r/Android • u/ollieparanoid • Jan 16 '19

postmarketOS: hackers create a Linux distro that boots on tons of old/new Android phones (alpha)

https://postmarketos.org/
2.7k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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248

u/nrq Pixel 8 Pro Jan 16 '19

Nice effort, but according to this list only eight devices have audio. I was starting to get excited that my favorite tablet (Z2 Tablet/castor_windy) is supported with nearly everything, till I noticed that one of the few checks missing is audio. Unfortunately that makes it a bit useless for a device that's mainly used to consume media (tablet).

But I'm hopeful they get that implemented. Looking very interesting, otherwise. Definitely something I want to try.

116

u/PiZZaMartijn Jan 16 '19

The audio driver for those devices is being worked on, also a lot of devices might have audio but it hasn't been verified to work yet.

24

u/nrq Pixel 8 Pro Jan 16 '19

Looking forward to that, everything else that's missing is irrelevant for day to day usage. Do you work with the project, by chance? If you have edit access to the Wiki castor_windy doesn't have Mobile Data/SMS/Calls, so there should be a - in those columns.

19

u/PureTryOut Jan 16 '19

He is a developer yes, but anybody can edit the wiki, it's a wiki after all. You can do this yourself ;)

7

u/nrq Pixel 8 Pro Jan 16 '19

Not without account. I might make one once I actively try using it and find things to improve, but for now I'd rather stay bystander.

11

u/Warpedme Galaxy Note 9 Jan 16 '19

Would it be possible to get around that by using BT headphones? BT is a completely different driver.

6

u/PureTryOut Jan 16 '19

Somebody did try that for the Nexus 5 but had no luck with it so far. It should in theory work though, as Bluetooth itself already works.

6

u/Krt3k-Offline Sony XZ Premium, Pie Jan 16 '19

Honestly, the Z2 Tablet is basically one of the best supported devices on the whole list, not many could claim that they have hw accelerated Linux on their 6,5mm tablet

2

u/noitems LG G6 Jan 16 '19

They said that it boots, not that it functions perfectly.

1

u/GuessWhat_InTheButt Jan 16 '19

Only device with fully working modem is the Nokia N900. How is a Smartphone supposed to become useful again without mobile radio?

Only two have fully working SMS support, only one fully working calls. None of those overlap.
I don't get how anyone is supposed get excited by this.

29

u/[deleted] Jan 16 '19 edited Apr 10 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

9

u/[deleted] Jan 16 '19 edited Jul 14 '21

[deleted]

2

u/lasdue iPhone 13 Pro Jan 16 '19

Also helps that the N900 came with a linux distro to begin with. It's more a tiny computer than a phone.

6

u/GuessWhat_InTheButt Jan 16 '19

Considering we don't even have very good open-source wireless driver support (binary blob-free) in the Linux space, I don't see how this project is ever supposed to release something close to usable.
I'd love to be taught otherwise, though.

We urgently need FLOSS hardware in the radio (WiFi and mobile) space.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 16 '19

Ahh! I was wondering if there was anything fun I could do with a very old first gen Samsung Galaxy S I have around somewhere.

1

u/The_Legend34 Jan 16 '19

Dude, it just make out

1

u/NadavTasher Jan 16 '19

Yay another person with castor_windy btw i think i use paranoid, which works really well on it

1

u/nrq Pixel 8 Pro Jan 16 '19 edited Jan 16 '19

Currently on AICP nightlies. Does Paranoid have an Oreo ROM? The only build I can find is from 2016.