# New Gemini PDA brings back those old school Psion vibes



## editor (Jan 10, 2018)

What do we think, urban? 









> Gemini is an ultra-thin clamshell mobile device with fully integrated tactile QWERTY keyboard, that fits in your pocket. Designed for Android, it also features a dual boot Linux option. Gemini is fully equipped with 4G, WiFi & Bluetooth enabling both data communications and mobile phone calls.










> Gemini is an integrated keyboard mobile device that fits in your pocket
> It features an ultra-thin metal clamshell design with a fully integrated QWERTY keyboard
> Designed for Android, it also features a dual boot Linux option
> 4G & WiFi and WiFi only models are available - enabling both data communications and mobile phone calls
> The large ultra-wide touchscreen and double-sized battery provide optimal usability and portability



See preview here: 
Former Psion designers return with a fresh take on the PDA


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## editor (Jan 10, 2018)

Oh, and: 

$1,367,644 USD total funds raised
284% funded on April 9, 2017
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gemini-pda-android-linux-keyboard-mobile-device-phone#/


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## lefteri (Jan 10, 2018)

like it, can't see it catching on though somehow


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## Crispy (Jan 10, 2018)

Would be better if the lid/screen could do a 180 and be used like a regular phone.

If you're going to carry two devices, which means one of them has to go in a bag, then why not make the 2nd one a real laptop or a tablet?


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## rich! (Jan 10, 2018)

I preordered as soon as I saw it. Now I can take my smaller phone on trips as the wifi dongle, and use this for email. Also, dual boot is supported. Annoyed their only "case option" is actual.fucking.leather...


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## nick (Jan 11, 2018)

Brings back happy memories of my Psion 5 - which is up in the loft somewhere. It was finally superseded by a Sony Clie 

Used to get it fixed by a bloke in a garden shed in Streatham who ran a company called Pinnock Organiser Services (POS) that seems to have finally gone into administration in 2014


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## Chilli.s (Jan 12, 2018)

I like the look of this more than the current smartphones. Hope it works.


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## editor (Jan 12, 2018)

nick said:


> Brings back happy memories of my Psion 5 - which is up in the loft somewhere. It was finally superseded by a Sony Clie
> 
> Used to get it fixed by a bloke in a garden shed in Streatham who ran a company called Pinnock Organiser Services (POS) that seems to have finally gone into administration in 2014


The Sony Clies were ace. Really great devices.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 12, 2018)

Just need a dead dead basic phone with epic battery life, which can also work as a WiFi hot-spot and you'd have the perfect setup.


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## rich! (Jan 12, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Just need a dead dead basic phone with epic battery life, which can also work as a WiFi hot-spot and you'd have the perfect setup.


that's exactly what  my s4 mini will be doing


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## existentialist (Jan 13, 2018)

editor said:


> The Sony Clies were ace. Really great devices.


I've still got one lying in the bottom of a drawer.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 22, 2018)

Early review here. After reading it I can't help wondering if such a small team has the resources they need to give it the polish it needs.

Gemini is shipping and we've got one. This is what it's like


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## cheesethief (Feb 22, 2018)

I *love* the idea of this, I've never quite got used to virtual keyboards & have a lingering lust for clamshell design, proper keyboard type devices. If I had the cash I'd buy one for nostalgia reasons, but in a world of super slick & powerful mobiles, tablets, ultra-portable laptops, etc, where does this really fit in?


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 22, 2018)

cheesethief said:


> I *love* the idea of this, I've never quite got used to virtual keyboards & have a lingering lust for clamshell design, proper keyboard type devices. If I had the cash I'd buy one for nostalgia reasons, but in a world of super slick & powerful mobiles, tablets, ultra-portable laptops, etc, where does this really fit in?



Well if it has the guts of a modern smartphone with a decent keyboard I can see the appeal.


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## kabbes (Feb 22, 2018)

Didn't the world decide it preferred touchscreen keyboards on phones, in the end?  I was initially a massive skeptic about them personally, but I wouldn't want to go back now.


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## Throbbing Angel (Feb 22, 2018)

Depends what you're doing I suppose kabbes I use touch and keys but for very different things.

The people over at the Alphasmart forum over on Flickr (an I imagine a few on Brighthand) are quite excited by this device - a few have ordered - I can't afford boooo


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 22, 2018)

Not for me. My phone keyboard is good enough for short posts on urban and the like to not want to carry round a more bulky device I need to open. I guess if wanted to write longer stuff and have it fit in a pocket I could see the appeal. Provided taking phone calls wasn't a complete arse.


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## cheesethief (Feb 22, 2018)

I'm surprised people are ordering what sounds like quite an early, incomplete version of the device. I'd be waiting till they'd ironed out the kinks.


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## kabbes (Feb 22, 2018)

It looks pretty big for a pocket, although if the clamshell means it doesn't need a protective case, that would make up for it.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 22, 2018)

cheesethief said:


> I'm surprised people are ordering what sounds like quite an early, incomplete version of the device. I'd be waiting till they'd ironed out the kinks.



I think its the lure of running Linux. It does funny things to people.


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## Lazy Llama (Feb 22, 2018)

It's aiming at very specific, niche markets, which is where it will probably do well. 
It's for the tinkerers, the on-the-move writers, the Linux fans.


