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Samsung To Let Proper Linux Distros Run on Galaxy Smartphones (theregister.co.uk)
An anonymous reader shares a report: Samsung has announced it will soon become possible to run actual proper Linux on its Note8, Galaxy S8 and S8+ smartphones -- and even Linux desktops. Yeah, yeah, we know Android is built on Linux, but you know what we mean. Samsung said it's working on an app called "Linux on Galaxy" that will let users "run their preferred Linux distribution on their smartphones utilizing the same Linux kernel that powers the Android OS." "Whenever they need to use a function that is not available on the smartphone OS, users can simply switch to the app and run any program they need to in a Linux OS environment," Samsung says. The app also allows multiple OSes to run on a device. Linux desktops will become available if users plug their phones into the DeX Station, the device that lets a Galaxy 8 run a Samsung-created desktop-like environment when connected to the DeX and an external monitor.
Termux. launches Bash and provides a debian-style package management system for extra tools. think Cygwin for Android.
If you have a [physical keyboard then your phone can essentially become just a screen.
The one thing I wish it could do on a stock phone is talk to a USB-OTG serial adapter. unfortunately that requires root and I haven't felt like modifying my phone's base system to get it.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
I though at first that Samsung was unlocking the bootloader so you can install the OS of your choice.
But no, this is an app. Meh.