08-20-2020, 02:41 PM
(08-18-2020, 05:58 PM)Zebulon Walton Wrote: The idea of having a pocket Linux computer that can be used to make and receive phone calls seems like a great alternative, particularly with the removable battery and hardware switches for privacy.
At the time (2010) the N900 was all that. Well, no kill switches, but you could pop out the battery with no tools! A physical keyboard paired with my better eyesight at the time, and it was a miniature PC. It replaced my 7" EeeeeeePC for situations requiring a small device that could run ssh (even Xwindows over ssh -X). Not only did it obsolete that little PC, it replaced my candybar phone (of course), palm pilot, sharp zaurus, Nokia N800 tablet, compact digital camera, compact digital camcorder, and my digital music player. And if desktop capability was required you could chroot Debian. And it was a legit (again for 2010) convergence device, with composite A/V out and an OTG capable USB port (with pin-swapping cable) for desktop-size keyboard and mouse. And an IR blaster to control the big TV you'd plugged the A/V into. Too bad the sun is setting on 3G in the US and the screen is getting too small to be used far enough from my eyes . . . I used to take it out for "N900 day" once a year.
I'm super excited to tinker around with my Pinephone next month, and soon™ my Librem 5, and maybe even someday the holy grail FxTec Pro1.