Three years in, keyboard-equipped Astro Slide is a dead end

05 February 2023
The IndieGoGo campaign started in 2020 and only a few units have shipped out. The company promises that things will be picking up speed soon, but at this point it doesn't matter.

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  • g
  • gidds
  • gyY
  • 18 Feb 2023

My Astro (UK) arrived just after Christmas, and I'm very happy with it!

It may not be cutting-edge in some ways, but it's clearly a niche product and not competing directly with the big names. For me having a proper keyboard trumps many other concerns, so I'm comparing it with the various Psions and then the Gemini that it's replaced — and the Astro is better in almost every way, often vastly so. In particular, the keyboard is without doubt the best small keyboard I've ever used.

Planet Computers is clearly a tiny company, and has always been a bit optimistic with timescales. But I risked investing in the Gemini, and that investment was handsomely rewarded in due course; ditto the Cosmo and then the Astro. The Astro was particularly unfortunate with its timing (being announced while the pandemic was starting, a few weeks before the first lockdown), so the longer delay is no surprise. But Planet are clearly still determined to fulfil all their order/perks, however long it takes, and I wish them the best.

(And despite the article title, I for one hope they go on to produce a fourth device, and a fifth,…!)

    • h
    • hyc
    • n7J
    • 16 Feb 2023

    I just received mine with US keyboard today. Literally just unboxed it now. The AMOLED display is pretty. It's even larger and heavier than my FxTec Pro1 though, which is the opposite direction things should have gone. It needs to be smaller and lighter, like a Motorola Droid4, small enough to operate one-handed. Oh well.

      • H
      • Holger
      • gDg
      • 15 Feb 2023

      Anonymous, 08 Feb 2023I believe this company is trying to pump out as many phones... moreWhy would they pump out phones before declaring bankruptcy ? The phones are already paid for. As I am sure they have debts easier to pay off, they could do just that and close the doors

        • H
        • Holger
        • gDg
        • 15 Feb 2023

        Johnny M., 15 Feb 2023Actually I am not backer but even worse - a fool that pre-o... moreHaha mine says February 2022

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • InE
          • 15 Feb 2023

          Johnny M., 15 Feb 2023Actually I am not backer but even worse - a fool that pre-o... moreDid you pay with a credit card? If you did, you can dispute the transaction.

            • J
            • Johnny M.
            • Mpx
            • 15 Feb 2023

            Actually I am not backer but even worse - a fool that pre-ordered (and pre-paid) the device in August 2022 with delivery date promised September 2023. Guess what... Since that I got exactly zero communication from Planet Computers. First I saw on their e-shop they postponed the delivery to December 2022, later to January 2023. Now they even don't bother updating promised delivery date - still promising January 2023. Am going to ask for refund, but I am really afraid I threw my money out of the window...
            Really disappointing experience.

              • N
              • Nobody special
              • qGm
              • 14 Feb 2023

              Actual user here. I backed this several years ago because I loved my Palms and my V60 and other flip phones (I hate the candybar form factor and prefer an actual keyboard and a REMOVABLE BATTERY!!!!!), but went with a LG G8X ThinkQ and its dual display option for a while because of all the delays and I didn't want to spend the money on one of the Samsung Flip/Folds. I was apprehensive due to Covid but understood that was an unknown, but did like that they actually listened that we wanted a larger battery.

              I just received this actual device in January 2023, but was waiting for the accessories pack (screen protector, etc) before putting it into service and then my LG device died yesterday. So I swapped SIMs and booted it up. AAARG! The sliding mechanism is quirky and basically junk, it randomly presses keys to the point the device is UNUSABLE as it is wigging out ( even just set it on the table not touching it and it was randomly pressing characters and going back, back, back, back). Had it randomly drop a call I was on and also sent gobblty gook while trying to text. Random characters and the phone freaking out is not how I want to use it. At least I was an early adopter and didn't pay full price, but I completely wasted my money on this thing. Now I have to find a new phone, and I hate candybar phones with permanent batteries and no 3.5mm phone jacks!!!!! Anyone want to buy it off of me?

                Akinaro, 06 Feb 2023Buying anything from idiegogo... especially electronic... d... morehttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/higole-pc-2022-the-newest-touch-mini-portable-pc/x/15425789#/discussion was a good experience overall...

                Less than 4 months end:end, good communication and reasonable support, production in China and with some hard-to-source parts.

                Possible differences:
                ● Same location as production.
                ●Achievable goals.
                ●Clear design.
                ●Not trying to please too many people at the same time (but I guess you do need keyboards to match the locales you're shipping to... )

                It is great because it meets a specific use-case I have for video production and the building of a highly-mobile unit.

                  DoomGoblin, 10 Feb 2023When updates are hour long 'interviews' with the ... moreCorrection... the initial expected delivery date was March 21. The current expected delivery date on my contribution is February 2022. That's the record that also says I'll get my perks from one of the first production runs....

                  There were 2905 Super Early Bird contributors at 40% off, then there were 767 In Demand Specials at 35% off followed by 641 at 30% off. No idea why PC would cap the offer at 4313 devices... but that's what they did. At contributor 3603 I assumed I'd still be before anyone with a higher contribution number...

                  What seems to have happened is that regardless of which cohort any contributor is in, the emphasis shifted from honouring commitments in sequence to the lottery of which keyboard and power supply were ordered.

                  Living in Oz it's the worst of both worlds... no Australian power adaptor was offered any I needed the US keyboard... so being a UK dual national, get a UK power supply... that makes sense, right?

                  Well it might have done if PC had got production started to cope with the randomness of theor global clienteles' needs; babow! (Klaxon sound) as that's not what transpired

                  I suspect I've got the worst combo of the lot alongside the incredibly poor communication; how many contributors would want this combo?

