Just type in a few commands and you’ll have an image you can flash.

I’ve got a detailed description of what to do: https://git.erebion.eu/forgejo/erebion/sargo-temp

Headphones work for me and should as well on Mobian. Calls via Bluetooth do not work yet, not sure how to route the audio to the headsets. But I know there’s some stuff going on and people are working on improving the audio configs, should all be much better very soon.

It’s okay. I like that I can do whatever I want. There are some smaller issues still, but I’m fine with those, considering all the freedom I get.

I mean, I have to set the right SIM card slot and run a command to make Bluetooth work, after every boot, until that is solved. It’s not too bad. Takes me ~25 seconds.

Only annoying issue that is next on my to do list: Have the phone wake up when using an alarm clock. For now I just leave an Android phone next to my bed for that. Soon that will be solved as well. Apparently I just have to get some Systemd configuration right, but have not yet had a closer look.

Overall I am pretty happy with it. Yet I would not give it to my parents and expect them to use it like any other phone.

If you are a nerd who does need an alarm clock or a camera in their phone, or can at least work around that for now, it’s already a usable phone and messaging device.

No idea how that compares to postmarketOS. I have not tried daily driving it, as instead I intend to find issues on Mobian and solve those.

I’m sure you can find another device that can run Linux. :)

• That one uses an SDM845, while the Pixel 3a uses an SDM670. But there’s a Mobian port to that one anyway. Not sure in what state, anyway. You could flash it and find out.
• Camera is probably dead because not all the code has been written yet.
• My background is just playing with Linux since before I was a teen, but I did not know anything about porting to phones until early this year.
• I have some experience with postmarketOS, but more with Mobian as I am more of a Mobian person. I have more exprience with their docs and community than with postmarketOS itself. Many mobile Linux projects depend on the postmarketOS wiki, as they have the best source of information.
• Mobian installation is easy, just flash the images.
• Mobian documentation is somewhat lacking, but I want to improve on that once I’m less busy porting. Can’t do everything at once, of course.

It is to Android apps what WINE is to Windows programs, while Waydroid is to Android apps what something between Docker and a VM would be to server software.

Actually, Waydroid is not too dissimilar from running, for example, an Ubuntu Desktop system in a Docker container on a Debian desktop system, just so you can use snap packages… Instead of installing snapd on Debian. (Not that I want snapd.)

Waydroid is more like an Android container appliance that runs a full Android system, while ATL, as the name Android Translation Layer suggests, translates functions and API calls, used by Android apps, into the appropriate methods of doing things on a regular GNU/Linux system (in contrast to an Android Runtime/Linux system), thereby being much more efficient, more comfortable to use and having the potential of integrating into the system really well.

Let me know how it goes! You might notice an issue I have missed and can then fix. :)

Yup. It definitely is now ready for everyday use, though there are still a few smaller issues I’ve got to fix. But nothing that stops me from using it now.

The only thing special about the Pixel 3a is that I had it already. Maybe it is special in that it is now the smallest Linux phone that is supported by a mainline kernel AND which is actually usable as a phone (for some other phones audio does not work, for example). Some might call a headphone jack something special… or an eSIM, as there are not many Linux phones with an eSIM.

To get involved, I recommend joining the Moban Development Matrix room: #mobian-dev:matrix.debian.social

Pretty sure we can find something where skills in C would be helpful.

Thank you. :)

Have a nice day!

Definitely do! It’s a lot of fun and it feels great to have Mobian on the phone instead of having old Android on it or even a phone in the trash and no phone.

No idea, but you could of course install Waydroid on Mobian. I hope Android Translation Layer (https://gitlab.com/android_translation_layer) will at some point get to a state where it is usable as the superior Waydroid alternative for many people.

No idea, but you could of course install Waydroid on Mobian. I hope Android Translation Layer (https://gitlab.com/android_translation_layer) will at some point get to a state where it is usable as the superior Waydroid alternative for many people.

Also, I keep some notes up to date over on my Forgejo instance: https://git.erebion.eu/forgejo/erebion/sargo-temp

Yeah, I have. It does not solve the isse.

I’ve tried installing an icon theme. Still no icons. I installed breeze-icon-theme, still the same result.

Edit: I’ve also tried setting it in GNOME Tweaks, but that just made all of Phosh look weird and did not make icons appear in Kasts.

I’m on Debian, that’s the reason I asked whether anyone knows the right Debian packge. :)

For now I use the Flatpak version, but that one has other issues, it does not keep the phone awake and once it suspends Bluetooth gets disconnected as well, which is fiddly.

I really don’t want to break every other program if I can avoid it.

Try git pull and see whether the updated fork works now. If not, I will have a closer look.

Also, I’ve just built it successfully. Make sure there are no left-overs from a previous run which failed.

Help would certainly be appreciated. I also have tags, but no idea how to test NFC. :)

I don’t know how well this is supported for other devices, I only know that some people use an eSIM on other models. 🤔