[Help Thread][Cosmo Communicator](2019) Ask Any Question, Noob Friendly

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sd_shadow

sd_shadow

Recognized Contributor / XDA Welcome Team
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This thread has been created
for
Questions & Answers/Troubleshooting
Specific to

Planet Computer's
Cosmo Communicator



Please feel free to share issues, questions and offer help. Noob questions are welcomed.

It is always best to use the Thanks button , in lieu of simply posting "Thank you".

attachment.php

Please keep discussion focused, on questions pertaining to this Device
attachment.php
List of supporters​
...​
...​
...​
...​

To those seeking help: Please don't bombard the supporters with PMs asking for help. Instead, ask your question here in the thread so others can benefit from the solution to your problem as well. If you want to be sure someone particular gets notified of your question, put his / her username directly after an @.​
If you have ROM-related questions, post in the relevant ROM Q&A thread (if there is one) or directly in the ROM development thread. Thank you!​
​
Supporters: If you want to be put on or off the list, just make a request here in the thread!​
Before posting anything, I strongly advise you to read​

Please look for a similar thread when visiting another device forum.
If you would like to create a [Help Thread] please Click Here.
​
 
Last edited:
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M

Mks1967

New member
Feb 8, 2020
4
0
Unfortunately, in my case Shift/Fn/R does nothing whatsoever, no matter what app or position of the unit
 
S

spookme

Member
Sep 1, 2010
40
1
Mks1967 said:
Having my Cosmo since feb 2 and had all recent updates going in almost without problems, now when real world (mine obviously) test has come, I must say that unfortunately, for me, the units does not perform. Two main issues here, one is the screen rotation; most apps I must use (no alternative) work only in portrait and the OS struggles to manage that, even after using alternative methods to the ridiculous "force rotation" option, like tasker and rotate pro, onece the app is in portrait the screen refresh and jumps are just unacceptable. The second issue is again related with the lack of usability in portrait, when you spend 100% of your commute time driving and have to attend/check emails and messages (I know, in an ideal world things are different) and switch quickly between apps and maps and calls, things you seemingly do with most last generation devices, the Cosmo becomes simply useless. Unfortunately, with my requirements, which happen to be shared by all people I know, the unit will either go back to his box and into my personal museum of mobile devices or on sale. A word for Planet guys: the idea and concept is excellent, specially for those who have a certain age and buying capacity, but precisely those people don't live in the ideal world you designed the unit for, but in one that requires certain basic functionalities that you either missed or intentionally removed or prevented.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

When you say you have tried Tasker - did you create a profiles / tasks to rotate automatically based on the orientation? Someone on the FB group gave me the idea to try that and it works really well. Basically, it uses the orientation sensor to rotate the screen as soon as you rotate the device to portrait mode. IT means it rotates automatically - like it should have from the start (IMHO).
 
M

Mks1967

New member
Feb 8, 2020
4
0
spookme said:
When you say you have tried Tasker - did you create a profiles / tasks to rotate automatically based on the orientation? Someone on the FB group gave me the idea to try that and it works really well. Basically, it uses the orientation sensor to rotate the screen as soon as you rotate the device to portrait mode. IT means it rotates automatically - like it should have from the start (IMHO).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Hi Spookme, thanks for tip; I've tried tasker but had to download the free old version because for some reason I can't access the last version from UAE on the Cosmo (I can on my BBk2 and S/Note8 but have no idea on how to extract the apk from any of those so I can load it to cosmo); with an older version, the issue was that it does not show the "force rotate" parameter so tried some other options without any results. I've tried other apps that in theory do just that, automatic rotation based on sensor position, but also with no result, so I deleted them (old tasker and some rotation apps I've tried).

To make things more interesting, this morning the task bar disappeared, you press the "Planet' button and nothing whatsoever happens. In addition, on the weird side of things, the black/dark theme is selected, but some apps, including setup, decided it's no their cup of tea.

