Planet Computers : Gemini - Psion Returns

[Grench]

@eric
@Grench
how is typing just with thumbs when holding in hands? I think about getting a successor to my beloved N900.
Do you know how long it will take to deliver when i order in indiegogo now? On their website, the pricing is much higher.

Edit: not to forget the most important question, does it fit into a jeans pocket? This would be the only advantage over the pyra.

Typing with the thumbs is sub-optimal but doable. The Pyra keyboard test mule I had for a short time was better for thumb typing.

Set the Gemini on any semi-flat surface, though, and with a bit of practice, true touch-typing is possible even with my big fat fingers. Touch typing won't work for anyone with hands larger than a Keebler Elf's on the Pyra. (Joke courtesy of my wife. She saw me using my Pandora and said, "The Keebler Elves called. They want their computer back.")

I do not know what their current time to delivery is. The last piece of my order (camera module) arrived yesterday. I think they have fulfilled all of the pre-orders and may be fulfilling from stock at this point - maybe?

I'm not sure why Planet still has the Indiegogo project open. I would think they would loose a significant chunk of each sale there.

I suspect that the Planet computers website sales was set up as the after-Indiegogo plan.

@EvilDragon (the guy who runs this place and makes the Pyra) said above in this thread that he was going to try to get them stocked in his store. I do not know what price he will end up charging.

I'm considering purchasing a 2nd Gemini so that I can have one to play with Debian and Sailfish on since my existing one is getting used for work.

Hope that helps.
[doublepost=1530199603,1530199422][/doublepost]Oh, and yes, it fits in my front pants/jeans pocket. Depending on how generous your clothing manufacturer was, though, it may be tight or non-fitting. It IS a VERY large, heavy and thick phone. It is also a very small computer.

 

[NetBLOKS]

@eric
@Grench
how is typing just with thumbs when holding in hands? I think about getting a successor to my beloved N900.
Do you know how long it will take to deliver when i order in indiegogo now? On their website, the pricing is much higher.

Edit: not to forget the most important question, does it fit into a jeans pocket? This would be the only advantage over the pyra.

Regarding delivery: Best wait for ED to stock it.
For all the other questions:
Thumb typing is very good, except for the missing second FN button.
It fits very well, even into quite the slim jeans pocket.

Edit:
Aaaaaaaaaah, ninjad by @Grench

Editedit:
Typing on it looks like Schroeder from Peanuts playing on his small piano.
But as Grench wrote: after some getting used to it, you can even type with the device laying on your leg and fixing it with both pinky fingers for stability.
I really like my Gemini.

 

[Grench]

Typing on it looks like Schroeder from Peanuts playing on his small piano.
But as Grench wrote: after some getting used to it, you can even type with the device laying on your leg and fixing it with both pinky fingers for stability.
I really like my Gemini.

Agreed on the Shroeder's Piano bit. Maybe I should print that to a sticker and put it on the lid.

I hadn't tried the pinky stabilizer trick... I'll have to give that a shot. The side to side wobble when leg-typing can be a bit frustrating.

Other hackish things...
I still have the factory shipped cheap screen-cover layer on mine. I bought a screen protector for it from Amazon UK but it still hasn't arrived.

I'm not fond of having a camera stare back at me constantly, so I have taken to cutting the sticky side of a post it note to use as a cheap lens cover on notebooks & tablets. I did that on the left side of my Gemini and then figured out, WOW! Having that bit of extra traction on the screen helps a -lot-! Bonus it cuts down on the thumbprints. So, I put one on the non-camera side too. My Gemini screen is now bordered on the left and right by yellow post-it note tops where my thumbs hold the screen side while my fingers hold the back of the screen side while my palms hold the keyboard side when using it without a table.

 

[eric]

Thumb typing is not as easy as on the Pandora (and Pyra I assume) mostly because of the lack of extra keys and buttons. However, typing with the Gemini on a flat surface is much nicer because of the size of the keys. My use case involves both so I'm happy half the time...

The Gemini fits in my jeans' pockets, both front and rear. It is bigger than my phone but not that much bigger. It's longer than the Pandora but much thinner. I carry both Gemini and phone as I'm not using the Gemini as a phone, partly because my phone has an excellent camera which I use all the time.
[doublepost=1530252705,1530252555][/doublepost]Oh, and I love the Schroder image!
[doublepost=1530261625][/doublepost]

@eric
@Grench
Do you know how long it will take to deliver when i order in indiegogo now? On their website, the pricing is much higher.

