Cosmo at six weeks

My Cosmo Communicator arrived on 18 November 2019 (Indigogo backer #24). It came configured with US keyboard and plug (no NZ/AU plug option). So, a month and a bit later, it’s time for a review.

Out of the box
Straight out of the box, the Cosmo impressed with its feel and build quality. Whereas its predecessor, the Gemini, always seemed a little ‘home-built’ with its squeaky hinge and pop-off panels, the Cosmo looks and feels more solid, with a snappy closing clam-shell and smart-looking front panel. The snappiness continues when it boots into Android Pie; whereas the Gemini always felt a tad hesitant about what it was being asked to do, the Cosmo jumps to attention and just does stuff when asked - due presumably to a better processor and more RAM.

Keyboard
The positive first impressions extend to the Cosmo's main feature - the keyboard, which is now backlit. The keys have shorter travel than the Gemini and don’t have any of the Gemini’s ‘jelly-wobble’ when they are pressed. My typing (two-handed and on a desk) is both faster and more accurate on the Cosmo than the Gemini. Typing long-form articles on the Cosmo is a very doable proposition that, in my view, rivals that of a full-sized laptop.

Front Screen
The front screen on the Cosmo is a mixed blessing. It’s handy to be able to make and return calls without opening the Cosmo’s cover but, on the other hand, it represents an additional vulnerability to knocks and bumps, as well as frequent accidental activations in a pocket or bag. There were some advantages to the robust, metal-clad, exterior of the Gemini - mine even has a small dent on the front which the Cosmo may not have taken with such good grace.
In practice, the integration between the front screen and the main device can also be problematic. At times it appears very laggy and there are inconsistencies - for example, the exterior screen can remain stubbornly locked, while the main device is happy to accept a finger-print or a trust-agent to unlock. Another problem is that the external screen remains active to touch even when the main device is open and the front screen is displaying the Planet logo - this can cause problems with unintentional activations when holding the Cosmo in portrait orientation (like a book). I would expect these issues to be addressed by a future firmware update.

By the end of the first month, I was ready to give up on the Cosmo's front screen. I resurrected a three-year-old Samsung Gear S2 Classic watch and found, to my delight, that there were no key functions of the Cosmo's front screen that were not already present on the S2 Classic (and later Samsung watches) - especially accepting and placing calls, responses to texts and receiving notifications - all these can be done without opening the Cosmo (which was the original justification for a front screen). The smartwatch is, in my experience, a more elegant solution than a fixed screen on the front of the Cosmo and it alleviates the Cosmo's propensity to chew through the battery at a voracious rate (see below).  Be aware though, that not all smartwatches can perform all these functions - Samsung have done more than most at enabling responses to texts and calls from the watch.

Battery
Battery life is acceptable but, as others have observed, with such a large 4,200 mAh battery, we might have expected better. With everything switched on (Front processor, wireless, mobile data, Bluetooth, GPS) over the course of a day, my Cosmo consumes an average of about 4.6% battery per hour - that’s an 18 hour day from full to 15%. However, switch off the front processor and that improves to about 3.0% per hour and gives 28 hours of use before you hit 15% - and that’s similar to the Gemini. There is clearly room for improvement here: Over 40% of the battery is being consumed by the phone radio (even in standby) and a further 30%+ by the device being held awake. It seems that Planet has some work to do on battery efficiency - hopefully, we can look forward to some improvement in a future firmware update. In the meantime, Cosmo will get most users through most days.

Camera
The camera takes pictures. For many people, the 24Mp pictures will be good enough. The camera makes a good job of scanning documents and recording mundane events and places - things that I missed with the Gemini. As someone who regularly uses quality camera gear to produce landscapes and nature pictures, the Cosmo's camera was never going to be good enough for my photography needs. Ultimately, the Cosmo camera suffers from aggressive noise reduction and compression that smudges fine detail (like grass and hair) and can make a blotchy mess - even in good lighting. Things improve somewhat if you install something like Open Camera which, in some of its 13Mp modes using the Camera2 API, produces better images than the native app does at 24Mp. Nevertheless, there are numerous small sensor camera modules available on cameras from Canon, Sony and DJI that produce significantly better pictures than the module on the Cosmo and, in this sense, the Cosmo camera can only be considered a disappointment.

Daily use
I run stock Android and have no interest in fiddling around rooting the device or installing various flavours of Linux. My experience is that the Cosmo (and the Gemini before it) make acceptable Android devices but, judging by the comments of other Gemini users, the experience goes downhill fast as soon as you start messing with rooting and multiboot. Tales of unbreakable boot-loops keep me firmly planted in the Android space - life is too short for that sort of hassle.
The extent of my customisation is to replace the stock Cosmo launcher with the Nova launcher which I have used on various devices over the years. It’s clean, very customisable, and I trust it. With Nova installed, the Cosmo seems to run flawlessly, day in and day out. I run my favourite Android apps but do not use Planet’s supplied email, database or notes. In my view, they are just not in the same league as the best Android apps on offer in the Playstore.
Until, the latest firmware update, the Cosmo would randomly flick back to the lock screen when it was being used. The firmware update has fixed this annoyance and, aside from the aforementioned issues with the front screen, I find that there are no significant problems in daily use.

