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## I bought the new Pomera DM250
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Posted by MadaboutDana
Dec 29, 2022 at 11:02 AM
It’s a nice device, and I’ve gazed covetously upon it, but have found a very acceptable and much cheaper alternative!
1) Buy yourself a cheap Android mobile, ideally running not less than Android 11.0 (for security reasons), and with a screen of 6+ inches (my Blackview A70 has a 6.54-inch screen). Ideally also find one (like the Blackview) with a large battery (ca. 5000+ mAh)
2) Buy yourself a cheap, ultralight bluetooth keyboard (my favourite is a folding, slightly “winged” keyboard like https://www.amazon.fr/MoKo-Rechargeable-Ultra-Mince-Compatible-Américaine/dp/B07BNB6R7G/ref=sr_1_28). There are many different kinds, but that particular type – which you’ll find at all kinds of prices, under all kinds of brandnames – is unusually light, has a very nice keypress, and can be used with four different OSes.
3) Acquire either a case that supports your mobile in a semi-upright position, or a lightweight stand that does so (my favourite is a very lightweight plastic foldable one, like this: https://www.amazon.fr/Téléphone-Multi-Angle-Universel-Tonyhoney-Smartphone/dp/B06XYGQTV6/ref=sr_1_48)
4) Install UpNote on your mobile so you can sync with UpNote on your desktop (Windows, Mac, or indeed iOS or iPadOS – UpNote runs on everything and is a very pleasant writing environment). You can also opt for Obsidian, of course! I use both.
Et voilà ! You’ll find that without a SIM card, and especially if you only turn on the WiFi occasionally, your mobile will run for days (my Blackview, which I now use as a Kindle plus note-taking platform, lasts for 4-5 days and sometimes more). The total cost should be about half or even one third of what you’ll pay for a Pomera DM250, and the machine will be much more flexible. It’s also very light and easy to carry around with you. The keyboard can, of course, be used with other devices.
Just in case anyone is feeling Pomera Envy!
And a very happy and successful New Year to you all! xxx Bill
Posted by Alexander Deliyannis
Dec 30, 2022 at 04:33 PM
MadaboutDana wrote:
> It’s a nice device, and I’ve gazed covetously upon it, but have found a very acceptable and much cheaper alternative!
Speaking of alternatives, I still have a working specimen of this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_NC100
Interestingly, it’s almost 10 years since we had a similar conversation:
https://www.outlinersoftware.com/topics/viewt/4687/10
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose!
Posted by Pixelpunker
Jan 10, 2023 at 02:08 PM
MadaboutDana wrote:
It’s a nice device, and I’ve gazed covetously upon it, but have found a
>very acceptable and much cheaper alternative!
I disagree. I used the combo of an iPad Mini and the Microsoft Foldable Bluetooth keyboard running iA Writer which should be comparable to any Android tablet setup. While you gain some benefits compared to a typical laptop (e.g. no bootup-time, lightweight) it’s still not single purpose, involving lots of tinkering, setup, annoying updates and popups. The Pomera lasts me almost a single month, I open it up and start writing. Tablets are gearded toward media consumption and their glossy colorful HDR screens are too flashy for simple reading and writing.
Posted by Pixelpunker
Jan 10, 2023 at 02:13 PM
About old tech: PSIONs, Netbooks of old, an TRS-80, Olivetti etc., Danas and Alphasmarts. It is such a hassle to connect it to todays computing environment if at all possible. Ancient encodings and protocols. Barely readable screens. Unreliable serial to USB converters. Do you really want to worry about a backup battery failing in 2023?
Posted by MadaboutDana
Jan 11, 2023 at 11:08 AM
Well, I agree with you about tablets (I use a very elderly iPad Pro myself), but my solution doesn’t involve tablets, it involves cheap smartphones with big batteries.
So yes, a little time required to set up properly (although in my case, I only actually install three applications: UpNote, Obsidian and Kindle).
I rarely update the system because it’s offline almost all the time (I switch off wifi, BlueTooth etc. to conserve battery life). As specified, I also leave out the SIM card. I only connect to wifi when I want to sync what I’ve written.
The upshot of the above (especially the disconnection part, but also the lack of power-sucking apps) is that the battery lasts several days (not a month, granted, but much, much longer than a tablet).
Finally, while reasonably hi-res, screens on cheap smartphones are not what I’d describe as “flashy”! I’ve chosen as large a screen as possible (ca. 6.5 inches, so about the same as most dedicated word processor-type keyboard devices, including my AlphaSmart Dana, which I dug out for old time’s sake but now find much too bulky to be practical). But flashy it certainly isn’t! It is, however, easy to see and usable in direct sunlight (thanks to a matt screen protector).
Works for me, anyway.
Pixelpunker wrote:
>I disagree. I used the combo of an iPad Mini and the Microsoft Foldable
>Bluetooth keyboard running iA Writer which should be comparable to any
>Android tablet setup. While you gain some benefits compared to a typical
>laptop (e.g. no bootup-time, lightweight) it’s still not single purpose,
>involving lots of tinkering, setup, annoying updates and popups. The
>Pomera lasts me almost a single month, I open it up and start writing.
>Tablets are gearded toward media consumption and their glossy colorful
>HDR screens are too flashy for simple reading and writing.