Ubuntu for phones announced, arrives in early 2014
- M
- Marcelo
- Mfx
- 03 Jan 2013
I really need Ubuntu on my Galaxy S3. This will be awesome, when it will be released.
- D
- AnonD-96254
- JFk
- 03 Jan 2013
So, first things first:
"Nirvana Phone" concept is not new, but I've been dying to see someone actually commit to it. Now that ARM processors are so powerful it is a possibility. Even more interesting, Intel's x86 SoC solutions might be even better suited, like medfield and clover trail.
My dream device is one that is fully stocked in one piece, a handset. It has one interface for it. Put it in tv/multimedia dock, it becomes a HTPC. Put it in a desktop dock with KVM, it becomes a desktop. Samething with laptop docks. Motorola Atrix has something like this, but the implementation leaves a lot to be desired, especially on the software side.
Apple could make a killing on this if they fuse iOS and OS X even further(they did begin the process though). And btw, I don't like Apple that much, just to avoid fanboy remarks.
MS, if they are smart, will make multi-core intel phones, underclock them while running as a handset, and juice them up when docked, giving the full windows experience.
Android needs a better way to multi-task, like side-by-side apps and multiple windows and it too might become a desktop OS.
Ubuntu?
I used to love it! I would recommend it so passionately to everyone who could benefit from it(some people cannot due to vendor lock-in).
Then they insisted on Unity... yuck! What the hell were they smokin', I have no idea. But that was not really a wise choice.
Some of the ideas behind Ubuntu for phones are awesome, and some are downright idiotic. Lock screen is needed for a reason. I put gesture unlock on my Android because I dialed a few numbers by accident, and opened a bunch of apps the same way. Pocket lining is not that thick and your leg might trigger the capacitive screen! So, a proper screen lock please!
Furthermore, I do NOT understand the obsession with search everywhere. I use Google when I want to find something on the web, not my desktop search bar.
I use folders to organize apps by function(vertical)as opposed to flat organization pioneered by iOS and adopted by others. Search is for when you look for something that you don't know where it is. And unifying local and internet search, especially for a massive web store is not cool at all.
These features are more of a novelty than a productivity enhancers. And corporate customers are not going to like a "welcome screen" nor the unified search, and neither will any self-respecting system administrator. Way too insecure.
But I love the general idea. Who knows, maybe Mint Phone(as in Ubuntu based Linux Mint that sponsored development of "MATE" and "Cinnamon" desktop environments that keep stealing Ubuntu users away from ubuntu) will answer a few more prayers. :)
- L
- Linoslav
- 3s4
- 03 Jan 2013
Well, Android is a kinda Linux (not very open) and lately is a market leader. MeeGo was great and I see heavy usage of gestures as were used in MeeGo. Ubuntu runs great on netbooks, laptops and servers, has Unity user interface (which is preety touchscreen oriented), Wacom works closely with them, so there is no reason why we wouldn't expect a great opensource OS. Ubuntu/Debian has preety large app center and Canonical promises that all desktop apps should work on mobile... I think this is begining of a new mobile/desktop (R)evolution.
- D
- AnonD-58454
- fmR
- 03 Jan 2013
typical ios fun.you love being closed down.i must say iam very supried,i mean how is unity difficult compared to windows 7? Or! i wont even talk about the flop windows 8 and the rest of its ecosystem. Any way, their is nothing i can say to change your mind.once a windows os/ios fun always a fun.
- U
- U.LOY
- MGp
- 03 Jan 2013
UBUNTU
Highly doubtful that they can persuade the huge numbers away from the open versatility or Android.
Much as I like competition and variety, my Ubuntu experience on a PC was rubbish. Open minded and curious, I revisited on several versions and I saw no benefit, so many good software packages I use are not compatible and the alternatives fall well short. Driver issues etc., etc. For me, just not worth the headache.
Sorry to say, (that other from users who can obviously benefit from corporate security etc.); Ubuntu and its 'flavors' are mostly used by grumpy old men who just want to hate Windows/M$. Besides, the new PC systems in PCs nowadays are not very Ubunto friendly either, leaving many of those grumpy old men with bricks!
If this is their subtle attempt to swing PC users......NA! Not for me. It will most likely go the way of BADA and Tizen if we ever see it!
- D
- AnonD-89936
- phb
- 03 Jan 2013
Finally an all in one system this looks great have been using ubuntu for years and it is fantastic.
