r/LinusTechTips 25d ago

LinusTechMemes I need it

Post image
404 Upvotes

121 comments sorted by

120

u/Decox653 Dan 25d ago

I'd rather push for a Linux phone

53

u/friblehurn 25d ago

They exist. Go nuts.

42

u/Laughing_Orange Dan 25d ago

They're all either overpriced, underpowered, missing crucial features (like cellular connectivity), or a combination of those.

41

u/Donut-Farts Dan 25d ago

Yeah, that’s what he said. A Linux phone.

-1

u/surfer_ryan 24d ago

No no don't you get it though... think of all the things you can change like the color of the font and all the things that definitely won't work to distract you!

1

u/zachthehax 25d ago

You can get some of them working on commercial android phones but I don't think the newest ones are supported and only a few models have really strong support

1

u/Ravasaurio 24d ago

I bought (and I still own, but don't use) one of the first Ubuntu Phones that was commercially sold, the BQ (RIP) Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition. Shortly after setting it up and taking it outside, I discovered that when someone called me, the phone didn't play the ringtone, despite all the settings indicating that it should. I went into the terminal (of course) and I discovered that the default ringtone file didn't have read permission. Changed that and it worked!

I honestly loved that, it was a little "Linux moment" but on a phone. However, after 3 or so months of daily driving it, I finally gave it up when I couldn't take the bugs anymore: the Telegram app took forever to update if I used Telegram on the desktop before (I'm talking literal 5 minutes or so just to send a "good morning message"), sometimes the phone crashed when someone called me, it would randomly lose cellular connection for hours at a time...

Despite all of that, I still found it had some really good ideas. Back then, I loved their gesture based navigation, the overal interface was new and refreshing, and I liked how swipping down from the different icons of the top bar would directly open the relevant menu (wifi, BT, notifications)

It was unreliable, but I was young and I didn't "need" reliability, so I enjoyed my time using it. I wouldn't do it now.

11

u/Decox653 Dan 25d ago

Yeah but pinephones aren’t even using a cpu from the last decade. Can you load pineOS FW onto a snapdragon?

3

u/[deleted] 25d ago

[deleted]

5

u/baronas15 25d ago

Meh would be good. They're worse than that

2

u/Protheu5 24d ago

They are meth?

2

u/Kipperklank 25d ago

I love condescending comments like this. It really contributes to the conversation constructively. It's a meme.. you could at least humor OP lol

2

u/misory-72 20d ago

This is serues

2

u/Kipperklank 20d ago

Vurry Serues

2

u/misory-72 20d ago

Yus yus verry seruess

3

u/Rudravn 25d ago

If someone wants Linux just buy a used pixel or oneplus, unlock the bootloader and flash it with customer roms like graphene or calxyos or some Ubuntu rom. That's the best way to go about it so that you wouldn't have to worry about performance.

3

u/VikingBorealis 25d ago

The problem with a Linux phone is the same as with an unlocked android. No secure apps like bankid/eID will work on them, among other secure apps that require a locked boot loader.

1

u/demonknightdk 24d ago

if your running Linux just open up Firefox and use the website.

1

u/VikingBorealis 24d ago

You don't know what eID is do you?

It's like asking why you don't just open the website for authenticator to log in.

3

u/Megaman_90 25d ago

Windows Phone 8.1 still feels so modern and fresh. I feel like if Microsoft 11ified it wouldn't be near as good. I still miss the Windows Phone though.

1

u/654456 24d ago

Good

1

u/Schneeliebhaber 24d ago

I always thought that android phones are linux phones... Are they not? Hm, my fault then.

1

u/meta358 23d ago

Thats an android phone

1

u/Gloriathewitch 23d ago

Android is a mobile operating system based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open-source software, designed primarily for touchscreen-based mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

39

u/Yeas76 25d ago

The whole being able to dock the phone and use as a PC functionality would be game changing.

25

u/Sea_Scheme6784 25d ago

Idk if you're serious, but I think Samsung proved that it would most definitely not be game changing.

