Messages

1

Gemini PDA - Android / Re: Certain apps won't install on Gemini

« on: September 05, 2021, 12:55:21 pm »

Atom Bank (Atom Bank PLC) is another app that says it's not compatible 

2

Gemini PDA - Android / Certain apps won't install on Gemini

« on: September 05, 2021, 12:37:48 pm »

I have the original Gemini PDA, one of the earliest batch in fact, with the 8.1 Android firmware and no add-ons apart from an internal SD card.

I have come across two Android apps that refuse to install because they say the device is not compatible.  They are the main NHS App (not the Covid one), and the Starling Bank app.

* The NHS App website says it's compatible with Android 8 or later, on devices with a front-facing camera (which of course I have): https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/nhs-app-help-and-support/nhs-app-technical-information/technical-issues-with-the-nhs-app/.  Actually, it worked originally, but a few months ago it started saying "Update required: You won't be able to use it until you do".  But following the Click to Update link, Play Store says "This app is no longer compatible with your device.  Contact the developers for more info."  I did, and they opened a ticket, but over a month later they haven't determined what the problem is.

* The Starling Bank App.  Their website says it's compatible with Android 5.0 or later: https://help.starlingbank.com/business/topics/setting-up-an-account/what-devices-can-i-use-the-starling-bank-app-on/.  If I try to install by following their Play Store link, it says "Your device isn't compatible with this version".

Can anyone tell what particular feature of the Gemini is missing for these apps?  For example, can you check from the Play Store entries what features are required, and compare what features the phone actually provides?

Thanks,

Brian.

3

Gemini PDA - Linux / How to run Linux userland under Android

« on: March 04, 2018, 03:59:00 pm »

Replying to myself... GNUroot is a very cut down Debian Jessie. It starts to look a bit normal when you do:

Code: [Select]

apt-get update
apt-get install apt-utils iputils-ping openssh-client
(Aside: having the minus sign as a Fn-combination really is painful - nut maybe I'll be able to train myself into this)

The fakeness of the root is immediately apparent, as for example

Code: [Select]

# ping 8.8.8.8
ping: icmp open socket: Operation not permitted
GNUroot lets you start an Xterm in a VNC X session - but once I'd started it, I could find no way to stop it other than reboot the phone.

So I'm not sure that GNUroot is actually useful other than as a cool toy.

4

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Shipping email (I got my Gemini PDA)

« on: March 04, 2018, 03:20:01 pm »

I guess it might be because your SIM is still authenticated to your previous phone, as mentioned here:

Thanks for the suggestion.  Actually I ended up doing another factory reset (I hadn't realised that I had to enable cloud backups to Google on my old phone, in order to transfer app settings to the Gemini).  And after that it worked.

I'm sure I accidentally came across a way to switch between multiple desktop screens, but I can't find it any more.  I do wish manufacturers would *document* features and what keystrokes access them, instead of leaving us to discover like some sort of adventure game. I'm too old for those :-)

5

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Shipping email (I got my Gemini PDA)

« on: March 01, 2018, 05:04:51 pm »

My Gemini arrived today too, woot!

First impressions:

- packaging is excellent. Contents: PSU and USB-C cable, case removal tool, micro fibre cloth, some stickers, and a getting started leaflet

- the screen has a protector pre-applied.  I'm guessing they will sell replacements; none are included

- it takes a micro SIM (not nano), which luckily is what my old phone had. It also takes a micro-SD card.

- Keyboard is, well, OK. However the keys are more wobbly than I would like, as if each one is balanced on a little balloon. I never used a Psion so I don't know how it compares.  I did used to own a Sony Vaio palmtop, and it was much better than this.

