lets say someone made an OSHW touch device running linux that's intended to fit in your pant/dress/jacket/handbag pocket. what would be the maximum display size (diagonal, inches) you would tolerate? bonus if you like rabbitholes like this: maximum thickness and weight?

@mntmn Fold or no fold?

@mhoye no fold at first to keep it simple

@mntmn I should have specified fold-as-in-GBA-hinge, not fold-as-in-bendy-LCD, but also: Keyboard or no keyboard?

@latsku so you would prefer 5.5 inch?

@mhoye lets say the keyboard is a separate thing, attached magnetically or as a case

@mntmn 16cm diagonal maximum (outer case dimension, not screen size), maximum thickness 2.5cm (enough to hold an 18650, I know that's very chunky), with lanyard holes and 1/4-20" screw threads on the four edges to fit a finger loop or hand strap or whatever

@mntmn 4 inch would be easiest for one handed operation. But it all depends on the aspect ratio really.
There was the idea of the pinecom pda which had a lot of good ideas for a pocket linux touch device

@mntmn I have accepted the Librem 5's size (6.6" including all bezels), but reluctantly. Could tolerate something a bit thicker still, but would definitely prefer the diagonal to be shorter.

@mntmn edge to edge screen 6,5", with bezels 5,5" (rn I daily drive FP3 and would not want anything significantly larger).
As of thickness, 20mm + case if it was designed to hold comfortably.
And I don't really care about weight as long as it is distributed somewhat evenly and is reasonably justified (easy to open, aluminium/steel frame for durability etc).

@mntmn max 10" if it's used two-handed. 6" and strictly narrower than 65mm if it's one-handed.

750 g if it's perched during use, 250 g if I hold it in the air.

@mntmn 7" would be awesome, half my laptop size.
7" for a shmol pocket device, 14" for a laptop, and 28" for my external screens - would be a dream!

@mntmn my preferred touch device running linux that I owned and fitted in my pockets was the Jolla 1: 4.5" display.

@mntmn My current iPhone 13 Pro Max is pushing up against the limit in height (at 16 cm). All remaining dimensions (8 x 0.8) have room to grow a little. My eyes say bigger is better. That said, it’s more a camera than anything else.

@mntmn @mhoye the pinephone + keyboard case but "in working", purple, metal.

@stereo @mntmn The widest "pocketable" device I've ever held was the Blackberry Passport (13 cm wide) and it was at the absolute edge of pocket-tolerability, like jacket pocket, cargo-pants only territory. Great hardware, if a doomed product.

I put all my phones in heavy cases, so I'll take thickness for utility. At a guess I would say practical pocket sizes max out at 9-10cm wide, 16-18cm long and 1cm thick.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackBerry_Passport

@mhoye @stereo @mntmn My SO loved this to death and to this day is furious about the iPhone. Women pants infamously have no pockets so the size wasn’t an issue for her.

@mntmn Erm, I'm probably being over literal here, but what's wrong with a 'normal' phone form-factor? I want a phone that does phone-stuff that doesn't run Android or Apple stuff, and doesn't require a Google or Apple account.

There have been a few attempts in recent years, but none are yet fit for 'real world' use.

@bytebro yeah, i also can't make a full smartphone replacement on a shoestring budget

extremely low-fi and thicc protoype to test some dimensions and weight (crafted with cardboard and tape by @theawesomerandomness around pocket reform electronics)

@theawesomerandomness short video clip

@mntmn @theawesomerandomness it would fit perfectly in your trouser side pocket!

@goatwildernesscollective @theawesomerandomness yes it also fits in the top pocket (in the picture)! but it's a large pocket as well

@mntmn @theawesomerandomness does that run on rk3588?

@xha @theawesomerandomness in this demo yes

@mntmn @theawesomerandomness I do really like the 7" tablet form factor, though for me it'd definitely be more of a "throw it in my bag" kind of device than a pocketable one. Feels like that's just big enough to have a reason to use it over my phone even if I also have my phone with me

@jfred @theawesomerandomness that's interesting!

@dos @mntmn I'd really like something in 120grams range. 100grams would be even better. But I guess I'll have to live with Motorola Droid 4 and later One Plus 6.

@mntmn @theawesomerandomness envious of those pockets. Did you notice how women's clothing has none or ridiculously small pockets?

@lizzard yes, especially as @theawesomerandomness is a fashion designer by training we're discussing all kinds of garments and their pockets :D

@mntmn @theawesomerandomness what size did you go for?
The 8inch iPad mini size is so ideally for a companion device

@mntmn
Fairphone size

@mntmn @mhoye
I think 'roll' will be the future.

@ernstgreiner @mntmn

“Pardon me I need to take this”

[unrolls phone like he’s announcing a Roman decree]

@mhoye @ernstgreiner randomly reminds me of snow crash, didn't they have scrolls there with brain-infecting bitmaps etc

@mntmn @mhoye @ernstgreiner *rolls phone to scroll through TikTok feed* yeah we have the brain infecting bitmaps too

@mntmn I'd prefer thickness to a too-big screen size. I don't know why phones need to be so thin. I'd be happy with a traditional PDA...

@mntmn @theawesomerandomness the mnt reform "note"

@mntmn You inspired me to dig out my GDP Pocket 2 and get it working again (keyboard connection had come loose). It’s full x86-64 desktop in my pocket and it’s pretty awesome. (Yes, it does actually fit in all of my jean pockets)

@mntmn @theawesomerandomness
I hope to hear from it soon, I like what I see. 👀