Astro Slide smartphone computer hybrid looking for funds

[HEXUS]

This is a 6.53-inch touchscreen 5G Android 10 / Linux phone with a slider hinged keyboard.

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[Gentle Viking]

Nice.
But ! while i do not at all like screen typing, then i don't type so much that i would like a proper keybord instead.

[jimbouk]

Dang, tempting but more than I'd want to spend on a phone even with a 40% discount! Loved my qwerty sliders, had the X10 Mini Pro and the Pro:

[Ttaskmaster]

Cost is the only deal-breaker on these things. This is notably cheaper than the Gemini though and I'm sorely tempted...!!

[LSG501]

Cost isn't too bad but for me it has 3 issues...

One it looks flimsey in the youtube video when it was sliding and I can see it breaking REALLY easily, no stylus (I'd want one at that size) and more importantly, I'm not sure I can see a use for it....

I think from a personal perspective I'd rather have a MS neo type device if I was going down a small productivity device, yes it will likely cost considerably more but I just think it will have more usability long term.

[philehidiot]

As above, I had the QWERTY sliders, and they were awesome. Being unable to get a decent Android device with a decent keyboard is really frustrating. The problems I see with this are:
1) When I consider the tank-like slider designs on other phones, that looks like it's just going to break.
2) It shows someone holding it in the air and typing with thumbs but I can't imagine this is anywhere near optimal and I suspect you'll end up using onscreen keyboards for the majority of texts and so on. That defeats the object for me. I prefer a keyboard to type including texts and searching on websites, etc. Not just for being sat down at a table and writing essays... If I thought I was going to do that, I'd just pack a small bluetooth keyboard and use a prop up case.
3) Which brings me to "it's too big". It's huge. Again, if I was wanting to use that, I'd be using a bluetooth keyboard with existing kit like my tablet or phone. Either way you get similar functionality when you need it but without the constant pain of having an oversized phone which is just way too big. The Xperia Pro pictured above was really quite small in comparison to todays phones. The keyboard wasn't designed for writing essays on, just emails and texts.
4) A year is a long time in tech and I suspect this will be looking quite old in a year.

I think this is trying to appeal to a very niche market who are happy to lug around a phone the size of a tablet yet aren't willing to lug around a keyboard. I can see there will be a market, it's just niche.

[Gentle Viking]

It is just 6.5" so i would not call that huge, and thickness would not bother me too much as i tend to pull the phone out of the pocket and place it on table.
Then again that's also the reason why i have often forgotten my phone in places, which don't bother me cuz its days in between i have the need to make or receive a call.

But yes i also don't think its a johnny everyone phone.
I would still prefer a slightly larger micro laptop, with something like a 8" screen.
I see my own future as one without a phone in my pocket ( again ) and i am looking forward to that.

[Ttaskmaster]

It's only slightly bigger than my Galaxy S5 and there have been plenty of popular phones that are bigger. It's probably very similar to Psion devices, so pretty ideal in terms of highly portable but still usable as a Smartphone. Having used a Psion to thumb-type 'in the air', it worked just fine... arguably even beter than my Qtek or Desire-Z, which were too small for computery stuff. This likely has a screenboard for quick texts, but also gives you the option of typing on a table for longer comms and documents. Thickness might be an issue for some, but it's worth it for a phone and computer with decent keyboard, all in the one form factor, I think. You don't have many Linux phones, do you?

I imagine they'll make the hinge solid enough that you'd have to properly abuse it to break it, though. Psions have usually been very good in that regard, even the Revo.