Newbie impressions PP64

[pjsf]

Hi All

If this is the wrong place to post this , please correct me.

First time here and finally feel confident enough to consider using it daily.

Didn't take me more than a day or two to move away from the pre-installed Manjaro.
Simply not in the mood to learn another Linux flavour. And what is it with all the weird app names ? (maybe showing my age)

I have a fair amount of experience using Debian on Industrial machines for 10+ years,
so decided on Mobian bullseye initially and then re-imaged to bookworm in the last day or so.

1:  To use a phone here in Australia on a daily basis, there are some requirements that may not exist elsewhere.
Where ever we go (during this covid crisis) we have to scan in using QR code.
Each state has it's own app, but of course only on iPhone or android.

Finally managed to get the .apk file for our local app and installed ANBOX, only to find out that the camera doesn't work (yet) on ANBOX.
Would love to hear if anyone has QR code scanning resolved.

2:  After spending a day or so trying to get iphone contacts exported to the PP, I gave up and started typing them in.
     I'm retired, so it was time to cull a few anyway.

3:  The Hub that came with the PP works well on the usb (Mouse , memory sticks etc) but is flaky on the HDMI.
     In Bookworm it is better then bullseye, but on some apps it will switch back to the PP.
     Getting it to work at startup is the main problem. I have tried booting the PP with hdmi plugged in, also just hot plugging it.
     In the end I hot plug it and wait,wait,wait and wait some more. Finally the monitor goes to back ground colour.
     That is the sign to open an app and watch it disappear to the left of the monitor. Close the app and open it again, now it is in the middle of the monitor and is usable.
     The best way I found to use it, was to select single monitor use only.

4:  Wifi occasionally wont come on, so have to go to settings/wifi and just click the network and all is good again.

5:  Some apps are not set to the screen size of the phone and you find that the "Next" or "Accept" button is not visible, because it is off the screen
     and you can't slide the screen sideways to reveal the missing buttons.

6:  The Portfolio app (I know it Mobian not PP problem) is only good enough to see what you got, you cant cut/paste/copy or delete.
     Will have to find an app to replace that.

7:   Deleting apps or icons from the screen must require you to hold your tongue just right, because I can't find where or how.

Conclusion:
    I will use it as my daily phone IF I can get QR code to work.

Regards

my workarounds for this differ depending on the state - I've only been to NSW and Qld in the last two years. 

Last time I was in NSW you could use megapixels to scan the qr which would take you to a page asking you to download the (non-existant for linux) app. Scroll down slightly though and there was a link saying something like "continue on the web" which allowed you to log in fine without the app on a web page. It's been a few months though and they may have changed that i.e requiring the app for vax certs.

In Qld every venue has (should have)  a code printed next to the qr  splodge, you can enter this into the app manually if the camera isn't working. You can load and run the qld checkin app thru waydroid (you can get the apk from apkpure etc) and it actually works better than it does on my partners ultra low end android. it's also possible to load your vax cert into the app from a waydroid based browser (you'll need to change settings to allow the browser to open links in other apps).

There may be similar workarounds for the other states, but I haven't been there and don't know.