Ubuntu on smartphones

[PsychedelicWonders]

So doing some googling about this it seems that the creators of Ubuntu has been working on getting a Ubuntu distro onto smartphones/devices that you can use in conjunction with a keyboard & monitor which is great - if you're always carrying a monitor & keyboard in your back pocket.

But what about just having Ubuntu on the smartphone as it's ONLY native OS?

I'm looking for a truly portable, fully functional Linux based smartphone/device.

I'd prefer to get a "phone" sized device vs. a "tablet" sized device for this application. The new Samsung Galaxy S3 seems like a perfect option for this since it's a "larger" smartphone device.

It wouldn't even have to be an actual "phone" per-say with a carrier & service, but as long as it has FAST wifi capabilities to allow it full access to the web & the fact that now quad-core chips are becoming available in smartphones, what is stopping someone from running a smartphone device with JUST a Ubuntu OS or other Linux based OS as if it is a true tiny portable computer?

I'm an iPhone guy, had 3G & now 4 for years & also have an iPad 2, I love them & will get the 5 here in a couple of weeks so I'm just familiar with their iOS system & know that if you want to be able to keep all of their updates that you can't jail break them, which I never have so I've never been able to tweak or play around with things as I've been happy with what the iPhone brings to the table.

But now I'm really also wanting to get an Android based smartphone device - but preferably with OUT the Android based OS since it's google's platform & well frankly, I just don't trust them. (not that I trust apple, but I'm talking about if I'm going to an open source OS on an android based phone)

Android is obviously based on a Linux kernel, but I'd imagine that google has tracking/monitoring software built in a hidden area of some kind some how some way because, well it's Google.

How truley "open source" is the Android system in reality compared to Ubuntu or other TRUE Linux based open source OS when it comes to security & not being tracked/monitored in ANY way?

[uRock]

Not an ubbuntu support request. Moved to the Community Cafe.

Personally, I have no fears of Google monitoring me via my Android phone. Every service provider can log every bit of traffic through their routers, but nobody seems to care.

[PsychedelicWonders]

I'm surprised there hasn't been more input on this so far...

[iponeverything]

there are non-Google Android versions - Look at the kindle.

Removing the google from Android is not hard.

As for not trusting Google -- good on you..

[PsychedelicWonders]

The thing is I love google, but I also don't trust them.

I'd also love to start running true open linux platforms on devices/phones & also back on my computer again - but with full desktop capabilities on smartdevices.

Hmm, it seems Kindle is running a version of Android though?

I mean if Google has written & coded Android, I just don't ever think you could completely wipe them out. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I also know that large companies (especially those working hand in hand with the government) always leave back doors, even secretly, deeply hidden ones.

Do you know any more about completely removing google from Android? Is it REALLY possible to COMPLETELY abolish anything about/from google off of the OS?

I would only pick this option if it is just not possible to do what I want right now (which I don't think the technology is there yet) as I would much rather have a non-Android Linux distro.

Every time you would upgrade to a new Android versoin you would have to go about removing all google related stuff I would imagine & as time goes on they will get better & better at hiding their software deeper & deeper.

I'd love it to be able to put a clean, true open source kernel like Ubuntu on as if it were in full desktop mode. There's plenty of speed, power & memory for it to be possible.

[mr john]

I've no problem with Google. I'm not paranoid.

[whatthefunk]

Ubuntu is not made for phones. It would be aweful. Imagine running an OS for a dishwasher on a TV. You could maybe get it to load, but it wouldnt be of much use.

[uRock]

Ubuntu is not made for phones. It would be aweful. Imagine running an OS for a dishwasher on a TV. You could maybe get it to load, but it wouldnt be of much use.

http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android

[whatthefunk]

http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android

I am well aware of Ubuntu for Android. It is completely different from what the OP wants to do, which is get rid of Android altogether and have Ubuntu as the sole OS on his phone.

[PsychedelicWonders]

I am well aware of Ubuntu for Android. It is completely different from what the OP wants to do, which is get rid of Android altogether and have Ubuntu as the sole OS on his phone.

Correct.

With how fast smartphones are these days, I don't see why it would be clunky at all. In fact it should be super fast.

[adjbck]

Oh, although i'm a bit of a newbie it looks like i might be able to help on this.
I was at one point around a year back searching for something along these lines, from what i found it wasn't possible to emulate ubuntu without android, but you could load a fully working distro onto the phone and use the touch screen (although id have to advice getting the galaxy note 2 rather than the galaxy s3 as its larger and the stylus would definitely help with accurate touch screen input)

http://androlinux.com/

This site is hosted by the Youtuber Zedomax who provides tutorials on how to root your android phones, the best roms to flash etc. Good luck in your endeavours

[iponeverything]

The thing is I love google, but I also don't trust them.

I'd also love to start running true open linux platforms on devices/phones & also back on my computer again - but with full desktop capabilities on smartdevices.

Hmm, it seems Kindle is running a version of Android though?

I mean if Google has written & coded Android, I just don't ever think you could completely wipe them out. Maybe I'm just paranoid but I also know that large companies (especially those working hand in hand with the government) always leave back doors, even secretly, deeply hidden ones.

Do you know any more about completely removing google from Android? Is it REALLY possible to COMPLETELY abolish anything about/from google off of the OS?

I would only pick this option if it is just not possible to do what I want right now (which I don't think the technology is there yet) as I would much rather have a non-Android Linux distro.

Every time you would upgrade to a new Android versoin you would have to go about removing all google related stuff I would imagine & as time goes on they will get better & better at hiding their software deeper & deeper.

I'd love it to be able to put a clean, true open source kernel like Ubuntu on as if it were in full desktop mode. There's plenty of speed, power & memory for it to be possible.

There is no mobile OS in history which has gotten closer scrutiny than android - the reason for this quite simple - Google likes transparency, GPL requires transparency, developers love transparency, wireless vendors require it for customization and Android is the most widely used mobile OS in history. Android is free for any wireless vendor, google make money through the seamless integration of google products into the OS. Think of Android the same way you think of Ubuntu - they are pretty much the same -

Ubuntu is Linux with Ubuntu as a benefactor.
Android is Linux with Google as a benefactor.

Ubuntu model is to make money through integration.
Google model is to make money through integration.

As for hidden back doors, "they" don't need to hide anything in the OS, as the wireless vendor's layer provides provides an efficient, "legal" and OS independent platform to peek into your wireless life.

Here is an android without google thang -- their are plenty more like it out there..

http://www.itworld.com/mobile-wireless/251508/can-android-phone-run-without-google?page=0,0

There are much bigger boogie men than the gov or google, they are the ones inside your own head that keep you from taking chances and living your life.

[evilsoup]

Correct.

With how fast smartphones are these days, I don't see why it would be clunky at all. In fact it should be super fast.

It's not really a matter of the phone's computing power: Ubuntu's Unity interface is keyboard-oriented, it's not suited for the touchscreen phone interface. You could probably manage with it, but you'd be struggling much more than you should have to.