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stephanieswitzer
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Linux Phones

Post by stephanieswitzer »

Anyone here thought about getting a Linux phone? Maybe a Librem 5 or a Pinephone. I know I would consider it as long as they didn't cost a fortune like the new phone on the market today.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by DAMIEN1307 »

Hi steph,...i would do this in a heartbeat if it was available in a low cost scenario...i would even appreciate it more if it was what i call a "stupid" phone, not a "smartphone" since i only want it to make and receive simple phone calls...dont need a camera. texting, or web...just a privacy, security, enabled "telephone" without ads. tracking, telemetries, etc...i should add that im a firm believer that Alexander Graham Bell should have been "strangled in his cradle with his own telephone cable", since what we have now is nothing but "robo" calls, "spam" calls "scam" calls "political" calls etc.

I just had a new type of call today when i was with my landlord/bestfriend...it was the usual kind call in the U.S, right now that says "your social security number has now been suspended"...the new twist???...when i just hung up, whatever it is they are trying to do, tried to lock my "stupid" phone interface and lock it so you could not even power it down and restart, reload it etc...(i do not nor ever had screen lock activated)...I had to remove and replace the battery (and then press startup key to discharge capacitors while the battery was still removed), and then restart phone to get it to operate it again...I guess the scammers dislike you hanging up on them because you refuse to bite on the bait on their fish hooks...lol...I should add that i knew they were up to something since it presented a message on the "stupid" phone screen that does not exist, at least on my that gave "explicit" instructions to follow to "disable" phone lock...this of course i ignored, knowing this was part of the new scam that is a malware designed to brick your cell phone...DAMIEN
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by stephanieswitzer »

My thoughts exactly. The phones today aren't phones any more, yes you can make a phone call on them, but it seems that, that part of the "Phone" is simply an app now. We get those scam calls as well. The last one I received was from Canada Revenue Agency, telling me that an arrest warrant had been issued against me for failing to pay my taxes... Dumb asses!. Yup, I plan on getting one.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by Hoser Rob »

stephanieswitzer wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 9:38 pm My thoughts exactly. The phones today aren't phones any more, yes you can make a phone call on them, but it seems that, that part of the "Phone" is simply an app now. We get those scam calls as well. The last one I received was from Canada Revenue Agency, telling me that an arrest warrant had been issued against me for failing to pay my taxes... Dumb asses!. Yup, I plan on getting one.
Thinking that getting a Linux phone would prevent that ... BTW that call was NOT from CRA ... is a bit like thinking that using Linux makes you impervious to browser hacks. IOW, utterly wrong.

Linux phones are a joke, Ubuntu Phone was a disaster.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by stephanieswitzer »

Hoser Rob wrote: Tue Jan 14, 2020 9:28 am
stephanieswitzer wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 9:38 pm My thoughts exactly. The phones today aren't phones any more, yes you can make a phone call on them, but it seems that, that part of the "Phone" is simply an app now. We get those scam calls as well. The last one I received was from Canada Revenue Agency, telling me that an arrest warrant had been issued against me for failing to pay my taxes... Dumb asses!. Yup, I plan on getting one.
Thinking that getting a Linux phone would prevent that ... BTW that call was NOT from CRA ... is a bit like thinking that using Linux makes you impervious to browser hacks. IOW, utterly wrong.

Linux phones are a joke, Ubuntu Phone was a disaster.
I know perfectly well that the call was not from the CRA, and I also realise that owning a Linux phone would not prevent scams and hacks. Given the ever increasing price of smart phones I'm thinking/hoping that maybe a Linux phone would be more affordable while still offering messaging, web browsing, a camera etc.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by Portreve »

stephanieswitzer wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 8:47 pm Anyone here thought about getting a Linux phone? Maybe a Librem 5 or a Pinephone. I know I would consider it as long as they didn't cost a fortune like the new phone on the market today.
I have been interested in Purism ever since I first heard about them, and I've in times part expressed interest in the Librem 5. The problem is that none of the stuff I use my smartphone for, except web surfing and general telephony (phone calls, SMS) are represented on the L5. There's two different potential reasons for that:

• by deliberate design;
• insufficient time for development to cover those use cases

