What is Ubuntu for Android?

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 02-22-2012, 05:05 PM

Required reading:
Canonical announces Ubuntu for Android
Why Ubuntu for Android can succeed

Imagine your Android phone turning into a full blown desktop OS, as powerful as any current netbook or "slim" PC desktop, by just plugging it into a television through the HDMI port. That's what were talking about here. It's not Android on the big screen, it's Ubuntu, running natively on your phone's hardware through the external display.

And it's not some janky, twisted version of Linux built by people who make phones. It comes from Canonical, the people who make Ubuntu what it is. It'll be fully optimized for our hardware, and you'll have full control like you do on your PC now.

If you use Linux, you know how much **** this will kick. If you don't, it's easy to try it and see for yourself.

Go here:
Download the latest 32-bit version and burn it to a CD
Pop the CD in your computer, and reboot
When it loads, choose to try without installing

I CAN'T WAIT

**Atticus Craft** · 02-22-2012, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Hildenbrand

I CAN'T WAIT

**tailgatingtiger** · 02-22-2012, 05:28 PM

What's the likelihood there will be a ROM for the Galaxy Nexus that includes this Ubuntu implementation? I've seen contradicting comments elsewhere on the web that the GNex doesn't meet the requirements (specifically, USB host, which I know it can do, right?). Regardless, I think this would be amazing to have on my phone. I already have all of the hardware (bluetooth keyboard & mouse, MHL adapter) and occasionally connect my phone to my TV, but it would be so sweet if a real computing environment popped up.

**sujivet** · 02-22-2012, 06:09 PM

I have some difficulty in imagining this, Jerry. Would this require a computer with some sort of trimmed-down OS installed on it in first place to recognize the phone? And what kind of OS and hardware requirements might it need on the computer side?

Sent from my Droid Incredible using Tapatalk

**Atticus Craft** · 02-22-2012, 06:19 PM

@sujivet You just need a monitor or HDTV with an HDMI-In port. No PC required at all. The phone would connect directly to the monitor/tv and and Ubuntu OS would run off of the phone (the phone acts as the computer in this scenario)

**TBolt** · 02-22-2012, 08:14 PM

2 questions.
1. Will Ubuntu work on a stock HTC Rezound?
2. Will Ubuntu work on a rooted HTC Rezound?

Thank you.

**sujivet** · 02-22-2012, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Atticus Craft

@sujivet You just need a monitor or HDTV with an HDMI-In port. No PC required at all. The phone would connect directly to the monitor/tv and and Ubuntu OS would run off of the phone (the phone acts as the computer in this scenario)

Oh, got it! Thanks.

Sent from my Droid Incredible using Tapatalk

**joshua.worth** · 02-22-2012, 08:56 PM

This is awesome would be nice if it ran on single core devices, but I'll be fine I constantly switch phones.

**youareme7** · 02-23-2012, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by TBolt

2 questions.
1. Will Ubuntu work on a stock HTC Rezound?
2. Will Ubuntu work on a rooted HTC Rezound?

Thank you.

The hardware is certainly capable, but unless HTC decides to integrate it; (they probably won't) you'll most likely have to wait for someone to build a custom ROM that has it built in. It's more than just software, it ties deep into the Android OS.

**gbean** · 02-23-2012, 09:30 PM

This is so exciting. I sure hope the E4GT gets support.....

**gtoal** · 02-24-2012, 09:01 AM

I haven't seen a single technical explanation anywhere of how this works. Is it something like User Mode Linux where it runs a kernel as a user process?

Will it *only* be accessible when docked, or will there be a screen and virtual keyboard for people with Android tablets (such as Xoom) rather than android phones?

thanks

G

**nasellok** · 02-24-2012, 09:19 AM

My question is the following: Since technically ubuntu is an operating system capable of running full software, does this mean that I would in theory be able to run full versions of say: photoshop / autocad, etc (probably older less intensive versions)?? If so, this is what i have been waiting for so long for. Ive been saying that its only a matter of time until our phones are computers that do everything, and low and behold, its here finally.

I got a free Ipad from work, and wanted to exchange it for the Transformer Prime, but couldnt (stupid office branded the thing with a custom cover on the back). Ubuntu on a tablet would be perfect. I am still waiting to see what the windows 8 tablets will be able to do. It seems that they are trying to do this same thing with their mango / traditional windows toggling - we will see. I played around with windows phone, android is way better, and I hope that this Ubuntu thing works out well.

**drewwalton19216801** · 02-24-2012, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by nasellok

My question is the following: Since technically ubuntu is an operating system capable of running full software, does this mean that I would in theory be able to run full versions of say: photoshop / autocad, etc (probably older less intensive versions)?? If so, this is what i have been waiting for so long for. Ive been saying that its only a matter of time until our phones are computers that do everything, and low and behold, its here finally.

