Messages

1

Gemini PDA - Linux / Re: worth picking up a Gemini PDA today (2024) for Linux ?

« on: April 24, 2024, 02:29:03 pm »

I'm using Gemini exclusively on my Gem, with a patched exagear to run a couple of x86 programs. You'll probably need a battery, but there are a couple of threads here about workaround replacements. I'm using a Huawei 2200mAh battery that gives enough juice to compute for 5-6 hours, but probably not enough to work as an all-day phone.

Given that Gemini provides both wifi and data, along with desktop-quality apps, it's my favorite handheld, even more than my PinePhone/kb.

Jake

2

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Re: Current use of Gemini?

« on: March 26, 2024, 06:05:11 pm »

I just got exagear working on Gemian. Dunno if x-86 apps are of interest to you, but Word 97 (my all-time favorite wp) runs swimmingly on Gemian once past
97's slow start. exagear is now licensed abandonware, but the wget patch makes it run without problem: https://github.com/ryanfortner/exagear-rpi

Let me know if this is something you want because sources.list in the exagear container needs some tinkering.

3

Astro Slide - General Discussion / Re: Has anyone here seen any signs of life from Planet lately?

« on: March 05, 2024, 06:12:07 pm »

Hmm. I hope you're right, Dom. Since this is the go-to forum for all things Planet, and since the forum posts have dropped precipitously, both from the unavailability/shipment of current devices and a general dearth of PC response, I can't find much promise. But I have fingers crossed for your perspective.

I've cobbled together a $4usd battery and my Gemini to run 3-5 hours on a Gemian install, and that has been great, but not much is going on OESF, which tells me not much is going on with PC

4

Gemini PDA - Linux / Re: Best Backup for Gemian?

« on: February 28, 2024, 03:27:48 pm »

Per its manual: a user can restore a timeshift snapshot via another linux machine as long as timeshift is installed on both machines.

Right now, I have a successful snapshot made of Gemian, with timeshift installed on both Gemian and another linux computer. But I can't seem to connect the two to bring up the Gemini partition.

I haven't yet set port forwarding on my router to enable ssh to the Gemini, but even if I could, I don't believe timeshift would see the Gem partition to overwrite it with the snapshot.

Jake

5

Gemini PDA - Linux / Re: Best Backup for Gemian?

« on: February 28, 2024, 01:06:48 pm »

FWIW, I found a timeshift ARM64 that will install in Gemian, via sudo dpkg -i despite its complaints about two missing libs.

The fonts, despite xrandr tinkering, remain minuscule, so users will need a powerful magnifying glass. As for storing the Timeshift snapshot on an external drive, said drive must be formatted to ext4 

6

Gemini PDA - Linux / Best Backup for Gemian?

« on: February 27, 2024, 05:52:09 pm »

I can't get timeshift to install, even with the ppa and the key, and there doesn't appear to be a xenial-based arm64 timeshift .deb available elsewhere.

Do I have other options? dd-ing doesn't seem as if it will work, since I would need a livecd and an unmounted Gemian partition to perform a successful restore.

Looking for a true system backup, all of it.

Thanks,
Jake

7

Astro Slide - General Discussion / Re: Has anyone here seen any signs of life from Planet lately?

« on: February 21, 2024, 09:48:12 am »

I understand your position. While I can use TextMaker on the Unihertz, it's for brief additions to existing chapters, everything temporary until I can return to a computer. The Unihertz does make a large phone, the Titan, but I doubt even that would solve your kb needs. And the Titan is a hefty beast.

I have the ZAAG bt kb, which looks remarkably similar to your Voxicon.

Jake

8

Astro Slide - General Discussion / Re: Has anyone here seen any signs of life from Planet lately?

« on: February 20, 2024, 04:50:03 pm »

Daniel, thanks for the careful write-up. Since I didn't back the Astro, I tried using the fxtec pro1x, but its telephony in the US was terrible, callers couldn't hear me, dropped packets, etc.

