Are PinePhones Becoming More Usable On Each Release . . .

[LinAdmin2]

Another negativity thread: https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=11754.

I simply use a couple of SD cards to try different OSs and to have a look how they improved.

Why not use multi-boot iso image instead? https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=11347. It's amazing!

The multiboot image is very interesting, but uses a special kernel and IMHO is rather experimental...

[Zebulon Walton]

Thanks, I just read through every line of the 7 pages written, threw in my 2 cents of support, and still proceed an order from the Manjaro edition. I don't support or believe in much, but Linux and a Linux phone, I believe in.

Pretty much the same here. I know that the Pinephone right now is not going to work with my carrier, but I'm hopeful that will change over the next year. Worst-case scenario is that I'll have a pocket Linux computer which is a handy item even without the phone functionality. So I have the Convergence Package model on order.

[NobodyNew1]

I had the PMOS edition briefly and Mobian seemed to be the better of OS's. So, I'm hoping more little glitches or whatnot are ironed out with Manjaro edition. Do you notice the battery changes with each OS ? Or just lower than average battery life ?

I'm using Mobian as it has the best featureset.

Frankly, battery life and monitoring are so poor that I can't meaningfully distinguish which operating system is 'better' in this regard. Consequently, any OS which implements CRUST (such as Mobian) is best, as you can at least achieve good standby time.

If you don't need the modem (e.g., if you have no reception at your home or workplace) then flip the killswitch for superior battery life.

How long is battery life now ? Say, all day with 3-5 45min phone calls and an average of 10-20 txt ( send and received ). Are your calls clear with Mobian now ? I was always told, "I can hear you, but it sounds muffled".

---

Thanks, I just read through every line of the 7 pages written, threw in my 2 cents of support, and still proceed an order from the Manjaro edition. I don't support or believe in much, but Linux and a Linux phone, I believe in.

Pretty much the same here. I know that the Pinephone right now is not going to work with my carrier, but I'm hopeful that will change over the next year. Worst-case scenario is that I'll have a pocket Linux computer which is a handy item even without the phone functionality. So I have the Convergence Package model on order.

I'm being optimistic, that this phone will work one day, either on its own or with people chiming in with the tweeks they've made to have it working as close to a functional phone as possible. It's bittersweet, bc I want the phone to just work and work NOW ( I feel like a spoiled American with that demanding sentence,  I am American so I'm sure I have some spoiledness in me ) but I also like the fact that it doesn't, even though its frustrating. I'm reading these forums, commenting and meeting new people, people on my lvl and people WAY smarter than me, and by doing all of this, this is making me smarter and I'm starting to understand a technology that I wouldn't be learning about if the pinephone wasn't where it is now or even released. So, I have my spoiled whining moments, but I'm happy where the phone is bc it's giving me so much more.

[bcnaz]

I was one of the first to order the original Brave Heart, then I purchased 3 of the PMOS Convergent Edition phones,
and have my order in for the Manjaro Convergent phone.

It has been a bit of an adventure, but I have no regrets... While I am not a Linux Developer, my ability to use the Pine phone has been fairly successful.
Forget me as a single person..!    ( I could be a Loon )

There has been literally (many ?) thousands of Pine phones sold....

NOW,  we have a handful of people saying it does not work,     or    even some that still say it will never work.

IF the Pine phone really was a failure..  ?  Wouldn't there be hundreds   or  thousands of people here complaining !  ?


My answer to NobodyNew1 would be :    "YES, the Pine phone is becoming more Usable"

[ryo]

Hello,
I'm just curious if the phonepines are ironing out issues on every release. I read all these little things and curious if those tiny issues ( ex.  the high pitch buzz upon turning on the pinephone or a muffled sound when trying to talk on the phone ). I had the PMOS release but gave the phone to my little nephew, who seems to be getting way more out of it than I was at the time. The kids 11 and now bugging me for one of my thinkpads, bc his father won't let him switch his desktop over to linux. I'm itching for another pinephone, but really want to use it as a functioning phone. I don't use social media or any google apps on my phone.So, is it safe to pull the trigger on the Manjaro edition ?

If you buy a development phone with an OS still in development, and the makers explicitly state that it's not ready yet for daily use, then of course the phone/OS will have issues.
It's like buying a broken TV from someone who clearly states that the TV is broekn, and then you ask the seller when the TV will get fixed.

(Yes, you can buy broken TVs, but the target audience will always be technicians who know how to fix TVs.)

[firefox-58]

Hello,
I'm just curious if the phonepines are ironing out issues on every release. I read all these little things and curious if those tiny issues ( ex.  the high pitch buzz upon turning on the pinephone or a muffled sound when trying to talk on the phone ). I had the PMOS release but gave the phone to my little nephew, who seems to be getting way more out of it than I was at the time. The kids 11 and now bugging me for one of my thinkpads, bc his father won't let him switch his desktop over to linux. I'm itching for another pinephone, but really want to use it as a functioning phone. I don't use social media or any google apps on my phone.So, is it safe to pull the trigger on the Manjaro edition ?

If you buy a development phone with an OS still in development, and the makers explicitly state that it's not ready yet for daily use, then of course the phone/OS will have issues.
It's like buying a broken TV from someone who clearly states that the TV is broekn, and then you ask the seller when the TV will get fixed.

(Yes, you can buy broken TVs, but the target audience will always be technicians who know how to fix TVs.)

The problem is that not even the basic functions of a phone - calls and SMS - are working something like reliable. And this after more than a half year on the market with the phone.