Not for everyone
Having said all that, the Cosmo, and before it the Gemini, are not for everyone. If you are happy with a slab of plastic and glass for a phone and don’t hanker after a proper keyboard - perhaps because you don't mind carrying a laptop or a Bluetooth appendage - then give the Cosmo a pass. The Cosmo (and before it the Gemini) are aimed at a particular type of user - one who wants a single, pocketable, device for all their day-to-day mobile needs. A device that allows them to phone, message, email, write at length, poke spreadsheets around, listen to a few tunes or watch a movie or two - that's Cosmo.

Think of it like this; If phones were cars, Apple, Samsung and others would make good, solid, daily drivers, but Planet Computers would make something like a Morgan - the Gemini an iconic Morgan 3 wheeler while the Cosmo would be the latest V6 Roadster. Most people wouldn't want a Morgan as a daily driver and most people probably won't want a Cosmo either. But, for those who do… well...nothing is going to put a smile on a driver's face quite as quickly as a drive in a Morgan, or the feel of a real keyboard under your fingers with the Cosmo Communicator. Well done Planet Computers!

Gemini turns one

So, a whole year of daily Gemini PDA usage; time for an update.

Planet Computers'  Gemini PDA has been my sole phone, communications and portable computing solution for a whole year. In that time, it has met my expectations and more - I am well pleased with my purchase. But there are some qualifications, largely in software, support and Linux. But first, the hardware:

Hardware
There is one overriding reason to buy the Gemini - the clamshell design with a 'proper' mechanical keyboard. I am writing this review on the Gemini. The keyboard is a solid performer, if rather too small for ten-finger touch typing. I have found that the best and fastest input is from the use of only three or four fingers and thumbs. It's not touch typing but it achieves the best balance between speed and accuracy and makes the Gemini keyboard a joy to use.

The clamshell design has stood up well to many openings and closings every day and seems to perform just as well as when it came out of the box. My only criticism being the sharpness of the metal edges around the closure points (once bitten, twice shy). The case has worn well and, although it is obviously not new, it is free from any major scratches and blemishes, despite sharing my pocket daily with sundry other metal objects.

Other users, however, have reported issues with cracked hinges and less than optimal keyboards. It is hard to pin down the reasons for this - perhaps there is manufacturing variability and perhaps differences in how the device is handled. I can only report on my own experience, which is very good.

Software
Planet Computers software is another matter. Notes, Data, Agenda, Airmail as well as a number of utilities come with the Gemini. Personally, I don't think that Planet Computers have the resources necessary to develop good software. The applications tend to be clunky clones of old Psion software and in my view are, quite frankly, best avoided. Fortunately, there are many Android apps to choose from which perform very well on the Gemini, and much better than the Planet versions.

Many people bought into the Gemini on the promise of Linux compatibility. They have been mostly disappointed. Linux is available on the Gemini, but it is reported as awkward and incomplete (I don't use it myself). Having previously spent a lot of time with Linux, my feeling was, and still is, that Linux is largely for hobbyists,  hackers, servers and black-box systems. If companies like Canonical struggle to produce an open-ended, consumer-grade Linux OS, then there is no hope for a little company like Planet Computers. Try Linux if you like tinkering, otherwise just stick with Android.

Mostly, Android runs well on the Gemini. But Planet seems to contract out their Android integration to a less than wonderful company. Android updates are best avoided on first release. Expect to wait a couple of weeks after release, until other (braver) users are reporting that it updates and runs ok. While my Gemini runs well on Android, in the last year I have also experienced loss of functionality on the silver button for several weeks and Google Maps ceasing to operate for a while. These were addressed eventually, but I won't be rushing to update to Android Oreo until I hear that the road is clear.

Support
Planet Computers suffer from poor communications and patchy support. They let issues fester before making any public statements about them (Apple do this too). They over promise on dates and regularly under deliver. Support seems spotty; some users report being very happy, while others can't get any response at all from suppport. All this could be put down to Planet Computers being a startup. But, two years down the track, things should be getting better and there is no evidence that it is.

If you are likely to need hand-holding or have high expectations of any company you do business with then you may want to avoid Planet Computers - at least based on current evidence.

Conclusion
I like my Gemini. It fits my style of working perfectly and is the natural successor to the Psion PDAs and Nokia Communicators of the early 2000s. I have the next version (the Cosmo Communicator) on order so that should tell you how pleased I have been with the hardware. Would I suggest it for my non-technical family members? Probably not; it does occasionally require some basic troubleshooting to deal with, or work around, a software issue. If you aren't comfortable with that then the Gemini might be best avoided.

