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    Fairphone 3+ vs Volla Phone vs ?????

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    fairphone3volla phonevollaphone
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      • D Offline
        domubpkm
        last edited by domubpkm

        The Volla UT(i bought one) should become a very reliable smartphone in an indefinable time. Although it can generally be used as a daily driver, it suffers from a number of problems (41 issues open at this day), some of which vary depending on the phone operator, NOT ONLY in North America. But I trust, among others, the team of motivated and available developers of Volla to eliminate them gradually.
        Issues open : https://github.com/HelloVolla/ubuntu-touch-beta-tests/issues?q=is%3Aopen+is%3Aissue

        AdLinuxA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • O Offline
          odo
          last edited by

          I would not expect to much from the camera. The UT camera app is very, very basic. On today's phones mainly the app is responsible for the performance.

          AdLinuxA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
          • LuksusL Offline
            Luksus @AdLinux
            last edited by

            @adlinux Hi, I am the "porter" of the FP3/+ and I (sadly) have to say that the FP3+ (on Android 10 base) is definitely not ready for daily usage.
            The FP3 with older camera modules maybe. But there are some quirks with mobile-data/cellular network for some users still.
            So the older FP3 would be an option, if it has to be a "fair" phone.
            If the "fair" is not your first priority, you currently will have a better experience with Volla or Experia.

            Devices: BQ e4.5, Fairphone 2, Fairphone 3, Lenovo X605F, Pinephone, Moto Z2 Force, OnePlus5T

            AdLinuxA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
            • KenedaK Offline
              Keneda
              last edited by Keneda

              There is also the Pixel 3a that seem fairly well supported as a 2019 smartphone.
              https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/sargo/
              But no SD card on it.

              2015-2023 : Meizu MX4 ☠️⚰️✝️
              2023-2024 : Nexus 5 ☠️⚰️✝️
              2024-***** : FPOS Fairphone 5 waiting UT for freedom 😉
              🇲🇫🇬🇧

              AdLinuxA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • libremaxL Offline
                libremax
                last edited by libremax

                Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 may be also a good fit for you: https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/device/lavender/

                Donate anonymously 1€/$ by year to UBports, all Ubuntu Touch users can do it ! Demonstration:
                https://forums.ubports.com/topic/1262/donate-anonymously-1-by-year-to-ubports-all-ubuntu-touch-users-can-do-it-demonstration/

                AdLinuxA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • AdLinuxA Offline
                  AdLinux @stanwood
                  last edited by

                  @stanwood Hey Stan, thanks for the input.

                  I'll look into the cellular data in my area, I'm on O2, who are usually quite good here in Britain. I've just sent Volla Phone themselves an email asking about it.

                  Also, thanks for letting me know that it was MTP I was thinking about, I'll have to remember that! Now this might seem really silly, but what is off-line charging? I'm assuming it doesn't mean the phones ability to charge whilst disconnected from wifi lol

                  stanwoodS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • AdLinuxA Offline
                    AdLinux @unrealb2
                    last edited by

                    @unrealb2 I'll put that one on the maybe pile. I had looked at it but didn't think too much about it as it's almost as old as my current phone.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • AdLinuxA Offline
                      AdLinux @domubpkm
                      last edited by AdLinux

                      @domubpkm Thanks for letting me know about the Volla Phone's problems. I've looked through that github list and like you said, the thing to look out for seems to be the network coverage which is quite a big deal.

                      For that reason I've emailed Volla about this to get their input and they have actually responded to me saying:

                      "I found the following information on the UK website of O2.

                      LTE BANDS UK

                      1 - 2100 MHz
                      3 - 1800 MHz
                      7 - 2600 MHz
                      8 - 900 MHz
                      20 - 800 Mhz

                      The Volla Phone operates on

                      GSM / 2G: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz,
                      UMTS / 3G: 900 / 2100 MHz,
                      FDD / LTE / 4G: 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 MHz"

                      O2 are the mobile network that my SIM is connected to.

                      So this looks like it should be all good (as far as I can tell, the numbers at least seem to match), at least from a hardware level. But do you think the issues could be more closely related to software?

                      D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • AdLinuxA Offline
                        AdLinux @odo
                        last edited by

                        @odo That's okay, on my current phone I've been using LineageOS, so I'm quite used to not having the OEM/stock camera app. I just thought that a higher MP camera would be nice if I could get one. I don't need all of the extra 'beautifying' stuff, just a good camera would do.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • AdLinuxA Offline
                          AdLinux @Luksus
                          last edited by

                          @luksus Hey Luksus, I really respect and appreciate your honesty about the current port of the FP3+.

                          What are the current issues to do with mobile data? Is it similar to what people have been saying about the Volla Phone where some people aren't able to get a connection? Or is it something else?

                          The "fair" in Fairphone is important to me, and for a while they were the only phone company that I would consider buying a phone from new, for any other phone I now buy second hand. I can't get behind the idea of buying a phone that has been built by a slave in some hell hole concentration camp. Unfortunately, a lot of phone companies seem to choose to build their phones that way.

                          The thing that actually made me consider buying a Volla (which I would need to buy new) was the fact that they are made in Germany and not China, this way I can be pretty sure that they were manufactured under good (I hope) working conditions. So other than Volla and Fairphone, any other phone I would consider buying I would have to buy second hand to make sure that those companies don't get my money...... so that concludes my Ted talk on the subject.

