I enjoyed your honest assessment. I'd recommend replacing the U-Boot that comes installed on the phone's SPI, with Tow-Boot. This fixes pretty much all of the issues with power-management, as well as eliminating the need to constantly take the back-cover off to access the RE button. It also adds a convenient way to boot the phone as a generic storage device, offering direct access to the eMMC. The Pine64 PinePhone Pro forums has a thread right now which features a detailed set of instructions. No one has made a vid showing how to do this yet though (wink-wink). TY, I enjoyed this vid and will toss a sub-coin in your hat. :)
On the first pinephone, you can get an alternative battery that works for the Galaxy j7. The battery model is EB-BJ700BBC, and it's a 3500MAH battery. It works great.
Thank you for making this video! The battery drain makes sense and not charging while it’s not booted. I’m in the camp of a Linux user that like to have fun messing around with it and can figure out some issues.
Oh the battery life is also bad on the original Pinephone compared to what most Android phones offer. It isn't only a software issue. You have to keep in mind that the SoC in both the PP and PPP weren't made to be put in a phone. However, I'm glad that Pine64 had the chance to work a bit more closely with the Rockchip engineers for the PPP. Maybe we'll see a more mobile focus SoC for the next version if this partnership can continue to grow. In the meantime, I think Pine64 should definitely offer an extended battery backcover mod.
That's a very good point. I also didn't mention thermals, but the phone does get hot while in use. Maybe under clocking it will help mitigate the power drain.
Just get a few spare batteries. It's still not optimal, but at least you can leave for a day and have enough, even if you don't come by a way to charge it. THey take up additional space, but you can still spread em over jacket or pants pockets.
I honestly just want a Linux phone that has a long battery life like 12+ hours I don’t care if it’s bulky etc, or if it’s lacking features it would be better than any alternative as long as it can make calls, text, browse the web, and has a battery life of 12+ hours and the physical disconnects for things like sim and the cameras
You know there's no camera kernel driver right? :) SPI flash is bootable now. Manjaro plasma-mobile is also significantly improved with the 5.24 release, but its a moving target. Worth another look. The leaps being made in just 2 weeks... Still not daily ready, but in far better condition than what you've shown. Fair video overall though. Do you peruse the matrix/irc/telegram chats?
I just flashed tow-boot to the spi and suspend is finally working. I'm still experiencing about 1-2% drain in 10 minutes of suspend. It's a huge step in the right direction. I'll be making a follow up video soon.
Going to get one soon. I'ma build an artix runit system with i3. I have no idea how the calling and sms will work. I am so happy you can boot of a SD card... I may make a multi boot one. One My ma's phone now
I do want to get one of these to at least tinker around with (I do have an original PinePhone and have messed with it a bit), but I'm going to wait for maybe the next edition of this.
Are you still planning to do monthly reviews on this? I'm a Linux enthusiast who is fed up with the current mobile paradigm and have minimal needs out of my phone. Could you comment on: Current Battery life Web browsing, Reddit and TH-cam functionality Any weird issues with text messages and phone calls lost to the void Usage with a monitor and keyboard with mouse (because why not) Anything else you think is interesting or useful. To summarize: If I could call and text reliably while also searching Reddit I'd be sold.
@@jojobobbubble5688 sorry to lose you. Monthly updates was maybe too optimistic for how slow development is. Only so many different ways to say, "power management still sucks, camera doesn't work, modem is super spotty." But either way, I'm glad you decided to buy one yourself, its still a cool device and Pine64 is a company worth supporting
This really depends on what you require for daily driving. What prevents me from daily driving: 1)power management / short screen on battery life 2) no kernel drivers for camera (progress being made here) 3) no native support for signal and spotty MMS Not much progress has been made and the OSs are all still beta. Suspend is working on arch and manjaro, last I checked still broken on mobian. Its close, but if you need it to "just work" it'll probably be another generation or two. I do plan on making a follow up video. Gnome recently announced they're developing their stack for mobile os
I enjoyed your honest assessment. I'd recommend replacing the U-Boot that comes installed on the phone's SPI, with Tow-Boot. This fixes pretty much all of the issues with power-management, as well as eliminating the need to constantly take the back-cover off to access the RE button. It also adds a convenient way to boot the phone as a generic storage device, offering direct access to the eMMC. The Pine64 PinePhone Pro forums has a thread right now which features a detailed set of instructions. No one has made a vid showing how to do this yet though (wink-wink). TY, I enjoyed this vid and will toss a sub-coin in your hat. :)
Thanks man! Just uploaded based on your suggestion!
th-cam.com/video/hwALn0ALYwk/w-d-xo.html
On the first pinephone, you can get an alternative battery that works for the Galaxy j7. The battery model is EB-BJ700BBC, and it's a 3500MAH battery. It works great.
