Small, but super appealing

Ubuntu fans with small fingers and big pockets will be pleased to hear that the GPD Pocket Ubuntu edition has begun shipping.

Demand for the diminutive device has been huge. In all, the GPD Pocket raised $3,509,253 via IndieGoGo — a staggering 1516% of its original $200,000 goal!

And that excludes purchase made through third-party resellers like GearBest, who’ve been stocking the Windows version of the device for a little while.

Measuring a mere 7.1-inch by 4.2-inch (and standing a tiny 0.7-inch tall), the GPD Pocket really is pocket sized. A 7-inch 1920×1200 IPS screen, quad-core Intel Atom and 8GB RAM also means that it’s no slouch either.

Because I do not back any crowdfunding project I write about (if I did, the haters on Reddit would use it as yet another stick to beat me with, mouth foaming under unrelating cries of “bias”) I do regularly lose track of which projects have completed, which are supposed to be shipping, when, and so on.

Maybe I should invest in a calendar or something? ;)

Anyhow, thanks to a YouTube video suggestion (!) jogging my memory earlier today I realised that I haven’t written much about the device since the crowd funding ended.

And since I covered the GPD Pocket crowdfunding campaign a couple of times during its run I figured that, at the least, a handful of you reading this will be interested to hear some word about the GPD Pocket Ubuntu edition.

Well, I didn’t need to go any further than Twitter to get a heads-up on what’s happening; the company tweeted this update last week:

https://www.twitter.com/softwincn/status/894751658382548992

The titchy tech’s IndieGoGo page was also updated with a message telling backers that the Ubuntu version of the GPD Pocket is now shipping:

“And we are start to ship the Ubuntu version GPD Pocket now, and will keep report the tracking information. Much appreciated for all your great support and patience for us.”

Windows users haven’t had to wait nearly as long, with the GPD Pocket Windows edition already out there in the hands of backers and buyers, where it is being cooed at, admired, and, naturally, made to run all manner of Linux distributions!

The delay in shipping the Ubuntu version may be worth it as some backers with Windows units report issues with a sensor that causes the device to wake up from sleep when the lid is closed.

If you’re one of those waiting for the unit to arrive keep an eye out for shipping updates. In the mean time, to whet your appetite, here’s a review of the Windows 10 unit courtesy of the folks over at Windows Central:

If you backed the device on IndieGoGo, or ordered a device from a third-party reseller, do keep an eye out for shipping details. And as soon as it arrives, please gives us a poke to share your thoughts about it!