I'm under the impression that the OS needs lots and lots of polishing and planet guys did not have a very clear idea of what they wanted to do, if either a proper smartphone that could properly serve heavy keyboard users at the right time or an old school pda that could make some calls and a bit of browsing only for pages that are desktop oriented, like back in the day with the Nokia Communicator series and others alike. Much I'm afraid, they opted for the old school pda, given this is basically a gemini with a bit more powerful modem to make calls, which resides behind the external screen.

Anyway, still not fully given up on the thing, and any ideas on how to make this work as a proper modern standard smartphone with "utility scale" keyboard for those limited but crucial moments when is needed, will be extremely welcome !

Many Thanks !
 
S

spookme

Member
Sep 1, 2010
40
1
Ah - well if you do manage to get a recent version of Tasker, I can show you how to get rotation working. The Cosmo does require a bit of tweaking. For me that's a good thing - I like it. But I can see how it would be frustrating for those who just want a smart phone that "works".
 
C

charlie.s

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2005
176
32
Standard Android re-install

Does anyone have an installable image of the standard (unrooted) Android? I managed to trash mine, though TWRP, Linux and rooted Android boot fine.
 
M

mmbika

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2008
105
7
How does Cosmo compare with Motorola WebTop and LapDock combo which is almost similar to what this Cosmo is trying to achieve and Canonical dropped out half way from Ubuntu phone? No body seems to have given much though to previous pioneers, only much hyped thing is a very bygone era Psion keyboard but recent past is being deliberately ignored. Those models are much worth to be highlighted and have much weight to compare Cosmo to.
 
M

Mks1967

New member
Feb 8, 2020
4
0
spookme said:
Ah - well if you do manage to get a recent version of Tasker, I can show you how to get rotation working. The Cosmo does require a bit of tweaking. For me that's a good thing - I like it. But I can see how it would be frustrating for those who just want a smart phone that "works".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Hi Spookme, many thanks for the offering. I will definitely try to get the latest Tasker and intend to abuse on your kind offering :). Sorry for not coming back earlier in this topic, but that's my life - 3 weeks on site, 2 days home now, then another 3 to 4 weeks on site. As said, will revert as soon I can on this - Many Thanks !!
 
G

Grutsch451

New member
Aug 17, 2016
4
1
Multi-Boot Installation

My Cosmo has worked well out of the box, and I've been very pleased with it. I am now contemplating going to the multi-boot world. The instructions from Planet Computers don't explicitly mention (at least I can't see it) whether or not it is possible to keep the 'un-rooted' version of Android. Can someone tell me if this is possible? Does the unrooted Android stay after re-partitioning the drive? Or does it get wiped out?
I just want to be clear about my options before proceeding.
thanks!
 
G

ghalebalmahdi

Member
Nov 18, 2009
6
0
hi there
when i tried to install TWRP in my cosmo planet and ask me to reboot in recovery mode this what happened
the screen stuck in logo with massage ( your device has failed verification and may not work properly . Please download recovery image with correct signature or disable verified boot. your device will reboot in 5 seconds ) ..... Red State .
and keep reboot in the same screen with massage ...
please can someone help me ,,,, PLEASE .
 
sd_shadow

sd_shadow

Recognized Contributor / XDA Welcome Team
Sep 21, 2011
18,989
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10,018
South Dakota
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Motorola Droid X
Amazon Fire
ghalebalmahdi said:
hi there
when i tried to install TWRP in my cosmo planet and ask me to reboot in recovery mode this what happened
the screen stuck in logo with massage ( your device has failed verification and may not work properly . Please download recovery image with correct signature or disable verified boot. your device will reboot in 5 seconds ) ..... Red State .
and keep reboot in the same screen with massage ...
please can someone help me ,,,, PLEASE .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you haven't already installed anything in recovery, or changed the partitions yet?
I don't have a solution, try contacting support
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/cc92fc88ec4e469d8923c419ad9321b2
 
G

ghalebalmahdi

Member
Nov 18, 2009
6
0
So thanks bro.
I tried to install linux in my device and followed the steps carefully and when i tried to install TWRP and then flashing asked me to reboot in recovery mode and then stuck with the massage
your device has failed verification and may not work properly . Please download recovery image with correct signature or disable verified boot. your device will reboot in 5 seconds ) ..... Red State .

