an issue.
As for the 2nd handheld device, I'm not so sure about that. It enables communication on-the-go without drawing the Pyra out and it's more pocketable, sure. If you're replacing a phone, then why would you essentially add it back to your carry? Yeah, watch+buds turn 1 device into 3, but they're almost weightless and much easier to carry, not to mention the freed-up pocket space as a result. OG Pebbles last a week on a charge, and the earphones can charge from the Pyra for a few mins if low on juice.
I must say, at this juncture, that the Pebble grants this ease-of-use with the Galaxy S5 Active generally not being a pain-in-the-ass to use as a phone/communication device and light+small enough to fit into the pockets of my somewhat-close-fitting pants. The Pyra will never go into my pockets and will live in a bag when I'm out and about, which is not an issue since I carry a bag everywhere I go. However, having to pull the Pyra out of a bag whenever it rings or pings is a major pain-in-the-ass. Inconvenient tools are unused tools.
The Pebble eliminated a step with the GS5A It will eliminate 2 steps with the Pyra. Pebble+BT earphones will kill 3 steps. As for Fitbit killing Pebble, you can find the OG models second-hand for hella cheap, and finding them isn't an issue.
As for the 2nd handheld device, I'm not so sure about that. It enables communication on-the-go without drawing the Pyra out and it's more pocketable, sure. If you're replacing a phone, then why would you essentially add it back to your carry? Yeah, watch+buds turn 1 device into 3, but they're almost weightless and much easier to carry, not to mention the freed-up pocket space as a result. OG Pebbles last a week on a charge, and the earphones can charge from the Pyra for a few mins if low on juice.
This reminds me in this little Phone:
https://www.mikrocontroller.net/topic/65293 (Sorry, its German)
Google Translated:
https://translate.google.at/translate?sl=de&tl=en&u=https://www.mikrocontroller.net/topic/65293
Adding a little blue tooth module instead of the old phone and the whole thing is ready to go.
Or;
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/retired/9803
Last edited:
Failbert
Active Member
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I am surprised a lot of You are considering Pyra as a "phone". Nothing against it, just noting how indeed it seems like some kind of accesories like a headset or companion piece like a smartwatch will be required to use it "in hand"
As I am currently dependant on mobile (3G/4G or whatever) internet, I look forward to sparing a USB port in favor of just inserting the SIM card in the device itself
One Polish provider, due to an agreement with a government agency, in order to offset their monopoly on a certain band, or to whatever, has to provide free internet to anyone who applies. It was always slow, and nowadays there's a captcha to be entered every hour, but hey, looking forward to type it from a pyra, should I get one within 2 years or however long this deal is supposed to last
e: I suppose a number of users want the pyra because it's not an android device, perhaps they need to have a "secure" communication device. Do You suspect that's a popular reason for pre-sales? (not an uncdercover NSA agent, I promise)
As I am currently dependant on mobile (3G/4G or whatever) internet, I look forward to sparing a USB port in favor of just inserting the SIM card in the device itself
One Polish provider, due to an agreement with a government agency, in order to offset their monopoly on a certain band, or to whatever, has to provide free internet to anyone who applies. It was always slow, and nowadays there's a captcha to be entered every hour, but hey, looking forward to type it from a pyra, should I get one within 2 years or however long this deal is supposed to last
e: I suppose a number of users want the pyra because it's not an android device, perhaps they need to have a "secure" communication device. Do You suspect that's a popular reason for pre-sales? (not an uncdercover NSA agent, I promise)
Silent-Hunter
Hardcore Member
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I don't think a headset will be required. It seems like people are concerned about how it will look when they hold it against their head.
Neelix
Insecticidal Maniac
It's not the looks, it's that It's not designed as a phone, so it would be quite awkward to use it as one.
It doesn't have an external speaker, so hearing it ring when it's in your pocket may be difficult. Then, (once you've extracted it from wherever you keep it and opened the lid) depending on how polished the software ends up being you may have to launch the phone software. This may involve quitting whatever program or game you were running when last put the Pyra away. Assuming you actually manage to answer the call before it rings out you then have to hold what will feel somewhat akin to holding a brick to your head to take the call.
It would take some highly polished and well integrated phone software before I would even consider using the Pyra by itself as a phone, and even then I doubt I would due to the form factor not being ideal for it.
That said, if the software reaches a state where all phone functions including ringing and answering calls can be handled though an external device like one of those bluetooth diallers that may well mitigate most or all of the issues I have with it.
-Neelix
It doesn't have an external speaker, so hearing it ring when it's in your pocket may be difficult. Then, (once you've extracted it from wherever you keep it and opened the lid) depending on how polished the software ends up being you may have to launch the phone software. This may involve quitting whatever program or game you were running when last put the Pyra away. Assuming you actually manage to answer the call before it rings out you then have to hold what will feel somewhat akin to holding a brick to your head to take the call.
It would take some highly polished and well integrated phone software before I would even consider using the Pyra by itself as a phone, and even then I doubt I would due to the form factor not being ideal for it.
That said, if the software reaches a state where all phone functions including ringing and answering calls can be handled though an external device like one of those bluetooth diallers that may well mitigate most or all of the issues I have with it.
-Neelix
Silent-Hunter
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Assuming the software gets to a state where it can be answered no matter what programs are running, I think it would be alright. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
mickeymaus
Still Fresh
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Aren't Bluetooth dialers a big thing in China/Asia?
That might be an easy solution, if interested in a handset rather than a headset.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That might be an easy solution, if interested in a handset rather than a headset.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Neelix
Insecticidal Maniac
I wouldn't know. It may be a good solution, but again, the software would first need to mature to the point where it could reliably maintain a connection to and route all phone functions through it even if the Pyra itself were busy doing something else.
-Neelix
Kelvin
Pixel Mercenary
I talked to someone at Verizon about using Pyra, and they said they'd have to test it out before they can issue me a SIM card. According to them, just being LTE isn't enough; there are different types of antennas that use different connection formats as well, so we'd have to know what Pyra uses in order to know what networks it will work with.
There's a short article on the Pyra Wiki about this. You can also get the official data sheet of the Pyra's modem, the one you'd probably use is the PLS8-US, and compare its frequencies to whatever carrier you're using offers.
Or you could move to Europe, get the Pyra with a PLS8-E and get a contract with any carrier you want because we actually have frequency standards set up over here.
lameventanas
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I considered buying the Pyra to use as a phone, I'm not sure I will buy it though.
I'm not interested in gaming, but I need a portable computing device and a phone, so the Pyra would be great for that, if only the design was a bit different.
I'm not the only one with this need, I think there is a good market for such a device, maybe it could be the Pyra's successor.
