[Old_Mil]

...for those of us who reject the use of the iOS and Android platforms because of the inherent loss of privacy involved in using either.

I have been a happy BB10 / PlayBook user for a few years now but with the internal moves BlackBerry is making along with the upcoming android slider it is clear that we are all about to get Playbooked.

So I ordered a Ubuntu phone. It is an interesting device. There are three or four different models out there now after the initial release of the E4.5. I got the E4.5 because it was the cheapest one and I wanted to try it out.

The size is similar to a Z10, but with better battery life. The operating system is still maturing but is very promising. Those of us who are used to the swipe based interface of BB10 will be happy to know that live in this OS and probably makes it a more natural upgrade path than the gestureless android OS.

Although there is no "hub" in the format that we have grown accustomed to there is a "today" main screen that aggregates messages / appointments / etc. This is user configurable; since I don't use Facebook I was able to eliminate that particular section on the today screen.

The overall user experience/speed is similar to using a Z30.

Overall I am pleased with the device and it will be my daily driver after I sell my BB10 based devices.

Posted via CB10

[jaydee5799]

good luck with your choice and enjoy!

[Old_Mil]

Anyone else who has been using this OS for a while, please add your $0.02...particularly if you have a E5 or the new Chinese model...and are using it with Ubuntu desktop.

I have been using GNU/Lubuntu on the desktop just because I didn't care for unity vs gnome but going this direction in the mobile world I may be willing to give unity another shot.

Posted via CB10

[Prem WatsApp]

Hey there, I've had the Nexus 4 with Ubuntu since 2013... saw and experienced the whole development process with every update.

How's contact management? That would be the main focus for me on any phone. Import and export. I haven't used it as a main daily driver, though. Have you or are you? ... :-)


�   Andro-Loader (TM) - who is gonna leak ...? Black-Berry! dadadada dee dum dee dum...   �

[eddy_berry]

Cool. I'm interested. Have been using Ubuntu Linux among other flavors for many years now. I was excited about Ubuntu phone but BB10 stole my gaze for so long. It's about time to take a look again. Thanks for sharing.

Z30STA100-5/10.3.2.2339

[kgbbz10]

It's only available in Europe though. Will it work in the US? The OS looks pretty cool and would be a much better alternative to Android and IOS.
I'm also curious about the communication aspect of the phone, since BlackBerry is #1 in communication I'm weary about other OSes not giving me the ease of use I'm used to.


BBClassic10.3.2.2639-799Radio

[DrBoomBotz]

OP you mention privacy.
I just googled "ubuntu phone privacy" and this is the first hit.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ubunt...lexander-hanff
Is this a concern?

[Lebussle]

Ubuntu touch is built on top of android I believe. It does escape Google but not the other failures of android

Posted via CB10

[DrBoomBotz]

Ubuntu touch is built on top of android I believe. It does escape Google but not the other failures of android

Posted via CB10

No it is not based on Android https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Touch

[thurask]

I have been using GNU/Lubuntu on the desktop just because I didn't care for unity vs gnome but going this direction in the mobile world I may be willing to give unity another shot.

Posted via CB10

Wondering if they managed to completely iron out the privacy concerns with Unity in the first place.

Besides, XFCE is the best.

[DrBoomBotz]

Besides, XFCE is the best.

+1

[Lebussle]

Having just synced git to build it I can tell you it is.

"For quick reference, these are the current components used from Android:

Linux Kernel (stock Android kernel provided by the vendor, with a few changes to support some extra features needed by Ubuntu, such as Apparmor)"

https://developer.ubuntu.com/en/star...ng-new-device/

Posted via CB10

[kgbbz10]

Having just synced git to build it I can tell you it is.

"For quick reference, these are the current components used from Android:

Linux Kernel (stock Android kernel provided by the vendor, with a few changes to support some extra features needed by Ubuntu, such as Apparmor)"

https://developer.ubuntu.com/en/star...ng-new-device/

Posted via CB10

Well I'm completely turned off by this phone now.

BBClassic10.3.2.2639-799Radio

[dphjeff]

Wolf in sheep's clothing!
Better get used to it.

[Old_Mil]

I'm on day #2. It takes a little getting used to as the gestures aren't quite the same. The entire experience is different from iOS and Android as it isn't nearly as "app based". There is a today home screen which is configurable and a "near" screen that (if you enable location detection) will serve up everything from local instagram photos to yelp data. I've turned all that off to address the security / privacy concerns.

My next mission is to try and import contacts from my Z30.

So far, I'm OK with it. It's a lot like using the Z10 with better battery life.

I bought mine used on Ebay, a European 3G E4.5 since it was inexpensive. There are a couple of 4G models out now, one from Spain (the E5) and one from China.

[Prem WatsApp]

I'm on day #2. It takes a little getting used to as the gestures aren't quite the same. The entire experience is different from iOS and Android as it isn't nearly as "app based". There is a today home screen which is configurable and a "near" screen that (if you enable location detection) will serve up everything from local instagram photos to yelp data. I've turned all that off to address the security / privacy concerns.

