Planet Computers : Gemini - Psion Returns


Engadget is a weird fish. I have writtien to them to do a story on the GPD WIN 2, no reply.

Strange to think a site called Engadget wont do a story on the GPD WIN or WIN2, but they are happy to do stories on all sorts of other crap. Some of which is not even tech related like their SJW pieces
 

Another reviewer with limited product understanding or knowledge.

He states that there are no notifications because there is no exposed screen and drones on about how you have to open it to see who is calling, etc... Completely ignores the user controlled multi-color 5 LED array in the lid, differential ring tones & vibration, etc.

Noted that among it's retro features it has a headphone jack - then doesn't bother to use it and review audio quality.

Treated it as if it's primary purpose was a phone - which it isn't.

Reviewers have gotten into a habit of grading phones by megapixels, Ghz, core counts and built in storage. When something different finally comes along, they fail to 'get it'.
 
What baffles me that he was apparently one of the engadget enthusiasts about the product; is surprised about the inability to touch type regularly and then subsequently reviews it like it is a regular smartphone.

I am not sure what he was expecting it to be. That was a very poor review, all I learned is that he doesn't like it. Why would I care about that?
 
Reviewers have gotten into a habit of grading phones by megapixels, Ghz, core counts and built in storage. When something different finally comes along, they fail to 'get it'.

I suspect that they review things on the mainstream sites like Engadget in a manner that appeals to their core demographic - the general public. A general public whose younger adults (the main target) have never really used something like the Psion 5 series won't really "get it" at all.
 
Engadget has long gone down into my books to the point I even forgot it still exists.
They are probably targeting teens which they think "might" prefer this kind of shit review.

At least the product is exposed and anyone with a wrinkle interested will hunt more info, that should do the product some good.
 
Indeed. There was a time when the site was an important entry in my RSS/Atom feeds. Those days are long gone.

In my opinion, a good gadget review should end with a screwdriver :)
 
I dunno, I'm not seeing very many positive reviews of the Gemini at all. Which is a shame, as I'd kill for a keyboard like that on the GPD Pocket, I really would. Well, for a 5MX keyboard; the Gemini keyboard isn't doing too well in the reviews.
 
I dunno, I'm not seeing very many positive reviews of the Gemini at all. Which is a shame, as I'd kill for a keyboard like that on the GPD Pocket, I really would. Well, for a 5MX keyboard; the Gemini keyboard isn't doing too well in the reviews.
YOU are to consume OUR content, not create your OWN, slave!
 
A register review after a month with the device, including a little play with debian at the end.

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/04/11/life_with_gemini/

And a review by a phone guy who didn't bother to research the thing he's reviewing.

The bit about no back camera - no mention of the fact that there is a camera add-on module.

The bit about the on-screen icon bar - no mention of the fact that this feature existed on Psion BEFORE iOS & Windows.

The bit about no way to know who's calling - no exterior notifications - no mention of the 5 user programmable notification LEDs in the lid.

So, reviewer gets a 'thing'. Doesn't bother to research 'thing'. Complains about things that they don't understand. Seems to be a trend.
 
Indeed, though I disagree with you about the onscreen icon bar - iirc, the Series 5 had a touch-enabled panel that was external to the screen for launching apps among other things. It wasn't part of the screen.
 
Indeed, though I disagree with you about the onscreen icon bar - iirc, the Series 5 had a touch-enabled panel that was external to the screen for launching apps among other things. It wasn't part of the screen.

Bar along bottom of the screen with commonly accessed tasks easily selected.

At that point I'm not too concerned if it is on the screen or keyboard side of the hinge. Purpose is the same - and originated on this type of device to be stolen/mimiced/copied to the OSs referenced in the review. Reviewer implies that the Gemini copied iOS when in reality they were both copying the capabilities of the Psion.
 
I think they might have captured more of the feel of the Series 5 with the touchbar though. Had it been vertically mounted in the bezel and of the style of the later macbooks (ie, programmable LCD display) then that would have been a killer feature.

