Ask HN: Are there any modern devices similar to Palm Pilot?
13 butz 10 9/12/2025, 7:00:37 PM
With all mobile ecosystems closing down, I am considering switching to dumb phone. It will be used for calls and SMS only. For all my personal computing and hobby projects I would like to have some additional device that runs open source software, and does not prevent me from building and running custom applications. It would be amazing to have some device similar to classig Palm Pilot, "handheld PDA". Maybe even with stylus, 4"-5" touchscreen that easily fits anywhere. Are there any similar devices available? Tablets are way too large and are using same closed mobile ecosystems.
There are smaller devices in a similar vein, I hear good things about Kobo.
E-ink tablets are about the best thing I can think of here. Second best option is probably just an old Android device without a sim card.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPQ2q7yVjZs
I've seen some other people hack together similarly devices. One was a Raspberry Pi 0 with a blackberry keyboard and a screen.
Anything off the shelf and even remotely polished these days is likely running Android, which seems like it would defeat the purpose.
The are Remarkable Move might be an option, if you're looking more for a notebook to organize everything, but if you want a Palm-like experience, that will also miss the mark.
You could try for an old Palm or Handspring device off eBay. It might be its own island, or getting in syncing could be a project.
You can run old Palm ROMS on smartphones. I tried it, but once the nostalgia wore off in 5 minutes I gave up on it. It also seems to defeat the purpose of what you're going for.
Check out /r/remarkableTablet for everyone who convinced themselves they were buying an ebook reader or a device running standard Linux under the hood — essentially of them regret the purchase to varying degrees.
This reviewer reviews e-ink devices: https://www.youtube.com/@ChalidRaqami
Best dumb phones 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwkLjrNMd3M
To a first approximation nothing like that exists and while I understand philosophical commitment, from a getting shit done perspective, it is an unnecessary requirement.
For better or worse, that ship sailed long ago because it has no commercial viability.
Yes, it might make an interesting hobby project, but running any old phone might too.
* 4.3" monochrome e-Ink display
* no web browser, no email client
* de-Googled Android; only way to load apps is via APK from a computer
* hardware switch to turn off all radios, for the privacy-concerned
The built-in software is still a work-in-progress (eg the music player hasn't got FOLDER support yet!) but you can find e-Ink-friendly apps on repos like F-Droid.
Remarkable just came out with a small eink tablet that could kind of work.
PostmarketOS might run on some existing devices as well.
Used palm pilots are likely too if productivity apps are mostly what you're after.