Gemini - fourth look

Planet Computer recently updated its Linux Flashing guide page and provided all the files to flash Jolla's Sailfish and Debian/GNU Linux. I downloaded all the necessary files and unzipped them into a single directory, generated my scatter file to have all four boot options i.e. Boot 1: Android as the default booting option when no buttons are pressed; Recovery Mode when the Esc (On) button is pressed during reboot; Boot 2: Sailfish when the silver (side) button is pressed during boot; and Boot 3: Debian, when the Esc(On) and side button are pressed simultaneously during reboot.

All appeared to go well, without any failures or error messages. 

 

When this was over I had to restore 122 Android programs, which ate up about three hours! And then I tried the various options. I had no problem booting 'normally' to Android; also to the recovery option. And the Boot 2 sequence got me successfully to Sailfish. 

Once in Sailfish I went through a short tutorial and then registered with Jolla, spent a few minutes trying different things, and downloaded a screen capture program from the Jolla Store since the Gemini shortcut (Fn + R) isn't available.  

 

Using Sailfish I had a couple of immediate issues: First, when I started Sailfish the orientation was 'off' and even after enabling screen rotation in the settings each time I have booted into Sailfish it seems like it has taken several minutes before screen rotation starts to work. Secondly, I could not get the phone to work. Attempting to check voice mail (Sailfish, correctly, showed one voice message) I got the error message "No network connection" although all settings seemed to be appropriate. So, getting the phone working under Sailfish needs to be resolved/worked out. I will need to 'learn' Sailfish and see if it is to my liking! Supposedly, many Android apps are supposed to work under Sailfish, so having the two separate booted OSs many not be optimal. Also, I have seen write-ups such as this one - Goodbye Sailfish OS and Jolla. However, time shall tell!

The next issue I discovered was when I attempted the Boot 3 option to get to Debian/GNU Linux, I had no luck! When I try the boot 3 scenario (i.e. "starting from a switched OFF Gemini, press the Esc (On) key to start the unit until the Gemini vibrates. Once you feel the vibration both Esc (On) key and silver right-end side button are pressed at the same time") I see the planet/tux screen, then it goes dark, then the phone vibrates, then I get the planet/tux screen, then the screen goes dark, then the phone vibrates, then... and I appear to be stuck in an endless loop! So, no Debian yet, will have to try and work this out later.

Correction: Strike the above, my fault, I was holding down the Esc key too long. Boot 3 into Debian/GNU Linux works just fine:

 

 

 

 

Overall I feel fortunate that trying this did not cause me any major issues; others have tried and run into various, fairly severe problems, for example see here and here... 

I  am also waiting for my external camera add-on. Back, before I had a camera on my PDAs or phones, I never particularly felt a need to have one but it's quite amazing how quickly one gets used to having one handy when they now comes standard on practically every phone. So, the lack of an external camera is annoying. I will have to see, truthfully I am very underwhelmed by the sample Gemini camera pictures out there!

More to come...

Earlier looks:

Gemini - first look  (May 4th, 2018)

Gemini - second look (May 14th, 2018) 

Gemini - third look ( May 26th, 2018)

Resource links:

XDA Gemini Forums

OESF Gemini PDA Forums

Planet Computer's Gemini Developers Forum

Online reviews:

Gemini PDA (in Japanese) 
Gemini PDA (in Japanese)

Gemini under the covers
Gemini PDA hacker's guide

Link to multiple Gemini reviews 
Planet Computers Gemini hands-on review 
Gemini PDA: 2014 ist nich 2018 (In German)  
Planet Computer's Gemini PDA hands-on review - Digital Trends

We wanted a camera, they gave us the eye of Gemini – and an eSIM
Gemini PDA Review: Everything I hoped for from a modern-day Psion organiser
Planet Computers Gemini PDA Android Review - TWiT Netcast Network (YouTube) 

Miscellaneous:
Planet Computers on Twitter  @planetcom2017
Planet Computers announces eSIM capability on Gemini PDA
Planet Computers Announces Partnership with Jolla to Bring Sailfish OS to Gemini PDA

Random charts - drug prices

 

 

 

Source: The FDA is approving more generic drugs than ever before, faster than ever before. Is it enough to lower drug costs? (10-pg pwc PDF)

Random charts - Russian economy

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Russian Analytical Digest No 220: Political Economy

Random charts - U.S. budget

 

 

Source: The Federal Budget: Overview and Issues for FY2019 and Beyond (24-pg CRS PDF)

Gemini - third look

OK, let's start off with the technical specifications. When I first unboxed the Gemini, I was struck by how solid and well-built it is. The case opens nicely, and closes with a nice click. It's a little heavier than I expected - at 320gm it clocks in heavier than my Zaurii (SL-C1000 at 278gm and SL-C3200 at 298gm).

Fortunately, I have not had any of the problems reported by backers who received the initial batch/lot that was shipped (e.g. keyboard problems; the "wrong" processor - a MediaTek X25 instead of an X27, etc., etc.)

