Canonical Impresses With Ubuntu Core And Low-Power Mobile Devices

[scolaner]

We were skeptical going into Canonical's booth at Mobile World Congress, but the company's Ubuntu Core "convergence" experience running on middling mobile hardware was impressive.

Canonical Impresses With Ubuntu Core And Low-Power Mobile Devices : Read more

 

[mitch074]

To be fair, Ubuntu showcased a working prototype (as in, an image was publicly available that allowed Nexus 4 users to tinker with it) in early 2013 - Microsoft copied it and pushed their incomplete clone to market. Why do you think they aren't up in arms suing Canonical right now? Because they'd lose!

During that time, Canonical polished the prototype, and 3 years later you have a mature version ready to sell.

 

[mitch074]

To be fair, Ubuntu had been working on that concept much earlier than Microsoft: a Nexus-based prototype was shown around in 2013, that could seamlessly switch from desktop mode when docked (running Gimp and LibreOffice) to the phone-optimized Ubuntu Touch interface.

 

[10basetom]

"Inexplicably, the phone doesn’t support video out through the Type-C port." -- It's not inexplicable; it's because it doesn't have a USB 3.1 port. In fact, the only phones on the market with USB 3.1 are the new Microsoft phones.

 

[sylentz199]

To be fair, Ubuntu showcased a working prototype (as in, an image was publicly available that allowed Nexus 4 users to tinker with it) in early 2013 - Microsoft copied it and pushed their incomplete clone to market. Why do you think they aren't up in arms suing Canonical right now? Because they'd lose!
Win8 in 2012 started the Desktop/Mobile API consolidation that MS has been pushing. Continuum like Gimmicks depend on the consolidation.
During that time, Canonical polished the prototype, and 3 years later you have a mature version ready to sell.

 

[3arn0wl]

There seems to be a problem with the Audio on the video - at least for me.

 

[kyrofa]

Ubuntu Core is based on Snappy, and is currently focusing on IoT devices. What's being discussed in this article is not Ubuntu Core, but the Ubuntu Phone.

 

[3arn0wl]

Isn't the point that the code is converging to a core and snappy system: the code for the phone will be the same as IoT, desktop, etc..

 

[kyrofa]

Isn't the point that the code is converging to a core and snappy system: the code for the phone will be the same as IoT, desktop, etc..

Perhaps so, but that's not currently the case. Ubuntu Touch will probably be based upon Snappy eventually, but Snappy is still in development. Ubuntu Touch, with the convergence you see here, uses the same code base for all form factors. It's just not Snappy/Ubuntu Core .

 

[stefan voicu]

what about the new Xiaomi Mi 5 Pro Dual Sim. it also have a USB Type-C port.

 

[3arn0wl]

As I understand it, Ubuntu "touch" (that term will disappear soon enough) is using core and snappy - that's what Canonical realised they had to develop to ensure everything remains secure. And yes, touch is still in development, though it now seems to be evolving at quite a pace. Hopefully, the experience will be up to par with Unity7 by the time we get to 16.10, so that Canonical can deploy convergence.

 

[androidbrick]

Ultimate smartphone "Ubuntu Edge" project coulnt reach the $32,000,000USD goal, to be more fair It was a very high amount to be, again, fair First project to use those cell phone power on the regular Desktop as well. Amazing idea, will win at the end for sure..

 

[kyrofa]

As I understand it, Ubuntu "touch" (that term will disappear soon enough) is using core and snappy - that's what Canonical realised they had to develop to ensure everything remains secure.

You're right, that's what we realized, and we're working toward that. However, Ubuntu Touch is not **yet** using Snappy Ubuntu Core as its base-- it's still based on .debs and Click packages.