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Ubuntu Touch OS for Fxtec Pro1


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Last week Liangchen Chen posted a video of a Fxtec Pro1 running Ubuntu Touch on Twitter
https://twitter.com/chenliangchen/status/1272903474393604100
containing a link to an installable zip-file.

I managed to install it and wanted to share the procedure, which is pretty equal to installing Sailfish OS: https://community.fxtec.com/topic/2467-community-build32120updated-jan-20-sailfish-os-for-fxtec-pro1/ . Text below is mostly copypaste from over there ...

Most important info first: Installation process requires that you wipe your current OS and user data!


Download Ubuntu Touch OS for Fxtec Pro1 from the following link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qQtVgbmRezbGWovfxulUvhiOkhtehfTP/view?usp=sharing
ubports-fxtec-pro1-v0.5.zip (811M)

Preparation:

TWRP for Pro1: Download here https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IgUjxEKV5MU_3cRkNCyGc-YpRkUQ3xHh (Credit to Mccreary)

Universal ADB Driver

A MicroSD Card, preferably no more than 32GB

Backup your data (if needed) and turn off the phone completely

Transfer the TWRP image into the adb folder of your PC, and Sailfish OS package zip-file to MicroSD card. Insert the MicroSD card to your phone's SIM card tray.

Procedures:

For units shipped after November 19, you need to unlock Bootloader first, by enabling developer mode in Android, and enable OEM unlocking and USB debugging. Then following the steps.

When phone is switched off hold Vol Down while pressing the power key, then release both fingers together and the phone should boot into bootloader

Connect the phone to PC and run

fastboot devices

If the phone is successfully connected, the phone should be listed in command line. Then type:

fastboot flashing unlock

then using vol +/- navigate to "Unlock Booloader", and select with the power key

Warning: All your data will be wiped after Bootloader is unlocked! Please back up!

After unlocking bootloader, boot into BL again using vol- + power key, and perform:

fastboot set_active a

fastboot flash boot [|path|to|file]twrp-3.3.1-qx1000.img

Use volume up/down to scroll, to Recovery mode and power key to select, from bootloader. And wait for TWRP to boot.

In TWRP go to Wipe -- Format Data (Warning: All your data will lost.) --- type yes, and click blue tick

When format is completed, go back three times and go to reboot and choose to reboot into recovery (swipe to confirm)

Choose to install and select storage SD, In lower right click Install Zip (not image) navigate to where you put the Ubuntu Touch OS zip package click it. Make sure signature verification check is off. Swipe to install

Wait until the installation is finished and choose reboot. The device will now boot into Ubuntu Touch OS.

======================================================================================

Preinstalled user account is phablet phablet
So If you get asked for PIN or password, type in phablet

My first impressions:

I could do phone calls in and out going.
Wifi and Bluetooth seem to work.
Could not get GPS location.

My Pro1 has qwertz keyboard. Did choose German keyboard during first setup. Weird: Most keys on hardware keyboard are shifted one key rightward: w is q , e is w ... u is z  and so on.

In terminal /etc/os-release says its based on "Ubuntu 16.04.6 LTS"

I did not try other OSs with my Pro1 yet. As I don't see an OS without disadvantages I personally find Ubuntu Touch OS the most promising.  Hope to see progress soon.

Does anyone know of a developers repository for Ubuntu Touch OS on Fxtec Pro1?
Maybe https://github.com/ubports-on-fxtec-pro1 ?

 

Cheers, #10248

Edited by order#10248
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https://github.com/ubports-on-fxtec-pro1 is correct. Rootfs currently has manual tweaks for configs, as I didn't plan for the image to be released publicly and it more served as demonstration, but if

Last week Liangchen Chen posted a video of a Fxtec Pro1 running Ubuntu Touch on Twitter https://twitter.com/chenliangchen/status/1272903474393604100 containing a link to an installable zip-file.

Yes, great idea, but please LineageOS first 😉

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31 minutes ago, order#10248 said:

My Pro1 has qwertz keyboard. Did choose German keyboard during first setup. Weird: Most keys on hardware keyboard are shifted one key rightward: w is q , e is w ... u is z  and so on.

Hardware-wise the models are 100% identical internally, it is only the print on top of the keys that are different. So the software need to be able to handle the back-shift from the shifted qwerty to normal qwertz. (And you have to somehow tell the system what keyboard-print you got)

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3 hours ago, tdm said:

I would be quite interested in building and installing this.  Where's the sources?

https://github.com/ubports-on-fxtec-pro1 is correct. Rootfs currently has manual tweaks for configs, as I didn't plan for the image to be released publicly and it more served as demonstration, but if there are enough interested parties, we could properly integrate the device on UBPorts CI for OTA updates and support in installer.

