Android's new ally against the iPhone: Ubuntu

[HappinessNow]

Interesting article


...Here are some examples of the ways Ubuntu integrates with Android:
Web pages that you have open on your Android phone are automatically opened in Ubuntu when you dock. It even switches from the mobile site to the desktop version of the site, in many cases.
View, search, and launch Android applications from within the Ubuntu desktop
Access and edit photos and videos and then save them back to Android
Wi-Fi networks and settings are shared between Android and Ubuntu
View and search phone contacts from the Ubuntu desktop
Use Dialer app to make calls on the phone while docked in Ubuntu
Read and respond to text messages with full keyboard in Ubuntu
Android calendar app is synced with Ubuntu calendar software
Social networking account credentials are synced between Android and Ubuntu

Again, the other thing that Ubuntu has going for it over Webtop is that Webtop is currently only available on Motorola smartphones. In my Webtop article last week, I suggested that when Google buys Motorola Mobility it could choose to directly integrate Webtop into the next version of Android, which would turn almost every new Android device into a PC replacement.
In the meantime, Ubuntu for Android is bypassing Google and making its pitch directly to Android handset makers. Interestingly enough, once the announcement was made in February, several of the handset makers actually came and sought out Canonical to start the dialog on how to get it on their devices. Canonical said that virtually all of the major Android phone makers are considering Ubuntu for Android....
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57424335-94/androids-new-ally-against-the-iphone-ubuntu/

[neu5eeCh]

Fat good it's going to do Ubuntu if Microsoft keeps suing the p*ss out of every company that uses Android, bullying them into using Windows instead (see Barnes & Noble), all while Google fiddles away. It will be interesting to see how Ubuntu works on all those Windows phones.

[vasa1]

Fat good it's going to do Ubuntu if Microsoft keeps suing the p*ss out of every company that uses Android, bullying them into using Windows instead (see Barnes & Noble), all while Google fiddles away. It will be interesting to see how Ubuntu works on all those Windows phones.
"if Microsoft keeps suing the p*ss out of every company that uses Android" should be "if Microsoft keeps threatening to suinge the p*ss out of every company that uses Android" because I think they haven't needed to actually sue anyone yet.

[neu5eeCh]

"if Microsoft keeps suing the p*ss out of every company that uses Android" should be "if Microsoft keeps threatening to suinge the p*ss out of every company that uses Android" because I think they haven't needed to actually sue anyone yet.

I stand corrected. Just read (http://www.osnews.com/story/25890/LG_takes_step_back_from_Windows_Phone) that LG backed out of a partnership with MS. LG should expect to hear from Ballmer's lawyers any day now. Ballmer will be looking for his Android "royalties". And check this out (http://www.asymco.com/2011/02/11/in-memoriam-microsofts-previous-strategic-mobile-partners/). Edit: If you read this last link, it doesn't bode well for Barnes & Noble. I predict that Barnes & Noble will declare bankruptcy within the next two years -- and now I will stitch my squirrel back up.

[vasa1]

If one is old enough, Engulf and Devour comes to mind ;)

[Tibuda]

I can see how Android can help Ubuntu. Very very little help. But I can't see how Ubuntu can help Android at all with such small user base.

[dpny]

Not gonna happen.

Short version: there's nothing in it for the carriers, and it's the carriers who make the calls.

[Dragonbite]

It's a neat concept, but unless it can get out of the Linux and hobbyist markets to something substantial like, say, enterprises then it isn't going to gain traction.

Windows 8 is radical, but I don't think it will have the same negative response Vista go or enough of a negative response to push people towards this.

Best thing for Ubuntu to do is pull out a tablet of their own (or a tablet version easy to install on an iPad or Android). Vendors like System76 and ZaReason will sell them and they may even surprise people in how well they go.

[Mikeb85]

What we need to do is replace Android. I have an Android phone, I like it, but it has it's downsides and limitations. I'd much rather have Ubuntu running on my phone itself, not the strange Java/Linux combo that Android is. Meego could have been a great system, but most of these Linux phone OSes that come and go seem to be someone's side project, and no one takes them seriously enough.

I found this though, a cool mock-up of what an Ubuntu phone could look like, I'd definitely rock it:

[Paqman]

I can see how Android can help Ubuntu. Very very little help. But I can't see how Ubuntu can help Android at all with such small user base.

One of the main challenges for carriers and mobile manufacturers using Android has been to differentiate their products in such a competitive market. That's why so many of them have slapped their own custom UI layer over the top of Android (think: HTC Sense). Something like Ubuntu for Android would be very interesting to them to put on their high end phones to differentiate them from the rest of the herd.

[TheMTtakeover]

That Ubuntu mobile mock-up is looking pretty nice

[dpny]

One of the main challenges for carriers and mobile manufacturers using Android has been to differentiate their products in such a competitive market. That's why so many of them have slapped their own custom UI layer over the top of Android (think: HTC Sense). Something like Ubuntu for Android would be very interesting to them to put on their high end phones to differentiate them from the rest of the herd.

