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.
