The developers of Ubuntu Touch have released their 18th stable update to the GNU/Linux distribution for smartphones and tablets. One of the key changes in Ubuntu Touch OTA-18? The folks at UBPorts say it “almost always feels feaster” than the previous release on the same device. That’s especially important for older hardware with aging specs. […]
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Mycroft, an open source voice assistant works with Linux smartphones like the PinePhone
Apple’s smartphones have Siri. Most Android phones have Google Assistant. And Samsung phones have Bixby. Voice assistant software has become an increasingly common feature for modern smartphones. But what about Linux phones? While none of the GNU/Linux distributions available for smartphones like the PinePhone or Librem 5 have a voice assistant baked in, these are […]
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Hardware accelerated video playback now possible on the PinePhone
You’ve been able to watch videos on a PinePhone for a while, but up until recently most of the video players available for the phone have relied on software to render videos. That means they hammer the phone’s limited CPU resources, causing video to occasionally look choppy and often limiting playback to low resolutions. Recently […]
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Volla Phone X rugged phone is available for pre-order with Ubuntu Touch or Android
The folks behind the Volla Phone are now taking pre-orders for a second phone that will also be available with a choice of Android or Ubuntu Touch operating systems pre-installed. As expected, the new Volla Phone X is a rugged smartphone with similar specs to the company’s first phone, but a more durable body. It also […]
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News Roundup: Hardware-accelerated video on the PinePhone, themes on the Librem 5
It’s been a busy few weeks in the Linux phone space (and a busy few weeks outside of it, which is why I haven’t had time to write much – but follow @linuxsmartphone on Twitter for more timely updates). Here’s a roundup of some recent news. Phosh 0.12.0 released [Purism] Updates to this open source, […]
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Purism shows off new features coming to PureOS for the Librem 5 smartphone (camera software, wireless toggles, screen rotation and more)
The next major release of the PureOS operating system that ships with the Librem 5 smartphone will bring a number of new features and improvements. Code-named Byzantium, the new version of PureOS will bring a handful of new applications plus user interface tweaks that let you do things like enable automatic screen rotation, toggle WiFi, […]