From there, and successfully daily-driving it since last September, I went with this:

https://www.amazon.com/Unihertz-Pocket-Smartphone-Android-Unlocked/dp/B09J4TPZDD/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1X9ABM12JQBX8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YPyXOG1ZiBz0bsAKHKfoHHczDfU-VGOBBmDh2JxUOXrgfxok5RF8_-OELMLkMy248RjBQgS4IKA2qmpXrhV6MuJxLnFK5v9mWmKByGh9ui4DT3xQ0bC-BMdBKaL3-wyowivwWYqP1VQJXObJ54s7-hWQAfw5wCC7enHjkUq5bI4cl1PISyvmVo1c4Q0QHU-qgQPxBNkM7unhSo2Lz0pJa867MB4bVboPOj6Rm8nSE04.OJmnTOaob9F8AJgNXqXD6hPyceYdyL_4s-S9QBVGJt0&dib_tag=se&keywords=unihertz&qid=1708465357&sprefix=unihe%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.c3015c4a-46bb-44b9-81a4-dc28e6d374b3

A solid BB imitator that has yet to fail me communication-wise. Stuck on Android 11, but fully functional, and over in discord.com, a clever fellow has developed a Lineage for current Android (I don't run it). Unihertz phones have a faithful following with few complaints.

Jake

9

Astro Slide - General Discussion / Re: Has anyone here seen any signs of life from Planet lately?

« on: February 20, 2024, 02:23:12 pm »

I'd love to know the actual percentage of Astros delivered to actual backers. 50% delivered? More? Less?

Jake

10

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Re: Battery for Huawei Ascend P6 is compatible with Cosmo Communicator

« on: February 18, 2024, 04:08:13 pm »

Whelp, the news about these batteries is good and bad. Both batteries listed below will run both Cosmo and Gemini for 3-5 hours, depending on use. A battery that has this lettering:

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/203189521885

works with my Gemini, both running and charging.

And battery that has this lettering:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175240435655

successfully runs in the Cosmo, but won't charge (nor will the first-listed battery charge in the Cosmo). My results are the opposite of Davide's (blogger in first thread post). Though he doesn't own the first-listed battery, he can get the second-listed battery to run/charge in his Cosmo, but he can't get it to charge in his Gemini.

At first, I thought my Cosmo's charging was broken, but it can still charge the original battery, so I'm very confused. I made sure to buy Davide's battery lettering for the Cosmo, but no go.

Since I no longer use PC devices for anything except wifi-ed Gemian, I'm at least glad to have the Gemini up and running, and for a nominal fee.

Jake

11

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Re: Battery for Huawei Ascend P6 is compatible with Cosmo Communicator

« on: February 04, 2024, 05:24:53 pm »

Thank you, thank you. I just bought two and posted on your cited link, asking him for a little more into about cutting the "little plastic tooth."

So weird, though, that these batteries don't work in the Gem, even if the Gem and Cosmo share the same stock battery.

Really appreciate your post.

Jake

12

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Re: Successfully replaced the battery with a third party one

« on: September 25, 2023, 03:01:54 pm »

This is great to hear.

Jake

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Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Re: New Batteries Anywhere? (Shipped to USA)

« on: September 25, 2023, 03:01:12 pm »

This is most intriguing.

Cam, mifritscher took steps to prevent a pcb lock-up. Did you do the same, or were you simply able to remove cable from old battery and attach to new? Then install in the Cosmo?

This is the best news I've heard in a while, Planet-wise, but I absolutely suck at soldering, even if the pcb is okay.

Jake

14

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Re: New Batteries Anywhere? (Shipped to USA)

« on: June 14, 2023, 02:52:43 pm »

Yeah, I've certainly bought a number of third-party batteries from aliexpress and other overseas distributors (I'm in the US) and they've been vaguely wrapped in plastic and an envelope, and nobody said boo along the long way.

Jake

15

Cosmo Communicator - Linux / Re: Making Linux more mobile friendly

« on: May 30, 2023, 11:53:06 am »

Though my Gem and Cosmo are long-retired due to the lack of reasonably-priced replacement batteries, your screen complaints ring a bell.

I now own a PinePhone/keyboard and have the same issues (though reversed--the icons are too large).

I just keystroked everything, from apps to wifi toggle, then printed out all the combos onto a mailing label and stuck that to the Cosmo bottom for reference. The rub with the Cosmo is that the Alt key as sole modifier doesn't work (eg: Alt + W = Libreoffice Writer). You have to combine it with Control or Shift key (if I'm remembering correctly). Gemini Gemian does not have the Alt-only issue.

I'm sure such an approach has already crossed your mind, but it's the only one I could come up with, and I already use keystroking on every Linux machine, regardless of size. It's simply faster.

Jake