Pinephone 64 Issues of a new user US Notheast as of April 2022

[scrwbigtek]

Hello All,

First, feel free to slap me if there is an "open issues" sticky, or protocol to posting I was in too much rush to read.

Hopefully not the only new Pinephone 64 recipient in the US around the March/April 2022 time, and a new user, we all should have the same hardware/software. THus al have same/similar issue.

Seeking the non-tech folks like me clear-cut known solutions. The web is full of endless miles of "have you tried this" and "go edit this file" not helping much for non-tech folks and not sure of the date of those solutions. Hope someone can help the new non-tech folks like me. (lets move past the "if your non-tech why did you by a Pinephone, see my username LOL!)

Here is my current list of issues:


Issues -

Password Setup (SOLVED) - There is a hidden pin confirmation box off screen you cannot see, need to tab to it with an external keyboard and enter to move on (keyboard adapter need if you do not have one).

SIM Card (SOLVED) - After no luck with the NET10/Trackphone SIM, found that at least in the US Northeast the Simple Mobile SIM kit from Walmart ($10 USD) worked pretty much turn key (well almost).

Mobile Data - Mobile Data not working sometimes. Simple Mobile's text to " Send APN to 611611 to set up you mobile data" of course does not work (or did it??). KDE Plasma's menu has no seen option to turn it on in settings. It does show under settings and access points, Internet and APN as "wap.tracfone" (this is correct from what I read for Simple Mobile), but this for when wi-fi (previously set up wi-fi on phone start up). Somehow the phone or the text APN to 611611 did this itself while connected to wifi??? But no visible mobile data APN settings. Just no turning wi-fi off I have mobile data, I always show all bars, its a mystery why. Sometimes I get no mobile modem messages. Not sure what is going on here, seems for the first day a bit "unstable??"

Screen Brightness going to Dim when off charge Cable - When unplugging the cable the screen immediately goes to max dim unless you press the screen. All settings tried will not fix it. (get the .5 in the root folder thing again not a proper solution for the average person and this solution is all over the map!).  Being this is an issue that would impact many, when will this be fixed in an update????

Battery not Charging to 100% - After a night long charge of the new phone battery only hits about 83%.  Also noticed batter charge state bounced around at times. What is the non-techy solution here and when will it be fixed in a software update?

Updates Not Updating? - In Discover going to Update it shows updates available (604 of them). And if I click it there is a LONG! list.  Yet is shows 0 B.  I've been in this endless loop of telling it to do the updates, it telling me to reboot my phone, yet still the same update waiting.

Email - Well for some reason Protonmail cannot get a Linux App. And I do not want to pay and do POP3 etc etc.  So I found Tutanota in Discover, cool!  Install it and its out of date, cannot update, and the screen keyboard is not working.  Would like a nice app for email that can notify me when I have email.  Went to Tutanota website, they have  a Linux app you download, have no idea how to install this nor control it.  Would like to use Discover to "control apps" to know what is installed, to be able to easily (noob here) unistall, and control things.  Having to manage an endless mile of files from terminal not what Im after and IMO we are at the point we should not have to. Question - how can we get Tutanota or who can get Tutanota to update the app in Discover?? Not sure how that works or who manages Discover.

Thanks, forgive my ignorance folks. But 1. we all want this stuff to be successful. 2. To do that, everyday folks need easy solid answers. 3. I am sure I represent more than just me here.  I hate to think there are folks that bought a Pinephone, tried, looked for answers, could not find them because there were not quick and easy to locate, and were lost in too much data and just gave up.  I tossed MS and APL out the window (pun) because I was sick of them!  That M1 was a HUGE disapointment and not with a Dell Micro PC and Ubuntu I am super happy!! Wanting to offload this IOs POS phone ASAP!

thanks!
Scrwbigtek

Screen dimming: that was a bug fixed months ago, which was causing a configuration file getting written with incorrect values. "rm ~/.config/powermanagementprofilesrc" should fix it.

Updates not working: I would suggest you to update solely via command line, "sudo pacman -Syu" is the command. If there is any issue it will also say the exact command in the command output there.

Battery not charging: That's intentional, see the FAQ.

Can't comment on the other two issues but generally I strongly suggest to test different distributions and UIs to get a feeling about their differences and different behaviors and features and to also evade bugs specific to one distribution or UI. Mobian with Phosh is for example quite stable.

Hello fxc,

Hope you are having a great day, (or night depending on location).

Thank you for the quick response, much appreciated!  Really! My questions and comments are not to downgrade your assistance. Just want to get that out there in case it comes across like that.

I'm asking these follow up stupid questions because while I can jump into terminal and do this (I think??) many folks can't or won't.  And because I am fuzzy on how the whole process of releases on this platform works, who is managing, etc. 

Many new folks are not gonna go down the "let me try this or that".  So can anything be done to fix that? Who is watching the "we need to get this bug fix into the next release number x.x.x ?"

IMO (my opinion so cut me some slack please LOL!  The phone should work with the Op Sys it ships with without the behind the curtain tinkering (gasp LOL!). If it is not... then why, and how do we fix it for the "average user".

I get it "its a Beta phone, it Linux, roll up your sleeves! Don't come here crying if you have to think and get your hands dirty! If you want an iPhone experience then buy an iPhone". But what about the non tech average person? And the fact that things are SOOOO close to being a near iPhone experience!!! This Pinephone 64 is amazing and I can see myself grabbing the latest and greatest model for sure!!

So with that out of the way on to my follow ups if you happen to know the answer or someone else does.

Dimming - If the bug was fixed months ago then it is listed in a release notes of KDE Plasma Mobile somewhere (any idea where that is? Is there a KDE Plasma Mobile website?)  If I get my phone to do the proper update will this fix come in?

Updates - Since most average folks would expect the Discover "Update" to actually update, why is this broken, is it being tracked?  I know on my KDE Ubuntu its working. I'm guessing this is different though.

Finally, wish "Discover" would get some help. Even in KDE desktop version Discover, things are outdated. What causes this? Is it resources, money, or is it just broken? While a seasoned Linux user may laugh at Discover and its why many may like one flavor of Linux vs another, releases like Ubuntu and KDE are the "gateway drug" for many new users. IMO its important they work as intended. If I knew who, how, or where to help I would.

Thank you again and take care!