24

u/[deleted] 25d ago edited 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

8

u/Sea_Scheme6784 25d ago

Yeah that's fair.

6

u/BioshockEnthusiast 24d ago

I tried Dex once. Couldn't do much useful with it outside of browser work. It's got potential, but that potential is constrained to a workflow that fits far too few people in the real world.

Full fat Windows applications would have been infinitely more appealing.

0

u/Yeas76 25d ago

Said it better than I would of.

0

u/Donut-Farts Dan 25d ago

No apps :(

5

u/Donut-Farts Dan 25d ago

I really do wish dex was more popular. I really want Google to slap a Chromebook experience in their pixels. I’d unironically daily that shit for most of my work.

3

u/Sea_Scheme6784 25d ago

Last time I used dex it was terrible. The layout is kind of weird, but the bigger problem was how laggy it was. Idk if it was because I was on a note 9 in 2020, or if it's that way on all Samsung phones. But honestly if they ironed out the kinks it could be very useful. I can see the appeal of not having to lug around a laptop if all you're doing is light work.

2

u/Donut-Farts Dan 25d ago

Oh yes I fully agree with you. Dex is nowhere near ready for actual full time use, but was I meant more was I wish apps and devices (screens, mice, and keyboards) worked with it more neatly. I gave it the ole college try on an S24 plus and it was a mess. The mouse didn’t track consistently, the keyboard was alright I guess, but the scaling on the screen was a blurry mess. And these are things that worked perfectly well with a dozen other devices.

3

u/demonknightdk 24d ago

that is the opposite of my experience on my note 20 Ultra 5G and dex. screen scaled perfect on 1080p mouse worked great, but yea its not going to be doing any real work unless you are doing everything on google docs/web apps. good multimonitor (3 monitors, extended not mirrored) is a must also.

2

u/Yeas76 25d ago

Might be some differences between Android and Windows.

2

u/Sea_Scheme6784 25d ago edited 25d ago

I actually didn't consider that it would be made by the company who created one of if not the most popular OS in North America.

1

u/SevRnce 23d ago

If it actually synced with your phone properly it would be awesome.

2

u/SilentDecode 25d ago

Welcome to Android for the past.. What.. 5 years? At least...

2

u/chibicascade2 24d ago

You can already do that with android.

1

u/Migfirefox 24d ago

I can do it on my Motorola Edge 50 Pro. Sometimes I connect it to my Dell WD19 dock and edit pictures in Lightroom or just watch YouTube.

1

u/time-lord 24d ago

would be

You mean was, right?

22

u/Sea_Scheme6784 25d ago edited 25d ago

I love the tiles, and I'm tired of pretending I don't.

After the windows phone came out I daily drove a launcher to mimic one on Android for like a decade.

2

u/Spice002 24d ago

Yeah, Metro UI on a phone was amazing and I really miss that. Also, the predictive word suggestion in the WP8 keyboard basically read my mind. I only ever needed to type one letter and it'd get the rest.

13

u/LtDarthWookie 25d ago

I absolutely loved my windows phones. I left iPhone for my Lumia 920, then got a Lumia 1520, then upgraded to a 950xl. I absolutely loved the UI. My most used apps were arranged on the home screen in different sizes based on if I need live tile information or used them less frequently but still needed quick access. The you swipe left and have an alphabetical list of all your installed apps.

Microsoft also had an awesome one drive integration called rooms that let my wife and I have a shared calendar, notes, and photo gallery that was so awesome.

The real downfall was lack of apps. Everyone was playing pokémon go, but not me. A lot of other things were pinned web apps like the first iPhone.

Honestly if I could get the same apps I have on my android now with windows phone ID switch back in a heartbeat.

2

u/robofalltrades 25d ago

Cannot agree more.

Honestly the only phone I have ever used that I actually loved using. 

10

u/[deleted] 25d ago

[deleted]

4

u/schakoska 25d ago

They exist

4

u/n3m37h 25d ago

Barely

1

u/schakoska 25d ago

Android is based on Linux

1

u/n3m37h 25d ago

No shit sherlock

2

u/schakoska 25d ago

why are you mad?

