- [Narrator] Back in the 1990s,
when cellphones and PDAs were still separate things,
over a million people bought something called the Psion,
a durable clamshell organizer with reliable software
and a large keyboard.
20 years later, the Psion's spiritual successor
has finally arrived.
From CES 2018 in Las Vegas, I'm Mr. Mobile
with a first look at the Gemini from Planet Computers.
(grungy electronic music)
Yeah, but, what is it?
That's the number-one question I overheard
during my brief time with the Gemini on the show floor,
and, you know, it's an understandable one.
This thing isn't much bigger than a large smartphone.
Some versions of it have 4G builtin.
And you can even make calls on it.
Yet, it's not intended to be a smartphone replacement.
Planet says the Gemini was built to be a tool for creators:
bloggers, social-media mavens,
people whose workdays are measured in emails per hour.
And the core feature for that audience is,
of course, the physical keyboard.
While it's usable as a thumb-board,
it's really meant for a tabletop,
and making that possible is an ingenious folding
metal extension that slides out from the hinge when opened,
keeping it balanced while you're clacking away.
Much like a Blackberry, there are function shortcuts
mapped to some of the keys that let you
change the screen brightness, or adjust the volume,
or call up the emoji panel.
Some of the software, like the Agenda,
was heavily inspired by the Psion of the '90s.
Where the old Psion had a row of physical buttons
for shortcuts, the Gemini uses a popover panel in software
that you can customize yourself.
If you want more real estate than the six-inch display
gives you, you can pick up an HDMI adapter to plug into
a bigger monitor through one of the USB-C ports.
And if you need a little more precision
than the touchscreen offers,
you can pair a Bluetooth mouse, as well.
While there's no external display,
there is an LED strip that's programmable.
So you can set color sequences for specific alerts,
like email or reminders or phone calls.
Those phone calls are pretty neat since the two ports
on the front are both speaker and microphone.
So, there is no upside-down or right-side-up;
you just hold it to your head, and talk.
If video calls are more your speed,
there's a five-megapixel front-facing webcam
and your choice of side-firing loudspeakers
or a headphone jack.
And if Android isn't enough to sate
your mobile-computing needs,
you do have the option to boot into Linux, as well.
As excited as I am about the Gemini bringing back
the dream of the '90s, I do have a couple concerns.
For one thing, it's running last-year's Android Nougat,
apparently because Oreo support has yet to arrive
for the MediaTek chipset this thing is built on.
Also, I wasn't really encouraged by
my first few minutes with the keyboard.
First off, there's no backlight, which is a big downer.
And secondly, I felt like the keys were on the mushy side.
I had to really punch down on some of 'em
to get keystrokes to register.
Remember, I'm at CES, and this was a preproduction model
pulled off the assembly line days ago.
I'll need a full review out in the real world
with a retail model to evaluate it properly.
The Planet Gemini is the product of an Indiegogo campaign
that's still rolling on.
Buyers have their option of WiFi-only and cellular models,
the latter of which is compatible with
both GSM and CDMA networks.
Yay for Verizon and Sprint.
At press time, the WiFi model is available for $299.
The 4G version is 399.
And a variety of accessories are on offer,
including an external camera for an extra 49 bucks.
I'll drop the link to the campaign in the description below.
Those who backed early on will start getting
their units later this month,
with deliveries continuing through the spring.
And, hopefully, review devices will start landing
on desks like mine soon, too.
If that happens, those following me on Instagram
at theMrMobile will be the first to see the unboxing.
Mr. Mobile CES 2018 coverage is brought to you by Thrifter,
a new way to save money on everything from gadgets
to home goods by shopping based on value and not hype.
Check out the latest deals at Thrifter.com,
and tell 'em Mr. Mobile sent you.
Stay tuned for more from CES 2018 in Las Vegas, folks.
Until next time, thanks for watching,
and stay mobile, my friends.