                          LuksusL 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                          • AdLinuxA Offline
                            AdLinux @Keneda
                            last edited by

                            @keneda I had looked into the Pixel 3a, and it looks so good. It really is the lack of an SD card slot that's holding me back as 64GB of storage is just not enough for me.

                            I'll put it on the maybe pile though, just in case I don't get along with the Volla or Fairphone.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • AdLinuxA Offline
                              AdLinux @libremax
                              last edited by

                              @libremax I had looked at this phone before, and it does look really good. The thing that has put me off however, is the way that it seems you have to unlock the bootloader.

                              How easy is it to unlock the bootloader on the Redmi Note 7? And is it possible to do it without having to give my details over to Xiaomi and wait for them to grant me the unlocking code?

                              The phone itself looks great, I just don't like what I've heard about Xiaomi. But if I'm wrong please tell me!

                              stanwoodS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • stanwoodS Offline
                                stanwood @AdLinux
                                last edited by

                                Now this might seem really silly, but what is off-line charging? I'm assuming it doesn't mean the phones ability to charge whilst disconnected from wifi lol

                                Off-line charging means that the device can be charged when it is switched off.

                                Redmi Note 9S Stable
                                If God has a computer, it must be a GNU/Linux

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • stanwoodS Offline
                                  stanwood @AdLinux
                                  last edited by

                                  @adlinux Redmi Note 7 works really well on UT as well:

                                  You can read my state of play here:

                                  https://forums.ubports.com/topic/6026/redmi-note-7-state-of-play/6

                                  However, indeed, you need to first unlock the bootloader using MI flashtool.

                                  Best is to follow carefully the UBports installer instructions.

                                  Redmi Note 9S Stable
                                  If God has a computer, it must be a GNU/Linux

                                  AdLinuxA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • D Offline
                                    domubpkm @AdLinux
                                    last edited by

                                    @adlinux said in Fairphone 3+ vs Volla Phone vs ?????:

                                    Thanks for letting me know about the Volla Phone's problems. I've looked through that github list and like you said, the thing to look out for seems to be the network coverage which is quite a big deal.
                                    For that reason I've emailed Volla about this to get their input and they have actually responded to me saying:
                                    "I found the following information on the UK website of O2.
                                    LTE BANDS UK
                                    1 - 2100 MHz
                                    3 - 1800 MHz
                                    7 - 2600 MHz
                                    8 - 900 MHz
                                    20 - 800 Mhz
                                    The Volla Phone operates on
                                    GSM / 2G: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz,
                                    UMTS / 3G: 900 / 2100 MHz,
                                    FDD / LTE / 4G: 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 MHz"
                                    O2 are the mobile network that my SIM is connected to.
                                    So this looks like it should be all good (as far as I can tell, the numbers at least seem to match), at least from a hardware level. But do you think the issues could be more closely related to software?

                                    I think you should ask if other users use the same data provider as you on the Volla and what kind of problems they have... After that you could decide 🙂

                                    AdLinuxA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • LuksusL Offline
                                      Luksus @AdLinux
                                      last edited by

                                      @adlinux Hi, for the FP3+ the main issues are:

                                      • mobile data does not work at all
                                      • cellular network (phone, sms) is somehow connected to WiFi
                                        I am not really sure yet, what the main reason is:
                                        • either it only depends on the activated wifi-toggle
                                        • or it needs an active data connection
                                          Anyway, in most situations, If I am not at home and there is no WiFi, I miss calls and can't do calls.
                                      • video recording does not work yet, but that's low priority compared to call/sms issues

                                      Devices: BQ e4.5, Fairphone 2, Fairphone 3, Lenovo X605F, Pinephone, Moto Z2 Force, OnePlus5T

                                      AdLinuxA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • AdLinuxA Offline
                                        AdLinux @stanwood
                                        last edited by

                                        @stanwood Thanks for clearing up my confusion to do with on-line and off-line charging. I hadn't even considered that a phone wouldn't be able to charge when turned off!

                                        As for the Xiaomi; I am really tempted by these phones and have looked at them before. From a hardware perspective they look great, the big killer for me is how I would need to go about unlocking the bootloader.

                                        Here's where I might be getting a bit tin foil hat-ish; I simply do not trust giving Xiaomi any of my data whatsoever. So, do you know if it is at all possible to unlock the bootloader without creating a Mi account? If I can't then I'll have to pass on the Xiaomi's even if their phones do look really good.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • AdLinuxA Offline
                                          AdLinux @domubpkm
                                          last edited by

                                          @domubpkm Thanks! I've taken you're advice and have posted a question about this in the Volla Phone thread!

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • AdLinuxA Offline
                                            AdLinux @Luksus
                                            last edited by

                                            @luksus That's a shame, the FP3+ looks like such a cool phone.

                                            I'll be keeping an eye out for updates to it though as I would love to try out the phone when the Ubuntu Touch port for it is more ready.

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                            • T Offline
                                              tommiedom
                                              last edited by

                                              Metoo, i would be interested in FP3(+) when my FP2 breaks

                                              FP4

                                              RedXXIIIR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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