Ubuntu Touch Q&A 63 This Saturday 16th Of November At 19:00 UTC

dobey · 14 Nov 2019, 14:35

@GizmoChicken said in Ubuntu Touch Q&A 63 This Saturday 16th Of November At 19:00 UTC:

Also, will libhybris be required for running UT on the PinePhone?

I'm under the impression that libhybris will not be required for running UT on the PinePhone, but maybe I'm wrong. I hope that, during the Q&A, someone will confirm with certainty.

This has already been answered and no, hybris (and thus android) is not required for PinePhone, Librem 5, or Raspberry Pi images (nor on x86 PCs).

Basically, if the hardware has drivers that can work with upstream kernels and Mesa, then hybris is not needed. If it's a device which requires Android kernel and Android binary blobs to get hardware working, then hybris is required.

GizmoChicken · 14 Nov 2019, 15:37

@dobey said in Ubuntu Touch Q&A 63 This Saturday 16th Of November At 19:00 UTC:

This has already been answered and no, hybris (and thus android) is not required for PinePhone, Librem 5, or Raspberry Pi images (nor on x86 PCs).

Thanks! And yep, I thought that libhybris was unneeded for running UT on the PinePhone (and the Librem 5), but I wasn't sure.

I hope that, during the Q&A, my question regarding whether libhybris will be needed for running UT on the Volla Phone will be answered. (If the Volla Phone does require libhybris, I don't see what sets it apart from numerous higher performance (and lower cost) Android phones that also could be ported.)

hummlbach · 14 Nov 2019, 18:10

I guess its already mentioned somewhere but I couldn't find it: which version of AOSP will the volla phone be based on?
@GizmoChicken I don't have any porting knowledge but the good thing here may be, that volla lays or pays the halium ground work to support a newer android version. Then making it much easier to port other phones based on the newer android version... making it interesting/special not for the individual volla buyer, but for the project and community as a whole... (someone please correct me if writing nonsense ^^)

GizmoChicken · 14 Nov 2019, 19:05

@hummlbach said in Ubuntu Touch Q&A 63 This Saturday 16th Of November At 19:00 UTC:

the good thing here may be, that volla lays or pays the halium ground work to support a newer android version.

Sure, if Volla does the work to upgrade libhybris/halium (or at least financially supports such work), then viva la Volla!

But if that's not Volla's plan, I'd suggest that, at least for now, UBports should focus on bringing the best possible product to the PinePhone and/or the Librem 5, which would be better platforms for showcasing UT to the general public. Hopefully by the time that UT is in a good state on the PinePhone and/or the Librem 5, libhybris/halium will have caught up, allowing for easier porting to newer (Android 10+) off-the-shelf Android phones (or better still, installing UT as a Generic System Images (GSI) on such off-the-shelf phones, if feasible).

doniks · 14 Nov 2019, 22:42

How big is your head- and heartache after seeing the responses to your thread: Want To Develop UT And Need A Device?

GizmoChicken · 15 Nov 2019, 19:37

According to the Volla kickstarter page, Volla will partner with Gigaset to manufacture the Volla Phone.

In what ways will the hardware for the Volla Phone differ from phones currently available from Gigaset, such as the less expensive Gigaset GS290?

trainailleur · 16 Nov 2019, 04:33

@doniks said in Ubuntu Touch Q&A 63 This Saturday 16th Of November At 19:00 UTC:

How big is your head- and heartache after seeing the responses to your thread: Want To Develop UT And Need A Device?

Every now and then, one sees on the internet clear evidence that an offer meant for a specific community was shared perhaps more widely than desired.

(Not of course that it's a bad thing if word of UBPorts is spread. But I did get a lot of vibe of "hey, free phones," from some - not all - of the new members posting to that thread.)

banderson5586 · 16 Nov 2019, 04:58

@trainailleur said in Ubuntu Touch Q&A 63 This Saturday 16th Of November At 19:00 UTC:

(Not of course that it's a bad thing if word of UBPorts is spread. But I did get a lot of vibe of "hey, free phones," from some - not all - of the new members posting to that thread.)

In community sale apps I never give anything away for free. It has nothing to do with needing/wanting the money but rather when you give something for free you attract people who aren't interested in the actual item but the fact that it's free and maybe they could resell it.

banderson5586 · 16 Nov 2019, 05:06

I am excited to see arm64 devices being ported. I have a Oneplus One and a Oneplus 3 running up and running right now. Is there going to be a focus on moving toward newer hardware and what is the status of OpenStore for arm64?

domubpkm · 16 Nov 2019, 05:11

@trainailleur Yes, the interesting and useful principle of the carrot (not found the emoji on the keyboard) has always worked. Is the bunch well provided? Distributing to the right people will not be easy.

Aury88 · 16 Nov 2019, 09:29

@banderson5586 maybe they don't want to resell it but surely for someone having a smartphone or tablet for free is enough....

...and this brings to mind my fourth Question:

was it not better to give these devices as a prize in a competition for the creation of the best apps?

(and I say this aware that in this way my candidacy would automatically, for the moment, be excluded since I am not yet able to develop for UT)

Aury88 · 16 Nov 2019, 11:15

@banderson5586 about the OpenStore status on arm64:
see HERE
and HERE

Mark · 16 Nov 2019, 13:14

I'm writing this on Ubuntu Touch running on a Raspberry Pi 3 using the OSK on the Pi 7" touchscreen.
Thanks for the hard work put in. There are some issues still of course. Something odd with the graphics in Pi 4 windows and a slight overlap on the touch screen making left or right swipes tricky but this feels so much closer to useable than the first image. I don't think it is too far now from a platform that will showcase convergence and perhaps even let us develop apps live. I appreciate this is a side project so the UBports developers can't make it a high priority. Hopefully though the work done will help towards getting other Arm64 non-Android ports running smoothly. As a long term Linux user - trying to help get Unity8 or UBports working on the Pi has been very humbling - I'd no idea how little I knew/know!

Mark · 16 Nov 2019, 14:16

I realised that that post may look like I'm claiming some credit and that would be wrong.
Early on I did some blundering about in the dark and kept posting about my inevitable failures to encourage someone who knew what they were doing to help - that is the sum total of my contribution

wana_port2 · 16 Nov 2019, 17:16

@UBportsNews
When will MAC address randomization be supported , as in later IOS and Android ? How about optional spoofing of connection MAC as well as probe MAC ? Thanks

doniks · 16 Nov 2019, 17:50

@wana_port2 said in Ubuntu Touch Q&A 63 This Saturday 16th Of November At 19:00 UTC:

@UBportsNews
When will MAC address randomization be supported , as in later IOS and Android ? How about optional spoofing of connection MAC as well as probe MAC ? Thanks

got any ios/android references you can link?

PhoenixLandPirat · 16 Nov 2019, 18:25

Qt 5.12?

banderson5586 · 16 Nov 2019, 19:31

@Aury88 Thanks! That looks like it's just for the openstore app though. Will developers have to make modifications as well or will the openstore do that for any app that can build?

dobey · 16 Nov 2019, 20:18

@banderson5586 App developers will need to build and upload packages for other architectures, once OpenStore can support said architectures.

domubpkm · 17 Nov 2019, 09:03

@Flohack Thank you for the answer. Yes, TEleports is more and more functionally stable and become better and better even if it is still called.. BETA