Well, not really. The FLX1 has a reasonably good phone SOC (Mediatek Dimensity 900). The big problem is that the phone SOCs typically use more proprietary software and use kernels that aren’t mainline. The massive obsession of using mainline Linux kernel only leads most Linux phones to use SOCs that aren’t suited to phones, basically trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Furilabs has proven with the FLX1 that you can get competent Linux phone hardware, if you concede using mainline Linux kernel.
Although the FLX1 has some hardware downsides (size, weight and screen technology), these are more down to the implementation and goals of this specific device. The ODM of the FLX1 intended the hardware as a rugged phone, hence the size and weight. Price was likely a factor in the choice not to use OLED.
With the hardware of the FLX1 being competent, it highlights the shortcomings of the software. Phosh still needs a ton of work to be great, most Linux software isn’t designed to be used on a phone, etc. I especially hate the phosh keyboard and it needs a ton of work to be even semi-decent. Phosh should honestly just copy the design of the Android keyboard.
I’m all pro FSF and OSS, but not dogmatically so. I really don’t much care if the kernel is mainline or contains proprietary modules; ideally, it wouldn’t, but not at the cost of not working properly.
The rugged thing, though; that’s what’ll keep me from getting one. I’m already bitter enough about phone size creep. The screen tech is not a deciding factor, for me; in fact, if I got better battery life, I’d take an e-ink screen.
So, maybe not the FLX1 for me, but hopefully they’ll do well enough to build something more slim.
Thank you for the info, though. Honest opinions are so hard to come by.
Yeah FLX1 uses phosh
So, like you originally said: it’s the hardware that has to catch up.
Well, not really. The FLX1 has a reasonably good phone SOC (Mediatek Dimensity 900). The big problem is that the phone SOCs typically use more proprietary software and use kernels that aren’t mainline. The massive obsession of using mainline Linux kernel only leads most Linux phones to use SOCs that aren’t suited to phones, basically trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Furilabs has proven with the FLX1 that you can get competent Linux phone hardware, if you concede using mainline Linux kernel.
Although the FLX1 has some hardware downsides (size, weight and screen technology), these are more down to the implementation and goals of this specific device. The ODM of the FLX1 intended the hardware as a rugged phone, hence the size and weight. Price was likely a factor in the choice not to use OLED.
With the hardware of the FLX1 being competent, it highlights the shortcomings of the software. Phosh still needs a ton of work to be great, most Linux software isn’t designed to be used on a phone, etc. I especially hate the phosh keyboard and it needs a ton of work to be even semi-decent. Phosh should honestly just copy the design of the Android keyboard.
Very interesting, thanks.
I’m all pro FSF and OSS, but not dogmatically so. I really don’t much care if the kernel is mainline or contains proprietary modules; ideally, it wouldn’t, but not at the cost of not working properly.
The rugged thing, though; that’s what’ll keep me from getting one. I’m already bitter enough about phone size creep. The screen tech is not a deciding factor, for me; in fact, if I got better battery life, I’d take an e-ink screen.
So, maybe not the FLX1 for me, but hopefully they’ll do well enough to build something more slim.
Thank you for the info, though. Honest opinions are so hard to come by.