Differentiation only works if you can draw a clear distinction between products. There isn't really any differentiation in the Android world: consumers think of it as "Android", and only geeks can list the differences between phones. The same is true in the iOS world: there's iPad, iPhone, iPod, and most users don't know what version of iOS they're running.

Putting Ubuntu on a phone only makes sense if you want draw a sharp distinction between what's out there and what you want to introduce. I don't think you can do that with Ubuntu.

[Paqman]

There isn't really any differentiation in the Android world

Exactly, hence their attempts to create some. I don't really like things like Sense, I'd prefer a stock Android phone. Sense is clearly driven by the agenda of HTC's marketing department. But I think you'll see at least some interest from phone makers in Ubuntu. Whether that will actually translate into an Ubuntu-equipped phone making it to market, I don't know. It would be interesting to see how much effect it had if it did.

[Dragonbite]

This all sounds an aweful lot like distributions; they are using the same open source packages but some keep it more "pure" to the upstream (Fedora) while some do some tweaks to "personalize" it (openSUSE) and some flat-out reinvent the user experience (Ubuntu).

But it's all the same, underneath.

[dpny]

But I think you'll see at least some interest from phone makers in Ubuntu.

Only if you can show them an Ubuntu phone will do something to compete with iOS/Android/Windows Phone. That's a tall order.

[Xourii]

Any info if this will require root?

[Paqman]

Only if you can show them an Ubuntu phone will do something to compete with iOS/Android/Windows Phone. That's a tall order.

Have you actually seen the videos of Ubuntu for Android? It's a completely different experience from a stock Android phone. The only similar thing on the market is the Motorola Atrix. IOS and Winpho don't have anything similar at the moment.


Any info if this will require root?

They're not marketing this at end users, they want to get it preinstalled on phones by the manufacturers. There's been no indication whether they'll ever release anything that users can install themselves.

[*^kyfds(]

it'll also be very difficult to make a phone that, for one works properly (as you would expect a mobile to), and two, that can compete with other stuff out there made by companies with experience.

i though ubuntu was made for people with experience in computing?

quoting someone's signature:
"ubuntu assumes you know what you're doing"


people want a very UI-ish phone that's hard to accidentally break.

that's what sells phones, i suppose.

[neu5eeCh]

Everyone I've described this to (who are not nerds) think it's the coolest thing since sliced bread. They would *love* to have a computer and phone in one unit for a variety of reasons. This combination has the potential to blow the doors off the iphone market and catapult the linux desktop/Ubuntu into the mainstream; but Canonical has to be willing to market the technology and really push it. They can't just sit on their free-software butts and wait for the world to "discover" them.

[Paqman]

Canonical has to be willing to market the technology and really push it.

I would imagine the plan is for Canonical to sell the technology to the phone makers, provide technical support and sit back coining it in. It'll be up to the phone retailers to do the marketing.

[dpny]

Have you actually seen the videos of Ubuntu for Android? It's a completely different experience from a stock Android phone. The only similar thing on the market is the Motorola Atrix. IOS and Winpho don't have anything similar at the moment.

So? Show me how consumers will care: does it have a lot of apps? a lot of games? Can I hook it up to my machine and transfer music/videos/games? Can I do Facebook on it?

These are the things which matter.

[neu5eeCh]

So? Show me how consumers will care: does it have a lot of apps? a lot of games? Can I hook it up to my machine and transfer music/videos/games? Can I do Facebook on it?

These are the things which matter.

Those things don't matter to everyone. Many consumers aren't adolescents obsessed with music, videos or games. None of the individuals I referenced in my previous post could give a rat's butt about games, videos or music. They just want one (1) device instead of an iPod, a phone, a laptop, a desktop, etc...

[Paqman]

So? Show me how consumers will care: does it have a lot of apps? a lot of games?


Er, from that response I'm not sure if you understand what Ubuntu for Android actually is. It has the entire Android market, and presumably all the apps in the Ubuntu repos that are available for ARM. That's a LOT of apps.



Can I hook it up to my machine and transfer music/videos/games?


The Ubuntu side is only active when the phone is docked to a monitor and keyboard. I'm not sure what it would do if you just plug in a USB cable, I presume you'd get the default Android behaviour.



Can I do Facebook on it?

These are the things which matter.

An Ubuntu for Android phone would have all the normal benefits of other Android phones, but with an extra significant feature. Android is already popular and customers must feel it satisfies what they want. Who knows how much demand there will be for the expanded capabilities UfA will offer? I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was popular with geeks on the high end phones. Being able to dock your phone into a screen in the kitchen and use it like a computer when you're at home would be nice.

[LuigiAntoniol]

What we need to do is replace Android. I have an Android phone, I like it, but it has it's downsides and limitations. I'd much rather have Ubuntu running on my phone itself, not the strange Java/Linux combo that Android is. Meego could have been a great system, but most of these Linux phone OSes that come and go seem to be someone's side project, and no one takes them seriously enough.

