Volla Phone identical to Gigaset GS290?

makeixo

Ah okay, well in that case I think you should ask Volla directly. Maybe it works, they give you an image and you donate some euros in return. This way both sides would benefit.

I just see the risk if it works, that many would buy a GS290 for 200 € and flash the image for free, while Volla has done the work.

Rondarius

@jojuma I had a similar question about OP1 and OPPO Find 7A, they are also two identical phones, Universalsuperbox said that you still needed to port Ubports to both phones, I am not that technical so I didn't ask anymore questions about it, for the record I don't own a OP1 or the OPPO Find 7A. I just asked because it would benefit Ubports to be on as many phones as possible.

stanwood

@jojuma Volla phone comes also with a signed back cover case and an improved battery (Compared with GS290).
Moreover, Gigaset produces this special version for Hallo Welt (Volla). There might be other small differences.

costales

@jojumaxx Important things with Gigaset:

You probably will not have access to fastboot.
They don't give the stock rom then you'll have a problem if you want revert the phone to Android.

Best regards.

TotalSonic

With the Volla phone you get:

slightly better battery (5000 mAh instead of GS290's stock 4700 mAh)
sleeker styling
a company that supports, develops and invests in a de-Googled AOSP based version of Android, ports of Ubuntu Touch and Sailfish OS, and a multi-OS boot loader.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

Keneda

@jojumaxx You should edit the topic title for user searching the forum : "villa" > "volla"

jojumaxx

@Keneda said in Villa Phone identical to Gigaset GS290?:

@jojumaxx You should edit the topic title for user searching the forum : "villa" > "volla"

Yes right, but how? I can only find options to edit the posts but not the topic...

jojumaxx

I purchased a Volla Phone on Indiegogo. Looking forward to delivery

AppLee

@jojumaxx
Hi, I just edited the title for you.
When you edit the first post, the topic title can be modified.

jojumaxx

@AppLee Thanks, good to know how it's done

ubuntuzealot

Gigaset and /e/ have also just made the GS290 now also available pre-loaded with /e/OS (the open source and deGoogled Android):
https://e.foundation/e-announces-the-e-gs290-as-the-latest-device-available-with-privacy-friendly-e-os-pre-installed/

They also provide the ROM the flash any existing GS290.

tomcic81

@ubuntuzealot hi, thats not correct i own a GS290 and the easy installer says "GS290 will not supported yet" ... my S9+ semms to be supported, now i have /e/ on my S9+ xD

tigerpro

@tomcic81 I actually got /e/ to run on my Volla phone, you have to flash the GS290 Android 10 update, then flash /e/, as far as hardware the Volla is nearly identical to GS290, I believe the key difference is the battery. I will give full disclosure and say that I used SP Flashtool to get /e/ running rather than an installer, but everything worked and I had zero isssues (the Volla/GS290 modem doesnt like my carrier so I cant say for the call or MMS/SMS functionality)

tomcic81

@tigerpro Hmmm ... i only use the easy installer, first run i try to install Ubuntu Touch on my GS290, but it failed an stuck on bootloader ... second try i want to install /e/ on my GS290 the same Problem it stuck on Bootloader ... 3rd i use the easy installer but it wont work

I realy want to have Ubuntu Touch on my S9+ AND on my GS290 ... xD

tigerpro

@tomcic81 to get UT on your GS290, you will likely have to use SP Flash as I did, I can make a how-to if I have a few minutes free in the coming days, every time I have tried with the ubports installer I have resulted in a bootloop unless Im updating whats already on the device (UT to UT, Sailfish to Sailfish, etc) but I have also tried every ROM/Distro made for the Volla/GS290 that I have been able to get my hands on, so that may have something to do with it.

TotalSonic

One note - it was discovered that both GS290 and Volla Phone have the same 4700mAh battery in them - the claim that the Volla had a 5000mAh one was found out to be a mistake and was retracted. So the differences are - sleeker styling with the Volla, and a company that is supporting the development of three alternative OS's that are working well with the device, and other developments such as a multi-rom boot loader as well.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

tomcic81

@tigerpro a how to will be a cool thing, i will wait for it

@totalsonic it sounds good, i often read that the GS290 is very similar to the VollaPhone, i called "him" and ask when it is available, the answer was werid "... i waiting for Parts for the VollaPhone to build it" what for Parts ? i think he buy a bunch "GS290" with Volla Phone" logo ... and press some UbuntuTouch on it ... and want to have about 360 euros for it ... the normal customer have to pay about 160 euro for a GS290, and the Volla Phone costs about 360 euro ... that the same if i take a picece toilettpaper for one euro, paint it and sell it for 3 euro ... i think THATS no fair

flohack

Guys,

after talking with Volla I must point out that while the hardware base seems identical, the two phones have different factory images for the vendor partition, that could lead to problems that we don´t know yet about. We are therefore thinking about how we can identify that this is a real Vollaphone, and to prevent the installer from flashing the image onto a GS290.

We don´t want to be responsible for damaged hardware or bricked devices, so we definitely do not recommend that you install UT on GS290 to work around the price difference.

Because Vollaphone is produced in very low numbers the price is higher, yes. But part of that of course contributes to the idea, and current alternative phone projects have invested a lot into that idea. We will never be able nor want to enter a competition that will focus on the price of a device.

tomcic81

@flohack

i will say Ubuntu = Linux = Free for everyone ... thats the first Point, the People in that community do a very great work, every day if they have time for it ... and don want to have ONE CENT for they work.

Thats the first one.

The Next, is i firstly give my money to support this community befor i give someone to much money for using a little trick, bring UT on a GS290.

So the last Point is,

wich Guy is faster to get 100 Euro in his Pocket ? ... the one who asks 1000 People for 100 Euro, or this one who asks 1000 People for 1 Euro ?

The Volla Phone ist to expensive, with a free software port ?! ... and they pay a other price for such a Phone so they can easy sell it for 200-250 bugs ... so MORE People Buy that thing, and more money will come in ... but 359 Euro for a phone wit a manufacture price from about 60 Dollar of the piece ... + little trick + free Software ... this Company will never rise up i would say.

libremax

@flohack said in Volla Phone identical to Gigaset GS290?:

Guys,

after talking with Volla I must point out that while the hardware base seems identical, the two phones have different factory images for the vendor partition, that could lead to problems that we don´t know yet about. We are therefore thinking about how we can identify that this is a real Vollaphone, and to prevent the installer from flashing the image onto a GS290.

I think it would be counterproductive and unhealthy to change the very essence of this free software that is the UBports installer, which is to facilitate the installation to turn it into a tool to restrict the freedom to install, and this for reasons that I think are more commercial considerations than technical or legal ones.

This would only bring disorder and bad image for UBports as a free software community and create forks to get around it.

We don´t want to be responsible for damaged hardware or bricked devices, so we definitely do not recommend that you install UT on GS290 to work around the price difference.

It is sufficient to display a message that excludes any responsibility in case of use of the installer for a device that is not in the list of devices supported by the installer and to have it validated by the user.

Because Vollaphone is produced in very low numbers the price is higher, yes. But part of that of course contributes to the idea, and current alternative phone projects have invested a lot into that idea. We will never be able nor want to enter a competition that will focus on the price of a device.

Yes, but this cannot be done by questioning the values of free/libre software.