I’m looking forward to the upcoming MNT Vector tablet! Having a small tablet with the modularity of the Reform line will be super cool. I don’t know how far along the physical design of the Vector is at this point, but I had some thoughts for features that I think could make it especially nice…
What if the tablet had some sort of attachment points on it for:
A standalone/bluetooth version of the Pocket Reform keyboard with an attached hinge on the bottom (classic ASUS Transformer style for those who remember), and
Detachable game controllers on the sides (Switch/Legion Go/OneXPlayer-style)
I’ve seen devices that have done one or both of these before, but never with upgradeable CPU modules like the Reform line has.
Would it be the most powerful/practical device to use as a gaming handheld? No, probably not… but it’d be hard to beat that versatility
Yeah - it’s mostly to do with having attachment points available to build off of, I think. There are telescoping controllers out there that rely on spring tension to stay attached, and I have some of those. But the backplate those have containing the springs tends to make them fairly large, so they don’t fit in the small bag I carry my Pocket around in. For joy-con style split controllers, you need something to attach onto.
one mod i’ve considered making for my Pocket Reform is a slip cover for the bottom half that would have handles on each side and it’d just sit in it like a “tray” that would add controller compatibility, maybe making a version that replaces the bottom plate entirely.
when i make it, if the Vector is out by then and i can get exact dimensions of it (in classic MNT fashion of releasing schematics <3) i’ll see if i can make it dual-compatible, making my pocket reform “tray” just adding attachment rails.
for modders (or MNT’s) consideration, perhaps a scaled down version of the Picatinny Rail design that firearms use for things like scopes, repurposed onto the tablet. there’s a lot of community designed versions scaled down in various dimensions.
i think the easiest way to get something like this would be design the edges of the shell to have removable “style plates” with like 3 screws along the short edges, and 5 on the long ones, so people can swap out with something else, akin to the port covers on the Pocket Reform, but with more screws since there’s not nearly as many ports to worry about. if MNT made these an option, making some in metal would be an awesome upgrade, and also could be a smaller line item that would sell slightly more than devices helping with “keeping the lights on” income, since a style plate kit could be priced at maybe 30-50 euro, and you could make a bunch of designs too.
I like the idea of interchangeable plates on the edges. One of the tradeoffs you get with rails for mounting is that they can make the device less comfortable to use when you don’t have anything in the rails. (Try using a Switch as if it were a tablet without joy-cons attached and you’ll see what I mean.)
Inserts that fit into the rails when you’re not using them can help, but it’s a bit less ideal if you never use the attachment system. You could lose the inserts, etc.
Plates that screw in would mean you could attach just about anything, provided the screws are strong enough to hold it securely.