Either which way, my needs and wants cannot be satisfied with it, at least in the near term. I also bought a Samsung Galaxy Active2 watch for myself for this past Black Friday, and it is extremely unlikely it will ever be supported in PureOS. 🤷🏻‍♀️
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by stephanieswitzer »

Portreve wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:13 pm
stephanieswitzer wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2020 8:47 pm Anyone here thought about getting a Linux phone? Maybe a Librem 5 or a Pinephone. I know I would consider it as long as they didn't cost a fortune like the new phone on the market today.
I have been interested in Purism ever since I first heard about them, and I've in times part expressed interest in the Librem 5. The problem is that none of the stuff I use my smartphone for, except web surfing and general telephony (phone calls, SMS) are represented on the L5. There's two different potential reasons for that:

• by deliberate design;
• insufficient time for development to cover those use cases

Either which way, my needs and wants cannot be satisfied with it, at least in the near term. I also bought a Samsung Galaxy Active2 watch for myself for this past Black Friday, and it is extremely unlikely it will ever be supported in PureOS. 🤷🏻‍♀️
I share the same concerns. Compatibility with the other devices that I own such as my Apple Watch.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by AZgl1800 »

I don't think Linux phones will make it to prime time, unless they can use the Android apps that most of us "think we need".

as for the caller being able to lock your phone on a simple phone call?
I have a lot of trouble believing that.....

If the caller is not in my Contact List, and I do not recognize the Caller ID name, I just don't answer it.

I just touch the volume button and it sends them to voice mail.

I have yet to ever hear a voice mail left by a robo caller...
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by Moem »

I would certainly be interested in a Linux phone. For now, I'm quite happy running Android through LineageOS. It allows for more user control and a lot less tethering to Google.
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Re: Linux Phones

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Re: Linux Phones

Post by Moem »

Now THAT is interesting.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by stephanieswitzer »

I read that article as well. Seems that it is still a developer release, and for those brave souls willing to dive it, but at $150 it could be worth it.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by Portreve »

At this point, I don't believe I could really function in the 21st century without a cell phone. I need to have a way to be contacted via voice and SMS, as well as WhatsApp, and those are minimum basic communication needs. I also need a way to function with respect to navigation and office tasks, and I don't see the practicality of having a separate GPS in my car and, what... a tablet?... that I would need to haul around, when at present all of this functionality is represented in one device — my smartphone — which can trivially easily be kept in a pocket.

The PinePhone is useless to end users such as myself who need a production-environment-ready device. Honestly, at the moment, so is the L5 (as I mentioned earlier) even though the existence of both is a good thing because if at some point either or both of their respective development teams can make them truly commercially viable, they could represent a nice alternative. I'm all about the competition of ideas and products.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by stephanieswitzer »

While I'm retired, I still depend on my iPhone and Apple watch for financial transactions, fitness, email, texts, transportation and until a Linux phone can do all those things I doubt that I would make the switch. However, I think I would buy one at $150 just to mess around with.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by Grateful4Linux »

I've been following Librem 5 and Pinephone for a while, and I would love a Linux phone. I have an Android phone that I hate, and I use it as little as possible, so I don't think I could justify the cost of the Librem 5 for myself. (I'm referring to the cheaper one not made in the USA. The other version is not even something I would contemplate. I appreciate Purism's objectives though, and I could see the insanely expensive one being something CEOs, and other people who have both great wealth and very sensitive data, might buy.)

The Pinephone on the other hand - if I had any developer's skills I would have bought one already. The price is great, and if they eventually release one that is functional enough for more tech-challenged people like me, I would be very happy to buy one.

It would be wonderful to get away from Google/Android as much as possible. I would love to completely uninstall a bunch of apps that are part of the Android OS. I mostly keep my phone turned off, and when I do turn it on it takes forever to start up. I think that's mostly because of all the crap-ware and spy-ware that gets loaded automatically.

