Android phone and Ubuntu

[Arrgoss]

Hey,

I'm considering getting myself an Android phone and I was wondering if some of you could give me their opinion about easiness to configure/use it with Ubuntu. I never had a smartphone so I don't really know whether I should expect sleepless nights or things will run smoothly.

Actually the phone is a Samsung Galaxy, so if someone is using it already I'm all ears.

And I almost forget, there's really no app of Skype for Android?? (and Skype lite is not the answer).

Thanks.

[aysiu]

Hey,

I'm considering getting myself an Android phone and I was wondering if some of you could give me their opinion about easiness to configure/use it with Ubuntu. I never had a smartphone so I don't really know whether I should expect sleepless nights or things will run smoothly.

Actually the phone is a Samsung Galaxy, so if someone is using it already I'm all ears.

And I almost forget, there's really no app of Skype for Android?? (and Skype lite is not the answer).

Thanks.
I have the HTC Magic Android phone (known as the MyTouch 3G here in the US), and it works great with Ubuntu. You plug it in, and it shows up as a mass storage device. You just drag and drop to copy or move files.

And there is no full Skype application. There is something called Skype Lite.

[Arrgoss]

Thanks aysiu, that's what I wanted to hear (except for the full skype app).

[ELD]

I have the G1 and it works perfectly fine with ubuntu :)

[Mateo]

The phone is a computer itself. The only reason you'll ever have to plug it into a desktop/laptop is to transfer files. No device made within the last 5 years can't be used as a USB. No reason to worry here either.

[aysiu]

No device made within the last 5 years can't be used as a USB. Except for an iPhone or iPod Touch or Zune.

[Arrgoss]

Except for an iPhone or iPod Touch or Zune.

That was my kind of worry :)

[Hyporeal]

The phone is a computer itself. The only reason you'll ever have to plug it into a desktop/laptop is to transfer files.

Unless you want to:
- use your phone as an input device
- share an Internet connection
- synchronize your calendars/notes/email
- send a fax from your computer
- interact with your phone through your computer's interface

These are not complex requirements for a computer, yet the ability to do these things reliably with a smartphone is unfortunately rare.

[Mateo]

Unless you want to:
- use your phone as an input device

Are you serious?


- share an Internet connection

Should do that with wifi tethering.


- synchronize your calendars/notes/email

That's so 2000. Synchronize via the cloud like everyone else.


- send a fax from your computer

Fax still exists?


- interact with your phone through your computer's interface

Of course it can do that, it's in the SDK after all.


These are not complex requirements for a computer, yet the ability to do these things reliably with a smartphone is unfortunately rare.

They are not complex, just not very useful.