Just found the channel, and just subscribed. Thanks for the info!
Thank you for making this video! The battery drain makes sense and not charging while it’s not booted. I’m in the camp of a Linux user that like to have fun messing around with it and can figure out some issues.
Subscribed for the updates on the pinephone, good stuff
Oh the battery life is also bad on the original Pinephone compared to what most Android phones offer. It isn't only a software issue. You have to keep in mind that the SoC in both the PP and PPP weren't made to be put in a phone.
However, I'm glad that Pine64 had the chance to work a bit more closely with the Rockchip engineers for the PPP. Maybe we'll see a more mobile focus SoC for the next version if this partnership can continue to grow.
In the meantime, I think Pine64 should definitely offer an extended battery backcover mod.
That's a very good point. I also didn't mention thermals, but the phone does get hot while in use. Maybe under clocking it will help mitigate the power drain.
Just get a few spare batteries. It's still not optimal, but at least you can leave for a day and have enough, even if you don't come by a way to charge it.
THey take up additional space, but you can still spread em over jacket or pants pockets.
I honestly just want a Linux phone that has a long battery life like 12+ hours
I don’t care if it’s bulky etc, or if it’s lacking features it would be better than any alternative as long as it can make calls, text, browse the web, and has a battery life of 12+ hours and the physical disconnects for things like sim and the cameras
Wait... it's not made of wood?
You know there's no camera kernel driver right? :) SPI flash is bootable now. Manjaro plasma-mobile is also significantly improved with the 5.24 release, but its a moving target. Worth another look. The leaps being made in just 2 weeks... Still not daily ready, but in far better condition than what you've shown. Fair video overall though. Do you peruse the matrix/irc/telegram chats?
I just flashed tow-boot to the spi and suspend is finally working. I'm still experiencing about 1-2% drain in 10 minutes of suspend. It's a huge step in the right direction. I'll be making a follow up video soon.
phosh was the same with the update brick bug in 2020 :o
Going to get one soon. I'ma build an artix runit system with i3. I have no idea how the calling and sms will work. I am so happy you can boot of a SD card... I may make a multi boot one. One My ma's phone now
I do want to get one of these to at least tinker around with (I do have an original PinePhone and have messed with it a bit), but I'm going to wait for maybe the next edition of this.
Yeah, I think Pinephone 2 Pro will be a solid device. We desperately need the mobile OSs to exit beta.
@@ambros470 In terms of hardware, the PinePhone (especially in Pro guise) seems ready to go, but the software is definitely still undercooked.
@@EpicB 100%
@@ambros470 If the software can catch up, maybe I'll consider trying to daily drive a PinePhone Pro.
Are you still planning to do monthly reviews on this? I'm a Linux enthusiast who is fed up with the current mobile paradigm and have minimal needs out of my phone. Could you comment on:
Current Battery life
Web browsing, Reddit and TH-cam functionality
Any weird issues with text messages and phone calls lost to the void
Usage with a monitor and keyboard with mouse (because why not)
Anything else you think is interesting or useful.
To summarize: If I could call and text reliably while also searching Reddit I'd be sold.
Yes, I'm planning on making a follow up this coming week.
@@ambros470 Sweeeet! Looking forward to this!!
@@ambros470 And Subbed!
And unsubscribed. No follow up video and I now own a Pinephone Pro so I can experiment myself.
@@jojobobbubble5688 sorry to lose you. Monthly updates was maybe too optimistic for how slow development is. Only so many different ways to say, "power management still sucks, camera doesn't work, modem is super spotty."
But either way, I'm glad you decided to buy one yourself, its still a cool device and Pine64 is a company worth supporting
I like Tech Videos so I actually enjoyed this.
Is it any better now? Can i go daily drive or is it still alpha state?
This really depends on what you require for daily driving. What prevents me from daily driving:
1)power management / short screen on battery life
2) no kernel drivers for camera (progress being made here)
3) no native support for signal and spotty MMS
Not much progress has been made and the OSs are all still beta. Suspend is working on arch and manjaro, last I checked still broken on mobian.
Its close, but if you need it to "just work" it'll probably be another generation or two.
I do plan on making a follow up video. Gnome recently announced they're developing their stack for mobile os
@@ambros470 thank you for full replay.
Many of us non coders are out here chomping at the bit for a Linux phone. It's close... real close.
Yeah, but can it run iOS?
Not yet, but we'll see what the Hackintosh community can do.
The normal version can run iOS ?
Lol, want to ssh from any ware I want off sim
Love the info, hate the guy
Love the guy, hate the info. Glad we could balance that out