Brax3 the mysterious

libremax

Brax3, a new Ubuntu Touch compatible device : https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/brax3-the-most-privacy-friendly-smartphone#/

The question is, who (which devs) will provide the portage and how long will it be maintained?

Keneda

@libremax
And they say Ubuntu Touch ready for it in February 25 !
We don't even have a "ready" version for FP5.

arubislander

To me it is too early for both excitement and scepticism. Neither contributes much at the moment.

Let us wait and see how this initiative pans out.

Lakotaubp

@libremax The people behind the Brax phone have their own Devs and are looking after the port. JFI the phone or at least the first ones will need to be flashed using the installer.
There are still things in general to finalise yet so as soon as that is sorted we will let everyone know.

stanwood

What news! Although I've been a subscriber to Rob Braxman's YouTube channel for some time now, I just found out about it here tonight! In any case, this guy has always seemed serious to me, advocating the Linux world and OpenSource while developing his business models around these values. I'd tend to have confidence in his projects. (but be warned, I could be wrong)

Iodé OS (very close to /e/OS) or Ubuntu Touch as you choose, it's good news for the foundation and for the visibility of Ubuntu Touch in general, but here's hoping the campaign goes well.
Porting it will be a challenge, as it is for every device. Perhaps they'll get a helping hand from the manufacturer in terms of obtaining the hardware source code for the components?
In any case, I understand that this project is totally independent of the foundation.

The device looks well made to me, with a similar specification to the Volla Quintus, but I think the design and manufacture came entirely from China. So it remains to be seen what the quality of the materials and components is worth once in hand.

Well, we'll be keeping a very close eye on this.

kugiigi

It is reasonable to be skeptical about this. Fxtec Pro1-X happened and I think only Volla has so far delivered well with UT ports. And as any crowdfunding campaigns, don't expect too much amd expect delays or even problems along the way. Only back if you're willing to fully lose your money. I'm not scaring people, just a fair warning about crowdfunding as backer for a few ones
But let's see how this goes. Hopefully it'll be good. This seems to be not as expensive as most niche products like this.

wally

Thanks for posting, that's interesting.
It mentioned it'd be a Mediatek device, which if I understand correctly sounds like a better candidate for VoLTE.. IF the device arrives and IF the port works, etc.

In any case, a nice bit of publicity. I figure more publicity, more users, perhaps more developers and also more donations to the foundation :crossed_fingers:

Look forward to hearing more as things develop @Lakotaubp. Thanks!

AppLee

@wally said in Brax3 the mysterious:

In any case, a nice bit of publicity. I figure more publicity, more users, perhaps more developers and also more donations to the foundation

That's what we're trying to achieve.
It would be a nice Christmas present to the community, I guess.
And a good way to start 2025 with a new sponsor.

Let's wait and see.

libremax

The funding target was exceeded in less than 4 days - not bad

Mario.CH

Sorry guys,
for my taste, the Brax3 web pages (braxtech.net & indiegogo.com) use way too many scripts and cookies (also from google) to display any decent information at all.
I miss the promised <the most privacy-friendly smartphone> and <open-sourced> idea - all of them. :face_with_raised_eyebrow: :unamused_face:

By the way, I'm always online with NoScript.
Seems very unserious to me. :winking_face:
Just my opinion.

Greetings Mario

Lakotaubp

@Mario-CH One of the things we are looking at is a clearer distinction in promo material of what refers to their OS which is what the privacy quote is all about and how we want UT to be described to avoid creating a false impression of UT.
Not so much with those familier with UT but those who might want to give it a try for the first time or in the future buy a UT pre installed model. We don't want to create any false impression of UT and UBports.

libremax

500 k$ reached in twenty days, the funding target has now been raised to $1 million and the campaign extended to the end of January.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/brax3-the-most-privacy-friendly-smartphone#/updates/all

stanwood

Just a quick update on the Brax3 devices production & shipment details.

Although this subject does not specifically concern Ubuntu Touch, new information was published yesterday in a live stream by Rob Braxmann, himself - or at least his company - in partnership with the UBports foundation concerning a future Brax3 version equipped with Ubuntu Touch.

Due to the new 145% customs duty on products from China to the US, the company has decided to move production to the European Union. Batches already produced in China will have to be dismantled, shipped in parts to a country within the EU (probably Bulgaria, but this information has yet to be confirmed), and then reassembled with certain parts from the EU.

Purchasers living in the United States will be able to keep their order, for a modest surcharge of $30, which is perfectly acceptable. An over delay is however expected.

For international buyers outside the US, in principle nothing changes. The devices are likely to be shipped directly from China to the destination countries.

However, it has not yet been decided whether future batches will be assembled entirely in Europe, or partly in China.

One thing does however seem certain, once the batches offered on Indiegogo are sold out, the price of the device is likely to rise significantly (we're talking about approx. $399 excluding tax).

You can watch Rob Braxmann's full talk here:

https://rumble.com/v6rxvvb-we-have-a-crisis-trade-wars-tariffs-and-brax3-phone-manufacturing-we-need-y.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp

Given the current volatility of the global political and economic situation, further updates may be issued from time to time.

stanwood

@stanwood Well, it seems that smartphones and computers are finally exempt from the surcharges applied to products from China bound for the United States. I assume that further updates will be published shortly by R. Braxmann.

Everything changes so quickly...

AppLee

@stanwood said in Brax3 the mysterious:

Everything changes so quickly...

That's the world we now live in.
As soon as you say something it's obsolete and turned into rule #34

AppLee

They updated the Indiegogo campaign to clarify that they can continue with the initial plan.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/brax3-the-most-privacy-friendly-smartphone#/updates/all

So no additional cost.
The software development is still in progress for the android version and the port of Ubuntu Touch is in progress...

Vlad Nirky

@AppLee
Thank you for your update.
Maybe do you know if i order a brax3 now, if it will be UBT installable?

AppLee

Hi @Vlad-Nirky

It will be installable for sure when the port is ready.

But will Ubuntu Touch be preinstalled.
That I do not know.

I don't have insider's news about that, but here is what I foresee based on my readings online and what has been announced by Brax Technologies.
Trump's tariffs are postponed but they are still on the table from what I read.
So assembly in the EU might happen at some point I would say.

But that's a gambit and we don't know what the future might hold.

One the one hand, I would say that if one is interested in the Brax3, that would be the time to buy.
Because manufacturing or assembling in the EU will be more expensive for sure and if you add the shipment costs that's an even higher price.
But on the other hand it's hard to predict what Trump will really do, so it is also possible that nothing changes from the initial plans of Brax.

Vlad Nirky

@AppLee
Ok i have joined the crowdfunding campain.
Let's cross fingers now.