Random but persistent imperfections

[HLing]

I have been using my UBPort CE Pine Phone on Mobian as my daily driver since mid September. I'm with T-mobile in the US. My Pine Phone always boots up to full bars, 4G.  While the data for getting online still needs rebooting from time to time, I've not have to use my back up phone for a while. I am forever amazed at the Mobian team for keeping up the good work. I have learned a few things, like never rebooting with the phone charging cable plugged in, or never covering/obscuring the top portion of the phone while not on the phone, or always making sure data is working before doing the update/upgrade....Happy to be able to learn from my mistakes.

On my end, I feel not too well-versed in how to customize my phone.  For some reason, none of the Software Store apps work. I mean, they would install, but would not start up. (and then Software Store will complain that such and such cannot be used).  Then I tried to get Skype to work, and I ventured off and installed Snapd. I was able to download skype classic.  Then while installing, it said that the software is not for arm64 structure. I'm confused as far as what exactly I can use. Am I wrong in assuming that something .deb is compatible with the Pine phone? Is there a workaround I need to learn?

Also, is it possible to go back to Camera until Megapixel works? With Camera I had decent picture quality, AND i could do video.  Now I cannot do video at all.  At times it's necessary to have a video camera in the phone. 

Switching between headphone (wired) and regular phone didn't seem possible without rebooting in between, which is not ideal , as it potentially interrupts a phone call.  Is there something I can do about that?

[cybercow]

Then while installing, it said that the software is not for arm64 structure. I'm confused as far as what exactly I can use. Am I wrong in assuming that something .deb is compatible with the Pine phone?

Yes unluckily you are wrong. There is a lot of software which is compiled for an Processor architecture and only run on CPU's with compatible instruction set. There are ways around but the aren't easy to go. Like de compiling and recompiling for the given architecture or emulating the architecture the software is compiled for. Even then it isn't said that skype would work on the Pinephone. As example, I am sure they require some sort of Digital restriction management which I am not sure the Pinephone Hardware supports.

[bcnaz]

The only thing I have attempted to download from 'the software store' recently is modem manager
and that works good, I use that to delete the MMS messages from the modem.

[ThrillGates]

Am I wrong in assuming that something .deb is compatible with the Pine phone? Is there a workaround I need to learn?

Deb files are Debian packages. Mobian, Ubuntu, and many other distros are based on Debian, which explains why the extension is so common in the Linux world. Given the history of CPU architecture, most of these packages are naturally designed for x86/amd64 systems. The path to a solution lies in getting your ARM hardware to emulate an x86 environment. I recommend checking out Box86.

[bcnaz]

Debian is working on arm support, perhaps they have or will soon have an arm app that is able to interact with the Skype app. ?

a-wai has said he prefers the 'Pin hole' (camera) app.,  the megapixel app is just temporary.

[bitnick]

Most open source software can be compiled for any cpu architecture. So rather than trying to emulate amd64 to get Skype to run, a better idea might be to try find an open source application with similar functionality (and try to convince friends and family to use it).

Jami is an open source chat & audio and/or video conferencing software, with clients for the different desktop OS's as well as Android and iPhone. As far as I'm aware it's not yet working on the Pinephone, but I've seen at least some activity both on the Jami Gitlab as well as here on this forum towards getting it running.

Here's for hoping that we will get a working Jami app for the Pinephone sooner rather than later!

[HLing]

Thank you all for your input. I have wanted to reply properly but many little "paper cuts"-like setbacks are peventing me. Please accept my apologies.

@cybercow , @bitnick , regarding Skype: I was trying to get it for one instance where that was the only way to reach someone. The situation resolved, and i will go back to Skype-less status because i have a double grudge Microsoft's taking over and destroying Nokia and Skype. i will certainly take a look at jami. Thanks!When they try to make me use something i don't like i resent feeling they are ganging up on users. (i.e.that you have to use Chrome to use Skype on the Web, when Chrome was such haven for popups
So, yes, hope true open source wins.

@bcnaz, downloading modem manager did help trouble shooting that problem with not receiving incoming sms but i have had to use the command line for finding and deleting the troublesome large mms. my GUI version didn't always work, depending on the update versions.
Thanks for the note about Pinhole Camera vs Megapixel. Gives me hope.

@ThrillGates , Thanks for the tip on Box86. It looked like though, that i have to have some element of 32 bit in the mix to use it?