Pinephone Pro vs Volla 22
#1
as Volla Phone 22 promises freee choice of OS, removable Battery, and is not so very much more expensive than PinePhone Pro. Built in Multi-Boot may be as funtional as boot from card. Build quality wise, I am a bit disappointed by my PinePhone.
What's everybody thinking: Could this be a interesting alternative, and in which aspects?
  Reply
#2
(08-22-2022, 03:20 AM)Uturn Wrote: as Volla Phone 22 promises freee choice of OS, removable Battery, and is not so very much more expensive than PinePhone Pro. Built in Multi-Boot may be as funtional as boot from card. Build quality wise, I am a bit disappointed by my PinePhone.
What's everybody thinking: Could this be a interesting alternative, and in which aspects?

i don't know all the details but at least one. volla uses android partitioning system and fastboot. pinephone and pp pro do not. and i like that way.

i have played with androids and de-googling them enough that i don't like android partitioning anymore. also i don't like fastboot which may have deep controls inside, like unlocking is not necessarily total unlock.

volla's frequency bands seems to be (mostly) europe only. unless i missed north america version or something.
  Reply
#3
The Volla Phone 22 is a nice Android phone, powered by a Mediatek chip and based on the Gigaset GS5 hardware.
If mainline Linux and having multiple distributions available, I wouldn‘t get into the Volla Phone 22: Unless someone dedicated gets into mainlining this particular Mediatek SoC, you will have to resort to Halium-based OSes (that re-use the Android kernel) only: Ubuntu Touch, Droidian, Sailfish OS, … In day-to-day use, the Volla Phone 22 should be more fun than the PPP at this point though - battery life and camera should work better.

Here are some Volla Phone 22 impressions: https://libranet.de/display/0b6b25a8-616...6259871760
  Reply
#4
(08-23-2022, 02:39 AM)linmob Wrote: The Volla Phone 22 is a nice Android phone, powered by a Mediatek chip and based on the Gigaset GS5 hardware.
If mainline Linux and having multiple distributions available, I wouldn‘t get into the Volla Phone 22: Unless someone dedicated gets into mainlining this particular Mediatek SoC, you will have to resort to Halium-based OSes (that re-use the Android kernel) only: Ubuntu Touch, Droidian, Sailfish OS, … In day-to-day use, the Volla Phone 22 should be more fun than the PPP at this point though - battery life and camera should work better.

Here are some Volla Phone 22 impressions: https://libranet.de/display/0b6b25a8-616...6259871760

the given link is forbidden.
Does Halium-Based mean Manjaro Plasma Mobile may work? I think unfortunately not.
  Reply
#5
Now I wrote to volla and they say: Yes this is aPhone needs halium. Theres seems something with Phosh running, but no Waydroid support. So Droidian, Ubuntu, SailfishOS, and their own version of Android seem quite functional, there also seems some effort in implementing a 'official' SailfishOS for this volla Phone.
But not a mainline Linux without Halium.
  Reply
#6
I think Plasma Mobile stopped supporting Halium a while ago, and these days it just can’t work with Halium anymore. OpenSUSE, who support the original Volla Phone and have a Phosh and a Plasma Mobile branch, only offer a Phosh based image for the Volla if I recall correctly. So indeed: No Plasma Mobile on Halium.

Regarding the forbidden link: Here’s the text:
Quote:So this is my first impressions about #volla #VollaPhone22 .
I bought it with #ubports preinstalled and i already know in advance that i would not have a "perfect" out of the box experience.

In fact the most annoying thing i encountered so far is that the phone lose the wifi some times during the day and happened also that it forget the password.
I also noticed, despite it's a new hardware, a diffused laggy here and there.
I'm pretty confident these 2 issues will get soon resolved by upcoming updates. They are small and can tolerate them.

Instead i encountered 4 other issues i can't blame volla for that, but more ubports:
- a missing carddav sync for contacts (there is just google sync ? or vcf upload)
-issues with sync the caldav data (the same caldav site - my vps - works smoothly on android so it should work also here?).
- a missing #xmpp app. I'm trying to set up profanity into a libertine container but it's not as comfy as blabber/conversation on android. I would consider #waydroid as last resort, i'm not sure it is currently supported the phone?
- can't record video, well it records and save them but then it can't open to show?

For the pro sides, well...
- no more android/google BS, even sanitized by LOS and similar
- i saw a lot of improvements in ubports compared to my previous experience on nexus5, morph browser in particular seems better and can browser smoothly.
- no more google BS
- the quality of the screen and phone seems good, display is nice and battery seems longlasting
- no more google BS
- so far i found all the apps i need in the store (except xmpp)
-no more google BS
-replaceable battery! ?

In conclusion, soon there should also happens the 20.04 upgrade so i'm pretty sureall things can be even better and smoother.
Once i fix the xmpp issue i will start to use it as my daily driver.
I would not recommend though to a newbie (i'm not a pro either but i can understand and search solutions).
I think also it's a bit pricey but you also have a replaceable battery which is very rare these days. It's the price for privacy and freedom ?

#vollaPhones
  Reply
#7
(08-27-2022, 12:46 AM)linmob Wrote: if you're happy with Ubuntu, couldnt one get the same looking gigaset phone aand flash it? (afraid this won't work and that is why the volla phone exists)
Quote:I think also it's a bit pricey but you also have a replaceable battery which is very rare these days. It's the price for privacy and freedom ?

#vollaPhones
  Reply
#8
It definitely worked for me, I ran Ubuntu Touch for a while on a Gigaset GS290 (the equivalent of the OG Volla Phone). I guess the same is likely true for the Gigaset GS5, but I have not heard from anyone that this actually does work. Also, if you like Ubuntu Touch, please don’t do this, don’t be the cheapskate.
If you want to save some money, installing Ubuntu Touch on a Pixel 3A and donating to fredl.me and UBports would be also a great option.
  Reply


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  various tricks to open the pinephone shengchieh 2 521 03-23-2024, 09:27 AM
Last Post: Ferriah
  pinephone can provide more than 500mA to a usb-c displayport device? unrznbl 2 157 03-21-2024, 08:52 AM
Last Post: unrznbl
  my pinephone melted norayr 2 410 02-26-2024, 04:53 PM
Last Post: tllim
  pinephone keyboard + dock question tuxcall 7 2,446 02-05-2024, 03:17 PM
Last Post: wigan
  Unsatisfactory GPS reception on PinePhone? LinAdmin2 53 53,733 12-17-2023, 11:42 AM
Last Post: robin.com.au
  PinePhone Pro not booting (Cap error!, pctl timeout) jealda 2 1,199 11-16-2023, 05:03 AM
Last Post: DrYak
  Pinephone frame damages Uturn 2 781 10-23-2023, 02:49 AM
Last Post: Uturn
  PinePhone Keyboard KJ6OHG 11 7,600 08-23-2023, 03:25 AM
Last Post: Kali
  PinePhone constantly vibrating and won't take charge ImmyChan 5 5,197 07-23-2023, 03:49 PM
Last Post: kb-zealot
  Using optical drives with Pinephone cdforever 2 1,047 07-18-2023, 01:28 PM
Last Post: cdforever

Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)