[Newlug] linux phones

Mon Jun 28 13:35:06 UTC 2010

I am not sure how much access you want in your phone, but personally making
phone calls comes first for me - which is why I chose to go with an Android
phone on Verizon.  Before I switch I had Sprint - which they had great
coverage for the most part, but Verizon I think has a bit more when it comes
to the boonies up north.  I can contest that friends I have that are on AT&T
have poor coverage (whenever you leave the cities).  Cellcom also has great
coverage in this area and offers an Android phone.

If you get a Droid or EVO 4G you can always root the phone.  I would suggest
checking out androidcenteral.com.  The only major Android phone that I now
of right now that hasn't been rooted is the HTC Incredible.  Of course
rooting the phone means you will break your warranty.  I haven't found a
need to root my Droid unless if I really want to be able to tether.

For the $100 price point you won't be able to get anything that is top of
the line - but their are phones under $100 such as the devour or hero.  I
think it is worth it to pay the extra $100 ($200 total) to get the top of
the line since you will be stuck with the phone for two years and paying
almost $100 a month for service anyways.

There is my .02

On Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 10:28 PM, Rene Horn <the.rhorn at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Long time lurker.  Haven't been to the meetings, but I am planning on
> attending since I will be moving up to Oshkosh soon from Fond du Lac.
>
> Anyway, I figured I'd add my $.02 since I've had a couple of Linux
> phones--both unlocked.
>
> I bought an OpenMoko (which has a claim to fame for being almost entirely
> open source--excepting some necessary GSM chips chich can't be open sourced
> due to the law--with even the CAD files being available for download.)  It's
> a nice phone if you're willing to put up with its quirks (which also include
> some quirks of the community as well.)  It works pretty well with Android on
> it (the calls actually sounded clearer for some reason--even clearer than
> the phone I talk about below).  The other Linux distributions weren't quite
> as nice, IMO, but they had promise.  When I used it, I could never find a
> decent GPS app for it (nothing had voice navigation.)
>
> I'm currently using a Nokia N900 with Maemo.  I actually like it.  It's not
> without its quirks (its got some performance issues due to some applications
> leaking memory).  It's not quite as open as the OpenMoko, but quite a bit is
> accessible.  There is an community Android port for it, but I don't think
> it's even Alpha quality yet, and I haven't tried it.
>
> The only unlocked phones available are for GSM, so it's going to be
> T-Mobile or AT&T.  T-Mobile doesn't have great coverage, unless you live in
> a major city.  I have AT&T because I don't have a choice.  Also note that
> with AT&T, unlocked phones can (right now, anyway), at best, get 2.5G due to
> incompatible frequencies for 3G.  If I lived in a T-Mobile area, I would
> definitely switch.  Other than that, coverage hasn't been too bad for me.
>
> If you want a carrier besides AT&T or T-Mobile, you won't be able to get an
> unlocked phone, but you can still get Android (which is Linux), or a Palm
> Pre.  Note, though, that with the Palm Pre, pretty much it's just the Linux
> kernel that's open source.  Everything else is proprietary on it.  With
> Android, unless you buy it unlocked, you'll need to deal with carrier
> quirks, which may well limit hackability.
>
> Rene
>
>
> On Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 6:30 PM, Don Funkhouser <cee_64 at hotmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Okay.  It's CDMA, but it's the low coverage Sprint/Nextel CDMA variant
>> which is why it has the lousy coverage area.  I would still avoid going with
>> them if you travel much.
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Tom Scott" <telecomtom at vedatel.com>
>> Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 5:40 PM
>>
>> To: "Newlug List" <newlug at newlug.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Newlug] linux phones
>>
>>
>>  don, thanks for responding. i'm getting off topic here, but i'll ask the
>>> question anywya: from a brief review of the technical specs of the
>>> kyocera
>>> Loft phone that runs on the virginmobile network, it looks like it's
>>> CDMA.
>>> am i reading that correctly?
>>>
>>> a couple interesting links for GSM and CDMA in the US:
>>> http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_us.shtml
>>>
>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_wireless_communications_service_providers
>>>
>>> back to the main topic, linux wireless / cell / mobile phones, i don't
>>> see
>>> anything in my price range (less than $100), even if i could find a
>>> network
>>> (CDMA or GSM) that it would run on here in Wisconsin and Indiana.
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/Linux-For-Devices-Articles/Linux-Mobile-Phones/
>>>
>>> so the question: does anyone know which mobile service providers in my
>>> calling area (green bay and milwaukee WI and Ft. Wayne IN) support linux
>>> phones?
>>>
>>> -- TT*
>>> "Vedatel--In Support of Open Networks"*
>>>
>>>
>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>> From: Don Funkhouser <cee_64 at hotmail.com>
>>> Date: Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 3:03 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Newlug] linux phones
>>> To: newlug at newlug.org
>>>
>>>
>>> Note that virgin moble's coverage area isn't that great.  If you travel a
>>> lot it isn't a good choice as you would be without service in a large
>>> portion of the country.  My daughter runs into that with her T-Mobile
>>> service.  It would be fine in GreenBay, the Fox Cities, etc., but there
>>> are
>>> major non service areas that you need to take into account.  Go to
>>> http://www.virginmobileusa.com/check-cell-phone-coverage and plug in the
>>> area you would be in to see if it will actually cover the area you will
>>> be
>>> in.  It's a MAJOR failing of ALL GSM service here in the US where the
>>> bulk
>>> of the service area's are only covered by CDMA.
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>> From: "Tom Scott" <telecomtom at vedatel.com>
>>> Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2010 2:53 PM
>>> To: "Newlug List" <newlug at newlug.org>
>>> Subject: [Newlug] linux phones
>>>
>>>
>>> doing some background checking before buying a new cellphone service.
>>>
>>>> looking at virginmobileusa.com, for example. does anyone have a list of
>>>> the
>>>> wireless / cell providers that allow phones that have linux OS?
>>>>
>>>> -- TIA, TT
>>>> "Vedatel--In Support of Open Networks"
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>
>
> --
> Sigs are boring, except this one...
>
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