Post by: Varti on February 03, 2022, 03:06:43 am
https://bigtechquestion.com/2022/02/02/review/astro-slide-review/
I really hope that the camera quality can be improved via software and that updates will be available, either from Planet or from third-party.
News via Planet PDAs Facebook page.
Varti
Post by: Zarhan on February 03, 2022, 09:50:40 am
My biggest concern is actually the software updates and whether they'll be coming along afterwards. Cosmo hasn't gotten an update since v25...not even the upstream security patches.
I hope I'll be getting my own soon...
Post by: Daniel W on February 03, 2022, 10:42:09 am
I'm a tad bothered by the reviewer saying that "Screen could be bigger and better", as if 19.5:9 wasn't wide enough, but for some things, the world seems obsessed with size rather than nice, so a silly-wide screen might help sell a hypothetical "Astro 2". Hey, the Psion series 3a/c/mx were 27:9 so, come on... ;-)
The sub-par camera was, much like London rain, an expected letdown, but given that the Astro has a known, nice image sensor, lest the lens is bad, it's likely mostly a software issue. Typically, not even top tier phone cameras are great, lest backed up by stellar image processing. Shuntcap has already said he didn't back the Astro. Perhaps if we could find a way to get him one, but he has already done more than his fair share to support this community, so lest he'd actually want to get involved, I think we need to look for other solutions. Oh well, sliding OT... Over-and-out.
Post by: Varti on February 18, 2022, 06:49:53 am
https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/14/astro-slide-5g-review-qwerty-little-secret-16082871/
Varti
Post by: MonkeyControl on February 18, 2022, 02:27:22 pm
A (mostly positive) review on UK's Metro:
https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/14/astro-slide-5g-review-qwerty-little-secret-16082871/
Varti
'a keyboard beats a screen every time'
Agreed
'you can put Linux OS on it if you want to and treat it like a little computer'
Fingers crossed
'...then picking this over Samsung’s £1k+ flagship won’t be a problem'
That does it, I'm in
Jokes aside, the Astro Slide does seem to be getting generally positive reviews, the camera and the bulk being the only negatives, which I don't think would surprise most of us.
I hope it does well.
Post by: Varti on March 04, 2022, 04:01:00 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-yR8ZYSRvY
Varti
Post by: Varti on March 08, 2022, 03:15:27 am
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/whats-the-deal-with-the-astro-slide-5g
When I read that the community around the Astro is made of "retro technology geeks", I felt like they have missed the point about why such devices exist.
Varti
Post by: MonkeyControl on March 08, 2022, 03:49:08 pm
When I read that the community around the Astro is made of "retro technology geeks", I felt like they have missed the point about why such devices exist.Don't let it get to you Varti, you can't help some people, they just don't get it. :)
Post by: Daniel W on March 09, 2022, 07:59:47 am
...you can't help some people, they just don't get it. :)
Yeah, they seem to confuse function with fashion and utility with retro.
Interestingly, they do recognize that "bulky keypads" that were "either too small for their fingers" or required them "to press the same key more than once to get the correct letters", were a problem, yet does not seem to grasp that virtual keyboards has worse tactile feedback and eats screen space, while their tap zones are still either too small or requires multiple taps... thus really only making them the better choice for very special symbols and (brief use of) foreign alphabets.
They call the Astro a "laptop in my back pocket”... by quoting rap lyrics, as if their "digital trends" are less about stuff that matters across time and more about commercial culture du jour, which in the post-consumerist era we are evolving into, seems rather... vintage to me ;).
Post by: Varti on March 09, 2022, 10:11:18 am
Very well said! I guess they still remember the negative impression they had with Gemini's keyboard when they reviewed it (https://www.digitaltrends.com/cell-phone-reviews/planet-computers-gemini-hands-on-review/) some years ago. On their unit the keys tended to get caught on the downward travel. AFAIK they have not reviewed the Cosmo, so the have not seen how much has the keyboard been improved in the meanwhile, so I hope they'll make a review of the Astro....you can't help some people, they just don't get it. :)
Yeah, they seem to confuse function with fashion and utility with retro.
Interestingly, they do recognize that "bulky keypads" that were "either too small for their fingers" or required them "to press the same key more than once to get the correct letters", were a problem, yet does not seem to grasp that virtual keyboards has worse tactile feedback and eats screen space, while their tap zones are still either too small or requires multiple taps... thus really only making them the better choice for very special symbols and (brief use of) foreign alphabets.
