Ordering a PBP

[ab1jx]

Finding the money was easier than the decisions.  I'd like to get (1) an ANSI keyboard and (2) a 128 GB eMMC.  I don't see options for specifying those.  Somewhere it says an ANSI keyboard won't be available until November.  You could almost change the keycaps and keymap but not quite.

Can I get a 128 GB eMMC instead of a 64 GB or do I have to set aside the 64 GB and buy the 128 in addition?  I'll probably use a 128 GB SD too, assuming I can have both mounted at once.  I also have a Rock64 and an Odroid N2 that could make use of the extra eMMC.

I'm not really interested in an SSD, I'd rather plug a good old spinning rust 1 TB 2.5" drive in there for $50 and be set for a few years.  But there's not room in the case?  I have a couple USB ones.  OK, skip the drive.

[zaius]

I severely doubt a rotational drive could possibly fit in the PBP.  Currently, there are physical issues with installing an SSD, but they are working on being resolved.

Only the original community batch of the PBP — all of which have already been ordered — will ship with a 128 GB eMMC.  All of those have ISO keyboards.  I know of no plans to ship the PBP with both an 128 GB eMMC and an ANSI keyboard.  The ANSI keyboard versions will ship with 64 GB eMMC, although you can buy a 128 GB eMMC to replace it.

You can have an SD card the eMMC mounted at the same time.

[ab1jx]

I severely doubt a rotational drive could possibly fit in the PBP.  Currently, there are physical issues with installing an SSD, but they are working on being resolved.

Only the original community batch of the PBP — all of which have already been ordered — will ship with a 128 GB eMMC.  All of those have ISO keyboards.  I know of no plans to ship the PBP with both an 128 GB eMMC and an ANSI keyboard.  The ANSI keyboard versions will ship with 64 GB eMMC, although you can buy a 128 GB eMMC to replace it.

You can have an SD card the eMMC mounted at the same time.

OK, thanks.  I had in mind that the online order form might evolve to have checkbox options for things like drive and keyboard.  There used to be a really tiny hard drive the size of a Compact Flash card, not sure if they're still around or what the capacities might be up to by now.  Interface was PCMCIA though I think.  I have about 5 2.5" 1-2 TB drives that were $50-70, they're cheap and effective.  I put a couple in StarTech USB cases.

I see there are some 1 TB SS drives starting around $150 now http://www.pricewatch.com/price/hard_rem...es/ssd_1tb but I'll have to wait for an ANSI keyboard.

I guess I could live with 64 GB + 128 GB.

[Schtromar]

You are thinking of microdrive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microdrive
They used a compactFlash (basically IDE) interface and are very outdated. The largest one was apparently 16GB. At the moment you can only buy a PBP fitted with a 64GB eMMC module, but it can be easily replaced. I suggest you wait for the final NVMe adapter, as the current version apparently has some problems, and buy a cheap ssd. Keep in mind that any accessories will be shipped separately anyway, so if you want a Pinebook, buy it NOW.

[ab1jx]

Well, I'm order #115677, placed 2 days ago.  You can now choose the keyboard when ordering.  I'll probably skip the SSD since I read they're power hungry and run hot.  I now have an assortment of spinning rust hard drives in USB adapters which work fairly well and I've gotten used to them.  Plug one in when you want to use it and manually mount it, so most of the time it's sitting on a shelf not spinning, should last a long time.

I read the news and watch the protests in Hong Kong and wonder if those are part of the delay.  I have a grey market Nikon whiich also came from Hong Kong.  Studying OpenCL on my Odroid N2, this will be my 3rd Mali.