---------- Post added at 09:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 AM ----------

I already installed the custom os debian and rooted android and was working smooth but the issue was happened when I flash TWRP and reboot in recovery mode
 
sd_shadow

sd_shadow

Recognized Contributor / XDA Welcome Team
Sep 21, 2011
18,989
2
10,018
South Dakota
goo.gl
Motorola Droid X
Amazon Fire
ghalebalmahdi said:
So thanks bro.
I tried to install linux in my device and followed the steps carefully and when i tried to install TWRP and then flashing asked me to reboot in recovery mode and then stuck with the massage
your device has failed verification and may not work properly . Please download recovery image with correct signature or disable verified boot. your device will reboot in 5 seconds ) ..... Red State .

---------- Post added at 09:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 AM ----------

I already installed the custom os debian and rooted android and was working smooth but the issue was happened when I flash TWRP and reboot in recovery mode
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can install TWRP only on the EMPTY_RECOVERY_BOOT_2 partition
Did you install it on boot 1?
 
G

ghalebalmahdi

Member
Nov 18, 2009
6
0
yes bro I install in EMPTY_RECOVERY_BOOT_2 partition and after that I download the app from google play and install it and then I tried to flash it in boot recovery !!!!! and then when ask me to reboot the device stuck in the screen logo with the previous massage !!!
 
sd_shadow

sd_shadow

Recognized Contributor / XDA Welcome Team
Sep 21, 2011
18,989
2
10,018
South Dakota
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Motorola Droid X
Amazon Fire
From email

Cosmo Android 9 V20 firmware update issues
We have seen report of problems with the Android 9 V20 firmware update. We are looking at the issues and will try to provide a hotfix as soon as possibe. Please hold off from downloading the V20 update at the momemnt.

Thank you for your patience.

Best regards,

Team Cosmo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
 
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    sd_shadow
    sd_shadow
    This thread has been created
    for
    Questions & Answers/Troubleshooting
    Specific to

    Planet Computer's
    Cosmo Communicator



    Please feel free to share issues, questions and offer help. Noob questions are welcomed.

    It is always best to use the Thanks button , in lieu of simply posting "Thank you".

    attachment.php

    Please keep discussion focused, on questions pertaining to this Device
    attachment.php
    List of supporters​
    ...​
    ...​
    ...​
    ...​

    To those seeking help: Please don't bombard the supporters with PMs asking for help. Instead, ask your question here in the thread so others can benefit from the solution to your problem as well. If you want to be sure someone particular gets notified of your question, put his / her username directly after an @.​
    If you have ROM-related questions, post in the relevant ROM Q&A thread (if there is one) or directly in the ROM development thread. Thank you!​
    ​
    Supporters: If you want to be put on or off the list, just make a request here in the thread!​
    Before posting anything, I strongly advise you to read​

    Please look for a similar thread when visiting another device forum.
    If you would like to create a [Help Thread] please Click Here.
    ​
    View
    2
    K
    kineyDE
    first impressions and rooting

    Hi,

    hope this thread is the right place - I'm new to posting on xda developers (but been reading here sometimes for a long time).
    I received my Cosmo on tuesday (2019-11-26).
    Overall I'm happy with the device. The keyboard is good and I can actually touch type with it - obviously not as fast as on a full sized one. But Sometimes it misses characters, expecially the space bar.
    The german layout is a bit awkward for umlauts. To Type "ä" you have to press "Fn+a", for "ü", "Fn+u" and so on. There is only one Fn key on the left side so fluid typing of especially "ü" and "ß" is difficult.
    Software on the cover display feels like an early beta. Very slow and e.g. music controls don't work with all music players - but it has it's value for checking the time or answering calls (and seeing who's calling beforehand).
    Battery life is pretty bad but surprisingly unaffected by usage.
    ... well, it's a low volume device so I'm ok with the downside. And I hope some will be fixed.
    Planet computers promised to release officially rooted images and linux support etc.... it's not there yet.
    But rooting was pretty straight forward:
    • activate "OEM unlocking" in developer settings
    • install magic manager
    • adb reboot bootloader
    • fastboot flashing unlock
    • reboot to bootloader again (not sure if necessary)
    • fastboot flash boot boot-magisk.img

