Ubuntu for Mobile

[rumborak]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cpWHJDLsqTU

I am very skeptical towards it. MS is already facing a massive uphill battle with a reasonably good mobile OS (from what I hear), how is a hacker-supported OS ever supposed to gain any traction?

[theseoafs]

Let me be the first to say fuck yes to this idea.  It's a serious bummer that mobile devices have seen a trend toward the "closed" rather than the open (you can't install software on an iPod unless it comes through the iTunes store, for instance, and if I'm not mistaken it's the same sort of thing with Windows Phone).  It's about damn time mobile computers started acting like computers.

[rumborak]

Android isn't that way. How is Ubuntu going to differentiate itself against Android?

[MetalJunkie]

Android isn't that way. How is Ubuntu going to differentiate itself against Android?

I didn't watch the video so I'm not completely informed, but I wonder if Ubuntu-based phones would have features that Android phones could only have if they're rooted. I know I'm sacrificing some nifty features because I would rather not root my phone and risk bricking it.

[El Barto]

I know a few years ago there was a big push toward linix based PC's with Windows-like shells.  They were really trying to push into the entry level, and linix shaved the cost of an OEM XP off of it. As far as I know, they went nowhere and linix is still the domain of the geek. I suspect it'll be the same here.  Geeks will be all over it because it's what they do. Google and M$ will just make their products cheaper (Apple doesn't need to bother) and the mainstream will continue to buy what they know works. 

If you are a geek, this is probably pretty exciting. If it means that you can scavenge obsolete hardware (which nowadays is about 9 months) and slap your own OS into it, that'll be pretty cool. 

[rumborak]

I think the situation is even starker in this case. In the PC scenario you described, MS was completely locked down with no way of modification, so Linux was a heaven-sent for hacker.
But, Android is already that for the mobile world. Cyanogen Mod lets you do whatever you want under the hood of Android, while at the same time still being able to run all the awesome apps that exist for regular Android. Ubuntu will have no apps at the beginning.

[XJDenton]

I like the idea (although I will be switching away from ubuntu in the future for other reasons) but I agree with Rumbo, it will be hard for them to find traction given the ecosystem already enjoyed by android.