I’ve been curious and interested with GPD Pocket since last year, when first time it announced (https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gpd-pocket-7-0-umpc-laptop-ubuntu-or-win-10-os#/).
I bought this tiny machine 3 weeks ago on aliexpress. Shipping take only a day, but custom clearance takes almost two weeks.
First impression about this laptop was cute and good built quality.
Installing It with Linux
This machine preinstalled with Windows 10, I think it’s original but who cares. I need running linux on it.
I try Leap 15 for first time. Screen rotated -1 and wifi not working. Then I tried Ubuntu 18.04 and similar thing happen. I use iso from gpd site, Ubuntu 16.04 that already customized for GPD Pocket but not working (stuck at boot).
I read some documentation at https://github.com/stockmind/gpd-pocket-ubuntu-respin to rebuild Ubuntu 18.04 iso, but not working enough. So I use another methode, installing it then use update.sh to reconfigure all. It’s working. But I’m not satisfied in it. I wanna Tumbleweed on this machine.
I download openSUSE-Tumbleweed-DVD-x86_64-Snapshot20180520-Media.iso and dd-ing it to usb flashdisk then install. Of course when installing process, my screen was rotated -1. I choose GNOME Desktop. But after reboot, GNOME works fine except:
- wifi not working
- no battery applet, and system not recognize battery
Patch
Kukuh Syafaat, President of openSUSE-ID told me that Richard Brown (@sysrich) use GPD Pocket. So I ask Richard on twitter and he gave me clue in https://github.com/sysrich/salt-states/blob/master/opensuse/laptop.sls.
I use few lines from laptop.sls and it’s working well. I translated that salt script into plain bash script at https://github.com/princeofgiri/gpd-pocket-patch.
After reboot, Tumbleweed still not detecting the battery.
Use Another Kernel
I remember that Leap 15 can recognize the battery. So I download the kernel and installing it. Yes it’s work, but there’s new problem, when in charging mode, battery applet seems not know if that time is in charging mode.
So I decide to compile kernel by my self. Got the source from https://github.com/jwrdegoede/linux-sunxi.git and the result was cool. It’s works.
Notes
- I write this post using GPD Pocket
- I will write kernel compilation in another post
- Plymouth still rotated -1
ahmad haris 
Hi,
How many of these changes can be integrated into standard Suse/kernel? Can they all be pushed? With Thumbleweed there are still many things that don’t work (fan is always full-speed, touch screen may be rotated with respect to screen, no bluetooth), and maybe the Ubuntu work can be completely reused into upstream.
Alex
Hi Alex,
I’m not comparing yet between standard suse kernel with the one from https://github.com/jwrdegoede/linux-sunxi.git.
Probably it can be pushed if there’s someone doing that ofcourse. Such as creating package only for gpd-pocket. I have no experience with rpm packaging before.