- I think it'll take a while to get used to pressing Fn-O to get a minus sign.  Also Fn-K for @ (I think it would have been much better as shift-quote, which is the standard position on a UK keyboard, but is instead used for tilde)

- During setup, under "Physical Keyboard" it offers me a Keyboard shortcuts helper.  This shows the following shortcuts:

Home = (magnifying glass) + (return)
Back = (magnifying glass) + (backspace)
Recent = (ALT) + (Tab)
Notifications = (magnifying glass) + N

Which is great, except I have no idea what the magnifying glass key is.  It's not the Planet / Alt key.  So of these, Alt-Tab works (but also Fn-A is also dedicated to bringing up the app switcher)

- It will also take a while to get used to using voice control for calling, and sadly this is broken for me.  I tried "call <name> mobile" and it told that I needed to authorize Google to access my contacts. I clicked Continue, it flashed back "setting turned on for <my google account>", but it then went back round asking for authorization.

It now speaks out loud "sure, but when it's safe, you'll need to go to your phone and tap the notification. Then you can let Google access the contacts on your device".  Which is back to the same page again.

- Android version is 7.1.1 (Nougat), which is reasonably up-to-date - although 7.1.2 was released two months ago, on 5 Dec 2017.  If Planetcom keeps releasing updates that will be a major attraction of the platform for me.

- The default screen sleep time (30 seconds) is way too short for me, but just involved digging around settings a bit to fix.

- I see the reflashing tool has appeared on the Support site.  Sadly it's Windows only, and the Android/Debian dual boot is marked as "Technology Preview".  Going forward, if the Debian part can be upgraded independently that's fine.  If the whole phone has to be reflashed each time a new release comes out, that will be a major pain :-(

I'm now just trying to decide whether I should reflash with this or not...

6

Gemini PDA - Linux / How to run Linux userland under Android

« on: February 26, 2018, 04:42:16 pm »

Found this useful link covering the topic at large: https://wiki.debian.org/ChrootOnAndroid

Thanks.

It looks like GNUroot hasn't been updated since Feb/March 2014: https://github.com/corbinlc/gnuroot https://www.dropbox.com/sh/blwlhsb986xv5hg/7VPnQZZ_fj?lst= - but there is a more recent version called GNUroot Debian https://github.com/corbinlc/GNURootDebian


Termux https://github.com/termux/termux-packages looks better maintained, but as far as I can see it has its own packages, it's not an Debian/Ubuntu.

7

Gemini PDA - Linux / How to run Linux userland under Android

« on: February 25, 2018, 05:08:03 am »

there are now ways of running linux without root - (I haven't tried it)
https://fossbytes.com/how-to-install-a-linu...ithout-rooting/

That looks neat - thanks!  I wonder what the limitations of this approach are?  Presumably anything running setuid root isn't really running as root - meaning presumably no direct access to /dev devices, unable to mount filesystems etc.

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Gemini PDA - Linux / How to run Linux userland under Android

« on: February 23, 2018, 09:38:09 am »

Hello,

I am expecting my Gemini to arrive shortly - out of the blue I got a tracking number from MyHermes :-) So before it does, I'd like to raise a few questions.

My planned use of Gemini is with a Linux userland - e.g. I want to be able to do "apt-get install XXX" and use Linux CLI tools - but I'd like that userland to be running on top of Android, so the Gemini continues to work as a phone and run Android apps like WhatsApp and Google Maps.  (Doing this means I don't need to carry a separate phone around).  I saw Gemini working this way a few months ago.

I note that Planetcom have announced https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gemini-p...one#/updates/49 that there will be a reflashing/repartitioning tool; however their announced Linux support page http://support.planetcom.co.uk/index.php/Linux_Support is currently empty.  There's some more info at GKA https://github.com/gemian/gemini-keyboard-apps/wiki but this seems to be about dual-booting.

So my questions are about how I go about running a Linux userland and/or X desktop while the phone is running Android.

1. Does it require reflashing?  If so, should I reflash my device as soon as it arrives in preparation?

(I am concerned that if I spend a lot of time setting it all up under Android, I am going to lose all that work when I add Linux)

2. Does running Linux under Android use the same Linux partition as if I dual-booted into Linux?

(Maybe it work *better* to boot directly into Linux?  But I am guessing I would lose at least voice calling, if not SMS and data as well)

3. Does it require rooting, and if so how do I go about that?

4. I believe I would also need an Android X server app to get a GUI desktop - what app would I require?

Any clues gratefully received!   Thanks... Brian.