Messages

1

Gemini PDA - Android / Re: Best email app?

« on: August 18, 2020, 08:33:46 pm »

Thanks for the recommendation. I tried it out for a while but it looks like you cannot have the message list on the left and the message preview pane on the right. That's a bit of a deal-breaker for me.

Also, it looks like the AppBar/keystroke switch to resume composition doesn't seem to work on my Gemini.

2

Gemini PDA - Android / Re: Best email app?

« on: August 18, 2020, 12:03:59 am »

I have not tried that one either. How fast would you say it is in  comparison to K9?

3

Gemini PDA - Android / Re: Best email app?

« on: August 17, 2020, 06:21:36 pm »

Yes it is saved in the folder but I want to be able to immediately resume composition without having to find it again. That's exactly what you can do on a PC or on an iPad.

Now it is possible to get back to your message in the App Switcher view but it's slower to have to sort through it instead of push a single hotkey.

I'm not sure why this is such a difficult thing for most Android email apps. I will say, however, that FairEmail does seem quite powerful now that I've tried it. I just wish it had the feature I'm talking about.

4

Gemini PDA - Linux / Re: Anyone using Firefox?

« on: August 17, 2020, 03:49:15 pm »

Yes, I mean the scrolling primarily. I haven't heard of glamor though. What is that and how do you disable it?

5

Gemini PDA - Linux / Re: Optimizing the LXQt environment

« on: August 17, 2020, 10:55:59 am »

Sorry for the delayed response here. I haven't had a working Gemini until just recently. The minimize keystrokes are determined by KWin. You would be unable to set them in LXQt.

There is a separate KDE control panel where you can adjust the keystrokes:

KDE System Settings -> Shortcuts -> Global Shortcuts

6

Gemini PDA - Linux / Anyone using Firefox?

« on: August 17, 2020, 10:51:27 am »

I have all my other computers and phones on Firefox and love the Sync feature it has. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like Firefox on the Gemini is very usable, at least when I just checked it recently.

Has anyone figured out how to make Firefox usable or is it not really possible given the age of the code?

7

Gemini PDA - Android / Re: Best email app?

« on: August 17, 2020, 10:39:23 am »

I have never looked beyond K9, since discovering it several years ago. It does everything I need, and it's FOSS. Why look for an alternative? (Serious question: why do you want to change from K9?)

K9 does have a lot of nice features, however, you can't use the AppBar to resume your message if you switch away from it while composing. I find this extremely irritating.

Also, the interface of AirMail is so much better optimized for landscape usage compared to K9.

8

Gemini PDA - Android / Re: Best email app?

« on: August 17, 2020, 10:37:33 am »

I use fairmail https://f-droid.org/en/packages/eu.faircode.email/
It is open source and the developer is very, very active on xda https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/source-email-t3824168

I have seen FairEmail several times but never tried it. Just pulling it up now thanks to this recommendation.

It looks like the app does not support resuming composing your message if you switch back via the App Bar or via a shortcut setup via External Keyboard Helper Pro. Thus far, it seems that only AirMail will let you do this.

Does the developer of FairEmail have a Gemini? Has anyone on here corresponded with him?

9

Gemini PDA - Android / Best email app?

« on: August 17, 2020, 03:02:47 am »

I finally got my Gemini repaired after its hinge failed. Just for testing, I fired up AirMail.

After two years, they still haven't fixed the cursor movement and Control Backspace bugs. So needless to say, I will not be using AirMail.

What email apps besides K9 and Gmail do people here like? I won't use the latter and am currently using the former.

10

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Very little activity on this board

« on: January 29, 2020, 03:48:06 pm »

Thanks, all. My third Gemini is currently broken in the same way (hinge detached). I'm debating whether I should file a warranted claim on it. They do have a 1 year warrantee on them, right?

11

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Very little activity on this board

« on: January 28, 2020, 08:29:10 pm »

PC Pro in the UK has a 3-page review of the Cosmo as its Product of the Month in the Jan 2020 issue 303, about two issues back from the latest issue.

