My daily driver used to be a FX pro1, and while it had its flaws and couldn't do video out, for emailing, writing and noodling around with code under termux while away from my desk, it was awesome.
I carry a bt keyboard already but it's much less convenient: +1 for someone doing a thought-through compact landscape slider keyboard case for an android phone.
In my experience they're security calls. UK has good opt out marketing rules for legit companies.
But the usual security call is exactly like a spam call, no authentication from their end, immediately requesting id verification "answer these security questions", and refusing to go off script.
People have been asking for years to be able to lodge a security challenge code on their profile that can add confidence in the caller. Given there are already multiple security questions on an account, this could be a process change: the security challenge script becomes "the first and sixteenth characters of your mother's maiden name are 7 and F, what are the third and fifth characters of your first pets name".
I wonder if Occam is worth a mention? It doesn't feel like anything else here, and is playing with its hardware synthesis descendants on a FPGA is another "mind expanding" paradigm.
I hate UHT - and one thing I've learnt from cheap hotels is a teaspoon of natural yoghurt makes the milk taste fresh enough to me to have with cereal. Not sure why.
To me that seems like not saying hi, rather a device to shift the risk of engaging off of you. Don't be scared. Just say a few banal words to people you don't know every day and gauge their reaction, start a conversation if you like and they seem to be up for it.
Agree with what you say, sometimes an original idea blossoms and improves the state of the art, especially in UI. Those that do this work with that intent rather than IP are very much appreciated.