Ubuntu on Android soon?

benjo

benjo

benjo

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http://www.ubuntu.com/

There's a countdown there suggesting it's for a touch screen. I know it's been expected for a while, I'm just curious as to how they're going to do it.

Whole new rom installation? I'm guessing it'll be Nexus only support.

I've used a type of build of Ubuntu on my S3 before, but that was done through a terminal and VNC for a gui.

Any thoughts?

update: Turns out it's Ubuntu for Smartphones http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/2/3827922/ubuntu-phone-os-announcement

Keynote:

 
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Could be an actual Ubuntu tablet. Unity has been gearing Canonical towards touch devices for some time.

I'm not sure if it would be successful though. Android already has the Linux side of tablets sewn up.
 
That's true, I did wonder if it was going to be a device. Although usually we see a few leaks before a big announcement. Unless they've been extremely secretive :)
 
Android is a Linux-based operating system so i don't see why with a little effort why devices couldn't run Ubuntu as well.

Will be interesting to see what it actually is, a ROM or some sort of new device.
 
Doubt it's a device or ROM at all.

I reckon it's just going to be touch support in-line with the huge increase in tablet/laptop convertible devices and what will be a huge explosion of touch enabled monitors for Windows 8.
 
Could be, but I don't think that would warrant a countdown launch like this? I'm sure Ubuntu and many other distros supported touch screen before, even more so with Unity. If it's just an announcement saying they're supporting gestures or something then it'll be a bit crap :p
 
I'm actually excited about this, this looks very good and they make very good uses with the edges. There are a couple of things that bothers me (such as the home layout) but I'm sure that will be tweaked over time.

I also wonder if there's a way to get Android apps on this as well since both are Linux based...

But now imagine this on something like the Asus Padfone ;).
 
Can't help but think this is too little, too late

Not 100% sure on a few of the UI 'features', but then I have a healthy dislike of the abomination that is Unity so the fact that several of them are lifted from that doesn't help.

And then there's the time, realistically by the time this is available on a wide range of networks/handsets we'll be taking about Android 5.1/6.0, whatever the one after Key Lime Pie is called, plenty of time for them to copy any 'must-have' features of this, which frankly I didn't see any of in the video.

Also, I got a bit of deja-vu at points in relation to Jolla, similar-ish swipe interface, but that'll actually be available over a year earlier, and even then that's too late imo.
 
SKILL said:
Can't help but think this is too little, too late

Not 100% sure on a few of the UI 'features', but then I have a healthy dislike of the abomination that is Unity so the fact that several of them are lifted from that doesn't help.

And then there's the time, realistically by the time this is available on a wide range of networks/handsets we'll be taking about Android 5.1/6.0, whatever the one after Key Lime Pie is called, plenty of time for them to copy any 'must-have' features of this, which frankly I didn't see any of in the video.
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I was fairly impressed with what they've shown so far, as much as I like my Note 2 I still miss the cohesive design of Windows phone and this looks better in that regard than Android. It also deals with my biggest concern for Android handsets and that's long term support, I can't see myself needing any hardware upgrades for 2+ years but I don't fancy being stuck on an outdated version of Android just because Samsung wants to sell a new model.

Saying that, it's early days yet and they clearly need to improve the performance if it's sluggish on a Nexus 4 and of course we don't have any of the fine details but I'm optimistic.

SKILL said:
Also, I got a bit of deja-vu at points in relation to Jolla, similar-ish swipe interface, but that'll actually be available over a year earlier, and even then that's too late imo.
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Meh, I thought Jolla looked very amateurish but gestures are nothing new, the video immediately reminded me of Windows 8 (W8 left swipe brings up running apps, a full swipe switches to the last app while on Ubuntu it's a left swipe for app short cuts and a right swipe for the last running app and a swipe from the bottom is the equivalent of a right click in windows or bringing up a menu). Gestures when done right become second nature.
 
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