They call the Astro a "laptop in my back pocket”... by quoting rap lyrics, as if their "digital trends" are less about stuff that matters across time and more about commercial culture du jour, which in the post-consumerist era we are evolving into, seems rather... vintage to me ;).
Varti
Post by: Varti on March 15, 2022, 05:29:02 am
https://www.xda-developers.com/astro-slide-5g-hands-on/
Varti
Post by: Rahab D on May 08, 2022, 06:48:02 am
https://www.techradar.com/in/reviews/planet-computers-astro-slide-5g
Post by: Daniel W on May 12, 2022, 11:06:18 am
Small BT keyboards are often just not good keyboards, more intended for the odd search term and such on a media PC. Trying to prop up a phone and such a keyboard on a café table, often gives useless ergonomics and you can't use that keyboard on the go, lest you can physically attach it to the phone by means of a case, which would give you something clumsier than a Planet phone, most likely with worse ergonomics.
A large BT keyboard is nice to type on, but you'd still need a special case so you can prop the phone up to see the screen and now I'd need a backpack for the keyboard, which I must then get out, turn on and get to pair, if I have a flat surface to put it on, that is. Carrying one sub-pound device on which I can thumb type on the go and get near-laptop-typing when I can put it down, is the sweet spot for me.
It is, as we know, a tad of a shame that the Dimensity 800 is a bit dated in parts. We also know Planet did ask for a newer SoC and couldn't have it. Another pain point is just how much more expensive each unit gets when you can't make hundreds of thousands of the same model. Such is life for a tiny vendor.
I partly hope the Astro will turn out nice enough that Planet may (with minor tweaks) stick with that design for a couple of generations and really only have to develop new circuit boards (which indeed may affect antennas and such) when they get access to sufficiently better components. That, or joining forces with a bigger brand, are the only real ways I can see to get regular non-crowdfunded sales going for them.
Post by: Think_Man on June 23, 2022, 02:18:02 pm
I partly hope the Astro will turn out nice enough that Planet may (with minor tweaks) stick with that design for a couple of generations and really only have to develop new circuit boards (which indeed may affect antennas and such) when they get access to sufficiently better components. That, or joining forces with a bigger brand, are the only real ways I can see to get regular non-crowdfunded sales going for them.
This.
I backed the Gemini PDA, and used it as my phone for a little over 3 years. I briefly considered the Cosmo as an upgrade but could not justify the expense. By the time the Astro was coming along I was ready to replace the Gemini, but after reflecting on my experience with the Gemini I decided the Astro was not likely to be worth the expense to me. The free phone the carrier sent me for the 3G sunset has been superior to the Gemini in every respect besides the keyboard.
Planet has incredible keyboards, but everything else is either generations behind or bug riddled. The only way to overcome the limitations of being a small player is going to be to work with a big player to get the keyboard into some mainstream devices.
Post by: 1668880 on July 20, 2022, 10:31:44 am
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/planet-computers-astro-slide-5g-hands-on-features-price-photos-release-date/
Post by: gymbo on July 20, 2022, 11:24:53 am
Well here is a review that is not a paid by PC promo ad.Yes, the FANTASTIC review by the person who was "disappointed" the slide-out mechanism wasn't AUTOMATIC, and generally shows absolutely no understanding of how to even operate the phone?!? I'm thinking it looks more like THIS review WAS paid for by someone, but to bash Planet, than most of the others, which looks to be more balanced (and usually with some complaints as well), should be paid for by Planet...
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/planet-computers-astro-slide-5g-hands-on-features-price-photos-release-date/
Post by: jakfish on July 20, 2022, 01:43:50 pm
As for the buggy software, outdated Android, and basic-at-best camera, I guess individual users will have to weigh the good vs the bad.
The Astro has had almost two years of prep, and while I appreciate supply chain issues, etc, it appears that once more, PC developers didn't devote enough time to a functioning Linux distro. They certainly could've done it while they waited for production problems to ease; instead, it feels as if Adam Boardman will have to save the day again.
I poked my head into PC's site and couldn't find even a beta linux for download.
I mean, come on,
Jake
Post by: 5threeone on August 23, 2022, 11:38:31 am