I got a free Ipad from work, and wanted to exchange it for the Transformer Prime, but couldnt (stupid office branded the thing with a custom cover on the back). Ubuntu on a tablet would be perfect. I am still waiting to see what the windows 8 tablets will be able to do. It seems that they are trying to do this same thing with their mango / traditional windows toggling - we will see. I played around with windows phone, android is way better, and I hope that this Ubuntu thing works out well.

Photoshop isn't made for Linux (obviously), but I would be willing to bet that GIMP will work just fine as long as it gets recompiled for ARM.

I'll tell you though, I'm damn excited for this thing to drop.

**Jk16w** · 03-10-2012, 07:38 PM

What I think would make this cool is being made and optimized for the new quad cores like Tegra 3

Even cooler Windows 8 being ported over and running plus impleting the same way as Ubuntu is doing, even have an option to boot either Windows 8 or Ubuntu, plus quad core-sweet as heck

Even better would be to have the above things plus being able to run on the phones screens themselves so that it truly would be a portable. Think 2 blown OS's and the Android OS, hot dam.

And @drewwalton19216801, it could be viable once Windows 8 comes out and all the current x86 programs get ported over to ARM

**crabbyonejohn** · 03-14-2012, 08:39 PM

I am looking forward to this. Got a lapdock for my Bionic and for business, it ROCKS. Dock the droid on 4G and connect to our Citrix farm and I can work from almost anywhere!! Having a choice to use Ubuntu makes the purchase an even better deal. The webkit is Ok for basic stuff, but I think once ICS is released it will be better. Once I can put Ubuntu on it, I will be verry happy!!

**smwinn7** · 03-16-2012, 10:49 AM

this quite possibly could be the best thing to happen to Android in the last few months. I can't wait to see this happen.

**jonny5449** · 04-01-2012, 06:23 PM

will this work with arm6 devices???

Sent from futuristic optimus s

**trinfinate** · 04-19-2012, 12:58 PM

well you can already run ubuntu on android phones through "chroot".....you can run any ARM based kernel linux on android phones...some work better than others....the ubuntu for android would be the "Official" way...non-hacked version..lol......heres a quick question....once u got the arm linux on the phone...you have to have arm based software to run on it?.....or you can run most regular linux software...?

**KSmithInNY** · 04-20-2012, 09:59 AM

I'm really excited about this news, especially considering it was demoed on the GSM brother of my current phone.

But, and i hate to bring the party down but someones gotta mention it, the reason that device was selected is due to it having a dedicated partition called OSH thats designed to hold an alternative OS (webtop). This isn't just going to be an apk we all toss on our phones and live hapily ever after. This is a full on OS, which is going to require a partition to hold that OS, and the Atrix/Photon currently have 2gb IIRC which still may not be enough. We have a mod called Ubuntop which transforms webtop into a mostly functional ubuntu install. When we apply this mod you must also use another mod called webtop2sd, moving the OS to an SD partition on a minimum class 10 card.

So unless a good solution is developed by the community, which i have no doubt it will, that moves ubuntu for android to an SD partition, most devices may be left wishing for this functionality. I don't expect already released devices to be supported by the manufacturer, and i dont expect canonical to develop the mod to jerry-rig their OS onto a phones SD.

My 2 pennies

**crickie** · 04-28-2012, 10:10 PM

Good point KSmithinNY. I question whether the good folks at Canonical are trying to set the bar TOO high with the OS/phone requirements! (Someone re-incarnated into Steve Jobs over there?) I have a fresh 160GB second HDD in my faithful PC running the new Ubuntu Precise 12.04 and love it so far. But I don't believe there is a phone out there that is going to run it. The networks would have to give up their policy on "bloatware" just to make room for the OS. Who are we kidding with that?! I really would like to try the new OS out to it's full potential, but the phone needed to run the OS may be just a "thought for the future". I like the improvements Canonical made to this latest edition but I wonder if I will ever get my chance to really take it out for a "drive", not just cruise it around the" showroom"!

**danan** · 05-14-2012, 09:03 PM

If they dual boot with Chrome OS, I personally see that as a nicer solution but I am very excited nevertheless about Ubuntu on android.

**jordo_99** · 05-29-2012, 10:24 AM

I got pretty excited about all this Ubuntu for Android back in February.

Have there been any updates (release date, testing, etc)?

Thanks

**KSmithInNY** · 06-01-2012, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by jordo_99

I got pretty excited about all this Ubuntu for Android back in February.

Have there been any updates (release date, testing, etc)?

Thanks

Nothing yet and I'm excited but keep in mind they weren't gunning for the consumer, that was be trotted around and shopped to OEMs looking for companies to partner on a device build so a OEM product with this installed may be several months away. Also i think there was a small misunderstanding and canonical clarified that it would be released under an open source license, but each build would be for a specific chip or manufacturer or yadda .... the same model google uses with android. The source is created for a specific cpu/phone (nexus) and it's the job of OEMs and the chip maker to backport to the device.

I'm still dreaming about the ubuntu TV they showed off in january trying to get television manufacturers to partner up.