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19 minutes ago, ddark-il said:

Desktop mode not working, or its me with my weird hardware ?

I think Android 9 does not have desktop mode, but Android 10.

However, I can connect my phone to a monitor and see my phone's display, so a later system upgrade may enable this mode...

Edit: Sorry, it is UBPorts thread... I have not tried it on my Pro1.

Edited by VaZso
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I would imagine the qwertz keyboard map that was developed for sailfishos could be used/ported with ubu touch....  

But the way fxtec did the hardware/driver qwertz keyboard doesnt actually send the keycodes equivilent to print as Eske explained.

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Well I installed it couldn't resist 😄 just had a quick play but checked these

Working

Wifi (still poor like in android 😞 ) but works otherwise

Bluetooth - finds devices but didn't have time to pair

Cellular data

Phone calls - quieter than android

Screen Brightness (doesn't have a green tint from what I can see)

Keyboard

- shift acts like shift

- the arrow (shift in android) does something at terminal brings up args 

- "Fx" key opens apps draw and uses number to open apps

- Works in UK format fine (never tried that in android lol)

Not Working

Flashlight

Camera button 

 

Seems stable as well!

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just noticed it thinks I only have 240MB of storage in system settings received a warning as well. also system settings crashes trying to enter storage 😞

Here is df output

Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on

udev 2.7G 820K 2.7G 1% /dev

tmpfs 570M 1.4M 568M 1% /run

/dev/sda8 106G 2.9G 102G 3% /userdata

/dev/loop0 2.0G 1.7G 112M 94% /

/dev/loop1 589M 516M 61M 90% /android

overlay 2.0G 1.7G 112M 94% /android/system

tmpfs 2.8G 4.0K 2.8G 1% /etc/fstab

none 4.0K 0 4.0K 0% /sys/fs/cgroup

tmpfs 2.8G 532K 2.8G 1% /tmp

none 5.0M 0 5.0M 0% /run/lock

none 2.8G 72M 2.8G 3% /run/shm

none 100M 0 100M 0% /run/user

cgmfs 100K 0 100K 0% /run/cgmanager/fs

tmpfs 2.8G 0 2.8G 0% /media

tmpfs 2.8G 0 2.8G 0% /var/lib/openvpn/chroot/tmp

tmpfs 2.8G 0 2.8G 0% /var/lib/sudo

overlay 2.0G 1.7G 112M 94% /android/vendor

/dev/sde5 110M 103M 7.1M 94% /android/vendor/firmware_mnt

/dev/sde6 64M 368K 64M 1% /android/vendor/bt_firmware

/dev/sde9 12M 11M 1.4M 88% /android/vendor/dsp

/dev/sda2 27M 2.9M 24M 11% /mnt/vendor/persist

tmpfs 570M 100K 569M 1% /run/user/32011

 

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Looking at this now properly (was just going bed when posted).   Looks like the space is there but it's possibly not using the correct partition? I don't know linux that well so maybe someone knows?

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More feedback 😄

The messaging app seems to have issues doesn't join the conversations they come through twice! one with the message externally and one with the thread the conversation is happening in.  Also doesn't always send messages :S

 

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Thank you _DW_ for sharing these issues.

On 6/20/2020 at 11:21 PM, TheKit said:

if there are enough interested parties, we could properly integrate the device on UBPorts CI for OTA updates and support in installer.

TheKit, how much effort would that mean?

Anyway, as you seem to be the one behind ubports-fxtec-pro1-v0.5.zip : Any plans to improve it newer versions?

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On 6/26/2020 at 2:50 PM, acrux said:

Has anybody tried both: SailfishOS vs Ubuntu Touch? Which one is better suited as everyday phone's platform?

I have tried both.  Out of the 2 I preferred  ubtouch but I am biased I just prefer Ubuntu on desktop as well so everything was natural for me. 

One thing I did like on ubtouch over sailfish was the store a lot more friendly and got some common things on there sailfish was quite lacking.  Also web browser was a lot better.

 

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Oh this is interesting, although I'm a bit confused. My last information was that Ubuntu Touch was abandoned by Canonical and pretty much dead, which seems to be confirmed by the fact that the base image is 4 years old. But yet there are parts of the project still alive?

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