My next mission is to try and import contacts from my Z30.

So far, I'm OK with it. It's a lot like using the Z10 with better battery life.

I bought mine used on Ebay, a European 3G E4.5 since it was inexpensive. There are a couple of 4G models out now, one from Spain (the E5) and one from China.

How much did you pay? And it has dual SIM, right?

Let us know how you went with the contacts transfer...
thanks in advance! :-D


�   Andro-Loader (TM) - who is gonna leak ...? Black-Berry! dadadada dee dum dee dum...   �

[Old_Mil]

Well, this is my first post to crackberrry using the Ubuntu app Forum Browser which is basically like Tapatalk.. Works well.

Some of the pluses and minuses so far:

No native email app.. Downloadable email app called Dekko which works reasonably well but does not appear to integrate with natve contacts.

No apparent ability to change font size or to a high contrast white on black theme that would help.

Virtual keyboard less accurate than the Z10 but about as good as android/iphone.

A surprising number of important big name apps includig ebay, amazon, telegram, yelp, instagram, linked in, facebook, twitter.


Sent from my awesome Ubuntu device using the Forum Browser app

[Old_Mil]

(oh, and still working on transferring my contacts)

Sent from my awesome Ubuntu device using the Forum Browser app

[Prem WatsApp]

Well, this is my first post to crackberrry using the Ubuntu app Forum Browser which is basically like Tapatalk.. Works well.

Some of the pluses and minuses so far:

No native email app.. Downloadable email app called Dekko which works reasonably well but does not appear to integrate with natve contacts.

No apparent ability to change font size or to a high contrast white on black theme that would help.

Virtual keyboard less accurate than the Z10 but about as good as android/iphone.

A surprising number of important big name apps includig ebay, amazon, telegram, yelp, instagram, linked in, facebook, twitter.


Sent from my awesome Ubuntu device using the Forum Browser app

Email is important. I was hoping for Ubuntu to be able to use real Linux desktop proggies, like, c'mon, Thunderbird would be a dream for email... if you could get a workable version on the smaller screen...!
:-D

�   Andro-Loader (TM) - who is gonna leak ...? Black-Berry! dadadada dee dum dee dum...   �

[Old_Mil]

I am using the Aquaris E4.5.. It is a dual simply phone that I picked up for ~ 175.

I spent this morning digging through the travel portionof the app store..I have to say that it puts Blackberry World to shame.. Most major world airlines have an app, airbnb is there, tripadvisor is there... Air Canada does not have an app but CBC does.

The phone has been rock solid reliable without a single app crash or reboot.. I am already doing everything on it including listening to my daily podcasts.

No scan to PDF app, which is a negative.. I am going to try and import my contacts in vcf format today.

It is a perfectly adequate daily driver for cell phone hobbiests but they need to release it with a standard email app with contact integration to be mainstream.

Sent from my awesome Ubuntu device using the Forum Browser app

[Old_Mil]

So I am coming up on two months with the phone.

I have gotten better typing on the keyboard. It still isn't anywhere near the BB10 virtual keyboard but is no worse than OS or stock android.

The forum browser app is quite a bit better than Tapatalk on android. A little more barebones but functional and it organizes the foruns well.

I got my contacts on here by exporting then to Vcard format, copying them to my SD card, and importing them.

Browser is fine, and fast.

Podbird and Telegram work great.

Still waiting on a application.

[sad_old_man]

Ubuntu!.......... I love the South African language as well sea eh?

"Khuluma isintu" or if yous is prefferrin it............. "A person is a person through other people"

[Old_Mil]

Well, I have thrown in the towel on this project for the time being.

Hardware:

1. I found the 4.5's screen too small given the lack of a high contrast theme for the OS.
2. The phone was a little underpowered, but the OS was light enough that it got away with it.
3. 32gb max SD card capacity.

Software:

The longer I used it the more the lack of a native email app bothered me. MMS/SMS worked fine as did telegram, and the twitter app did a fine job. But being able to send and receive emails is a critical function of a smartphone and releasing it without a polished integrated email app is a big mistake, imho.

Simple things - like being able to add a phone number to contacts from the received calls list - doesn't work.

I don't know how and when Canonical is going to get around to fixing these issues but they need to be addressed if Ubuntu phone is going to make any headway in the market.

[uinktyo]

[QUOTE=Old_Mil;12117400]Well, I have thrown in the towel on this project for the time being.


Software:

The longer I used it the more the lack of a native email app bothered me. MMS/SMS worked fine as did telegram, and the twitter app did a fine job. But being able to send and receive emails is a critical function of a smartphone and releasing it without a polished integrated email app is a big mistake, imho.


The main reason I choose BlackBerry is the email, this is what we can say BlackBerry can handling our daily task...


Delivered by my Z30

[Old_Mil]

There is no doubt that BB10 devices are far superior when it comes to handling email and communications in general than the Dekko/Telegram options offered on the Ubuntu phone.

MMS/SMS/Twitter on that platform is good, though.