Looks like it's not on their website for some strange reason.

It can, however, be found here.

Excellent. Thanks for that!

12

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Very little activity on this board

« on: January 28, 2020, 02:24:36 pm »

+1 for NormMonkey comments...

For my work mobile phone I use an iPhone XR Max. I have it in a silicone case that covers back and sides.

While I'm very careful with all my computing devices and phones, I have had phone slip out of my hand while getting in my car. Phone landed on asphalt pavement. Glad I had the case on phone, as there was zero damage after dropping it from about 3.5 feet above pavement.

Most people I know keep their phones in some sort of case for fall protection reasons.

And even if you don't use a case on Cosmo, you need to open it up if you want to use keyboard. So, there's the hinge opening issue due to clamshell design, as with using a laptop.

My experience with Gemini (about a year...) and Cosmo (about a month...) is that if you handle them with reasonable care, they should do fine.

Just my 2 cents, as we say....

You guys are really not rebutting my arguments. Using a case is irrelevant.

The reality is that Planet realized their hinge design on the Gemini was in need of improvement. They changed it to try and make it more reliable. This is a fact.

I have had a Zaurus and an HP Jornada 720 for over 15 years. Neither one has ever developed hinge problems. I used them daily just in the same way that I used a Gemini. The Gemini broke after a few months. I never dropped them on a hard surface. I had an HP 200LX that lasted 20 years before it developed a hinge crack.

Planet cut some corners on the Gemini hinge. That's just how it is. If yours isn't broken, that just means you don't open and close it as much as I do. Congrats.

13

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Very little activity on this board

« on: January 28, 2020, 11:55:03 am »

I have Gemini for about a year and Cosmo for about a month.

Both are great devices. Have not had any issues with either device.

My Gemini looks like new.

I tend to handle all my phones and mobile computing devices very carefully.

Keep Gemini in the leather sleeve case when not in use.

Awaiting my Cosmo leather case to do the same.

Mark

My work environment involves me constantly walking around and jotting down information. I would waste an enormous amount of time putting my phone in a sleeve, unfortunately.

And the idea that you would absolutely need to use a sleeve for a phone is an indication that it's poorly designed.

I have to think that PC deliberately used plastic for the hinge to keep down costs. But they could have made the sheath for the hinge pin be thicker. Planet chose not to do that.

It's unfortunate that they decided to keep using plastic hinges on the Cosmo.

The best designed handheld PC hinge is that of the Sharp Zaurus SL-Cxx series. They were able to rotate the screen around 360 degrees and could be adjusted to any open/close angle. It's a shame that PC went with a variation of the Psion design.

The HP Jornada devices also have better hinges than the Psions or the Planet designs.

It's a shame that Planet did not try to license or imitate the Sharp or HP designs. The hinge is the most critically important failure point on a keyboard device.

14

Gemini PDA - Hardware / Hairline crack in display case

« on: January 27, 2020, 07:42:34 pm »

Just to add in, I have these cracks as well (the two center ones for me) in the same positions indicated on the posted images with the arrows. So given the amount of responses it does seem to affect a larger amount of people, but similar to other responses I'm not convinced these cracks will actually be a problem. We'll see in a year or two I suppose

The cracks on mine has cased the screen to separate from the keyboard. The metal pins used to hold the screen to the keyboard was able to break through the plastic causing the metal pins to no longer hold the screen to the keyboard.

Just following up on this older thread. I have now gone through 3 Geminis because of this defective design.

I have no idea why they would push such as totally shoddy design to have a metal pin protected by a thin layer of plastic. It's completely not durable for someone who opens and closes the device scores of times a day as I was doing.

15

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Very little activity on this board

« on: January 27, 2020, 07:27:20 pm »

I appreciate the replies to this thread.

Would someone who has owned both a Cosmo and a Gemini please chime in?

Also, I would like to see if the hinge cover is not made out of plastic on the Cosmo.

As you can see in the attached image, the Gemini's hinge consists of a metal pin sheathed in a plastic tube. It's very poorly designed and breaks with a lot of usage.