The screen is beautiful, the keyboard is OK (more about that later). I normally keep the screen brightness close to the minimum (with Adaptive Brightness turned off), which is fine indoors. However, outdoors I need to crank it up a little for visibility (easily done by Fn + N)...

I used the unlock tool to open the case and put in the SIM card; it takes a microSIM (or a Nano SIM with an adapter) and a 256GB SD card. Initially I used an ATT SIM, but no matter how I tweaked the APN settings, etc. I could only get 3G even though It seemed that I should be able to get 4G (ATT does have local 4G coverage and the Gemini has the appropriate bands/frequencies).

 

 

Then I switched to my T-Mobile SIM and lo and behold, 4G. Issue (?) solved!

 

 

As I said earlier, I am trying the Gemini out to see if I can transition from my current setup (HTC U11 phone plus  Zaurus) to just using a Gemini. I've tried several different handhelds over the years (see first look for some of them) and have always gone back to the Zaurus which has the best blend of features - instant on, size and pocketability, screen, keyboard, some must-have software (IQNotes - see here and here), etc. I haven't yet tried to set up any Linux distributions, I am waiting for Planet Computers and others to do the heavy lifting until there is a set of software and easy instructions to follow/use.

So, how's it going thus far? Well, only carrying the Gemini (in a belt pouch) has freed up a pocket! However, I'm not thrilled by the keyboard. I have to say it does what the makers claimed they would achieve - if you put it down on a flat surface you can type rather well for such a compact keyboard. Unfortunately, that is not how I use it! I've been 'thumb typing' on my Zaurus for over fifteen years, while walking, standing, in meetings, etc. I hold it in my hands while doing entry. This is tougher to do on the Gemini - the keyboard is actually slightly too big for comfortable thumb typing (for me at least, see pictures below). This is exacerbated by the fact that on the Gemini I don't have "sticky" Shift, Fn, or Cntrl keys, like I do on the Zaurus... pressing the Shift or Fn key and then the next key is so much easier while thumb typing than trying to press two keys simultaneously! All this on top of getting used to the different layout of some of the keys.

Oh well, I will persevere for a while to see if I can break through this 'barrier'! So far, the signs aren't particularly auspicious, my entry rate has dropped in half and the number of typos I make has trebled or quadrupled. Ugh!

 

 

Some accessories:

So far, I have purchased a few accessories. Beside the belt case (scroll down towards the end of this) I have also bought:

• A Verbatim Mini Optical Travel Mouse for USB-C Devices Plugged it into the right-side USB-C port, it works like a champ! A good item to have, even if it won't get much use...
• A Vanja SD/Micro SD Card Reader, USB Type C Micro USB OTG Adapter. Since I have not yet received my external camera add-on I use this to transfer pictures from my camera's SD card to the Gemini.
•  A set of cheap stylus/pens for occasional use...
• A Samsung 256GB EVO Plus Class 10 UHS-I microSDXC

 

Earlier looks:

Gemini - first look  (May 4th, 2018)

Gemini - second look (May 14th, 2018)

Resource links:

Gemini Planet

Gemini Troubleshooting

Gemini Planet: Tips & Tricks

XDA Gemini Forums

OESF Gemini PDA Forums

Planet Computer's Gemini Developers Forum

Online reviews:

Gemini PDA review - 24 hours in

Review after 2 weeks with Gemini phone

YouTube reviews:

Gemini unboxing for Coolsmartphone

Planet Gemini Unboxing + Hands On: Great Keyboard To Look At, Not Type On

And then there's this (rant): Gemini PDA is going to be ruined by a Noname Factory in China... over simple Cheap Out Fraud.

Random charts - U.S. income

 

 

Source: The Distribution of Household Income, 2014: Average Income Before and After Means-Tested Transfers and Federal Taxes, by Income Group, 2014 (48-pg PDF)

In 2014, household income was unevenly distributed: Households at the top of the income distribution received significantly more income than households at the bottom of the distribution. According to the Congressional Budget Office’s estimates:

• Average income among households in the lowest quintile (or fifth) of the income distribution was about $19,000 (see Summary Figure 1). 

• Average income among households in the highest quintile was about $281,000. 

Furthermore, within the highest quintile, income was highly skewed toward the very top of the distribution: Average income among households in the bottom half of the highest quintile (the 81st to 90th percentiles) was about $151,000; average income among the 1.2 million households in the top 1 percent of the distribution was about $1.8 million...

Means-tested transfers and federal taxes cause household incomes to be more evenly distributed. In 2014, those transfers and taxes: 

• Increased income among households in the lowest quintile by $12,000 (or more than 60 percent), on average, to $31,000. 
• Decreased income among households in the highest quintile by $74,000 (or more than 25 percent), on average, to $207,000

Random charts - Oil prices

 

Source: Oil and Gas Trends 2018-2019