Ubuntu Joins the Mobile Race

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chevrolux

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#739810 3-Jan-2013 16:48

insane:
hopefully some bright folk will work out how to get this onto current Android based phones.

From what I see on the Ubuntu site that is what 'Ubuntu for Android' is. Just requires a beefy enough phone with the HDMI and USB.

Was sort of hoping the S3 could hack it but I think the outputs are the limiting thing. There this 'MHL to HDMI' adapter that goes in to the micro-USB but then I don't think there is anywhere to plug a USB hub in to for keyboard and mouse

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tmadden

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#739816 3-Jan-2013 17:20

chevrolux:
insane:
hopefully some bright folk will work out how to get this onto current Android based phones.

From what I see on the Ubuntu site that is what 'Ubuntu for Android' is. Just requires a beefy enough phone with the HDMI and USB.

Was sort of hoping the S3 could hack it but I think the outputs are the limiting thing. There this 'MHL to HDMI' adapter that goes in to the micro-USB but then I don't think there is anywhere to plug a USB hub in to for keyboard and mouse

The keyboard and mouse issue could be solved with bluetooth.

gehenna

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#739836 3-Jan-2013 18:25

An image will be available next week for people to load on their Galaxy Nexus devices.

tmadden

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#739867 3-Jan-2013 19:33

Guess I'm buying a Galaxy Nexus next week then..

MikeB4

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#739874 3-Jan-2013 19:47

freitasm: Ubuntu, Android, Firefox. Do we really need more *nix based mobile OS than we already have?

Yes we do, competition is a good thing.

sleemanj

1474 posts

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#739976 4-Jan-2013 00:41

Wrong direction with apps if you ask me, they make HTML apps "first class citizens" as he puts it which is a great plan, but then have a whole new API/tool chain for native apps because "HTML apps are limited".

No no no! Don't do that!

If HTML apps are limited, then do what is necessary to make HTML apps not limited, extend the API available in your Javascript engine in a standard way (there already are some attempts at this, build on whatever is the best one) in the hopes that others would follow your lead.

Otherwise you're just making developers write yet another port. I really wish native apps had died by now and we could have one common standard for writing HTML+Javascript+SQLite (or whatever database engine you like) apps, write once, run anywhere, even on your desktop.

Bah.

Don't get me started on the abomination that is "Unity". Thankfully KDE is still there.

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jbard

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#739977 4-Jan-2013 01:30

sleemanj: Wrong direction with apps if you ask me, they make HTML apps "first class citizens" as he puts it which is a great plan, but then have a whole new API/tool chain for native apps because "HTML apps are limited".

No no no! Don't do that!

If HTML apps are limited, then do what is necessary to make HTML apps not limited, extend the API available in your Javascript engine in a standard way (there already are some attempts at this, build on whatever is the best one) in the hopes that others would follow your lead.

Otherwise you're just making developers write yet another port. I really wish native apps had died by now and we could have one common standard for writing HTML+Javascript+SQLite (or whatever database engine you like) apps, write once, run anywhere, even on your desktop.

Bah.

Don't get me started on the abomination that is "Unity". Thankfully KDE is still there.

I'm not sure I agree. On face value it seems logical to have every app HTML/JavaScript but if you think about it more native is the best option.

For a start their are serious security and performance issues with HTML/JavaScript on mobiles. Having the whole OS API available to a web page can cause huge problems with phishing and scam sites. Android and IOS have been improving HTML apps for years now but they are still no were near as quick as native apps.

But my main point is this. In the last 5 years Linux has become a really credible desktop OS. As a developer if you can create one app that runs on Linux desktop and Ubuntu OS then it is certainly worth the effort in porting. The user base is already big enough to justify the work. Unlike WebOS or others were the user base was never big enough.

Dratsab

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#740168 4-Jan-2013 14:50

Finally got around to watching the video clip late last night. When I saw that phone my first thought was WOW - I want it! Slated for 2014 release so it's still a long way off.

I like the way the whole system is being pitched at unifying everything and am keenly looking forward to see what the future holds for this.

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