    (most people seem to use SP Flashtool, but it worked for me with fastboot which is open source)

    I got the boot-magisk.img from here:
    https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=35879&view=findpost&p=292918
    https://mega.nz/#!U8sFVACI!J-TS3q11Hak-zWt1_nyTyv4m87GkV1YIVDipez05BvE

    When planet releases debian images I will try them out.

    If you have any questions feel happy to ask.

    edit:
    the process does a factory reset. So back up your data!
    View
    1
    K
    kineyDE
    What filesystem do you have on the sd card?
    The Android version is missing some filesystem drivers e.g. exfat and ntfs.
    I have 64GB sd card formatted with vfat(32) and it works withoud any problems.
    View
    1
    H
    HD2wally
    Still waiting for mine in the UK
    View
    1
    sd_shadow
    sd_shadow
    Muti-boot and Linux Cosmo support update

    From email



    Muti-boot and Linux Cosmo support update

    In this update we would like to discuss plans regarding Linux support on the Cosmo Communicator.

    With the Gemini PDA, Planet offered experienced users the ability to install Linux on the device, by connecting it to a desktop or laptop computer and flashing the device manually.

    With the Cosmo Communicator we want to improve the user experience when installing a custom OS, such as Linux. To do that we upgraded two key components, the LK and the recovery mode.

    The updated recovery mode can be used to partition the storage space of the Cosmo Communicator - see the option "Change the partition table of your COSMO" in the picture below.
    2QUg0cwbFQdKCIn7K3iUMZkfDtkj4NpwLL1_0CVhmXGDeX8b6AgWRcAvDCkhclUF2nwZ6CNSbSKCPXfzF8_r4Zlxb7CjbphGJkFlhdStrR4946jR-XuQgtgA4ChrPaoiOVhsWg5Px-pYEGBKcn2uTBV1J0hIPa6e1RFqpBlM85hk=s0-d-e1-ft


    This will allow the user to reserve space for the Linux operating system. As you can see in the picture below, there are currently 5 options:

    1. Reserve all space for Android
    2. Reserve 90GB for Android and 30GB for Linux
    3. Reserve 60GB for Android and 60GB for Linux
    4. Reserve 30GB for Android and 90 GB for Linux
    5. Reserve all space for Linux

    ilIcFMuSo7FIKL5J4ZfLz9PGDRYI8sLR_iDoa9fx5cSv6LHTvm8yi0HGZ20fyON5AUFHF8a8wqoOp3DyLytEHSuy0rMywEhBP4VrF-5CYxNLXvonV8SxTNAUP_JyUGMhB18YLSqEKpWzv95azB05vTv9cNIbUR2VKb8bcyYF9FIr=s0-d-e1-ft


    Once the storage for Linux has been reserved, you can install a custom OS on your Cosmo, by choosing the related option as in the picture.

    0ThU13V-0jirOaRKZzVYFQtH2ix0Z_9T2OoOZm5HURq77a1_YG1USTQf-T2JEjcNSP7ygDc4Xg2MRdm3GqIC5dsR77i7KwXAi_ayz2aEYVJaw3LYid5eYHvcE3N6Ccz28jElptKGbeU-8SwO2659Emr-LABCfdMbYrYyM8EgrC7b=s0-d-e1-ft


    This option will scan the microSD card for compatible installers and will present you with a menu showing the available installers as in the picture below.

    jDoeJXdlTKALLt2DGWeHjYyLhJXvlAz6QfgRNEDyO78SrPT2ONuBEvE9R-f4pNAXcDUNzvMA1h44lLs6gbUnW_p8fcrGkgJOah5x1AcIdbri7ecfA9N8sb091_32jy1uAnJWM0n7fTf-qGhvdpuNTl1sdORHrjF4GOdp_BS8B00o=s0-d-e1-ft


    Whenever new or updated custom operating systems will be available for the Cosmo, you will be able to download them into a micro SD card and install it in your device.

