[nyx_land]

The problem with trying to replace a smartphone with a dumbphone is that most people (young people at least) don't use calling and texting anymore unless forced to. I'd rather have something in between a laptop and a smartphone that is designed to be comfortable for carrying around in a small bag or pocket, but that also has a physical keyboard and is designed to be used productively for programming or writing for example.

As it stands, smartphones are the worst of both worlds though: the form factor of what is essentially a legacy communication device, but none of the human interfaces necessary to make it useful enough to really take advantage of all its computing power (and often also its software cripples the device unless you're running a custom android ROM). What people hate about smartphones isn't that they're constantly plugged in but that they have a device on them all the time that is basically designed to turn the user into the ideal consumer: a passive addict with no attention span. If it was more common to have access to portable hardware that is designed to empower users being creative and productive, maybe it'd be a different story.

But then again, I think most human beings probably want exactly what they're getting with smartphones and are miserable and alienated at the human condition itself of being so susceptible to seeking out low effort short term dopamine feedback loops.

[thfuran]

>I'd rather have something in between a laptop and a smartphone that is designed to be comfortable for carrying around in a small bag or pocket, but that also has a physical keyboard and is designed to be used productively for programming or writing for example.

Something like what? A small laptop is little more than a display attached to a thin keyboard. I'm not sure how you'd get something much smaller while retaining a physical keyboard and still being reasonably useable for programming.

[safety1st]

This happened by lucky accident: I bought a 10" Galaxy Tab, a case for it, and a bluetooth keyboard all at different times. All exactly the same size.

The case has a front cover that opens like a book and converts into a stand. There is a weak magnet embedded inside the case so that when you close it, it sticks.

It turns out the bluetooth keyboard will also stick to this magnet! So I just stick it on there when I go out, and carry them around like they're a single unit. When I want to type something I pull it off, convert the tablet case into a stand and have a very serviceable laptop-like experience. Now if only it was running a proper Linux distro instead of Android...

[poglet]

It looks like palmtop or haldheld pc's are the formfactor that is being described.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_300LX

[fsflover]

Librem 5 phone runs desktop Linux, and you can connect any bluetooth or usb keyboard to it thus turning it into a laptop for programming.

[brewdad]

But you’re still stuck lugging around a keyboard on the go. I guess I don’t see the appeal. If you are in the office just use a real laptop.

[fsflover]

First, bluetooth keyboards can be portable. Or, you can use a Nexdoc. Second, you can have a single device instead of a phone and a laptop/desktop.

[thfuran]

A low res five inch screen is about as suitable for work as a crt is for travel.

[wishfish]

iPad Mini fits (barely) in my pants pocket when I'm wearing my baggy cargo pants. Also would go around nicely in a bag. There's a variety of keyboard cases for it. Including hinged ones with trackpads which turn it into a tiny laptop. Can get it with a cellular connection. Small enough to take with you everywhere but big enough to make it awkward to pull out constantly.

Only drawback for your use case is the programming part. Though you could also get a small Samsung or Lenovo 8" Android tablet which would give you much more flexibility. There's also the 8" laptops from a few niche companies, though they will probably be thicker than tablet + keyboard case and wouldn't have the same battery life or cellular options.

Smallest, easily available device I can think of in this form factor is a 7" Amazon Fire with the Zagg hinged keyboard case. It's slow, has so-so battery life, and you'd still need to get a cellular connection elsewhere. But it's about the size of a VHS tape and it's pocketable. I had one for a while because I wanted a cheap tiny laptop. Fire tablets are easy to turn into mostly generic Android machines so it would be useful.