To keep things in context; there are some downsides (mainly software reliability) but for me, they are outweighed by the considerable upsides - it fits my lifestyle and, quite frankly, there is nothing else available that can come close to replacing it. I hope that the Cosmo Communicator is at least as good as my Gemini.

Gemini at three months

Three months is long enough for the excitement of a new gadget to wear off and the reality of life with the Gemini to make itself known. The first month of Gemini ownership was not all plain sailing; after all, this was a version one, crowd-funded device. However, my expectations were suitably calibrated and, with that in mind, I can honestly say that the Gemini has exceeded those expectations. Now that the initial problems have been resolved, the device has become my day-to-day phone and mini-laptop and I see no reason why that shouldn’t continue well into the future.

Gemini alongside old Psion stylus (doesn't work with Gemini!)

Let me say upfront, that I use the stock Android firmware as delivered (and subsequently updated) by Planet Computers. I have not attempted to root, dual boot or install Linux, Sailfish et al. My days of playing with Linux are long gone – life is too short. Others who have been down the Linux route have reported various degrees of success and failure – one or two with apparently ‘bricked’ devices. Planet Computers have indeed delivered a dual-booting device, but what the user chooses to dual boot into is largely up to them and, as it used to say on ancient maps, "here be dragons".

So, leaving Linux out of the equation, let’s deal with the two biggest issues that people raise in relation to the Gemini as a phone replacement – there’s no external screen and only an optional low-quality external camera.

If you are someone who walks around with your phone in hand watching the screen and occasionally thumb typing on the move, then the Gemini is probably not going to work for you. It works for me because I like to keep my phone in a pocket and take it out only when needed. To stop having to get my phone out at every beep, ding or chime, I wear a smartwatch and have done so ever since Pebble. In effect, my watch is an external screen and so I don’t miss not having one on the Gemini - in fact, I prefer it this way.

Gemini and external screen (Amazfit Bip smartwatch)

When it comes to the poor camera options, I am similarly unconcerned. At the end of the day, no phone is able to do what a good camera can, and I have always carried a camera even when my phone did have one. Perhaps what I do miss (a bit) is the ability to scan receipts and other paperwork with a phone camera and a smart Android app like Scanbot (I don’t have the Gemini’s optional camera). So, how much the lack of a camera (or the low quality of the add-on camera) affects you will depend upon your use

So, parking those two issues; what’s the Gemini like to use on a daily basis? I use the Gemini both as a phone and as a mini laptop. Because of the excellent keyboard, I find myself doing things on the Gemini that I would never have attempted on my previous phones (Samsung Notes). So, I am composing longer emails on the go, drafting reports and longer articles when the ideas come and researching things on the go that would otherwise have required a laptop. This means that I make far greater demands of the Gemini than I used to of my previous phones. This has implications for the battery – although the Gemini battery is larger than most phone batteries, I find that it lasts a similar amount of time and I charge it a bit almost every day.

Receiving a phone call is as easy as checking my watch (to see who is calling) and then pressing the silver button on the side to take the call (without opening the Gemini). Making a call can either be done open and on speakerphone or closed using the silver button and speaking; "call {name} on their mobile". Whichever way works for you.

Durability has been fine. As I say, when not in use, it lives in my pocket all day, every day, for three months and is not showing any signs of distress from its intimate liaisons with keys and coins. The finish is still pristine and, despite many open and close movements every day, the hinge mechanism is not showing any signs of fatigue. I removed the manufacturer’s screen protector after the first week and, once cleaned, the screen is still free of any marks or blemishes. The keyboard has been equally robust, feeling the same today as it did on day one. There is no apparent wear on the keycaps or cap markings. My only complaint of the hardware is that, when open, the edges of the hinge cover are exposed and they are sharp enough to draw blood if I am not careful around them.

On the software front, I don't use the Gemini's "Notes" app nor the "Agenda" app. While they are modelled after the old Psion apps with the same names, the world has moved on since last century and there are apps that are more polished and suit the Gemini much better - JotterPad for notes and Google Calendar for appointments, tasks and reminders. Gmail, serves well as an email client, and Google's docs and sheets do duty for heavier document lifting. Some other apps only work properly in portrait mode and, rather than force them into landscape mode, I find it much easier to simply rotate the Gemini and hold it like a book.

Gemini with full-sized keyboard and library card for size comparison.

There are a couple of minor irritants that remain:
• Bluetooth shuts down at least once every day for no apparent reason. My watch tells me and I turn it back on again.
• The supplied fast charger overheats the battery (I now use a normal 2 Amp charger instead).

I consider issues like these to be part of the ‘crowdfunding experience’ and neither of them is a ‘show stopper’. As an early adopter, I paid about US$200 less than the current retail price of the Gemini and feel well pleased with the deal. Planet Computers seem to have done a remarkably good job of delivering the first version Gemini and, unless something far superior comes along, I expect to be carrying the Gemini in my pocket for a few years yet.