JanetTheGreat
New Member
Are there any good Linux Phones out there which are a modern, and capable to use every day with day to day tasks, etc? So far all I've seen are Linux OS's on old Android phones.
Linux Phones
- Thread starter JanetTheGreat
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I use a Nokia 2780 running KaiOS 3.1. It works well as a wifi hotspot and also as a USB tethered connection. Mine is unlocked and works with Verizon, AT&T and Tmobile networks (I use Tello). It won't run Telegram Messenger, otherwise it does everything I want.
MzQ1NjExN2
Well-Known Member
I got rid of my phone and bought a few refurbished chromebooks from Ebay installed Linux on them and turned them into phones initially but now I just use my laptop as an all in one machine that serves as a phone as well.
Edit:
Here is a thread you can check out:
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MzQ1NjExN2
Well-Known Member
I was using Tello before I got rid of my phones. Good company with good prices.
OP
JanetTheGreat
New Member
I got rid of my phone and bought a few refurbished chromebooks from Ebay installed Linux on them and turned them into phones initially but now I just use my laptop as an all in one machine that serves as a phone as well.
Edit:
Here is a thread you can check out:
I am using an Iphone 16e currently. It seems that a lot of these Linux phones are reliant on older hardware and can't run modern apps, such as Discord, internet browsers, etc? I don't have a ton of Apps on my phone, but it's nice to use stuff like ChatGPT and Discord. I am also concerned about 5g connectivity and usage on these types of phones as well, the Pinephone seems to have been discontinued a few years ago as well so it no longer seems like a viable option.
MzQ1NjExN2
Well-Known Member
Yup as you can tell from my old thread above I was looking for a Linux phone as well but gave up. Best to use things you have complete control over like a laptop in my case. You can also try something with a Raspberry Pi. I did look into building a small computer to use as a "phone" but never got around to doing it:
Amazon.com: 3.5 Inch 480x320 Touch Screen TFT LCD SPI Display Panel for Raspberry Pi 5, Pi4B, 3B+, 3B, 2B : Industrial & Scientific
Amazon.com: 3.5 Inch 480x320 Touch Screen TFT LCD SPI Display Panel for Raspberry Pi 5, Pi4B, 3B+, 3B, 2B : Industrial & Scientific
www.amazon.com
Too much of a hassle really. Laptop was much easier.
Rocketing-warp9
Well-Known Member
I do know of an android fork that does work better than most-
You can take a Google Pixel and flash GraphineOS on it or buy a Pixel Pre-flashed with it.
It is alright but does have some quirks. (G Play controls the notifications on base android, and as a de-googled OS, Notification management needs work) Technically- it is a "De-Googled" Version of android that has been reinvented for a more Privacy-oriented way.
Android does use the Linux Kernel, so it would technically fall in here.
If you want to look into this,
https://grapheneos.org/ .
This is ONLY for Pixel though.
I've had Tello service for 18 months now with the "unlimited" plan @ $25/mo. for 50GB full speed, then it throttles back. I've only ever hit the rev limiter once when my ISP was down over a day, and even then it was quite usable. The Nokia 2780 is a flip with T9 keyboard. I don't use SMS/MMS and I don't use email on the phone so it's only mildly irritating because the predictive text feature works surprisingly well. USB drive functionality is easier than any iPhone or Android I ever had. No frittering, just plug it in and it auto mounts the internal and microSD storage. As such it's a really good Bluetooth music player. And I've come to like the low res, potato like quality of its camera. It produces small files that are quick to transfer and good enough for most purposes. It uses an easily removable, inexpensive battery and is pretty rugged overall.
I think I paid ~$75 for mine new and unlocked. 8.5 out of 10 stars for handset & service.
This is where I am, arrived here shortly after retirement. I've been waiting on an affordable Linux smart phone for years, but no longer need it. During my entire career I was tethered to something. Way back in the analog days it was a pager, then a pager and a two way radio, then a floor mounted cell phone in my work van, then a Blackberry... I swore if I ever could I would free myself. When I retired in 2020 I spent a year thinking about it. Once I committed, It took two full years to deGoogle and not loose 20 years of stuff, but it's possible if you want it bad enough. July 2024 I switched from an iPhone to my Nokia flip, and have no intention of ever going back.
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MzQ1NjExN2
Well-Known Member
My one problem with Tello was that they had put a limit on hotspot about 2-3 years ago:
"The unlimited data plan offers 50 GB at full 4G LTE/5G speed with 10 GB of hotspot included. Data speed is reduced after 50 GB."
