I used a Linux phone for 30 days

This is the Google Pixel 3a XL and this is the only phone listed to be 100% compatible with Ubuntu Touch, arguable the very best and feature rich mobile Linux operating system available. This means all the hardware should work great from the camera, bluetooth, usb connectivity, everything. I used it as my main phone for an entire month.

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00:00 - Google Pixel 3a
02:23 - Ubuntu Touch
04:20 - Mint Mobile (Sponsor)
05:40 - User Interface
08:24 - Tweak Tool
09:24 - OpenStore
10:26 - Web Apps
11:17 - Gaming
11:55 - Web Browser
12:56 - Native Apps
15:00 - My Issues
16:40 - Camera
17:53 - Final Thoughts

[paperandpavement]

"Ive been using it for 2 weeks", Title says 30 days. Just say 2 weeks instead of lying on the title.

[namelesske]

My impression is, they invented something really great back in the day, but hammering it to a stable release took such a long time, most of the GUI innovations got obsolite during the years. MeeGoo had the perfect GUI for mobile Debian based operating system, so much time to reinvent the wheel. We need to take this to the next level, fast.

[sprunglestech]

PSA: I had a pixel 3a xl at one point in time. The "Carrier unlocked" and "OEM unlocked" variants of this device are identical in terms of hardware. I even flashed over to the OEM firmware using the script from Google perfectly, and everything works as well. As long as you can get the bootloader to unlock and flash it. I figured this might help some people, as I completely understand the pain with Carrier models and OEM models sometimes being different in terms of hardware. We are lucky that this is not one of those cases.

[Raptor]

It's funny, my reasons for putting aside my linux phone I got as an experiment are the exact opposite reasons he put it aside. I LOVED the app availability, being able to essentially use ARM ports of any linux application actually had me using apps MORE on my phone than ever before as I could for once actually use tools I was more used to. It was the best pocket computer I ever used.

It just sucked as a PHONE, the battery life was abysmal compared to android, there's modem bugs and it would silently miss calls all the time, the spearkerphone had a tiny delay that caused feedback and crackles on the other side, the audio quality was noticeably worse, and texting was awful, anything outside of base SMS wasn't guaranteed to work, RCS and MMS was just flat out broken and often corrupted/dropped messages. Seriously I would kill for a decent, cheap linux phone that just works as a fully-functional PHONE first. Carrying around a phone where texting and making calls didn't work right was just a showstopper for me.

[fatmangaming]

If you plug it into a compatible hub, it should function as a full blown desktop. That was one of the goals of Ubuntu Touch, was to able to have your phone and that it would also be a desktop when plugged into keyboard, mouse and monitor.

[stkutu]

Great review video. It reminded me of the hours I spent in 2012-2013 trying different ROMs on my Android devices. Thank you!

[Drakonian-gznq]

"is it a good phone?"

"If you stop using your phone, then yes"

[Lumpology]

Awesome video, glad to see UT getting some notice!
Couple things of note as someone who daily drives the same phone.
- Android apps can be installed and run just about like normal via the waydroid helper tool in open store and can allow android apps to be installed with or without google services attached based on how much you care about that kind of stuff.
- The UT tweeker tool can allow the Desktop mode to activate and can allow window tiling in mobile or using wireless display casting can turn the phone into a fairly functional desktop (especially using a usb dock).
- Libertine allows full on desktop software to be installed (via outdated repos I will admit) or via deb files (a little more reliable) and they honestly run quite well assuming you use the libertine tweak tool to fix some of the weirdness.
- I have found installing Firefox ESR via a deb package allowed me to get my passwords all synced up and now when I used the device I alternate between Morph and Firefox for browsing the internet.
- Not sure why, but I have had few if any problems with location services on pixel 3axl, but I mean who knows really (I am aware it varies a bit device to device).

[MyurrDurr]

I love the multitasking gesture and the animation it does when you slide in from the side!

[partha]

And here is me trying to port Postmarket OS to a old galaxy S5 🥲

[MeediaGuyRolls]

I loved most of it and an idea of having another option as an operating system but it looks good for 2013-14 most of it gave me my highschool vibe which is not bad I would use it for nostalgic reasons but it really needs to catch up with graphics and system interface. There were not any specific features that would make me excited about it and go for the switch. But I really wish the funding took off even donated at that time will do it again if the company is willing to come out with something solid.

Loved your video tho!! Keep up ❤️

[josejuan]

It seems Ubuntu Touch supports second screen, mouse and keyboars, I guess it will have been cool to see that in action. Anyways, great video!
Long time ago I was seriously considering using Ubuntu Touch as daily driver but it didn't have great support, it's great to see there are devices much better supported coming up.

[wizdude]

It's very interesting to see Brandon (perhaps unconsciously) trying to use screen gestures from other phones, or perhaps ones that seem logical, but do not exist on Ubuntu Touch. Apple and Google have spent a lot of time on the actual operation of a UI on a touch device and i think this is something that Ubuntu Touch hasn't exactly mastered. Flicking from the bottom of the screen is a good example - according to what application you have open, you get completely different results of which some are unexpected.

[UToobSteak]

I ran Ubuntu Touch on my Nexus 4 and loved it. Sadly, the touchscreen died, but I used it as a daily driver for a couple years even though it was only 3g and picture messaging didn't work back then. I may just have to pick up a pixel 3a now!

[nxsuan]

great video ! it was really gratifying to see this video because it was on my experiments list !
loved it !

[CLBigler]

Exactly what I've been hoping for ... for a few years now ... thank you for this video

[JamesHenstridge]

Interesting video. I used to work on Ubuntu Touch before it was cancelled, and hadn't kept up with the state of the UBPorts fork. The most obvious change I could see is that the home screen launcher seems to have been ripped out completely. I can kind of understand that since a lot of the information it incorporated came from backend services that no longer exist.

The replacement app drawer looks like it works pretty well for Ubuntu Touch as it exists now, but the vision was to do a lot more.

[mariofeared]

Just an FYI: you can swipe from the top and then swipe from left to right to go to the different top menu items. So you can go from notifications to battery by simply keeping your finger in the bar that you swiped down on.

Also, if you swipe down from the icon, you'll open that menu. So if you touch the battery icon and swipe down, you'll get the battery settings, clock opens the calendar and so on. Once you get used to it, it's much faster than having a huge menu filled with icons.

[mirindorendo]

You're my hero. I wanted to get UT on my Pixel3a but there's no recent video about UT and sepecially about UT on Pixel3a. Thank You

[krnaa]

what a great little ad for "in hell ill be in good company" song. what a great song and a band, and im so happy you showed it on vid ^^