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Was curious to know if you could run and program modern Pico-8 (pico-8_0.1.12c) on this particular piece of hardware:

https://store.planetcom.co.uk/collections/devices/products/gemini-pda-1

Also, do you have Pico-8 running on something off the shelf of a desktop Windows computer ? If so feel free to reply with your findings, both positive and negative, on the portable device you run yours from.

... Or can you recommend some device outside of PocketCHIP that effectively runs Pico-8 and allows you to efficiently code on it besides ?

I'm trying to avoid any reviews of PocketCHIP as the keyboard and physical design look REALLY BAD. (can't fold it and looks like a puffed up membrane keyboard). :(

In all case, please include images, links, and/or prices of the other compatible hardware if they are not readily apparent.

Thanks !

P#69172 2019-10-22 18:56 ( Edited 2019-10-22 20:06)

Forget pocketchip - it is very fragile and a difficult to keep running since the company went under.

The pda-1 seems to run Debian so in theory should be ok but that price!! you can get a Surface for that money.

P#69173 2019-10-22 19:09

PICO-8 on a GPD-WIN: https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=30351

List of other portable devices running PICO-8, not all with keyboards but you could easily attach keyboards to most of them: https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=31603

The Gemini looks neat and claims to run Linux but you gotta watch out for the chipset. The Linux (x86) and RaspPi (ARM) binaries won't run on just anything that claims to run Linux. I've wanted to dig further into the actual requirements of the PICO-8 binaries but haven't had the time. All I can say is I've tried it on some slightly weirder ones and had a wide range of success, from none to partial to total.

P#69183 2019-10-23 01:58 ( Edited 2019-10-23 02:01)

I think I probably agree with freds72's comment regarding a Surface. That aside, if you're interested in looking at other potential small devices I'll add a link to a Europe based online store that sells similar devices including the GPD-WIN devices mentioned by dddaaannn and some Gemini PDAs as mentioned by dw817. (For anyone for whom a Europe based store is convenient, if not you'll need to find some other more convenient store - althought it might still be worth a look at this European store to see some models that are available.)

I checked one model's price against that of the same model available at a more well known online store, and it was better priced at the store I'm linking to.

https://www.dragonbox.de/en/handhelds

Whether a particular device's prices are better or worse will be a matter for your own research.

I'm not saying all these will work with pico-8 - see dddaaannn's comment. I don't own any of them.

The dragonbox site I know of because it has been developing its own console - the Pyra - for a few years, which when it was first announced I was interested in. I have no affiliation with the site, not even a pre-order of the Pyra. (I believe the long development time is because it is a side-project that has very little budget.) My understanding from the forums on the official Pyra site is that the Pyra is very close to being released; the official Pyra site is: https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/

(Nov 2019. Made minor edits mostly for clarity.)

P#69193 2019-10-23 07:07 ( Edited 2019-11-20 09:48)

As I'm running Windows 10 here I think it's safe to say any palmtops that are running the same OS should be able to run Pico-8 no problem.

Basically I was looking for anything under $1000. There's quite a selection at that ! :)

I definitely like that most of them fold over to protect both the screen and keyboard. Clamshell.

I imagine there's an interesting story behind PocketCHIP, I just ... well, it's strange, you know ?

I suppose if I was given free reign to design it I definitely would've made it clamshell, standard miniature keyboard, not membrane, option to insert or remove memory cards, 2 at a time.

Option to run it to external screen, option to use external mouse, option to use external keyboard.

Option to use onboard speakers or headphones, your choice.

And hardwired OS so it's up and ready the moment you hit POWER. No boot time to speak of. Complete compatibility with the latest version of Pico-8 as well as Bluetooth SPLORE.

The works. I could definitely design something.

P#69200 2019-10-23 15:54

The Gemini PDA runs either android or several flavors of Linux(including kali). You should be able to run pico-8 just fine. I actually considered getting on of them shortly after the crowdfunding campaign was over several months ago but I heard that the keyboard was a rather awkward size since it was too small to type on and too big to comfortably thumb type with. The clamshell lid also doesn't go all the way back so viewing angle might be a problem in certain circumstances. I decided not to buy one because it was still a new product and I didn't want to spend $300 on something that wouldn't be worth it. However, I'm actually considering getting their new PDA (cosmo communicator) if I ever have the disposable income to do so. It has more standard smartphone features that will boost its usefulness and it looks like the display is able to move back farther than the Gemini. It's a pretty cool device and would definitely be useful to me.

Also, check out the Clockwork pi Gameshell and the Picicle on Tindie.

P#69227 2019-10-24 12:46 ( Edited 2019-10-24 13:15)

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