If you’ve been waiting for a 5G smartphone with a physical keyboard, get ready to get excited. Planet Computers – known for its steadfast, some might say obsessional, commitment to the mini-laptop form factor – has announced its latest model, the Astro Slide, complete with a “RockUp” sliding mechanism and high-speed connectivity.
The phone, which has a 6.53-inch touch screen, also enables the use of a physical keyboard with its hinged structure. Astro Slide works with the Android 10 operating system. Planet Computers has also created a Linux bootloader to feature their smartphone. So users will be able to use Linux directly on this phone as well as the Android 10 operating system. The phone, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 processor, has a 5G supported modem and also offers 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. Users can use Astro Slide like a normal smartphone. However, users can also experience a small laptop by taking advantage of the hinged structure of the phone. When the phone’s physical keyboard appears, the screen rotates to a horizontal position, and users can use the touch screen and the physical keyboard simultaneously. The phone has a 5 MP selfie camera and a 48 MP resolution rear camera. The phone, which also has a fingerprint reader sensor, comes with a 4,000 mAh battery. The Astro Slide is expected to retail at around $907, though early backers can snag one from $544. If all goes to plan, the company says it hopes to begin shipping in March 2021.