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## kabbes (Feb 22, 2018)

The more I look at it, the more I'm struggling to see where its vaunted niche lies.

If you want to type with it, you realistically need to put it down flat.  Typing one-handed is going to be hard.  Surfing the web whilst standing on the train is going to be hard.  Anything designed for a screen in profile is going to be hard.  So it seems unlikely to be a good replacement for a smartphone.  You gain some things but you lose others, and what you lose is pretty useful stuff.  

So what is the idea -- that I have a smartphone _and_ I have one of these?  But in that case, how is this better than having a proper tablet paired with a keyboard?  Or a Chromebook?  Is it the pocket-sized thing?  That's only useful if I don't have a bag.  But with no bag, I need a pocket for my phone, a pocket for this, a pocket for my wallet, a pocket for my keys, a pocket for my change... 

No, in reality, this isn't going in a pocket, it's going in a bag.  And so we're back to rivals that allow you to actually work on something with a keyboard that doesn't require Donald Trump-sized hands and with a screen that is big enough to see things on from a distance.

What is it that people can see that I can't, here?


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## cheesethief (Feb 22, 2018)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I think its the lure of running Linux. It does funny things to people.


I must confess the dual boot Android/Liunx is very compelling for me! Would be very interested to know which Linux distro they go with in the end, hopefully something like Debian/Xfce.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Feb 22, 2018)

kabbes said:


> The more I look at it, the more I'm struggling to see where its vaunted niche lies.
> 
> If you want to type with it, you realistically need to put it down flat.  Typing one-handed is going to be hard.  Surfing the web whilst standing on the train is going to be hard.  Anything designed for a screen in profile is going to be hard.  So it seems unlikely to be a good replacement for a smartphone.  You gain some things but you lose others, and what you lose is pretty useful stuff.
> 
> ...



A fair bit of nostalgia I think will play part of it.

I agree Android will be pretty shit in landscape without decent skining


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## Lazy Llama (Feb 22, 2018)

The most popular version is the one with 4G and WiFi, so they won't need a phone as well. It's not much bigger than a "phablet" so can go in a pocket or small bag, without the weight of most laptops.
It's not really aimed at the general "surfing the web, doing email" user - that's the Chromebook or smartphone mass market.
It's aimed at the sort of people who need one of these  The same sort of people who probably had Psions, or Sony UX50s before.

Anyone who's used a mobile touch keyboard to do ssh sessions to manage their servers will know that it's a right pain in the arse compared to a physical keyboard. The Psions were known for great keyboards and that you could easily use them two-handed without putting them on a surface (thumb typing).

It's around the same price as the GPD Pocket, which has a nasty keyboard and is quite a bit bigger. I'm impressed that they've managed to make it with what must be a relatively small production run, and I'm sure the bugs will be worked out as they get delivered to the users - the userbase looks to be the sort who will fix the problems, rather than expecting the manufacturer to do it, which comes from it being a very "Open" product.


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## Lazy Llama (Feb 22, 2018)

cheesethief said:


> I must confess the dual boot Android/Liunx is very compelling for me! Would be very interested to know which Linux distro they go with in the end, hopefully something like Debian/Xfce.


From their IndieGoGo updates:


> We are really excited to say that at the moment we have the following Linux distributions fully or partially running on the Gemini:
> 
> *Debian*
> *Sailfish OS*
> ...


Gemini PDA Android & Linux keyboard mobile device


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## Brainaddict (Feb 22, 2018)

I wonder how it would weigh up against carrying a small £20 bluetooth keyboard, which is what I do if I want lightweight typing ability https://www.amazon.co.uk/EC-Technology-Pocket-Size-Rechargeable-Li-polymer-Silver/dp/B00QRQZQR8/


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## Lazy Llama (Feb 22, 2018)

Brainaddict said:


> I wonder how it would weigh up against carrying a small £20 bluetooth keyboard, which is what I do if I want lightweight typing ability https://www.amazon.co.uk/EC-Technology-Pocket-Size-Rechargeable-Li-polymer-Silver/dp/B00QRQZQR8/


184g for that keyboard alone vs 320g for the full Gemini.
So lighter than, say,  a Samsung S8 plus keyboard.

And the Gemini has a smaller volume than that folded keyboard alone.


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## cheesethief (Feb 22, 2018)

Brainaddict said:


> I wonder how it would weigh up against carrying a small £20 bluetooth keyboard, which is what I do if I want lightweight typing ability https://www.amazon.co.uk/EC-Technology-Pocket-Size-Rechargeable-Li-polymer-Silver/dp/B00QRQZQR8/


There's a certain elegance in having a combined unit rather than a pocket full of accessories. Although the keyboard would have to be excellent for me to consider it worthwhile.


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## Brainaddict (Feb 22, 2018)

Lazy Llama said:


> 184g for that keyboard alone vs 320g for the full Gemini.
> So lighter than, say,  a Samsung S8 plus keyboard.
> 
> And the Gemini has a smaller volume than that folded keyboard alone.


But can you touch-type on it? I'd say that folded keyboard is the smallest thing I feel I can touch-type on. Not sure what the point of a keyboard over a screen is if you can't touch-type.


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