Your daily dose of not-linux-gaming news, with an announcement for fans of Linux gadgets and tech as KDE has teamed up with Pine64 to bring out a PinePhone - KDE Community edition.
Sounds like it's going to be quite a nice device for enthusiasts, especially if you're after a proper Linux phone that isn't Android and will respect your privacy - something I've tried to become more conscious of myself over the last few years. For extra privacy and security, and something I wish more phones had, there's hardware kill-switches for the modem, WiFi/Bluetooth, microphone and cameras.
Just as awesome though is that it's been designed for mobile / desktop convergence. So you can hook up a USB-C dock to connect it up with a mouse, keyboard, monitor and more to provide a more desktop-like experience using this useful little device.
I absolutely adore the little Pine icon on the back!
I have to admit, I've always loved the idea of being able to just hook up a tiny portable device like this into a full desktop like environment. While you can build your own using the likes of a Raspberry Pi and other tiny boards, having a ready-made all in one specially made solution is great too.
Here's the specifications they sent over:
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According to the folks at Pine64, the phone will be running mainline Linux and there's open source drivers for all main SoC components. It will be running Plasma Mobile, which is a developed by free software volunteers and you can follow the progress of Plasma Mobile on this dedicated site.
They said that pre-orders will be open on December 1, with "all proceeds" going to the KDE e.V. which is a non-profit that represents the KDE Community in legal and financial matters.
If interested in this Linux phone, you can follow it on Pine64.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Well it will be miserable, for example:
Not at all, here.
Banking: You would have to switch to a bank that still offers an alternative identification solution, or has manual physical handling of bill payments (at additional outrageously high fees of course)
I'm not aware of a bank that does not have other means of identification. (There might be some, but I wouldn't trust those in the first place. I want my bank "too big to fail".)
Filing Taxes: You could do it by sending traditional paper work, but that comes at a penalty of getting tax refunds several months later than anyone who signed them digitally.
There's a web app for this, usable with every PC. There used to be a Windows application, also usable with WINE until... I think last year.
Basically you can still work around not having an electronic identification in most cases, but it is getting increasingly harder and more expensive to do so.
I'm not using my phone for identification and I'm not aware of anything where this would be a hurdle or cost an extra penny.
@tonR You can do it via a web browser, but the app is needed to be able to login. Instead of typing username and passwords, you instead are asked to enter social security number, and then on have to launch the app and enter a pin code. So in practice it works like any 2-factor authenticator application, just that it is tied to your social security number.Wow! In Malaysia, most banks and many breaucracy-related online system are using text message-based as 2FA*. I don't know about USA, but here every phone number regardless prepaid or postpaid must be registered before it can be use. So phone number kinda as second ID after Mykad.
*Except some banks such as HSBC that using the calculator-like thing (my dad had one before as he was take a personal loan).
Mountain Man Nov 22, 2020
Those prices are very reasonable. I would love to get away from Android and Google and the "always on" tracking system built into Android phones.Any word on the price? I would like that but with a bit more ram...
16GB eMMC/2GB of LPDDR3 RAM = 150$
32GB eMMC/3GB of LPDDR3 RAM + HUB = 200$
slaapliedje Nov 23, 2020
Ah, much like the days of the Amiga and Atari ST, it's better to live in Europe if you want 'alternate' phones.Those prices are very reasonable. I would love to get away from Android and Google and the "always on" tracking system built into Android phones.Any word on the price? I would like that but with a bit more ram...
16GB eMMC/2GB of LPDDR3 RAM = 150$
32GB eMMC/3GB of LPDDR3 RAM + HUB = 200$
Mountain Man Nov 25, 2020
I'm not sure what your reference is to Amiga and Atari ST in Europe, because those were both very popular home computers here in the US.Ah, much like the days of the Amiga and Atari ST, it's better to live in Europe if you want 'alternate' phones.Those prices are very reasonable. I would love to get away from Android and Google and the "always on" tracking system built into Android phones.Any word on the price? I would like that but with a bit more ram...
16GB eMMC/2GB of LPDDR3 RAM = 150$
32GB eMMC/3GB of LPDDR3 RAM + HUB = 200$
Anyway, I could always install a third-party open source OS on my Pixel 3, which is tempting but not without its risks, and since I do depend on my phone for work (primarily SMS for logging into certain remote systems), I really can't afford a bricked phone if something were to go awry.
Last edited by Mountain Man on 25 November 2020 at 1:40 am UTC
slaapliedje Nov 25, 2020
They were no where near as popular in the USA as they were in Europe. There is a reason there are large amounts of software for the ST especially that was made in German. Even in the 8 bit days, they had much longer support outside of the USA.I'm not sure what your reference is to Amiga and Atari ST in Europe, because those were both very popular home computers here in the US.Ah, much like the days of the Amiga and Atari ST, it's better to live in Europe if you want 'alternate' phones.Those prices are very reasonable. I would love to get away from Android and Google and the "always on" tracking system built into Android phones.Any word on the price? I would like that but with a bit more ram...
16GB eMMC/2GB of LPDDR3 RAM = 150$
32GB eMMC/3GB of LPDDR3 RAM + HUB = 200$
Anyway, I could always install a third-party open source OS on my Pixel 3, which is tempting but not without its risks, and since I do depend on my phone for work (primarily SMS for logging into certain remote systems), I really can't afford a bricked phone if something were to go awry.
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