                  By the time it arrives, methinks I'll have an antique...

                    Anonymous, 06 Feb 2023First, My voice already is a 0 in the 8 billion people and ... moreIn fairness, when I backed it in August 2020, there was a published date of Feb 21... so a 6 month trip was the expectation that was set.... it's been 5 times that now ans as a backer I could not have known.

                    As a backer you accept some risk and it goes with the rules of investing.... never put in what you can't spare and don't mind never seeing a return on.

                    As a backer you have to trust the vendor but that trust gets eroded by poor or puerile communication (e.g. 1 hour interview updates that seem more like an induction into a cult than a news-sharing event).

                    Nothing ventured, nothing gained; however we're yet to see if this venture comes out on top for all of us.

                      GotItRecently, 07 Feb 2023I got mine recently in the UK. The build quality is cheap w... moreHmmm... Android 11 ... late and insecure then? How are their patches going? I get one monthly from Samsung (or near enough)

                        When updates are hour long 'interviews' with the CEO that contain possibly 3-5 minutes of actual news, you get a sinking feeling.

                        When you receive an email stating "Happy to inform, your Astro Slide 5G perks is now only days away.
                        Thank you for your support and patience.", and then days turn into weeks, followed by months (3 so far), the sinking feeling turns into silent acquiescence. There is nothing you can do.

                        When you see the same product on sale on the manufacturer's website at a much higher price, you get into a foetal position and rock ever so slightly beginning to believe that the product you paid for as an early-bird perk some 30 months previously (oh and don't forget the add-on accessories) may well have been directed to the highest bidder.

                        Yes, I am a saddo, who 3 decades ago used a Psion 3a and pocket modem to login to the hospital mini mainframes from home/anywhere at 56k baud or less to support them and ran my approach from my jacket pocket on AA batteries when others were having to haul luggables around. I believed in Psion, I believed in the Astro... do I still?; let's see if and when it arrives

                        (Backed 26th August 2020)

                          • g
                          • gymbo
                          • 3Pg
                          • 10 Feb 2023

                          John, 09 Feb 2023This PC Computers company has demolished their reputation. ... moreI'm quite impressed: You have been waiting for "3 years +" for something that was announced late March 2020!?! Are you from the future? Is it nice there? Do everybody have flying cars there?
                          (And in addition it had an original shipping date of March 2021, so to claim you have been waiting for it for longer than since that, is really over-optimistic? And everybody SHOULD have understood that the original shipping date would be delayed because of all the shut-downs and other problems during the pandemic...)
                          Should Planet have been better at communicating? Yes, of course! Do I think they SHOULD have been able to ship to all the backers by now? Again, yes, of course! Do they seem to have "legit" causes for (at least some of) the delays? Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, yes... (Do I wish I had already received mine? Certainly!!)

                            Anonymous, 09 Feb 2023That's the point. When you are doing work that require... moreNot sure what you mean, on my default samsung keyboard there is a small line of all numbers above the main keyboard so whether you use autocorrect or not you tam the numbers as you need, autocorrect isn't involved with them, no need to switch between anything.

                              • J
                              • John
                              • I8x
                              • 09 Feb 2023

                              This PC Computers company has demolished their reputation. I have been waiting 3 years + and still no delivery or promise of a delivery and I don't even think the company has any of the already pain for accessories to ship either. Terrible customer service with zero customer concern. A very bad decision doing business with these shiesters.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • XS%
                                • 09 Feb 2023

                                Solun1, 07 Feb 2023I don't think you need auto-correct for numbers, if yo... moreThat's the point. When you are doing work that requires both letters and numbers, auto-correct becomes pointless. Writing a number once in a while is fine, but when you need to type too many numbers, auto-correct will become a hindrance because you will be going back and forth between normal typing and auto-correct.

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                                  • Marco
                                  • gv5
                                  • 09 Feb 2023

                                  I backed this project in June, 2020, with the hope of getting a mobile phone that could replace an old iPhone 6s I had back in that year. I was hoping to get it in due time as they specified it (March 2021), however, PC hasn't issued mine yet and it's almost 3 years already. I ordered one with Spanish keyboard layout... in their updates, there's no mention of the production of mobile phones with such characteristics.
                                  I'm never going to back another project from PC.

                                    I received mine in December. I can't understand how one can have such a harsh article title. The device is absolutely unique with nothing else coming close (Fx1 does not have a mechanical keyboard!). Why a mechanical keyboard? I can actually touch-type on it! Yes it has some issues but they can be fixed. Planet Computers has been making devices for years (more than 10 I think), so I trust they will eventually fix things.

                                    All the other things I would do on a phone, I can do on it. So comments about chipset or Android version are pointless. It's like the measure of in how many seconds can a car get to 100 km/h / 60 mph. Totally pointless and useless metric. Can it keep my family safe? Now that's actually a relevant question.

                                      Tom D, 08 Feb 2023thats BS. There is a huge market share for physical keyboa... moreThough I'm a huge fan of real keyboards, I think your numbers are very optimistic.

                                      Samsung had a very clever click-on physical keyboard that too few knew even existed, despite it being available for their top models for a number of years! (never seen it advertised anywhere!)

                                      Clicked off, the phone looked like any other slab on a protective shell, clicked on it looked horrible, but it worked reasonably fine.

                                      I have some blah blah and images on the whole thing here: https://eskerahn.dk/?p=2284
                                      (Actually I got the keyboard first, and bought the phone for it months later!)

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • 7{8
                                        • 08 Feb 2023

                                        I believe this company is trying to pump out as many phones before they declare bankruptcy, which in my opinion is not far from now.

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