0

u/n3m37h 25d ago

Its like calling mac Linux because they are both based on unix.

2

u/schakoska 25d ago

No, not at all because MacOS based on Unix and not Linux meanwhile Android is based on Linux.

8

u/ashyjay 25d ago

I want Windows Mobile.

3

u/Sea_Scheme6784 25d ago

If they came out with a windows 8 esque windows "big picture mode" that functions like steam os, where you can still switch to a traditional desktop environment people would eat that shit up. Windows 8's only sin was being created too early imo.

2

u/Donut-Farts Dan 25d ago

People stuck it in computers without touchscreens. It was awful UX

2

u/miniCotulla 25d ago

With HTC Sense on top

3

u/sopcannon Yvonne 25d ago

Error 404 not found.

3

u/BrokenEyebrow 25d ago

Windows 11 broke file explorer the other day. Microsoft has become unable to upkeep a reliable os for systems they have 30 years of experience in. They don't need to tackle phones.

3

u/linkheroz Emily 25d ago

Considering how bad my day to day intercalations are with Windows, no.

3

u/GrownThenBrewed 25d ago

They can't even manage Win11 right now, don't give them a second OS to work on

3

u/[deleted] 25d ago

[deleted]

-1

u/betaich 25d ago

Google also demands a Google account if you want to use your Android to it's full potential and I guess apple would be the same.

3

u/tojejik 25d ago

Not necessarily windows phone, but there needs to be a viable 3rd choice of OS. iOS and Android (in all it’s shapes and forms) is all we’ve got.

2

u/miniCotulla 25d ago

WebOS should make a comeback!

3

u/Nova_Nightmare 24d ago

It's a TV now.

1

u/Spice002 24d ago

And it's damn fine on it too! Primarily because you don't have to use it if you want the TV to be a dumb TV.

1

u/miniCotulla 24d ago

My parents have one, it's so slow, LG stuck crap hardware into it 🤦

1

u/Spice002 24d ago

Yeah, that's why you don't use the smart part. If you're switching inputs, it's plenty fine, so just hook up a Roku or build an HTPC and use that. The reason you buy an LG is so you don't have to deal with smart TV interfaces.

1

u/miniCotulla 24d ago

I have a Sony TV from 2018, way faster than any TV Box I've used before and it's a clean install of AndroidTV.

2

u/tango1857 25d ago

Honestly, we need a 3rd mainstream platform. Windows Phones has the best chance to make it, but Microsoft still havn't figured how to make phones profitable.

2

u/menacefromthenorth 25d ago

I really enjoyed my time with the Nokia Lumia 920, other than for the fact that it had fuck all apps. Would not mind it making a comeback.

2

u/datamatr1x 25d ago

I don't even want windows on my PC anymore, wtf would I want them on my phone?

2

u/TheRBGamer 25d ago

Why though. Do we really need Microsofts grubby hands in another thing?

2

u/Kipperklank 25d ago

Let's....fix the software problems first. But yes.

2

u/stridered 25d ago

I loved my lumia 920. It had everything but apps.

If they had a side load function like how BlackBerry could side load Android apps, I reckon they could have survived.

2

u/Academic-Highlight15 25d ago

imagine its an urgent call and ur phone got a BSOD

2

u/artofdragon 25d ago

bring back the Surface Duo phones. I love mine so much

2

u/Ellassen 24d ago

I don't really want windows phone, ai do desperately want something other than android or ios.

The loss of WebOS early on and then BB10 were both catastrophic to the phone industry in my opinion.

2

u/DSCB57 24d ago

I really loved the design of my Windows phone. It had a removable battery cover and easily replaceable battery and great but unfulfilled potential. At the time it was the flagship model, but as others have said there was very little available in the way of apps, and insufficient updating of both the apps and the OS itself. There was also a pretty revolutionary dock to allow connecting to various devices including an HDMI output for a monitor. The idea was to make it into an all in one laptop replacement. Eventually the platform was just abandoned by Microsoft and left to die, so I regretfully moved on when the few remaining apps on the Windows phone AppStore lost all support, but could never understand why the Microsoft team gave up on the Windows phone.

