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The First Ubuntu Phone Is Here, With Underwhelming Hardware

Posted by timothy on from the early-days-yet dept.

A few days ago, Fast Company reviewer Jay Cassano was enthusiastic about Ubuntu's approach to apps for its new phone OS: namely, not relying on them, and instead interfacing seamlessly with existing websites and protocols. Now, new submitter ablutions (4006541) writes with a less than glowing review at The Daily Dot of the actual hardware that the OS is launching on. A sample that conveys the gist: Let's start with the good stuff: It sports a 4.5-inch multi-touch screen and a respectable 8-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel lens on the front. That's pretty much it. The list of negatives is a bit longer.

6 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Okay, hardware sucks, but what about the software? by Nyder · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sure, the hardware sucks, but honestly I think people here are more interested in how the software works. At least I am.

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  2. Re:Okay, hardware sucks, but what about the softwa by adolf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Perhaps better than you think, if it's natively-compiled code instead of some Java-esque thing.

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  3. sadly I rtfa by hilather · · Score: 4, Informative

    And it doesn't say much of anything other than rambling off hardware specs. Is this what qualifies as a review these days?

  4. Re: Hardware? by AvitarX · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I scimmed tfa, and I'm not sure they touched the phone.

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  5. Mobile will be a HUGE lesson for open source/Linux by recharged95 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Obviously Ubuntu devs thought the biggest selling point for this phone was that it was running Ubuntu/linux.

    We've been here before, it was called OpenMoko. Though that project blazed the trails for ARM-based Linux, it never got off the ground due to the lack of driver support (the chipset guys knew it) and underwhelming h/w. Once an openmoko developer, and seeing how ARM linux has evolved, we really haven't progress much aside from getting driver support and Android (though the biggest mobile player, has an OS that runs less efficient than iOS, BB, WP7).

    I'm starting to believe that Linux has finally hit a limit--it excels in the business (server, routers, robots). Forget the direct-to-consumer space--it's not gonna happen, and Ubuntu phone sort of solidifies it w/all the hype that came with it. Hi, FreeRunner 2....

  6. shit CHEAP phone by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    some people want this to compete with an apple or samsung.

    How about comparing it to a Motorola? It's no cheaper than a Moto G, which is twice the phone it is.

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