PinePhone Review (drewdevault.com)

Article summary

The article discusses the PinePhone, a phone that runs straight-up Linux, allowing users to write apps in various programming languages, including Python. The phone's capabilities and limitations are explored in the comments. The discussion reveals that the phone has working LTE data, but the status of calling and SMS over LTE is unclear. The phone's open nature and potential for development are highlighted.

Main themes

• PinePhone capabilities
• Linux on mobile
• Open source development
• LTE and carrier support
• Mobile app development

What commenters say

• The PinePhone's open nature allows for development in various programming languages, including Python.
• The phone's LTE data is working, but calling and SMS over LTE may require proprietary libraries or have limitations.
• Some commenters believe that the goal of a fully open source phone, including the baseband, is unrealistic or unnecessary.
• Others argue that a fully open source phone is desirable and worth waiting for, even if it means sacrificing some features or functionality.
• The use of VOIP as an alternative to traditional calling is discussed, with some commenters reporting good quality and others experiencing latency and jitter issues.
• The difficulty of implementing carrier features like VoLTE is acknowledged, and some commenters speculate about the potential for future support.
• There is disagreement about the importance of having a fully open source baseband, with some arguing that a killswitch and isolation from the main processor are sufficient.