On 02/12/2020 08:58 AM, Michael Barnes wrote:
On Wed, Feb 12, 2020 at 3:56 AM Richard Owlett <rowl...@cloud85.net> wrote:
I've explored this issue in the past without finding something:
in current production.
meeting my non-negotiable specifications.
satisfy enough of my preferences to be a good fit to how I do things.
This is a rewrite of some multiple posts to debian-user and adjusting
phrasing that caused off topic responses.
I post here as:
this group is not Debian specific,
it will provide a different point of view.
I wish to enter/store data while away from home. The data will then be
transferred to my laptop via a USB cable. [think a Palm Pilot in a
smartphone physical form factor]
It must use a standard Linux (Debian preferred).
The manufacturer should ship with the Linux installed.
Android is *UNACCEPTABLE*!
It should NOT have cell connectivity.
If it has WiFi, I must be able to disable it.
When I looked a few years ago there were some open source hardware
projects in the prototype stage but I don't recall any that reached
production. [There was something similar based on Raspberry Pi which
ended up too thick due to how screen was attached.]
Recently I was pointed to the PinePhone.
https://www.pine64.org/pinephone
https://wiki.pine64.org/index.php/PinePhone
https://www.pine64.org/2020/01/24/setting-the-record-straight-pinephone-misconceptions
It meets my cell connectivity and WiFi requirements with a set of kill
switches.
https://wiki.pine64.org/index.php/PinePhone#Killswitch_configuration
I can see practical procurement problems.
The site hasn't updated to report on impact of Coronavirus.
There isn't any indication of any U.S. importer - I don't want to have
the hassle of handling any duties or FCC type acceptance of the included
RF components.
It does have a nice set of specs.
Any suggestions or survey articles I should read.
TIA
I don't recall the manufacturers off the top of my head ...
[SNIP]
I did look some of them up at one time, I thought it would be fun to have
one. Until I saw the starting price tags of $2,000+. I quickly lost
interest. I'm sure if you search for something like "data entry handheld
computer" you'll find them.
I needed a better search string <*GRIN*>
One the hits jogged my thought pattern. A local company refurbishes
laptops - I've bought several. I can see some of their corporate clients
using "handheld computers". When/If rain stops, I'll go pick their
brains. Thanks for the lead.
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