Messages

31

Gemini PDA - Hardware / Charging the Gemini with a non-Gemini cable ?

« on: September 03, 2018, 12:48:47 pm »

So I read around the Net that the Gemini charges itself through a dedicated fast-charge protocol. Indeed, mine does: 2 hours and it is full (and hot).
...
What slows this down ? The car connection ? The USB-A-to-C cable ? Or both ?

The special sauce is the fast-charger uses the data lines in the USB for power so it can shove more juice down the same cable, it also carries a higher voltage to get more current across. Look at the charger:
5V @ 2A
7V @ 1.67A
9V @ 1.67A
12V @ 1.25A

32

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Gemini PDA Gen 2 Features Request

« on: August 23, 2018, 01:09:52 pm »

Just thought of this when reading another thread were the height of the screen was an issue.

Many people want some kind of screen on the outside.

So, and this is a major redesign but what the hell. Add a second screen to the existing one hinged at the top of it so when shut it concertinas down and the new extra screen is facing out, when opened the new screen is above the existing one giving you an effective double height screen. I suspect power distribution could be an issue but possibly a small battery or super cap in the bezel might be enough.

The device would be quite a bit thicker but the advantage of having a large screen might be enough to justify it.

A compromise might be to have a full width but half height extra screen which could fold back into a depression on the main screen back when shut (look I'm thinking of this as I type, don't expect perfection) and would effectively extend the main screen to 1620 high when opened and could probably be done without adding too much to the overall thickness.

33

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Games on Gemini

« on: August 07, 2018, 12:48:31 pm »

And has anyone got any EMUS running on it successfully ?

SCUMMVM runs a treat for all those old Psygnosis and LucasArts games like Sam & Max, Discworld or Day of the Tentacle.

34

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Gemini PDA Gen 2 Features Request

« on: July 28, 2018, 01:20:53 pm »

A simple unambiguous way to enter F1 to F12, or at least F1 to F10. Can't use the normal modifier keys because it should be possible to apply them to the F keys - perhaps reduce the width of the number keys and add an extra narrow button at the end of that row to act as an F modifier for the number keys to give F1 to F10

35

Gemini PDA - Android / Solved: Some formats not receivable with bluetooth

« on: July 28, 2018, 07:07:23 am »

Hi, have you tried renaming the file to a filetype you know is supported.

Epubs are just zip files full of HTML pages so there's no intrinsic reason for them not to be copied.

36

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Gemini PDA Gen 2 Features Request

« on: July 19, 2018, 01:06:19 pm »

The Gemini II would be far more attractive to consumers with a removable keyboard. It also becomes much more versatile for those of us who love the keys. This idea would also increase the battery life.

Er, no. The battery is in the keyboard to act as a counterbalance to the screen, if you put the power in the screen part it wouldn't be able to sit like it does now unless the keyboard overhangs a lot behind the screen which would make everything too cumbersome, also you'd lose the protection the keyboard offers the screen when the device is closed.

Just how would it extend the battery life? If the connection is wireless you'd need to charge both the keyboard & the screen separately, people would just love that and it would increase the power consumption and depending on the type of connection (cough Bluetooth) there might be a noticeable lag. If a connector is used then it's fiddly and a certain failure point as crud will ingress the connectors.

37

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Perk/Accessory delivery?

« on: July 19, 2018, 12:50:20 pm »

Looks like there's some movement, I ordered a HDMI cable from their web site in May as it was no longer available as a perk.
I got an email this morning to say it's been despatched.

38

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Gemini PDA Gen 2 Features Request

« on: July 18, 2018, 02:34:06 pm »

But I think I prefer the screen protected inside the device, and maybe a small and simple screen on the outside (maybe an e-ink, or a few lines of LCD text-display).

Having a screen on the covers makes the leather holder pointless as it would obscure the screen, I wonder if they could move the USB and mic on the right side and fit a small LCD showing a single line of text there, also would be better when the device is in a pocket as you could see it without removing it from your pocket - if they want to be really clever make the silver button a rocker or slider switch so you can scroll the text in either direction.

39

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Unable to boot

« on: July 18, 2018, 02:18:48 pm »

In off state gemini shows 100% battery.
The problem is, that i'm unable to boot anything (including recovery mode).
After initial planet logo display starts blinking and that's all.

Intriguing, if it won't boot how do you know the battery is at 100%?

When bricked the charging notification LEDs do not behave predictably also when bricked for some reason the battery discharges down to zero in under 24 hrs - at least mine did.

40

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Unable to boot

« on: July 17, 2018, 07:16:39 pm »

Have anyone an idea what should happen or advice how to fix it (if it's fixable).

The last time i bricked mine was while flashing when I started the battery was at almost 100% but the bugger just wouldn't boot, I had some communication with Planet and they suggested holding the Esc & silver button in for at least 10 seconds, well it would start and die.

Eventually I got it to work and found the battery was at 0% even though it'd been switched off and when it was dead I plugged the charger in but no LEDs lit up. It wouldn't boot at all if plugged in so I had to get it booting and plug it in during the boot, I then had to muck about with a factory reset, another flashing and installing everything, again.

So after that preamble I'd suggest first making sure the device has enough power to get through the boot sequence, try holding both buttons down for a while - good luck.

You might find the fast charger wont do much if the battery is too low but plugging in to a PC seems to get some charge across - not 100% on this but it seemed to work for me.

41

Gemini PDA - Linux / left/middle/right mouse clicks and F1-F12 and Insert keystrokes

« on: July 16, 2018, 01:36:17 pm »

Problem is getting F11 and F12...

I read somewhere that the lid switches are on F11 & F12 which may or may not be true, not sure how you'd go about testing it though.

42

Gemini PDA - Hardware / Screen Video Problem. Gemini useless piece now

« on: July 14, 2018, 01:16:24 pm »

Have you tried a different SIM?

43

Gemini PDA - Hardware / Screen Video Problem. Gemini useless piece now

« on: July 13, 2018, 03:48:34 pm »

I wasn't aware that there are user servicable components under the hood of the Gemini.

There's a couple of ribbon cables connecting the 2 halves, I've not looked but it's a reasonable assumption that at least one end (and probably both) terminate in a connector so there's no harm in checking they are firmly seated before returning the item.

But..... Pretty much all the clever bits are in the screen module, all the cables should be carrying is keyboard, 2 x USB, audio stuff and the silver button so unless it's a power problem it's hard to see how it could be causing the problems shown above but when electronics go wrong, logic* is the first thing to go out the window.

* As in "reasonable expectations", not TTL or CMOS type logic although let me tell you about CMOS fault finding... <27 pages of boring anecdotes deleted>

44

Gemini PDA - Hardware / Screen Video Problem. Gemini useless piece now

« on: July 13, 2018, 12:40:10 pm »

Posting the same message in multiple groups will not help in the slightest, much the opposite in all probability.

Have you tried removing the covers and making sure all the cables are seated correctly yet?

45

Gemini PDA - Sailfish OS / How do I enter a security code?

« on: July 12, 2018, 06:55:10 pm »

How do I tell Sailfish OS that I've finished entering the security code (on the "enter new security code" pane)?
There are buttons for the 10 digits, a button for deleting the last digit, and a Cancel button, but no "OK" button
and the physical keyboard does not work here. Swiping also doesn't help.

I don't have Sailfish any more but it didn't seem fully optimised for landscape, if you are in landscape try forcing it to portrait - the button may just be off screen.