So for using it as a PHONE the pinephone is absolutely unusable

[ryo]

Hello,
I'm just curious if the phonepines are ironing out issues on every release. I read all these little things and curious if those tiny issues ( ex.  the high pitch buzz upon turning on the pinephone or a muffled sound when trying to talk on the phone ). I had the PMOS release but gave the phone to my little nephew, who seems to be getting way more out of it than I was at the time. The kids 11 and now bugging me for one of my thinkpads, bc his father won't let him switch his desktop over to linux. I'm itching for another pinephone, but really want to use it as a functioning phone. I don't use social media or any google apps on my phone.So, is it safe to pull the trigger on the Manjaro edition ?

If you buy a development phone with an OS still in development, and the makers explicitly state that it's not ready yet for daily use, then of course the phone/OS will have issues.
It's like buying a broken TV from someone who clearly states that the TV is broekn, and then you ask the seller when the TV will get fixed.

(Yes, you can buy broken TVs, but the target audience will always be technicians who know how to fix TVs.)

The problem is that not even the basic functions of a phone - calls and SMS - are working something like reliable. And this after more than a half year on the market with the phone.

So for using it as a PHONE the pinephone is absolutely unusable

Of course, but if you buy the phone and the description of the buying page displays:

... so that Manjaro developers can benefit from feedback and code contributions to their project. ... the PinePhone is an Alpha software build. ... device cannot be considered as a consumer-ready product.

Then of course it's expected that the phone will not be ready for general use.
I worked with development hardware before of game consoles before they came out, or even Android 12 years ago.
They were always very buggy at the beginning.
In the case of consoles, commercially released software never worked on them, but that was by design.

The PinePhone description also mentions that "This effectively mean that while core functionality of the PinePhone – such as telephone calls, SMS messages, LTE, GPS, GPU acceleration, etc. – [i]is[/i] operational, it is also an ongoing effort".
I'm not a native English speaker, my native language doesn't even come close to any western language, but I do understand that it means that calls, SMS, etc. can be used, but it's not guaranteed to 100% work.

[LinAdmin2]

Then of course it's expected that the phone will not be ready for general use.
I worked with development hardware before of game consoles before they came out, or even Android 12 years ago.
They were always very buggy at the beginning.
In the case of consoles, commercially released software never worked on them, but that was by design.

The PinePhone description also mentions that "This effectively mean that while core functionality of the PinePhone – such as telephone calls, SMS messages, LTE, GPS, GPU acceleration, etc. – [i]is[/i] operational, it is also an ongoing effort".
I'm not a native English speaker, my native language doesn't even come close to any western language, but I do understand that it means that calls, SMS, etc. can be used, but it's not guaranteed to 100% work.

That famous sentence

"This effectively mean that while core functionality of the PinePhone – such as telephone calls, SMS messages, LTE, GPS, GPU acceleration, etc. – [i]is[/i] operational, it is also an ongoing effort".

was already on the shop page for the postmarketOS batch of phones.
It does not depend on your native language knowledge or the context - It was and still is just plain wrong an misleading.

Be careful with such complaints! I was down voted by a gang of three PinePhone enthusiasts, got blocked and mistreated by mods etc. which would have made me resign. (But already in 1291 Wilhelm Tell in Switzerland was not ready to surrender...)

[firefox-58]

Then of course it's expected that the phone will not be ready for general use.
I worked with development hardware before of game consoles before they came out, or even Android 12 years ago.
They were always very buggy at the beginning.
In the case of consoles, commercially released software never worked on them, but that was by design.

The PinePhone description also mentions that "This effectively mean that while core functionality of the PinePhone – such as telephone calls, SMS messages, LTE, GPS, GPU acceleration, etc. – [i]is[/i] operational, it is also an ongoing effort".
I'm not a native English speaker, my native language doesn't even come close to any western language, but I do understand that it means that calls, SMS, etc. can be used, but it's not guaranteed to 100% work.

That famous sentence

"This effectively mean that while core functionality of the PinePhone – such as telephone calls, SMS messages, LTE, GPS, GPU acceleration, etc. – [i]is[/i] operational, it is also an ongoing effort".

was already on the shop page for the postmarketOS batch of phones.
It does not depend on your native language knowledge or the context - It was and still is just plain wrong an misleading.

Be careful with such complaints! I was down voted by a gang of three PinePhone enthusiasts, got blocked and mistreated by mods etc. which would have made me resign. (But already in 1291 Wilhelm Tell in Switzerland was not ready to surrender...)

I am in IT since 30 years and have a lot of experience in banana software. Also was an early follower of Cyanogen Mod. can all understand.

BUT: Since the earliest releases of Cyanogen and Android 1.1 !!!!!! a phone call could be received and done.
Not SO on Pinephone. After a half year of development.

I think there is only less hope for a better future on Pinephone

If you claim this problem in BUG-lists and forums.... from NO dev ANY answer on this

Will wait for another 4 weeks. Then the phone goes on eBay for selling if no further development on this problem

[User 18618]

How long is battery life now ? Say, all day with 3-5 45min phone calls and an average of 10-20 txt ( send and received ). Are your calls clear with Mobian now ? I was always told, "I can hear you, but it sounds muffled".

I can't provide a representative estimate of battery life, it varies wildly for me (with the modem on or off).

The call quality is 'good enough' at both ends, but isn't perfect. The earpiece on my Braveheart 'whines' during a call.