    At the moment we have initial support for the following:

    1. TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project)
    2. Debian using KDE/Plasma
    3. Debian using LXQT
    4. Rooted Android


    Once you select a custom OS you have to select where to install its boot firmware as shown below.

    There will be 3 extra boot partitions that can host custom boot firmware.

    FnB6ouECyFT7B5SJoJAC2s-fZscieJ4K70bawvpLRrwcRd2uMW02ZDaJmfqkU40YEPLtWGF0Pl4L9QhMXBSAJbPOKPxGBeTRBjuakKivPHiWUG_noE00NOzAaLU-zptxrJkrbmM1dK8QyxJnzZtRb_atadjU0DgzmvnrMxtWI2G9=s0-d-e1-ft


    Once you select the boot partition, the custom OS will be installed on your Cosmo Communicator. A boot menu will then appear when you turn ON the device, allowing you to choose what to start as in the following picture. The boot menu is integrated in the modified LK firmware.

    VPkTLOMLQYXwHnWkxF9n-uBqWDRrOwRJrHmPFf-jtg7xNrVdPomLzuNDYvjzrl2E3__2VK9lefWczR-ZDgEvRhP5sl3fTQBYOx1SOZQz433L-GRSODS-9CW9A3AQJA8GXymxb-IP2SR3DhbmRJTK2DPe3pwxkMUv7Thh-1QY8sLg=s0-d-e1-ft


    Using this method you will be able to install a custom OS such as Linux on your device without the need for a laptop or a desktop computer. All you need to do is to download the installer in a micro SD card and use the recovery mode to start the installation.

    Finally, a big thank you to our open source community (in particular to Sean, Adam and Nikita) which is working hard to get other operating systems supported on the Cosmo. In the following screenshot you can get a preview on what the community is working at the moment. We will provide a detailed Linux status update in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!


    VIBYUvUiLugl691LK7sotUg0gT7N4bxIKUMM3N2w6GF_vz4Px0Kaa_L7VmR02U_OITgJh687c6TB4Pcw9ILWMolUkmSuPQsYZBfahAtfMBfNKsHBXYZVZRwy7Al9725CM9Bd4ovHlurNopae3jcpP7wvrTN7ae0Tde5v1Sq4KHJ_=s0-d-e1-ft



    UKXiuvkv0O5w_0t3iTGiqBKWRptdFLlvGf5MWei1kQ7ZGPm4I6ZucXb9ZJ8DhS8NKE0_9RSptWmeXcthn13-XGg1LQxpu8haUnie_WoHJ4P30Dg1ibCAi2RrP7WkQIoDdJF1FNgBU71tG-BRhRfWFJMAsHehoxKGFEjci9TL21p9=s0-d-e1-ft


    0lGj5p9xsIzlhzSpKifNtMZKHIobgy6fycZl-kCb9qeL351duBLoOJegJC4_T4MmpY1kjX99EJMOAlL8qywPPyVUwAIizo5uKgVru5Ad6njKN3lGgi3LYCmAnBQrziDrLWQZlx7NU3F7sQQ9raSNDLx_l35WILmqFeZXDnWJtmLp=s0-d-e1-ft


    YljjfwelH3Y3J2_iyxCskGfC3m9QCbqYJB0J3ze2PbIKtA0aqNinludR6TvZD3wjHSpr5HPstZFL6sMmo4ujR48k0cprks49cnlPgzEVJwZpZlSDHinIehv4M9QJNbl6KqMr32ZLUEr5JmLs9KzHAxWKc8E_we-q_Aa_9VDRs3tz=s0-d-e1-ft





    More from us this still this week. There will be another update later this week updating you on the over the air firmware update and Cosmo shipping.

    Best regards,

    Team Cosmo
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse
    View

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