If I can't buy a Linux phone in the next year or so, I will probably buy a dumb phone and just keep my current smart phone for the camera, GPS and offline maps without any cell service. (I have an old Moto G on the Sprint network, which I think is going to become obsolete pretty soon.)
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by farkas »

Linux, Google, Android or Apple, I don't care.
I may be an old fogie, but I have an old, old flip phone. I've been using it for over 15 yrs+. No need for the newfangled smart phones. I can make and receive voice calls. Dial 911 if needed.
Receive and send text. I don't send text on it, use email on my PC for that. If a bank wants to send me a verification code it's there. It saves all the calls that I don't answer because they aren't in the phone book so I can delete them later. If someone really want's to get in touch they'll leave a message. Legitimate callers like doctors, dentists, etc. usually display their name. Family and friends will try to call me on my land line first.
A lot of tools such as calculator, stop watch, world time, converter, tip calculator and more. Can adjust ring tones, vibrate on incoming calls etc. Best of all it fits in my jeans front pocket. No worries about sitting on it. About the size of a credit card and 3/4 inch thick. The only problem was that the battery died 3 months ago, replaced, still working. The following pics are of newer model, similar to mine.
Besides that, being retired, can't afford all the monthly usage charges.
About GPS see my post
viewtopic.php?f=58&t=306221

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Edit:
It also has a camera.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by Pierre »

stephanieswitzer wrote: Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:01 am I read that article as well. Seems that it is still a developer release, and for those brave souls willing to dive it, but at $150 it could be worth it.
and by the Time that the thing got released - around here - - it'd be $250 - $300 & Not So Cheap, anymore.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by AZgl1800 »

farkas wrote: Thu Jan 23, 2020 6:29 am It saves all the calls that I don't answer because they aren't in the phone book so I can delete them later. If someone really want's to get in touch they'll leave a message. Legitimate callers like doctors, dentists, etc. usually display their name.

.
unfortunately, that is NOT always the case. Possibly for a Private Doctor's office.

I have been seeing a lot of doctors, and all of them are using an extension off of a large PBX,,

everyone of them have the same exact ph#,,,xxx-yyy- prefix,
the last 4 digits are to their office... but NO NAME is ever displayed.
a lot of these offices have 10 or more extensions... none with names.

Don't matter if the doctor is in south Tulsa 50 miles away, or in the clinic a mile from my house.
they are all of the same PBX system.

Most of them will leave a Voice Mail, so that is helpful.


.My case may be different then yours, as all of my doctors are in the same Organization, that is approved for my medical insurance.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by farkas »

Maybe I'm one of the fortunate ones, to live in an area, where medical organizations cooperate with each other. There are two major health organizations. I can use either one with no problems. I gave them permission to check each others data bases as necessary to asses my health needs, be it my primary care doctor or a specialist.
The name of one or the other organization will appear in caller name with a PBX #. They will identify themselves to who and why they wish to get in touch with me when I answer. If I don't answer they'll leave a message in voice mail or on my answering machine with a number to call back. They also send me emails asking me to log into their site about things that need my attention.
PS
I don't need any type "Smart" phone to get these services.
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Re: Linux Phones

Post by Lady Fitzgerald »

stephanieswitzer wrote: Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:25 am While I'm retired, I still depend on my iPhone and Apple watch for financial transactions, fitness, email, texts, transportation and until a Linux phone can do all those things I doubt that I would make the switch. However, I think I would buy one at $150 just to mess around with.
Portreve wrote: Sun Jan 19, 2020 9:23 am At this point, I don't believe I could really function in the 21st century without a cell phone...
I've been doing just fine without a "smart" phone ("smart" phones are not all that smart and still have security issues). I do have an old school style flip phone mostly for emergencies and for occasionally talking to someone (I hate texting) when on the road. I keep the thing turned off except when I'm actually going to use it (I neither want or need to be connected at the "lip" 24/7). Being retired helps but I was still doing fine back when I still worked for a living.

I've been accused of being Luddite but I have no problems adopting new technology once it's been proven (making a bit more like a laggard) when it coist effectively benefits me. Currently, "smart" phone won't benefit me cost effectively plus there are the security issues.

On the rare occasion when an employer said I should have a "smart" phone or wanted my cell phone number, I would ask them if they were going to buy me one and pay for the monthly plan. That would shut them up. I don't give out my cell phone or home numbers to anyone except a trusted few.

I wouldn't mind having a "smart" phone but I can't justify the cost, both up front and for the monthly data plans versus the benefits for me, plus I just don't trust Android (Google) or Apple. I've been watching the progress with the Pine and Librem phones but I do not feel they are ready for prime time yet.
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