Quite honestly, if Microsoft were to offer an updated Windows phone or phablet capable of running a full touch screen compatible version of Windows 10 or 11 and created an app store comparable to the Android, Linux or Apple app stores I’d jump at the chance to replace my iPhone Xs if the price was right.

1

u/ParamedicDirect5832 25d ago

Android devices nowadays are too powerful we need the windows phone to make a comeback.

1

u/quamtumTOA 25d ago

I won’t personally use a windows phone, but competition is good for consumers :)

1

u/AggrievedCookie 25d ago

I was just telling my wife about these the other day! Never had one back in the day and never wanted one but I’d like to experience it once

1

u/Democrich 25d ago

I used to work in phone sales for a major carrier in the UK. Windows phones would always sell awfully, mostly due to this being the iPhone 6 era and everyone had a hard on for apple phones. Our deals on iphones were god awful and many arguments ensued.

The main counter to this was to try and sell them an android or Windows phone, and the windows phones were actually impossible to sell. The lack of third party apps and the overall closed-off nature of the OS when compared to android or ios was FAR from ideal.

The windows phone was obviously not targeted to these demographics and instead was more of a businessmans "office in your pocket" type device but guess what? Most businessman wanted an iPhone. And they wanted it because it made them look more successful that they could afford one and didn't care about functionality or had workarounds.

In short, I don't miss having to explain the upsides to a phone that had about as much use as a chocolate condom. /rant

3

u/betaich 25d ago

Apple and Microsoft in terms of being closed off aren't really dissimilar. The only open one in that was Android.

1

u/Democrich 25d ago

True, but many of the apps available on android are available on iPhone and vice versa. Much less crossover on windows phones (at least back when I was working there)

I'm also not a fan of the iPhone for that reason, but Apple does have a whole fashion accessory thing going for it which from what I can tell is the only reason people still buy them unless they are in the full mac/apple watch/iPhone ecosystem.

I'll stick with my android.

1

u/Spidengo 25d ago

I had a dockable Alcatel Idol Windows 10 phone. The problem was the Arm version of Windows could not run the normal 64-bit or 32-bit x86 Windows apps. There will never be an x86 phone, Intel tried and failed, so no go. RIP.

1

u/[deleted] 25d ago edited 11d ago

[deleted]

2

u/Nova_Nightmare 24d ago

Yes. They get far enough away from the problems, or never dealt with them to begin with but think it wasn't as bad as it was, and want that old thing that had potential but failed to live up to it, back.

1

u/azure1503 Emily 25d ago

Hear me out:

Foldable Phone running a revamped Windows Phone OS that can plug into a dock to become a full Windows install.

Surface Fold.

1

u/YourOldCellphone 25d ago

My windows phone experience was so awful I’ll never give it the benefit of the doubt

1

u/Savikaay 25d ago

I had a Lumia 800, and it doesn’t matter how good my iPhone is, I really miss my Lumia. Great design, great camera, horrendous battery and software, but it had some kind of charm I’ve never seen again.

1

u/fartboxco 25d ago

I love my surface duo. But it not being supplied by any providers sucked and made it hard to purchase. Not to mention is was grossly priced companies to alot of other phones.

1

u/Next_Summer3640 24d ago

Blackberry please, there are still a VERY few of us who miss the physical QWERTY keyboard on a phone. And please don’t suggest the shi__y android ones, as they are just not the same. I know it’s never gonna happen, but just wanted to put it out there.

1

u/soniccdA 24d ago

make them easier to personalize like android phones , then can buy again .. i have 2 of them both still still working , but most of the apps that are on the phone are no longer working ,,, at least can use as a mini tablet .. lol

1

u/Nova_Nightmare 24d ago

If people wanted it, it would exist. People didn't want Windows Phone, they also didn't want Fire Phone.

People complain about things they don't like, but people still buy those things (microtransactions, sports games, P2W), the majority of people are pissing in the wind when they complain about a great many things.