I found this though, a cool mock-up of what an Ubuntu phone could look like, I'd definitely rock it:


It's got my vote, just so long as it's not running Unity ](*,)

[KiwiNZ]

It's got my vote, just so long as it's not running Unity ](*,)


You would prefer a traditional desktop design?????????????????????????

[dpny]

An Ubuntu for Android phone would have all the normal benefits of other Android phones, but with an extra significant feature. Android is already popular and customers must feel it satisfies what they want. Who knows how much demand there will be for the expanded capabilities UfA will offer? I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was popular with geeks on the high end phones. Being able to dock your phone into a screen in the kitchen and use it like a computer when you're at home would be nice.

I'm not saying it won't be popular among geeks: it may very well be. In fact, it could be an amazingly cool thing. But being a cool thing for geeks doesn't immediately translate into commercial success, which is my point.

[neu5eeCh]

You would prefer a traditional desktop design?????????????????????????

On the desktop? Well -- yes. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) ;)

You're not using Ubuntu on the phone, but Android. When you're using the phone as a glorified CPU, then you're using it as a desktop.

So...

Yes, I'd prefer a traditional desktop.

[Paqman]

On the desktop? Well -- yes. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) ;)

You're not using Ubuntu on the phone, but Android. When you're using the phone as a glorified CPU, then you're using it as a desktop.

So...

Yes, I'd prefer a traditional desktop.

Mike85 was actually referring to running Ubuntu on the phone itself, not Ubuntu for Android.

[Paqman]

I'm not saying it won't be popular among geeks: it may very well be. In fact, it could be an amazingly cool thing. But being a cool thing for geeks doesn't immediately translate into commercial success, which is my point.

Possibly not, but alternatively it might be seen as an asset for targeting specific parts of the market. It's up to the phone makers to decide if it's something they can run with really. The fact that it's coming from a third party as a pretty-much ready-to-roll product could be seen as either a good or a bad thing, depending. They'd be giving up control of the code themselves, which could be seen as a risk, but it would mean they could simply pay Canonical to make it all work.

[MisterGaribaldi]

It would be interesting (though, honestly, not unexpected) to see Barnes and Noble go out of business. However, I think it would be far more likely that they just shut the doors on their brick-n-mortar operations. But yeah, they're kind of sewing the seeds of their own destruction.

As far as going against the iPhone, I don't see this in quite those same terms, at least not yet. Whatever they're going to do, they need to do it a LOT better than Palm did. In fact, they need to come out with pretty much a perfect business model and OS product, otherwise they'll be discarded upon the pile of irrelevancy faster than you can shake a stick at.

[LuigiAntoniol]

You would prefer a traditional desktop design?????????????????????????

When Ubuntu made Unity the default desktop, I moved over to Lubuntu. Much cleaner desktop environment, in my opinion.

Also not very impressed with the new Gnome 3 look :icon_frown: , which is a pity as Gnome has been my preferred DE since Hardy.

[3rdalbum]

On the desktop? Well -- yes. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) ;)

You're not using Ubuntu on the phone, but Android. When you're using the phone as a glorified CPU, then you're using it as a desktop.

So...

Yes, I'd prefer a traditional desktop.

You'll probably be able to use LXDE as well as it's in the ARM repositories, but you'd lose access to the tight integration between Android and Ubuntu. You might even lose access to the Android programs on the Lubuntu desktop.

You see, things that are difficult to implement in an old-fashioned desktop such as LXDE, are very easy to implement in Unity.

[3rdalbum]

i though ubuntu was made for people with experience in computing?

quoting someone's signature:
"ubuntu assumes you know what you're doing"

You misunderstood slightly. Ubuntu is totally suitable for beginners. The phrase "Ubuntu assumes you know what you're doing" means that Ubuntu won't assume that it knows better than you. Ubuntu isn't easy to break, but if you start doing stuff as root (for example, removing packages) Ubuntu won't try to stop you. Being root means "Stand back, I know what I'm doing".

You can use Ubuntu and know very little about computers. But if you know just enough to be dangerous (you know 'sudo'), and are foolhardy enough, Ubuntu won't stop you from doing system-breaking things.

[wolfen69]

You misunderstood slightly. Ubuntu is totally suitable for beginners. The phrase "Ubuntu assumes you know what you're doing" means that Ubuntu won't assume that it knows better than you. Ubuntu isn't easy to break, but if you start doing stuff as root (for example, removing packages) Ubuntu won't try to stop you. Being root means "Stand back, I know what I'm doing".

You can use Ubuntu and know very little about computers. But if you know just enough to be dangerous (you know 'sudo'), and are foolhardy enough, Ubuntu won't stop you from doing system-breaking things.

Well put. Ubuntu is great for beginners and experienced alike.

[HappinessNow]

That Ubuntu mobile mock-up is looking pretty nice

agreed.