To Psuspend or Not to Psuspend, that is the question

MNT Pocket Reform
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Thanks to @amospalla for creating the psuspend script / service on the Pocket. It does cut power consumption roughly in half and allows the SoC to cool slightly as a result. However what I am noticing is that if you allow psuspend to control the keyboard RGB backlighting (and even when you disable the KB RGB control element from the script) it will cause the keyboard to lock up. (When RGB elements are not being controlled the likelihood of it happening is greatly reduce, but it does still happen.) You can try to reset the keyboard via the OLED menu but most of the time this is unresponsive as well. Then next, you can try hitting the reset button on the kb controller (I drilled a hole in the keyboard top cover to allow me to hit it with a toothpick). This doesn’t always work either. (The KB is just frozen, and the RGB lighting also appears to just freak out.) In this situation you have to just shut the power off completely.

So, this got me to wondering: What are you pocket users doing with your pocket? Are you powering it all the way off each time you’re done? Are some of you using psuspend? Have you noticed the kb issues?

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Yes, powering off - at least the boot time isn’t awful. Although keen to see a solution.

Does or could hibernate work?

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This was investigated by Purism with the imx8 SoC that the Reform Classic uses. Wasn’t really possible.

For the imx8m+ I would hazard a guess that it is equally difficult and would require a LOT of work.

Honestly getting hibernation or standby working on the RK3588 is where I would prefer these energies being spent.

Are you turning the power switch off as well?

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Not unless I’m expecting to leave it unused for more than a week or so (so no)

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I have psuspend set up on my Pocket Reform, but mostly end up shutting down unless I’m planning to move somewhere and start using the machine again quickly. I find the power savings from psuspend to be helpful for a short trip when I want to keep the current state, but not enough for much else.

I don’t use the standby switch in normal operation because it’s too much of a hassle to find something to flip it with. If I needed to keep it unplugged for a long period of time I would though.

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I keep a sim ejector tool stuck to the lid - as there’s a magnet there it just sticks to the top, which is pretty handy (although I also put black tape on the lid to stop it getting as scratched.

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I psuspend all the time. I use it as suspend. My Pocket is almost always on as a result. The Pocket is pretty power hungry but I have found a good power pak solution that allows you to use 21 18650 cells. I get about 2 days of constant charge using that. (The pocket is a hungry fella!!)

I just love the Pocket Reform though. It is the UMPC made to last longer than you.

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