From:
I believe all phone plans do this with the only one that I'm aware of that doesn't being Visible. If your paying $25 then you can have unlimited everything including unlimited hotspot and you can use your phone as your home internet for all your devices and save money. I did this for a few years until I got rid of my phones and got a Mifi hotspot.
For Visible there is a limit on how many devices you can put on the hotspot if I remember correctly. To get around this I simply had my Visible phone give connection to a portable travel router and then had all my other devices connect to the router. Works well if you don't need high speed but usable internet.
Join Visible: Get Unlimited 5G Plan starting at $20/mo
Enjoy unlimited 5G data, talk & text starting at $20/mo for 12 months on Verizon's network. No contracts, no surprise fees. Pick a plan, or get a new phone today.
www.visible.com
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There' also LineageOS and eOS:
/e/OS - e Foundation - deGoogled unGoogled smartphone operating systems and online services - your data is your data
ECOSYSTEMKEY FEATURESGET /E/OSNEED HELP /e/OS is a complete, fully “deGoogled”, mobile ecosystem /e/OS is an open-source mobile operating system paired with carefully selected applications. They form a privacy-enabled internal system for your smartphone. And it’s not just claims: open-source...
e.foundation
MzQ1NjExN2
Well-Known Member
Also did not notice the 50GB data limit. I think with Visible the data truly is unlimited. Check that though. I forget.
Yes, Tello does have a data cap of sorts, but that hasn't been an issue for me. I only use the hotspot / tethered feature for when my fiber ISP is down, or when helping someone on site and they have no connectivity. Other than that I just use it for voice calls. And after the schisms of the last five years, I don't get many phone calls anymore anyway. If I could figure out how to run Telegram Messenger on it (or if KaiOS would add it to their app store) I'd be 100% satisfied with my setup.My one problem with Tello was that they had put a limit on hotspot about 2-3 years ago:
"The unlimited data plan offers 50 GB at full 4G LTE/5G speed with 10 GB of hotspot included. Data speed is reduced after 50 GB."
From:
View attachment 29518
I believe all phone plans do this with the only one that I'm aware of that doesn't being Visible. If your paying $25 then you can have unlimited everything including unlimited hotspot and you can use your phone as your home internet for all your devices and save money. I did this for a few years until I got rid of my phones and got a Mifi hotspot.
For Visible there is a limit on how many devices you can put on the hotspot if I remember correctly. To get around this I simply had my Visible phone give connection to a portable travel router and then had all my other devices connect to the router. Works well if you don't need high speed but usable internet.
Join Visible: Get Unlimited 5G Plan starting at $20/mo
Enjoy unlimited 5G data, talk & text starting at $20/mo for 12 months on Verizon's network. No contracts, no surprise fees. Pick a plan, or get a new phone today.
OP
JanetTheGreat
New Member
Unfortunately from what I am seeing here - Linux phones aren't worth the hassle and headache to deal with as there doesn't seem to be that great of a current market for it.
Rocketing-warp9
Well-Known Member
For the most part, yes. Unless if you consider Android, "technically" Linux, not much can be done. Big A's phones are BSD~spins but locked to the Friut CO's ecosystem.
I honestly have to agree with you. In my case, I went with the old "if it doesn't do what you want, you need to want something else" approach. I think the reason there's no market is similar to Windows vs Linux--there aren't enough people who don't want the status quo to make an appreciable difference, certainly not enough to make it profitable. Until something comes along that's so much better it can't be ignored by the general public, this is what we have. And I mean that most humbly, respectfully, as an isolated old hermit. 
Rocketing-warp9
Well-Known Member
That reminds me of Win phones when MS was in the game. Fell out, which stinks because it was a good use for the Win8 UI. It was just something people thought they didn't need, I agree with you. Tons of neat stuff goes under the radar from way though. Plasma Mobile, anyone?
I honestly have to agree with you. In my case, I went with the old "if it doesn't do what you want, you need to want something else" approach. I think the reason there's no market is similar to Windows vs Linux--there aren't enough people who don't want the status quo to make an appreciable difference, certainly not enough to make it profitable. Until something comes along that's so much better it can't be ignored by the general public, this is what we have. And I mean that most humbly, respectfully, as an isolated old hermit.
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Rocketing-warp9
Well-Known Member
Pretty much same for Linux, besides the G~owned versions.
I have a Xiaomi Poco F6 and can run Alpine, Arch, Debian, Kali or Ubuntu on UserLAnd, but If you want to replace your phone OS this probably isn't what you want.
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