HI,

I seem to have a problem with the microphone on my Hammerhead since switching to the release candidate. It fails to function when I make a call. However, if I toggle loudspeaker mode, then it works fine. Separately, if I choose to use the sound recorder, that works fine, but I suspect that's akin to loudspeaker mode. Previously, everything was working here. It's possible I had this happen in stable on one occasion, but I'm not asserting a link. It was early days using the phone when that happened so... meh.

I can't test this as much as I'd prefer because I'm too nerdy to have organic friends aside my inner circle of plants. From what I've seen with logviewer, the logs seem innocuous, but I haven't unhooked the phone (my sole internet connection) to examine dmesg in finer detail.

@advocatux Hi, I made another phone call today, so this time I played with loudspeaker and mic mute buttons as the call was ringing. It seems to me that the mic was muted but not showing that status. I'm back to work on Monday so I'll be able to find a victim in the office to experiment upon. So... it could be a case of the mic having been muted but not showing that status or it commencing muted regardless; I'll tie this post off in few days.

So I think I know what the issue was and will confirm/deny the next time I install a new image. I believe that the mic suffers some combination of hardware mute and software mute, but not synchronised upon first use and/or first boot after a fresh install. Thus, it appears to me that most likely it's hardware muted and the software doesn't correctly interrogate or set that state and shows the mic as being unmuted.

When I thought back regarding the first time this happened to me, it was just after the original OTA-6 install. Then it happened again right after the OTA-7 rc install. That's clearly a long-term pattern

@advocatux as you run one of these jalopies, when you next freshen the image, could you check for this behaviour with your device? Curious if it's a general thing or whether things have just got personal 'twixt me and my phone.

@advocatux Hi, I made another phone call today, so this time I played with loudspeaker and mic mute buttons as the call was ringing. It seems to me that the mic was muted but not showing that status. I'm back to work on Monday so I'll be able to find a victim in the office to experiment upon. So... it could be a case of the mic having been muted but not showing that status or it commencing muted regardless; I'll tie this post off in few days.

HI,

I seem to have a problem with the microphone on my Hammerhead since switching to the release candidate. It fails to function when I make a call. However, if I toggle loudspeaker mode, then it works fine. Separately, if I choose to use the sound recorder, that works fine, but I suspect that's akin to loudspeaker mode. Previously, everything was working here. It's possible I had this happen in stable on one occasion, but I'm not asserting a link. It was early days using the phone when that happened so... meh.

I can't test this as much as I'd prefer because I'm too nerdy to have organic friends aside my inner circle of plants. From what I've seen with logviewer, the logs seem innocuous, but I haven't unhooked the phone (my sole internet connection) to examine dmesg in finer detail.

@dobey Ah, I see, that follows.

Excuse me for probably saying something contentious, but shouldn't cancel be red-based given that the opposite is already green-based?

@tera I think #1 is a very good idea from an environmental marketing perspective and given cheap-enough and commonly available phone types could tap into the maker/diy market very effectively and drive other adoptions from there.

@3arn0wl Now that is very astute. You realise that UT could become the environmentalists champion in this regards? Another one of those hot media topics. There is mileage there if it's not approached from the "build it and they will come" mindset, which I find to be a false one outside of certain Hollywood films

@3arn0wl Thanks for that. Well, I'd say Google will continue present form which looks to me to be geared towards: centralisation/control and profiling. Dropping Linux and Java is probably a really good move from their legal side of things. I think Fuchsia will be relatively open/accessible at first whilst it matures before they turn the screws*. They have to get the buy-in to hook then exploit the need-dependency culture.

I get it re the Librem approach, if that rolls well it strengthens the eco system and attracts other interested parties. Yes, I agree that is the right focus area because Android appears to have a finite future. I figure Google will construe obsolescence when they move on so Android isn't reanimated and used against them by competitors.

*I think the open-source &etc approach is too strong now for Google to go against it; the old business models eventually fail and must adapt and evolve. I cannot see Google using an old business model. They are also an innovative company. I suspect they will find a way to have all their cakes initially until the market is won over. "Do no evil" etc. is relative to one's perception of what evil actually is. It seems it's been a moving target all along and I don't expect their behaviour to change.

Hi, I've hit this exact issue with PIA. The logs reports "locked collection" and (apparently) can't save the password. However, for PIA... everything is alphanumeric, so your solution has no impact on the problem I'm experiencing... which is the same problem you have... did you do something else too?

I even set a password in the system-connection conf files but it didn't make the slightest difference. However, I might have things set incorrectly, I need to look at it again.

I was going to post this as a response to “Spreading UT to the world” but it’s become a tome and is perhaps a bit of a thread-jack, so I’m starting a new post.

I've been tracking UT since the original concept push by Mark Shuttleworth, but it’s only now I’ve had the spare finances to acquire a device to run it on, a Nexus 5. I was using Android for a year on a basic phone and it was detestable, even after ripping as much out of it as I could and stopping the non-essential services. I find that UT is a sweet delight, mostly working and I'm very pleased with it.

