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    Ubuntu Touch Newbie

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    • M
      Matt73 last edited by

      Hello Good People,

      I switched to Linux a couple of years ago because the political dissident community recommended it as more private and a way of getting away from big tech. I haven't looked back since.

      I became tired of my wife's iphone eavesdropping on us in our home even after I chose to shut off mic access in the privacy settings.

      So I bought the pine phone beta recently and installed ubuntu touch on it. Very happy with it but it is for my wife and the fact that the battery only lasts a few hours and the fact that the camera isn't very good won't be great for her. I wonder if anyone could recommend a smartphone with an ok camera (doesn't have to be super mega brilliant but the photos should be halfway decent) with a battery that will last the day. I quite like the look of the Sony Xperia.

      Anyway, any advice appreciated

      Best Wishes

      Matt Hammond

      Keneda Ian 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • MrT10001
        MrT10001 last edited by

        Look at the list of supported devices and see what is available to get hold of at a decent price. All have their issues in some form or other from poor battery life to struggles unlocking the bootloader. Easiest newer phones to get hold of and install UT with few issues are the Google Pixel 3a/3a XL or the OnePlus 5/ 5T.

        Xiaomi Redmi Note 7.... And more...
        I have too many devices...

        M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • M
          Matt73 @MrT10001 last edited by

          @mrt10001 Ok, thanks. I'll check out those newer phones

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Keneda
            Keneda @Matt73 last edited by

            @matt73
            Sadly PinePhone isn't suitable for daily use at the moment, for issues you talk about, and some others.

            One day it will for sure (fingers crossed).

            2015-Now : Meizu MX4 (Stable) for daily use
            Spare : Nexus 5 (Stable)

            M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • M
              Matt73 @Keneda last edited by

              @keneda Yes, the short battery life is a dealbreaker for my wife. I didn't think about battery life when I bought it. I am now thinking of getting the Google Pixel 3a XL and trying to stick Ubuntu touch on that. All my wife wants to do is use a messenger (I was thinking telegram), watch videos online, login to her banking (not through an app though), and take halfway ok pictures of the kids with the phone at least making it through to bedtime. Does anyone know if the Google Pixel 3a XL can handle that while running Ubuntu touch or should I ask that question in a different section of the forum?

              dizzy 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • dizzy
                dizzy @Matt73 last edited by

                @matt73 said in Ubuntu Touch Newbie:

                @keneda Yes, the short battery life is a dealbreaker for my wife. I didn't think about battery life when I bought it. I am now thinking of getting the Google Pixel 3a XL and trying to stick Ubuntu touch on that. All my wife wants to do is use a messenger (I was thinking telegram), watch videos online, login to her banking (not through an app though), and take halfway ok pictures of the kids with the phone at least making it through to bedtime. Does anyone know if the Google Pixel 3a XL can handle that while running Ubuntu touch or should I ask that question in a different section of the forum?

                Yes it can. She will be fine with Pixel 3a XL for that, if the battery is ok. My 3a XL has great battery life, but its a brand new Pixel.

                Pixel 3a XL - UT stable - Daily driver
                Pinephone - UT dev
                Pinephone Pro - Manjaro Plasma Mobile & Mobian Phosh

                M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • Ian
                  Ian @Matt73 last edited by

                  @matt73 If battery life is important to you how about the Volla Phone X? I can get a day out of mine with fairly intensive usage. Downside is the big battery makes it a bit big and heavy. Major plus for me it is very rugged and so far has survived being in my overall pocket on site.

                  Keneda 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Keneda
                    Keneda @Ian last edited by

                    @ian
                    Price is not the same here...

                    2015-Now : Meizu MX4 (Stable) for daily use
                    Spare : Nexus 5 (Stable)

                    Ian 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • Ian
                      Ian @Keneda last edited by

                      @keneda They are expensive. I have had a BQ Aquaris E5 until the usb port died and a Nexus5 until the screen cracked. Both of these were less expensive but the battery life was nowhere near as good as VPX.

                      Keneda 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • Keneda
                        Keneda @Ian last edited by

                        @ian
                        I hope so with a battery almost twice the capacity compared to otherd ^^

                        2015-Now : Meizu MX4 (Stable) for daily use
                        Spare : Nexus 5 (Stable)

                        Ian 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • Ian
                          Ian @Keneda last edited by

                          @keneda Just imagine how good it will be as battery life tweaks are improved in UT in general! As it is I can go two days between charges if I just use it as a phone.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • M
                            Matt73 last edited by

                            Very interesting. I'm pretty exited about these Linux phones. I don't use the phone much and it is still going after 24 hours. I'll get the Google Pixel 3a for my wife and have some fun/frustration trying to get ubuntu touch onto it. Just wanted to get you guys' opinion before shelling out. I wanted her to get off facebook and use Telegram. I see that there is a teleports app which I tried but it didn't seem to work. Can you run telegram on ubuntu touch? If not, is there some other similar kind of messenger that works?

                            Thanks for all the contributions. I can't offer much in return but I try to generally be nice to people and to persuade them to try alt-tech.

                            Moem 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • M
                              Matt73 @dizzy last edited by

                              @dizzy Hello. Ok, so you run ubuntu touch on your Pixel 3a and it all works good does it? I ask because when I try the camera on the pine phone it's a bit hit and miss. Crashes sometimes and I can't make videos at all.

                              Keneda 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • Moem
                                Moem @Matt73 last edited by

                                @matt73 said in Ubuntu Touch Newbie:

                                I see that there is a teleports app which I tried but it didn't seem to work.

                                How did it not seem to work? I use it every day, and it works for me. It can also be used in tandem with TG for desktop.

                                Is currently using an Op5t
                                Also owns an Op1 and a BQ E4.5. And an Xperia X. Please, someone... make it stop.

                                M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • Keneda
                                  Keneda @Matt73 last edited by Keneda

                                  @matt73
                                  Again, PP is far from being daily usable with UT, so do not take it as a basis for Ubuntu Touch general behaviors.

                                  On my MX4, cameras work great, front and back, photos and videos.
                                  Only when HDR active on photos some issue can occur.

                                  2015-Now : Meizu MX4 (Stable) for daily use
                                  Spare : Nexus 5 (Stable)

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • M
                                    Matt73 @Moem last edited by

                                    @moem It just all looked a bit blank but I didn't spend too much time on it. So the 'Teleports' app is 'Telegram' for UT right? I mean my wife will be able to use to it to communicate with other telegram users right? I will try again with it. Thanks.

                                    Moem AppLee 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • Moem
                                      Moem @Matt73 last edited by

                                      @matt73 said in Ubuntu Touch Newbie:

                                      the 'Teleports' app is 'Telegram' for UT right? I mean my wife will be able to use to it to communicate with other telegram users right?

                                      Yes, and yes. If you want to try it out, you can join the UT main group on Telegram: https://t.me/ubports
                                      (Of course you can always leave the group again.)

                                      Is currently using an Op5t
                                      Also owns an Op1 and a BQ E4.5. And an Xperia X. Please, someone... make it stop.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • AppLee
                                        AppLee @Matt73 last edited by

                                        @matt73
                                        Yes, texting, attachment, audio records and stickers work well.
                                        Group messages I don't often but seems OK
                                        Audio and video calls don't work and I switch to the desktop app when I need to make a call to a foreign country...

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • M
                                          Matt73 last edited by

                                          Yeah, it looked a bit blank but it works fine. Really enjoying having UT on my pinephone now. Waiting for the google pixel to arrive and then will figure out how to get UT on that. Thanks guys for your kind help.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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