Canonical Puts Ubuntu On Android Smartphones

nk497 writes "Canonical has revealed Ubuntu running on a smartphone — but the open source developer hasn't squashed the full desktop onto a tiny screen. Instead, the Ubuntu for Android system runs both OSes side by side, picking which to surface depending on the form factor. When a device — in the demo, it was a Motorola Atrix — is being used as a smartphone, it uses Android. When it's docked into a laptop or desktop setup, the full version of Ubuntu is used. Files, apps and other functionality such as voice calls and texting are shared between the two — for example, if a text message is sent to the phone when it's docked, the SMS pops up in Ubuntu, while calls can be received or made from the desktop." ZDnet has pictures; ExtremeTech has a story, too, including some words from Canonical CEO Jane Silber.

Comments

Not ready

[Guspaz]

It's the right idea, but Ubuntu on ARM is nowhere near ready. It's crazy buggy, and you're going to miss out on hardware accelerated graphics for the vast majority of applications, because most apps still expect OpenGL, and can't take advantage of OpenGL ES.

The other problem is that devices like the Atrix, while an interesting concept, aren't really ready to host desktop Linux yet. The performance just isn't there yet. I suspect that the next crop of smartphones, with dual core A15s or quad-core A9s, those will probably do a decent job at it.

Disclaimer: my experience with playing around with this is limited to various versions of Ubuntu on a pandaboard, which is a TI OMAP dev board with similar specs to the Atrix.

Re:Unity

[GameboyRMH]

So close yet so far. I'd buy a phone running Ubuntu but I have no use for Android. I'd have it run the same OS all the time, just using a mobile GUI (Unity or preferably Hildon) on the small screen and a traditional desktop GUI (I'm thinking XFCE) on the large screen.

If I can make a Droid 4 run Ubuntu I'll buy one ASAP. Once you can run a regular GNU/Linux distro you can customize it to do anything the hardware is capable of. That's the only problem with my N900, the hardware's old and out of date.

Re:So why the push for Unity?

[hawguy]

Unity/Gnome debate is silly and you're really missing the point.

I don't think he's missing the point - Canonical pushed the small touch-screen friendly Unity on everyone, and now that they have Ubuntu running on a small formfactor touch screen that is supposed to be exactly what Unity is good at, what do they do? They dump Ubuntu entirely on that small screen and only run Ubuntu on the big monitor with no touch screen.

So tell me again what the point of Unity is if it's not for touchscreen devices?

Re:Ubuntu is Linux for Hipsters

[rtfa-troll]

Hipsters already ruined the Mac .....they aren't welcome on Linux either

Your comment has been modded to oblivion; but within there is a kernel of truth that should be answered. I've loved both the Mac and Ubuntu (quite a bit before 10.04). Both really have changed in spirit; the Mac from a platform for creation (remember they used to bundle what at the time was a top end paint program and word processor with the original system) towards a platform for media consumption. Ubuntu from an easy way to get the full GNU/Linux experience which absolutely tested every usability corner case to death into a strange visionaries test ground.

But.. Let's hold on a sec. There's a fundamental difference which stems from their cultural basis, one in BSD an the other in GNU. With OS X the consumer vision is becoming more and more entrenched and there is no escape. Where you used to just download and install developer tools or get Hypercard for free, now you: sign up for an apple account/sign up for Xcode/agree to a developer agreement/download macports/install the apps/find it's not compatible/have to search for an x server... etc. etc. etc.

With Ubuntu you are still one command and a re-login away from a civilised XFCE desktop. If you download Kubuntu you don't even need to use that one command. Linux Mint is fully available and fully Ubuntu software compatible. You won't get that on Android, let alone your 'WiNokia". Ubuntu have had some bad luck with anti-FOSS and FOSS corrupting people like Matt Assay, but they are still in the fold of people who are pushing forward software where you can do what you want with the end result. As long

If the hipsters are paying for that, there isn't much to complain about. Concentrate instead on companies like Apple and to a large extent Google which produce "Open Core" software where everything is open except the very bit that matters. These guys take your effort and turn it into their user's lock in. Ubuntu is still driving forward free and open code and free and open user experiences. That counts for plenty. The thing is to make sure that Ubuntu is encouraged to stay with Copyleft as much as possible and push back against their use of contributor agreements and unprotected code.