- Executive Decision is a 1996 thriller mostly famous
for killing off Stevn Seagal about 20 minutes in.
Spoiler alert I guess.
Now if you're a gadget nerd you might also remember it
as the film where the bad guys tried to set up the bomb
with a Psion PDA.
Well thanks to a company called Planet Computers
that pocket computer has been reinvented for 2018
and everyone that isn't raising a skeptical eyebrow
is actually lining up to buy one.
Let's find out why in the Mr. Mobile Planet Gemini Review.
(upbeat music)
Normally when I review a product, the question I'm trying
to answer is whether it's worth the asking price.
But the Gemini was crowd funded and successfully.
Almost 6,000 people pooled over two million dollars
to bring it to life.
So the people who want it have already
put their wallets behind it.
And my question then becomes how well does it live up
to its promises and what can be improved
if there's a version two?
First let's pin down what the Gemini is.
Lots of people asked me if it's a Smartphone
during my review period and the technical answer is yes.
My unit is a 4G device running Android with the ability
to make voice calls.
The quality of those calls is fine.
I had no complaints about reception on T-Mobile
and it's actually not as awkward to talk on
as you might think.
A nice touch is that there's no such thing as
right side up or upside down.
Each end has both ear piece and microphone.
But you don't need to open it to dial.
You can use the smart button on the side to use
Google Assistant to do it.
But as you've probably noticed, there's no external display
nor a volume control.
There's also no primary camera.
Now you can buy a $50 camera module that plugs in
next to the Sim tray and accessories like a Smartwatch
and a headset do help make this a better phone.
But it wasn't designed to be that.
It's more accurate to think of this as a tiny laptop
which is why there's also a Wi-Fi only version.
Planet says Gemini is built for creators who rely
on a full keyboard but also want something
they can slip in their pocket.
The resulting clamshell clicks closed
with a crisp magnetic clack.
And when it folds open, it deploys a clever hinge
for table top typing.
Side firing speakers produce thin but loud sound
while two USB-C ports accommodate
charging and data transfer.
The design is really excellent.
The execution of that design is a bit wanting though.
A device built around it's keyboard needs the keyboard
to be the best thing about it.
And while this production version is way better than the one
I first tried at CES, it still needs another round
of revisions before I can recommend it.
Three of the keys on my device regularly stick
half way between up and down.
It doesn't affect their input but it does affect
how typing feels.
Also some keys are slightly misaligned
and the space bar is finicky.
But these issues have also been reported on units
in the wild.
My biggest complaint, there's no back light.
Planet just couldn't fit one in while preserving
the feel it was going for.
Defenders maintain that the Gemini is built
for touch typists who shouldn't need
to look at the keys anyway.
Fair point.
But this is not a standard layout.
There's a function button that controls key doubling
or tripling and until you get used to which keys are where
it's very challenging to use on a dark overnight flight
which is where I first put it to the test.
Once you get used to it, the size does make it a perfect
flying companion when you want to write without
busting out a huge laptop.
It looks too small, I know, like you'd have to peck
out letters finger by finger.
But that wasn't the case for me after two or three days.
Also there are lots of keyboard shortcuts
for brightness, media controls, flipboard hotkeys,
even alt tab for app switching.
Press the Planet button and you get a pop up dock
that you can fill with your favorite apps.
Now I know you're thinking it so let's ask the question.
Doesn't a keyboard accessory do all this just as well?
I mean why not just slap a Jorno
or something on to your phone instead?
Well I figure the best folks to ask about that
were the people bought the Gemni.
The responses carried similar themes.
Lack of satisfaction with touch screen only typing.
The inconvenience of having to carry
and charge a separate keyboard,
and a distrust or dislike
of platforms like IOS and Androids.
The Gemini ships with an unlocked bootloader
and it's been shown running Linux Debian,
Ubunto, even Sailfish.
Instead of being locked down and optimized for consumption,
it's wide open and built for creation.
Planet has also released the source code for the bootloader
and kernel so theoretically the Gemini could eventually
run many more operating systems including booting from the
micro SD slot or a USB drive.
Support for those other platforms is nasoned
at this stage though so Android is the default
that ships with the Gemini.
Let's wrap it up with some test notes.
The LCD bright enough for all conditions I tested,
and it's big enough to usefully run two apps side by side.
Unfortunately if there is an oleophobic coding
it's not a very good one.
Keep a Shammy around to get the grease off.
The LEDs on the cover have a wide array of colors
and animations but right now it just blinks red
when you have a notification but Planet says customization
is coming soon.
It's versions 7.1.1 and prospects for a oreo update
are uncertain thanks to the media tech chipset
which while brawny enough to make for speedy software,
it isn't as power efficient as some other processors are.
The battery always got me through a day of heavy use,
but I was kinda hoping for two days.
And there are the usual first gen hardware problems.
In addition to the keyboard inconsistency, this silicone
strip on my device was loosening after only two weeks.
The webcam is nice to have for video calls but it's got
pretty poor quality.
And on the 4G models the Sim slot is micro instead of nano
which means you'll probably have to get an adapter.
For it's part, Planet says it's working even on the current
production run to tighten quality control and fix
the keyboard issues.
Given how much the Gemini improved just from January
to February, I expect the company will be able to fix
some of these teething problems.
Be sure to subscribe to the Mr. Mobile on YouTube
so you don't miss the re-view when it comes along
down the road.
If your question is whether this should be your next
Smartphone, the answer is almost certainly no.
And if you're happy with your tablet or small laptop,
then this isn't for you either.
In fact, the Gemini isn't for most folks.
But that's kind of the beauty of it right?
I mean in 2018 when mobile devices all look and feel
very similar, enough people got together and said,
hey we want this very specific product,
for this very narrow use case, and it got built.
That's the kind of success story that characterized
the tech world in the mid to late '90s.
And the Gemini does its progenitors from the same era proud.
Planet's next trick, to stretch the analogy, will have to be
avoiding a repeat of the bubble burst
by delivering something tighter and more consistent
for this second generation.
This video was brought to you by Thrifter.
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and tell 'em Mr. Mobile sent ya.
Folks whether you're a Gemini owner or not,
let me know what you think of it in the comments.
And be sure to check out Android Central's impressions
at the link in the description.
Until next time, thanks for watching.
And stay mobile, my friends.