As it is, I don't think I'll be rushing to get one of these. So far the pocketable PC space has been woefully represented (though GPD are making serious strides here).
 
Gemini PDA Indiegogo backers by Country


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[NEWS]
Some "secret info" from Robin Parker(in HK now):
Robin: "Today at factory production was in full flow. Extra detail is being placed on keyboard and the keyboard feels a lot lot better."
"do you have good feelin from the keyboard now ?"
"Yes I really do. It’s a great keyboard now really is"


30716533_2122918741056668_3269448522985897984_o.jpg

30657121_2122918877723321_984406036091764736_n.jpg
 
Robin: "Today at factory production was in full flow. Extra detail is being placed on keyboard and the keyboard feels a lot lot better."
"do you have good feelin from the keyboard now ?"
"Yes I really do. It’s a great keyboard now really is"
I suppose you have to be Dutch to get this reference, but why am I thinking about toilet ducks now :p

Robin claiming his product is good is not a particularly objective measure.
 
A review from another perspective:
http://blog.afandian.com/2018/04/gemini-pda/
Code:
http://blog.afandian.com/2018/04/gemini-pda/

I suspect there is a difference in perspective between the 'professional reviewers' who ended up with a (maybe free) Gemini because they 'have to review it' and the people who purposely sought out and purchased a Gemini.

I hadn't thought about this perspective before, but it kind of makes sense. It may be a reason not to send out free Pyras to reviewers.
 
It's a readable review, but it focuses a little too much for my liking on the keyboard, and barely mentions the rest of the device. The keyboard is a pretty unique part of this device, and probably the main selling point, but I'd have likes to see more opinions about the rest of the package.

But yeah, we've been suggesting people like Ashens thanks to the glowing review of the Pandora he made back in the day. Even so, I think he got a unit with an SD card containing a lot of software, so it'd be better to wait until the Pyra's capable of the same things, and an SD card can be built. And also since then, I've seen him get some of the JXD and GPD devices, so a handheld doing this sort of thing isn't quite as notable as it once was.

I also didn't think that Register review was all that bad. It did mention using the external LEDs to see who was calling when it said: "There is no way at present to link custom LED displays to specification notifications, which is a shame.". But yeah, moaning there's no back camera when a back camera module is available is a boob, although perhaps more Planet Computers mistake in not sending one out with the review pack.

It's a little bit dismissive of the whole thing, but that's a Register tradition, and readers would baulk at anything that didn't focus on the negatives where possible. Still, I'm not sure the Register is the kind of place to review the Pyra well, because it mainly feeds a readership that doesn't care if their phone or computer is spying on them it seems, as long as it can do slow motion video. There are often a few Linux users in the comments, but they're in the minority I'd suggest. The pyra makes a few compromises to make it easy to repair, upgradable and has a long battery life, particularly in terms of physical bulk, which is bound to be looked down upon by anyone who hasn't been prearmed with those facts.
 
The pyra makes a few compromises to make it easy to repair, upgradable and has a long battery life, particularly in terms of physical bulk, which is bound to be looked down upon by anyone who hasn't been prearmed with those facts
To be fair, I'm not even sure those facts will help you either.

The mobile Pyra is 714 Eur for the cheaper version, which is about £620. For that price, I can replace my phone every year for about 4 years with a new model for the same money. The phones have less bulk, but also respectable battery life; and who cares about repairing when you can just replace it with an upgraded model? You might just be replacing for 3.5 years instead of 4 if I have to replace a broken model early.

Also, on the Pyra upgrade side... well, unless ED runs down a path of a new CPU board each year, you're certainly not going to get the same upgrade "rate" (regardless of how useful those phone "upgrades" actually are); and AFAIK, there's never been talks of upgrading things like screen resolution (4K videos?) etc. . You certainly can't get a larger screen for the Pyra but your next phone could be larger (well, unless you've already got a Gemini :) which again isn't strictly a phone)
 
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