[DEV] Ubuntu Touch [ROM]

[Guest Dazzozo]

This is a super super early port of Ubuntu Touch which is currently only available as a developer preview and therefore this port can only be described in the same way. Don't install this if it's your main phone (unless you're really curious, but you won't be keeping this).

Oh hey I salvaged some screenshots! :D

Installing

First things first, Ubuntu installs itself to the userdata partition, and the system partition is reserved for the Android core. By default, the G300's configuration is a 700mb userdata partition, which is too small (only just, mind) to house an Ubuntu installation. To resolve this, we swap the internal SD card and the userdata partitions around, resulting in a 2GB userdata partition and a 700mb internal SD card. For now, this requires a recovery set up with these "swapped" partitions, so I've built one and it's available below. You will have to format your internal SD.

Here's the links:

• Custom "swapped" recovery: http://g300.dazzozo...ed_recovery.img
• G300 specific image: http://g300.dazzozo...armel u8815.zip
• Ubuntu image: http://cdimage.ubunt...ablet-armhf.zip
• Visual scaling fix: http://g300.dazzozo...scaling-fix.zip

Initially I had two builds of the device specific zip, one for each baseband, but since RIL is basically broken right now (not that there's many ways you can use it in Ubuntu yet...) there's not much point.

Once you've downloaded everything and all the zips are on your SD card, do the following:

• Flash the swapped recovery (fastboot)
• Boot in to recovery and wipe absolutely everything (excluding the external SD card, of course) - the internal SD format may fail, it's not a problem for now
• Flash the device-specific Android core zip
• Flash the Ubuntu image - this takes around 5 minutes
• Flash the visual scaling fix, you'll probably want this
• Reboot - there's no boot animation so it might sit on a black screen for a while

Right now, this is basically JPEGs: The OS. There's almost no functionality available, and a lot of the apps are screenshots or mock ups. It is a developer preview, and to most people it'll probably serve no more than "I want to see what it feels like on a device", but it's pretty cool if you're interested in this stuff. :D

Returning to Android

This isn't particularly complicated - you'll need to reinstall a recovery image of your choice and then wipe everything again. That will restore the internal SD card to its rightful place, but if you are having filesystem issues on the internal SD card, run "mkfs.vfat /dev/block/mmcblk0p19" to format the internal SD card. If you're really stuck, running an update.app will restore absolutely everything.

Sources

The usual places, everything responsible for the device is available at my GitHub:

• https://github.com/D...815/tree/ubuntu
• https://github.com/D...815/tree/ubuntu
• https://github.com/D...ei/tree/cm-10.1

The CM fork that is used to build the Android side is available at: http://phablet.ubuntu.com/gitweb

[Guest tcpaulh]

Good Antutu kilo-fasts?

Also, do calls work or have they got artifacts?

Edited February 22, 2013 by tcpaulh

[Guest Dazzozo]

I think the phone app is a jpeg. :P

Not sure though, I haven't tested it on anything I use as a phone. Apparently it's "bricking" Nexus 4s. :D

Oh, nope, the phone app is too large to use on 480*800. :lol:

[Guest unaszplodrmann]

Dose it have init.d support?

[Guest Dazzozo]

;) funny guy

[Guest kyan31]

Coolios :P

[Guest Dovahpig]

Any screens?

[Guest Colossae3.23]

Lovin that pioneering spirit Daz. It's almost like you got some American in you. #tongue in cheek. Looking forward to see how this pans out.

[Guest Dazzozo]

Any screens?

no

[Guest ReZ1342]

what is this ?

[Guest fraska]

we swap the internal SD card and the userdata partitions around, resulting in a 2GB userdata partition and a 700mb internal SD card.

It's possible to have it on CM9+?

[Guest Dazzozo]

It's possible to have it on CM9+?

Yeah, I'm certainly considering it, though I have to be responsible and keep stock functionality by default. There really needs to be a way to do this dynamically.

I'll see if I can figure out something.

[Guest Dazzozo]

what is this ?

ubuntu phone os i guess

[Guest kyan31]

So, does it really have any functionality at all?

[Guest unaszplodrmann]

So, does it really have any functionality at all?

Right now, this is basically JPEGs: The OS. There's almost no functionality available, and a lot of the apps are screenshots or mock ups. It is a developer preview, and to most people it'll probably serve no more than "I want to see what it feels like on a device".

In other words, no: It is a developer preview - it serves a useful function to developers and as curio for those who fancy having a play with a debian based distro running natively on the phone. For everyone else, it serves no function at all.

[Guest The Soup Thief]

I've been playing with this on my Nexus 4 - "does it have any functionality?"

As stated, it's a developers preview and is really just to give a sense of the vision that is Ubuntu on yer phone, however some things do work - while it can't deal with mobile networks, I was able to connect to my home wifi and was able to use the web browser (I logged in to Modaco and was able to post a thread in the Nexus 4 forum)

It's a very pretty thing on my handset and left me pretty enthusiastic about trying out Ubuntu touch when it's further developed

Camera works and a bunch of other bits too - have a look at the ubuntu website and release notes - linked to in that thread.

[Guest kyan31]

Thanks for the reply's. I'm aware you cant take screenshots on the Ubuntu ROM, so does anyone have any pictures of it running on the G300?

[Guest wso277]

I think the phone app is a jpeg. :P

Not sure though, I haven't tested it on anything I use as a phone. Apparently it's "bricking" Nexus 4s. :D

Oh, nope, the phone app is too large to use on 480*800. :lol:

Wasnt ubuntu supposed to be optimized for 480*800?

Glad to see you working on this, would be good to have a working version when its released :)

[Guest Dazzozo]

New build up, removes the need to manually start Ubuntu and there's a fix available for the jumbo UI. I've also made changes where appropriate based on the porting guide that went up today. Tidied up my essay in the OP too :P

[Guest marcars]

wow i can not believe it! Ubuntu Touch on G300! you are impossible!

Edited February 23, 2013 by marcars

[Guest Curlie]

It´s very cool

[Guest fraska]

How to "Flash the swapped recovery (fastboot)"?

[Guest josalaito]

I make this tool for flash the recovery in fastboot mode, it's the tipical cwm installer with swapped recovery:

Link:http://www.mediafire.com/?8g3enethzws81o5

[Guest dakok]

Fresh news:

Last week, the Ubuntu Touch developer preview was launched on the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10.

Alongside the devices above, Ubuntu Touch will soon be available for the following devices: Motorola XOOM, more Galaxy Nexus’s, Sony Xperia S, Sony Xperia T, Samsung Galaxy S III (international, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T), Huawei Ascend G300, Samsung Galaxy S (GT-I9000), Samsung Galaxy S SCL (GT-I90003), Samsung Galaxy Note, Samsung Galaxy Note II, Samsung Galaxy S II (international), HTC One X, HTC One XL, HTC One X+ (multiple versions), Asus Transformer Infinity, LG Optimus 4x HD, Nexus S, Nexus One, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi, and the Asus Transformer Pad.

It’s surprising to see that Ubuntu Touch will also be ported to aging devices like the Nexus S and the Nexus One, seeing as Canonical stated that a dual-core A9 processor is part of the minimum specs required for the OS. It’s ability be compatible with such old hardware does emphasize the efficiency of the OS.

Source: Slashgear (26.02.2013.):

http://www.slashgear.com/ubuntu-touch-to-launch-developer-preview-on-over-20-more-devices-26271633/[/CODE]

Edited February 27, 2013 by dakok

[Guest Pyntux]

ARM9 dual core is minimum specs for Ubuntu for Android, not for Ubuntu touch... :)