- D
- AnonD-18125
- fxH
- 03 Jan 2013
Great news! Hope it will dominate at least WP :) people used to hate closed source OS!
- D
- AnonD-252
- J5Q
- 03 Jan 2013
Most users/BUYERS do not want to be locked up into Microsofts WP8, so Nokia would have been bigger than Samsung if Nokia used Android! Do not ignore the fact that the only way to make any money is to listen to what the users/BUYERS want, and users do not want to pay extra to a company that makes the OS, Microsoft, for every app and game the user want to buy from the developers! Ubuntu will be the number one mobil phone OS, and the number one computer/laptop OS, because the operatingsystem is supposed to be a part of the phone, computer..., and not something that the user/BUYER have to pay extra just to make it possible to use their new expensive phone, and all the app and games for the phone, computer!
I do not like all of the Unity desktop, because it would be better to still keep apps... organized in folders and subfolders but also add the new search-functions! That is the same reason why I do not like the Metro UI!
- D
- AnonD-26940
- nQe
- 03 Jan 2013
AnonD-3678, 03 Jan 2013Google should ditch Dalvik VM out of Android. Go native, th... morethat's probbably better for the performance, but apps will need to be rewritten and we should wait for them to grow again!
- z
- zebarnabe
- pXK
- 03 Jan 2013
Anonymous, 03 Jan 2013ubuntu mobile os has over 45,000 apps.plus its able to run ... moreYou won't be able to run native desktop applications in the mobile phone, at least, if the phone is a ARM device and the desktop a x86 one.
However, if there are sources or builds for ARM, that will be (to a certain extent) possible.
This feels the WebOS, Android (and other linux based mobile OS'es) and Symbian with their best features picked and joined into a single system.
Now, I hope they don't require a 2 core cpu and 2GB of RAM....
It would be perfect if android apps would run in this as well :]
- ?
- Anonymous
- fmR
- 03 Jan 2013
ubuntu mobile os has over 45,000 apps.plus its able to run ubuntu desktop apps.it will have the best games thanks to steam,openGl and other players.whats so difficult to understand.its the same desktop os running on a phone an tablet pc.and fyi apps or games do not run on a virtual machine like android does with dolvik.go on ubuntus home page and read about it.eish same peoples ignorance can not be cured.
- F
- Fade.
- MmH
- 03 Jan 2013
Seems to me that this os has been taking lots of influence from Meego. It has the same type of swype gestures when you swipe from side to side etc. Also seems like they have managed to make it a light Android with basically 0 lagg. I think they have taken something from every touch os (iOS, Symbian, Meego, Android, Windows, Rim) and combined their best features into 1 without copying too directly to avoid court. It has the potential to be the next big OS.
- ?
- Anonymous
- pKV
- 03 Jan 2013
I'd expect this in the S5.
- b
- beoriginal9
- fXu
- 03 Jan 2013
Glad to see Mark Shuttleworth making big waves in the industry. really proud of him as a fellow South african. Ubuntu is a Zulu word which means 'humanity to others'. Cant wait to get a Phone running Ubuntu.
- D
- AnonD-43357
- L4f
- 03 Jan 2013
Anonymous, 03 Jan 2013No chance, all except Samsung and LG fail on Linux-like OS,... morewow, you are so wise. i guess you got a harvard degree in administration. you don't know what you are talking about!
- D
- AnonD-96211
- pr0
- 03 Jan 2013
Yes,a new line of phones that cost 1000 $
It can be a miracle if they release Ubuntu phones at a price of about 200 - 300 $
Love the looks.And i am willing to go from ANDROID OS to Ubuntu,if the phone price will be acceptable.
- ?
- Anonymous
- 4$F
- 03 Jan 2013
AnonD-89369, 03 Jan 2013May be nokia is going to have this one . If the news of nok... moreNo chance, all except Samsung and LG fail on Linux-like OS, Samsung has low profit from phones, LG too and make a lot of hardware not software. Nokia with Symbisn succeeded, with Windows survives and had it chosen Android would have been dead by now. There is no chance a company to make money with Android and Linux.
- t
- torcida
- M0D
- 03 Jan 2013
....and again something reminds me on the Swipe UI (MeeGo OS)!!
- i
- iFadey
- 2AY
- 03 Jan 2013
They must promote Firefox OS instead of developing their own OS :(
- D
- AnonD-96200
- vbS
- 03 Jan 2013
this will definitely beat Android and IOS..
looking forward to this one!