Pro1 versus Cosmo Communicator

[Mailmonster 1]

Has anybody by chance possesed both devices and can tell which has the better physical keyboard experience?

Kind regards chris

[EskeRahn 5,460]

I think it will much depend on the individual which is best.
The Cosmos keys are much larger, and this is obviously more comfortable for those that do not need the many extra keys on the Pro1/Pro1X that much or for those with large fingers.
Also have a look at the successor to the Cosmo, the AstroSlide. that should be start shipping as we speak. Same key size, but other improvements.

[Mailmonster 1]

8 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

I think it will much depend on the individual which is best.
The Cosmos keys are much larger, and this is obviously more comfortable for those that do not need the many extra keys on the Pro1/Pro1X that much or for those with large fingers.
Also have a look at the successor to the Cosmo, the AstroSlide. that should be start shipping as we speak. Same key size, but other improvements.

Thanks for the answer. I know about the Astroslide but I thought about getting a used Cosmo or Fxtec pro cheaper. However it seems easier to get a used cosmo at a good price rather than an fxtec pro.

 

[VaZso 1,998]

I haven't held a Cosmo Communicator in my hands but I am curious how it is in reality. 🙂

Anyway, I think a full keyboard what Pro1 has is much better than a reduced one or at least I find it more convenient (easy use of Linux terminal and keys are reachable easily without complicated tricks).
However, others may also find normal keyboard-like buttons are more convenient, especially who has less sensitive fingers.

Anyway, I have recently received my Pinephone Keyboard which basically looks to be good and I think it may be somewhat comparable to Cosmo's keyboard but I feel to be a bit inconvenient to use it together with Linux terminal - however, it may be solved using tricks to reach different types of keys (like direct reaching of arrow keys vs. aditional keys like [,] keys)...

So different people may think different kind of keyboard suits better but it is good to speak about phones which have keyboards - it is generally a very good sign that there are visible amount of people exist who are interested in this feature.

Anyway, I was writing this message using my Pro1.

[eldarion 46]

I strongly recommend against purchasing a cosmo communicator. Had both devices for a while. I gave away the pro1 but still have the cosmo.

The cosmo hardware is held back insanely by the amoled cover screen. You can turn it off but there will still be bugs and power drain. The keyboard is honestly quite good.

Software wise the cosmo is also a dead-end. Support is just as awful as fxtec stock except lineage doesn't work even remotely as good as on the pro1. Ubuntu is not good at all on the cosmo and it's a libhybris "port" anyway which is even worse on mediatek chips.

If you want an alternative device the astro is probably good (planet is certainly a lot more transparent than fxtec right now). Unless planet launches a new device and drops all support, just like with the cosmo...

The one thing I will say is that the cosmo doesn't even remotely have as many structural issues as the pro1. A key can get stuck and some have reported duplicated keys but nothing resembling the touch panel tirefire that the pro1 is sporting.

[Muth 132]

I have the Planet Gemini and a Pro1. I cannot speak for the cosmo, but it seems to be roughly the same hardware.

I strongly regret my purchase of the Gemini, to me I wasted a LOT of money. I have tried to make it my daily driver for 2 months, it was a nightmare.

Starting with the main point of this device, the keyboard. Even if I think it is not meant to, I could not thumb type, the device is too large. So you have to find a table, and even so, it is too wobble. The screen is shaking at each of the key hits. And some keys stay stuck or not press strait. Keys are not purely mechanical, it is a common rubber bumper underneath.

The software is awful, I don't remember if I manage to set the keyboard as US-international with dead-keys. Not support neither update since they decide to launch the cosmo few month after.

Event if it is not a phone, they qualify it as a PDA, the phone is just impossible. I could not answer any phone call, the button is buggy. And to make a call, I had to dial the number on the screen open, hit the call button, then close the cam shell, which is almost all the time turn off the phone app...

The metal shell is fragile, after a month of usage, carefully put in a pouch, the shell was falling by itself. I had the camera add-on, and ho my god it was bad. I'm not looking for a excellent camera on a phone, I'm using a proper DSLR for good quality pictures. But this... You cannot event take a picture of a document to read it afterward... Anyway, the camera module failed after 2 weeks...

Even the only positive thing, the quality of the screen, it a problem. The screen is pushing against the keyboard once closed. You have to exchange the screen protector every week as it leaves marks on it...

 

[Jack T. Chance 7]

The better comparison now would be the Pro1/Pro1X compared to the Astro Slide 5G:  https://store.planetcom.co.uk/products/astro-slide

At a quick glance, the Astro Slide 5G shakes down like this...

PROS:
--5G compatibility, which F(x)tec still isn't implementing. That's a level of futureproofing we all need.
--2 USB-C ports!
--A FLAT screen (curved-edge screens are more fragile, and much more likely to shatter if the phone is dropped.)
--Dual-SIMs & a MicroSD Card all fit in in the SIM tray simultaneously!
--Properly weighted so it doesn't tip over when you set it down with the screen open.
--A programmable smart key on the side with some cool options (I don't remember the Pro1 and/or Pro1X having a smart key.)

CONS:
--The Price (nearly $1,000 US)
--Some people won't like the weight and the thickness.
--No protective cases (at least solutions have been found for the Pro1 and Pro1X.)
--Same supply chain issues that have delayed the Pro1X, but it should ship by March 2022.
--Keyboard even larger than the Pro1/Pro1X keyboard, which already seems too large for comfortable thumb typing if you're used to BlackBerry devices.
--Colors may be TOO vibrant on the AMOLED screen, to where they look too unnatural.*
--For a 48 megapixel camera, it takes lousy photos, especially if you care about color accuracy.*

So, I'm still unsure which one to order.  The price is definitely better with the Pro1X, especially if ordered through the IndieGoGo Campaign. 🤔

*These factors are based on a pre-release prototype unit from 2021, so they could be improved before production units ship. 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Jack T. Chance

[Doktor Oswaldo 904]

9 minutes ago, Jack T. Chance said:

--Properly weighted so it doesn't tip over when you set it down with the screen open.

Just to say, the pro1 does not tip over either.

If you haven't ordered anything yet, I would actually recommend to wait.
Don't get me wrong, I love my pro1. Just this morning I thought about how I become really slow on the touchscreen and really fast on the keyboard.
But the communication isn't the best at the moment at fxtec, no idea about astro.

Since both phones should start shipping in the next couple of weeks, I would simply wait until devices are actually sent out and decide then.

 

[EskeRahn 5,460]

1 hour ago, Jack T. Chance said:

The better comparison now would be the Pro1/Pro1X compared to the Astro Slide 5G:  https://store.planetcom.co.uk/products/astro-slide

Definitely more interesting than the Cosmo.
We got a quite long thread on it already:

 

[Jack T. Chance 7]

6 hours ago, EskeRahn said:

Definitely more interesting than the Cosmo.
We got a quite long thread on it already:

 

Thank you for that, I'll go check out that thread now! 😊

[EskeRahn 5,460]

(moved a handful of posts to the Astro thread)