I'd be surprised if a bunch of Chinese vendors don't give it a whirl before the end of the year. I think it'll be quite a compelling alt OS (to Android / iOS) when the desktop mode is pushed out in Q4.
I'd be surprised if a bunch of Chinese vendors don't give it a whirl before the end of the year. I think it'll be quite a compelling alt OS (to Android / iOS) when the desktop mode is pushed out in Q4.
Desktop mode is an intressting concept... But Why would It be used?
I can't take an Os serious until they have atleast one native major streaming service for music and movies. Then you know they have succeeded.
Desktop mode is an intressting concept... But Why would It be used?
A proper desktop mode, ie one that can run full desktop programs as-is would be, for me, the holy grail of mobile devices. And frankly that would be the only reason to buy an "ubuntu" phone, otherwise I don't see it having any competitive advantages over its competitors at this point in time. With all the hardware capabilities in a modern phone, it's just wasted in only running a "mobile" OS. Give it decent onboard storage (64GB at least), one or two microSD slots and it's more powerful than many entry level notebooks.
A proper desktop mode, ie one that can run full desktop programs as-is would be, for me, the holy grail of mobile devices. And frankly that would be the only reason to buy an "ubuntu" phone, otherwise I don't see it having any competitive advantages over its competitors at this point in time. With all the hardware capabilities in a modern phone, it's just wasted in only running a "mobile" OS. Give it decent onboard storage (64GB at least), one or two microSD slots and it's more powerful than many entry level notebooks.
As a surface pro 2 owner I have full desktop experience in Tablet, get it into a phone will give you lots of challenges to solve heat is one...navigation one in such a small screen. I'm sure it will take more than 6 month until we have a excellent solution in any phone...(talking obout full desktop)
Only company who'll come close (a least) this year, is MS; as much as it pains me to admit that.
As much as I hate to say this, I think you're right. I have a tablet running Windows 8.1 that I got from a coworker, and it makes me really sad that we don't yet have a great tablet UI for Linux yet.
The Jolla Tablet UI looks like it'll be the first, but it's proprietary and doesn't have a desktop component. Plasma Active looks very interesting, but development seems to have slowed as the KDE devs focus on the core of Plasma 2.
I think Ubuntu will likely be the first with a usable UI for both, but it's still a ways away.
I should really learn some QML so I can help out with some of these...
Anyone claiming they'll have -mostly- solved the mobile/desktop dynamic switching puzzle by the end of this year, is selling snake-oil at best.
I have solved it... but its not for sale :P
MS hasn't solved it. And they aren't even close. They need a visionary.
In short, they need someone like Steve Jobs.
Someone with an iron-hand who will overlook everything, and bring everything cohesive and together.
They basically need one UI that works for things from watches, phones, tablets, laptops, all-in-ones, to TV's.
MS wants that but is far off. (Band, WP, RT, W10, XB1)
Apple is closer to that. (Watch, iOS, OSX, A-TV)
But the closest is Google. (Wear, Android, Chromium, TV)
MS hasn't solved it. And they aren't even close. They need a visionary.
In short, they need someone like Steve Jobs.
Someone with an iron-hand who will overlook everything, and bring everything cohesive and together.
They basically need one UI that works for things from watches, phones, tablets, laptops, all-in-ones, to TV's.
MS wants that but is far off. (Band, WP, RT, W10, XB1)
Apple is closer to that. (Watch, iOS, OSX, A-TV)
But the closest is Google. (Wear, Android, Chromium, TV)
That is not what we are talking about here. We are talking about full desktop env on a phone...nothing more nothing less. Not clocks, freezers, tvs, cars or biking computers...
Indeed. Nokia came the closest to that. I am typing this reply on one. It is called Nokia N900. No one has come closer to a real desktop environment before or since.