So my opinions, for what they’re worth, right or wrong. Forgive me if I’m repeating already-established ideas or countering established direction. I’m also largely speaking from the perspective of the platform being fluent with contemporary hardware because otherwise the scope is far too narrow. I believe from what I’ve read that this is something that is in-progress and achievable. I’m not a marketing person, but have interest in the area.

I think UT should be expectation/market-led vs the typically inverted techie position of “hey, we’ve a sweet phone here that does all this cool stuff, you’ll love it.” I guess all the Android alternatives are “really cool” too. My suggestion is to look at naturally aligned (and thus) receptive (niche) markets to gain traction with prior to worrying about wider deployment. With that said, I figure techie markets are where it’s at -- but the market-led approach remains the same -- an easy thing to garble with such a match up. I presume this is broadly what Canonical tried to do, but I happen to believe it still holds true and is a good approach.

Following on, I think there should a be discussion regarding the base image, regarding installed apps & settings/configuration. Plumb it for the target market and not for mass-market. It’s an evolution. This also opens the door to the install group approach based on intended usage (which could be worked as post first-boot downloads instead of adding them to the image.) Further: default bookmarks in the browser etc that are inline with the market segment and/or pulled in by the install group and so forth. Make the phone cozy with the target segment, not to an anonymous one-size-fits-all case.)

It's not enough for most people to know that the phone is 'a great privacy platform' despite media-pumped interest in this. That won't sell UT because in my view, the bulk of people don't care enough and (effectively) surrender themselves for that next feature-that-profiles-you so long as they get their candy. When I think about Alexa et-al, I wonder wtf is going on in the mindset of the average consumer. However, given that the news media loves scandals and privacy-related news stories, there is indeed a marketing funnel right there for UT to tap into and exploit.

Take a look at Blackberry. I'm familiar with the BB10/Classic and it's a beautiful device, but privacy wasn't enough for BB to maintain their share, despite the strong understanding that BB=privacy. Okay, touch-screen keyboard was an iOS/Android killer feature, but the Priv and Key-series phones haven't exactly turned the world upside down and they're Android-based. There are other privacy-led firms that haven’t cracked the Android market from within. Consider that the BB10 was equipped with a functional Android subsystem. It wasn't a game-changer with an established name, so why would it be for UT now? I get it we're not comparing like-things here, but it's in the same spectrum. Microsoft failed with their phone and although I've never seen one in the wild, my understanding is that it’s an excellent bit of kit. They also fitted Android as (presumably) an attempt to save it, like BB. Therefore, Android-compatibility does not save failing platforms.

Canonical dropped UT. Plugging in Android sure looks like familiar medicine, doesn't it?

Here is one crucial factor that differentiates Win/BB Android from UT: they were well-known and established platforms prior to pulling in Android compatibility. I would say that the "damage had been done" and retrospectively adding Android compatibility was too late, because the market-horse had already bolted. Thus, UT ‘debuting’ with Android-ability is notably different, perhaps significant, but… then why bother changing platforms at all? It’s the same conundrum those other vendors faced. However, it does grease the way for some must-have-reason why people would ditch Android for UT. If that conjecture holds true, its important. In that vein, Anbox etc., could be seen/treated in the context of platform migration and not for me-too compatibility. Let UT stand in its own light -- it’s a mindset.

A major-win would be to gain influential patrons in target-markets. By patron I mean well-known figures who would champion the phone as a matter-of-course. To pay off, the phone has to be 'fit for purpose' within that market. I think getting the phone to that stage could be managed in parallel with the right patron -- it would give them lots to relate in their social media, keeping interest (and familiarity) going. (Negatively: the phone would have to be close-enough-to-ready else it might prove counter-productive.)

That all said, patronage still didn’t help BB with Kim Kardashian using the Bold! My point here is that BB products weren’t fit for the mainstream market despite having an unofficial patron with the Midas-touch; privacy alone wasn’t enough to sell their products, even though that was her personal need/killer-feature. Note also BB chose not to engage her as a formal ambassador for their phones despite chatter at the time; this tells me that she’s not aligned with their target market. Well… yeah: mainstream doesn’t care for privacy, as BB experienced during their public keel-hauling years before.

Google recently and quite ominously stated "(The) Fuchsia is not Linux". I find this deeply troubling on many levels, most of which aren’t directly related to this post. Conversely however, I believe there is a window of opportunity here. If Google has sense, it will make the transition between Fuchsia and Android seemless, but regardless, that still involves a decision-making process for vendors and consumers. That’s where I think an opportunity could lurk. If it transpires Fuchsia is akin to Fascista, then vendors will need alternatives. (I don’t know much about the backend of UT but presumably there’s a whole bag of trouble brewing here?)

In that scenario, I guess we're talking about creating vendor alliances and so forth -- with funding -- and the sooner the better? There are independence questions here as well, obviously.

Anyway, key points in summary:

• Privacy doesn’t appear to be a killer-feature outside of niche-markets;
• Privacy-related stories are are loved by news media!
• Android compatibility wasn’t enough to save BB and Win-phone when retrospectively added;
• Migrating from Android has to be driven by an overriding need;
• Fuchsia might conversely drive need, especially with vendors;
• Gaining patronage/champions in target markets would generate buzz;
• Tailor the platform base install for target markets and not the (eventual...) mass-use scenario.