Lets create the PineCom

[BronzeBeard]

Here are my use cases:
-Portable Music Player (In-car)
-In-wall display console for self hosted music over network. (Browser or sshfs/ftpfs)
-Road GPS (In-car)
-Outdoor GPS (hiking, on water, etc).


So here are the things I need:
-Long battery life
-3.5mm audio jack
-Good sound quality
-3-5" screen is great, battery life matters most.
-Bluetooth
-Wifi
-GPS/Compass
-Good GPS signal
-Large capacity SD card support.
-USB type a or b is fine.
-Low price. <$100
-A couple easy to press, physical buttons
-Dual SD cards would be great. (One internal, one externally accessible.)
-Swappable batteries.

What I don't need:
-Camera
-Dual band Wifi
-SPI Flash

I would prefer it to be more thicker and rugged compared to the Pinephone, but that could be covered with a case.

[bcnaz]

Perhaps a battery the full length of the phone, so it could truly be used for days in the outback or emergencies ?
  The thicker body would make it easier to hold, And with thicker edges the switches could be positioned in a fashion they are still easy
to use, but less likely to be accidentally 'bumped', maybe even slightly recessed ?

A slightly over-sized case,  ....  so changes,   or future additions would not require a new or different case. ?

The area where the current Pine phone battery sits,    could give enough space for user installed options.?

To help hold down the cost of the initial purchase this could ship with basic communication functions, 
.....   then order the options you want to add yourself.?

Not every buyer will want every option that is possible.  ?

---

The name 'PineCom'  to me implies 'Communicator'....  so a simple device to communicate with others with like devices  ?

and at about $100. USD,      How can people expect this to replace a dozen of the  $200. to a $1,000.  devices  ?

A good loud mono speaker would be perfect,  for 'communicating'  Besides, I assume it will be possible to use with a wireless headset
with a microphone if the need be, as for handsfree operation. ?

[roel]

I always have preferred "smaller" screens. For something like this anything between 4-5" would be amazing! The reason for smaller of course being a little more portable in "tight" scenarios. Or, also easier to just hang around on something (with a lanyard for example)

I prefer also a smaller screen and a attach point for a lanyard.

In fact I will join all these who prefer a "outdoor" device. Should also be cool you could put it on your desk as music player and the charging cable has a nice position (not in the middle of the bottom), or you should provide a charging support with it, then people can also use it for smart home remote, or any other network remote (squeezebox, kodi). Now when I think about it, I need 2 of these PineCom's.

[kuleszdl]

While I also like rugged outdoor devices I am not sure it really makes much sense to build such a pinecom as it makes it more limited. Instead, just putting a regular device in a rugged case does already most of the magic (except water resistance). Unfortunately, I don't know of any such cases for the Pinephone, but I hope they will show as its market share grows.

Imho, the pinecom does not make much sense if it not much different from a regular pinephone. Just leaving out the modem will probably not make a significant price drop possible. And if someone needs only an PDA, the person can already buy a regular pinephone and disable the GSM via the kill switch? For me, such an device makes only sense if it is really substantially different. And by different I don't mean that it is offered for $99 instead of $149 with the modem and some sensors left out...

[KC9UDX]

I like the big battery idea. A small device with a huge battery has much more utility than most devices.

What I really like in a portable device, for a battery, is the HTX-202 (etc.) battery. You can swap different size batteries on it depending on your application. You can have a small light battery, a mid-size battery, or a giant, heavy battery when you need it. Unfortunately engineering a modern battery solution like that won't be feasible cost-wise, I don't think.

[DarrowAtreides]

I agree with others that an exceedingly long battery life would be the distinguishing feature.

Otherwise I'd just take my pinephone.

Uses for me

1. Hiking / GPS
2. Music player when I don't want to run my phones battery down.
3. Maybe video conferencing and photos but there are probably better options

[zer0sig]

There are a lot of interesting points here.

I guess if I wanted a pinecom (and I likely will once it's ready to buy), I really like the LoRa idea - it is low bandwidth, but the length of communication and the time it takes is really up to the user, whether they work out some kind of shorthand (as is often done via radio anyway) or having an expected timetable for various status messages. If it's not super expensive, I'd really like to try this.

I'd also like the more powerful 802.11ac/BT5 adapter - it would be easy to keep the radio powered down for longer battery life.

No cellular radio - I am thinking that will help keep the costs down somewhat, and the LoRa/wifi/BT enhanced features will make up for that in terms of usability.

Agree that good testing of the sound and GPS would be great, because some of us would like to have this as a GPS, some as an MP3 player. GPS would be helpful for sending discreet location information over LoRa.

A keyboard would be nice, but something like a keyboard case would work - honestly, if we're using LoRa and end up being somewhat limited as far as practical message length, it might not make a difference, but for a "communicator" it would be helpful to make it capable of typing out messages similarly to a blackberry or palm device.

[bcnaz]

Hmm
  I thought the question was about a individual communication device ?

Everyone is describing a Data, Media, Entertainment center, streaming video etc....
 and under a hundred USD  ?

> How about an optional detachable external antenna to help extend the range.  the ole 'rubber duckie' style.

> I don't think privacy from Google and Apple is such a big deal if it is strictly voice, with a maximum range of about 13 miles.?

> Music ?  On a communicator device ? ?

Maybe on another thread for "Pine Entertainment Device"  ?

[zer0sig]

If we're putting a 5" touchscreen on it, it seems reasonable to me to have decent music and GPS capability. I want to say there is already a 24-bit sound chip in one or two of the other devices. I don't have my pinephone yet so I can't comment on how it sounds, but if it sounds good then it already meets my request in that aspect. I'm not expecting a high end burr brown chip or anything - it's just something I would do with a second mobile device. Having a third just for music, while I would be interested, might be a bit much. I guess what I was getting at personally was that putting 5 or 10 bucks more into a sound chip, depending on what's already there would be nice for me.

[kosfi]

With a 5" display, a power Soc, as a rk3399 or rk3588, low battery time but with usb-c with display port and some usb-a, the Pinecom will be a desktop linux pc.
With the battery and display you can use it anywhere, but as soon as you get a monitor/tv, at work, home, hotel, library... you can use it as a usable linux desktop, and the Pinecom display can be used as keyboard and/or trackpad.
Not necessary camera, your main smartphone have one, do you need more of that?
With a portable monitor and the usb-c with 2A of power supply, you have a laptop.