I have no idea about indiegogo but I ordered mine at the start of the month directly from Planetcom.co.uk with an expected delivery of "mid-June". I received it last week. And, yes, the price is now much higher than the pre-order price, as is expected. Whether this price will drop or not is anybody's guess.

 

[Grench]

I see that these are now available in ED's shop. Price though... Is Planet not giving resellers, i.e. @EvilDragon , a break (or much of one) from retail?

Indiegogo PC Gem 4G US: $599 + shipping.
Dragonbox PC Gem 4G US : 584.03 EUR ~ $680 + shipping.

 

[EvilDragon]

I'm having the same prices as the official Gemini Store:

https://store.planetcom.co.uk/collections/gemini-pda/products/gemini-pda-1

Didn't even know they're still selling it on Indiegogo (and which doesn't make sense...)
But yeah, I could never offer it for the Indiegogo price, as that's roughly the distributors price (and I also have to give 2 years of warranty, etc.)

That's often the problem with crowdfunding projects.... Once they start selling regularly, they often forget that distributors also need to earn something....

 

[Autian]

I ordered a Gemini Psion a few days ago from EDs shop. For those that don't know: there are dozens in stock now

 

[Grench]

Now that ED is selling these and has them in stock, should Planet Computers (and GPD for that matter) get a sub-heading under "Other Consoles" much like, "GPH Consoles" does?

GPH Consoles
GPD Devices
Planet Computers Devices (Yes, I know they only have one.)

 

[Autian]

It arrived but I had no time unboxing it until yesterday.
I have gotten major issues with the keyboard acting weird. Sometimes it switches between FN and normal mode when pressing non-alphanumeric keys. So when I want to delete some text by pressing backspace, it takes me to Android settings even though I did not press the FN-Button the whole time.
I have already updated and configured the Gemini Keyboard app and the system is up to date. Did you have these issues as well and if so, how did you fix that?

 

[NetBLOKS]

After updating, you have to reconfigure the keyboard app.
And after every reconfiguration, you have to reboot the device.
That's what worked for me.

 

[Autian]

Did not help I even reflashed Android using their guide. I start to think that there is a problem in how the keyboard is connected. The Psion randomly starts the google voice app or the contact list. Some keys do not work at all.

 

[NetBLOKS]

That never happened to me, so it maybe a hardware related problem.

 

[ArchiMark]

Agree, sounds like hardware problem. Might be a simple fix or maybe not.

Contact Planet for assistance.

Mark


PS. Not sure why people are calling this device a Psion, it is not. It is a Planet Computer Gemini PDA.

It takes some hardware design inspiration from the Psion by the Psion keyboard/case designer, but otherwise is really a new company.

 

[ZXDunny]

Not to mention that Psion's logo was this:

So you can see where "planet computers" and their current logo came from. And no, they are nothing to do with Psion of the 80s/90s, they're just trying to cash in on the good feeling people had about the 3a/c and 5/Mx.

 

[NetBLOKS]

Not to mention that Psion's logo was this:

So you can see where "planet computers" and their current logo came from. And no, they are nothing to do with Psion of the 80s/90s, they're just trying to cash in on the good feeling people had about the 3a/c and 5/Mx.

Well, for the most part, I think they "cash in" for a good product, tailored to people who liked the Psion and/or need a PDA instead of a smartphone.
I am quite satisfied with my Gemini.

 

[eric]

I am quite satisfied with my Gemini.

As am I. It's definitely in the spirit of Psions (3, 3a, & 3mx in my case) of old. Only my OpenPandora has come close recently to this benchmark. A portable multifunctional keyboard based device.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Autian]

Oh. Yeah I don't know how I got that mixed up But I was already aware about Planet Computers being a new company.

About the hardware issue I first thought I would swap it for a new Gemini (forgot the correct term regarding warranties). This would be the first time sending something back I bought in the web.

 

[ArchiMark]

I like the Gemini overall. Hardware-wise it is quite nicely designed and ultra-portable.

Think it is still in process of becoming.....from a OS standpoint.

Like the flexibility to use one or more OS's....but not a big fan of Android due to google connections...but know you can deal with it if you use it rooted, etc.

Sailfish looks pretty, but once you get beyond the looks, it feels pretty 'half-baked'...so, maybe in the upcoming next version it will be more compelling to me..

Like having Debian and for a somewhat beta version available, works pretty good. However, you really need a mouse to navigate well....which is fine when I'm at a desk location, but not so good, if I'm sitting in a chair, etc.

So, hopeful for the continued development and make this a more mature product.

Just my 2 cents...

Mark