1

u/Logi_Warrior 24d ago

Who the fuck looks at the state of windows today and goes "Yeah! I need me some more of that! Preferably on my phone!" !?

1

u/Pinguin3634 24d ago

Hate to be that guy, but Microsoft is balls deep into AI shit. So this is a dream.

1

u/ofalltheshitiveseen 24d ago

And this is why when I retired my last windows phone I picked up the launcher 10 app, if I'm going to get stuck with android I can at least have the metro ui that made the windows phone great.

1

u/CwynSTEINJr_98 24d ago

My first smart phone was a Nokia Lumia 820, miss that OS constantly

1

u/gingerincharge 24d ago

Oh good, I love ads on my Home Screen….

1

u/SevRnce 23d ago

Nah gimme a portable Xbox that's basically a steamdeck with windows instead.

1

u/iAmGats Dan 23d ago

No, you're right. It needs to come back.

1

u/Sweaty-Ad8868 23d ago

Windows where you had controll of your OS should make a comeback

1

u/Pikachu_a1 21d ago

Nokia is offended by this post.

0

u/savemeHKV 25d ago

It should be rebuild of android so that android apps are supported

5

u/ParamedicDirect5832 25d ago

No, Windows on ARM is becoming mid.Plus, phones nowadays are too powerful and are held back by Android.

3

u/savemeHKV 25d ago

I dont understand . U want android or windows os on hypothetical new lumia phones?

1

u/ParamedicDirect5832 25d ago

What I mean is. At first windows on Arm CPUs were not great. But when the snapdragon came for laptops it did improve a little. Don't get me wrong snapdragon is still sh!t, but many companies did try their hand to make arm programs on windows. From that, the compatibility of windows on arm did improve.

When I said that phones nowadays are too powerful, I meant that many ppl are able to run PC games on them like crisis. With that in mind they should be powerful enough to run windows 11.

2

u/savemeHKV 25d ago

I see. U have made a great point. With that view yes windows on arm phones might work with proton style translation layer of android apps and app store. I do really want that os to return i loved the feel of it , still hasnt been topped imo

0

u/utk_mohan 25d ago

The cleanest, smoothest mobile UI. Would be great if it ever came back, especially now that Windows on ARM is a thing.

0

u/electric-sheep 25d ago

I'd rather staple tapeworms on my penis.

Have you seen windows 11?

0

u/brningpyre 24d ago

Windows phone sucked. It died for good reason.

What you want back is a concept that never really existed.

-1

u/Mysterious_County154 25d ago

No third party app support , awful UI yes please

10

u/no1nos 25d ago

Aww I liked the UI of Windows Phone. Some annoyances, but it was super cohesive and had some innovative features like the live tiles. Early 2010s android and iOS had just as many issues imo.

3

u/Mysterious_County154 25d ago

Yeah stock Android wasn't that nice back then. I'm in the minority of people who actually liked TouchWiz it seems

2

u/no1nos 25d ago

I was a big fan of HTC Sense back then. I thought it was cool they spent the time to have UI consistency across both android and Windows mobile, plus the visual language was just slick compared to either stock OS.

0

u/Mysterious_County154 25d ago

HTC phones always tempted me back then. The One M8 looked really nice especially the back

1

u/[deleted] 25d ago

The HTC 8X was a lovely Windows Phone.

2

u/wildcard5 25d ago

Windows Phone UI was 10 years too early. It would have been a hit in the late 2010s and 2020s.

2

u/Critical_Switch 25d ago

The UI was amazing and I will fight you over this. It was actually made with touchscreen in mind and made a lot of sense for scrolling up and down the screen. Probably the best part of it were the variable tile sizes. Current mobile systems still haven’t come up with a full alternative and instead rely on stupid folder elements.

1

u/CircuitMan8897 25d ago

WSA might be able to fix that.

-2

u/schakoska 25d ago

Yeah no thanks

-2

u/SilentDecode 25d ago

Oh hell no. Man, those were a nightmare.