Android to Ubuntu

[techgreen]

Hi, folks,

I'm going to pick up an Android phone, and I also want to run Ubuntu on the phone. So, is it possible to run dual OS on the device? I want to test and run some apps on the two OS so that I can make some choices.

Thanks in advance.

[dmizer]

A brief google search turned up this:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=932754

Though, I don't suspect that Ubuntu will be very useful on your phone. Plus, you'll have to replace the phone's OS with a rooted Android ROM which may or may not exist for your phone yet (depending on how new it is), and could void your warranty.

[KiwiNZ]

I have to ask why?

[LowSky]

I have to ask why?

Me too. No reason to even have Ubuntu on a phone. Especially a 3-4 inch screen

[fatality_uk]

Yes it's possible, but also have to ask why?
If you need to test Ubuntu, you can install into Windows using WUBI without effecting your Windows install, and you can also use an Android Virtual Machine to test apps as well.

http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/tools/emulator.html

[dmizer]

I have to ask why?

This is the best reason I can think of: HDMI (http://www.intomobile.com/2010/08/30/droid-x-gets-full-hdmi-output-courtesy-of-real-hdmi/)

Plug phone into your HDMI capable TV, use a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and you have a full desktop in your pocket. Frankly, I've been waiting for something similar for a while now. There are already a number of handsets in Japan with this feature.

[sanderd17]

Certainly look at XDA to see which phones are rooted and have a completely functional ROM.

There is also an Android app in the market to install Ubuntu. https://market.android.com/details?id=com.galoula.LinuxInstall&feature=search_result

I didn't try it because my phone is to light to run Ubuntu anyway.

But as you see, you need root first and if there are no completely functional ROMs, than you can be sure that some parts of the hardware are closed. The XDA team of my phone had in particular a big issue with making an open-source camera driver.

[whatthefunk]

Why would anybody want to dual boot a phone?

[forrestcupp]

Why would anybody want to dual boot a phone?

So you can look at the internetz.

[sanderd17]

Why would anybody want to dual boot a phone?

Why would anybody want to dual boot a computer?

[whatthefunk]

So you can look at the internetz.

Dont need a dual boot for that...



Why would anybody want to dual boot a computer?

So you can run Windows programs when you have to and Linux the rest of the time? Unless the OP is hoping to run Office Libre on the phone, I dont see the point. My feeling is that the OP misunderstands Ubuntu. Maybe they read that Android is Linux based and figured that Ubuntu is Linux so.....??

[sanderd17]

So you can run Windows programs when you have to and Linux the rest of the time?

This can also be the case for Android-Ubuntu. Android for example doesn't support ad-hoc networks (at least not older versions of Android, didn't try it recently).


Unless the OP is hoping to run Office Libre on the phone, I dont see the point. My feeling is that the OP misunderstands Ubuntu. Maybe they read that Android is Linux based and figured that Ubuntu is Linux so.....??

Maybe, I can't see what the OP is thinking, but it is possible and there are some uses for it. I'm happy with my root terminal.

[BrokenKingpin]

Ubuntu would run terrible on a phone... it is starting to get too bloated for PCs, so how is it going to run on a phone with a 10th of the power? Not to mention the screen resolution issues (unless you only plan to do HDMI out to an external display).

[Dr. C]

This is the best reason I can think of: HDMI (http://www.intomobile.com/2010/08/30/droid-x-gets-full-hdmi-output-courtesy-of-real-hdmi/)

Plug phone into your HDMI capable TV, use a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and you have a full desktop in your pocket. Frankly, I've been waiting for something similar for a while now. There are already a number of handsets in Japan with this feature.

+1

Provided of course one runs GNU / Linux eg Ubuntu, since FLOSS can easily be recompiled for ARM.

This will never work with Windows or Mac OS X not because Microsoft or Apple cannot port their respective OSs to ARM but because they have no control over the source code for the third party propriety software and drivers, these operating systems depend upon to be successful in the marketplace. The result is this artificial divide between "mobile" and "desktop" that we see today, in the marketplace.