Beginner howto

[mikehenson]

@mikehenson,  what are your PPP successes with running arch linux in terms of best desktop, battery life, communicability (voice, sms, mms),  running from phone memory vs sd, and app usage?

Sorry for the late reply. How is the new phone coming along?

As of today (2023 July 19) I have daily driven the PinePhone Pro for 4 months now. Before the Pro, I was using the original PinePhone as my daily for over a year.

Device: PinePhone Pro
OS: DanctNIX Arch Linux with Phosh
Kernel: Linux danctnix 6.4.1-1-danctnix
Phosh version 0.28

Best desktop:
I have only tried Phosh. 
Over a year ago, phosh was the first to support MMS with mmsd-tng. 
Over a year ago, I created my own keyboard layout for squeekboard. 
Over a year ago, I created custom desktop icons for suspend, camera, brave browser links to weather, facebook, work email. 
I guess phosh has most of everything I need as a daily driver. And a custom keyboard is priceless! I have quick keys set for most used statements. 

Battery Life:
In suspend mode, the battery drops maybe 10% per 4 hours. 
With screen ON and texting or emailing, it drops maybe 15% per hour. 

Communicability (voice, sms, mms)
All work. EDIT: The calls have an echo on the Pro only. I am still trying to troubleshoot that one. Calls work with a few OS tweaks. Do not use "speaker"
Calls, SMS and MMS all have worked for a over a year now. (both on the original and Pro). It works much better with the Biktorgj firmware and correct ADSP version for your carrier.
Carrier: Patriot Mobile in the USA (T-Mobile SIM card) 

phone memory vs sd
I run the OS off the phone memory. I use the SD card for Videos, Pictures, Music, and Audiobook

app usage
Texting - chatty
Contacts - gnome-contacts (connects well to a google account, I local host all contacts now)
Calls - gnome-calls
E-mail - geary (connects well to a google account)
Internet - brave (use brave for Facebook and work email)
Calendar - gnome-calendar (connects well to a google account)
Navigation/Maps - osmin
Music/Audiobooks - sayonara-player
Bible app - bible_gui
Text editor - gedit
File Manager - pcmanfm
"Dropbox" - syncthing
Doc viewer - evince-mobile
Camera (Pro) -  does not work yet
Camera (original PinePhone) - megapixels