Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

My boss is literally over my shoulder =0) He says - No.

EDIT:

I want to take some photo samples at the Old Acre and make a comparison against iPhone 7(My Work Phone) and RX100M4. I'm also waiting to see how will it look and how it compares.

Also after few days of use I'll be able to give more precise feedback.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

This phone is a real problem.

I'm stuck with my n900(s) since 10 years (and happy with it).
Keeping telling people to stop buying new phones every year, for environmental/social/political/budget reasons.

But now.... pfff... hard situation :o

I hope my n900 will not have an accident :D

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

A decade is not a year ;).

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Should be getting my Pro1 in the mail tomorrow. Anyone interested in a video of me unpacking it?

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

More seriously than previous post,

This phone is interesting for replacing the n900.
I feel I'll risk to get blamed to ask this: I read lots of posts here but often too technical for me. So the question:

Is it really sure that this kind of devices (Fx or Purism) offer real privacy?

I know they have open source software and drivers but is it sure that nothing can happen (collect data, position, mic, cam) on a lower layer/level into the hardware?

Sorry if my question is a bit naive.

Thanks

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Yes, jazeker, do eeet, doen!

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

I think all of us here would like to see it, so I say yes, it would be good.

Also it would be good if you could tell your impressions of the first day, also if you could take some photos using Pro1 (maybe also in lighter and darker environment) and if could upload them somewhere in native resolution, that would be more than welcome. :)

So if you have some time, we are happy to see anything regarding this phone. :)

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

This is a very good question really... With Pro1 as it ships with Android, the answer is a resounding nope. However it's a somewhat reasonable assumption that privacy is okay when you run a different OS on it like Lineage (which is just Android but with the spying bullcrap and other things taken out / replaced) or Sailfish.

Most of parts of Lineage and Sailfish are open-source as far as I know are open-source (unlike some parts in the normal Android with Google Market Services or what it is), so it can be audited by anyone who wants (which basically means looked at to see if it does anything naughty). But to run on an actual phone they need drivers and in the case of the Pro1 most of that will be down to the SD835 SoC, and it's not as bad as some, but not everything can work without closed-source drivers which could hide code that can not be audited easily.

That said, it's fairly unlikely google/qualcomm/etc would go to the extreme of hiding data mining stuff in the driver code. Maybe the NSA could pay off qualcomm to put a backdoor in the driver? It's possible and not unlikely but personally not something I'd worry about. People just accept the espionage so I don't think they'd go to the effort to hide it sneakily in a driver, which is something that would awaken sleeping dogs if ever found out, have not much benefit, etc.

The Librem 5 was supposed to come without any binary blobs at all at one point in the past, but they have since changed plan I heard. Take this with some salt because I don't follow Purism closely at all, I only know what I've read here: https://jaylittle.com/post/view/2019...ibrem-5-part-1

And of course there is always the human factor... If you enter your personal data on websites in a browser that's not very good for privacy but it works on any device and OS with a browser, beware :D.

TL;DR: I think Lineage/Sailfish gets you 90% of the way to fairly good privacy. GMS Android is a spyware party. But guarantee there is not, only plausible assumptions.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

I wouldn't bundle up Purism and Fxtec, as they clearly are very different. Purism is using open source OS and drivers etc, and the whole thing of Purism phone is the openness and the privacy. Fxtec is not open or privacy oriented, but the hwkb is their thing. They ship the phone with Android, which is closed source, and the drivers are too. Even if some more open Linux system comes available for the Pro1, I guess the use of libhybris (android closed source drivers) is needed. Android, as a product of Google, is know of it's way to collect user data. I'm sure that the Android on Fxtec Pro1 does that too. It isn't 'safer' Android than any other Android version (well, speaking of the official versions, not Lineage etc). Most people doesn't care about Google's way to collect user data, but the question is: How much do you care? Personally I don't care too much, but I have other reasons to be upset of Android. But if you are concerned of privacy issues, I'd suggest you to go with Purism or even some traditional phone.

edit: Damn, netman was faster :D

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Congratulations to Chen & Fxtec team. The fruits of your very hard work are finally showing. What a great jorney.
Thank you!! :)

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

So, with a good roll of tape and BT connection could I have a HWKB privacy-ready phone! :rolleyes:

I don't have so much to hide... It's just privacy...

Do you mean: simple phones with keys ans b/w screens?

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Yep, or even https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/uplo...-3-5325986.jpg
For real privacy. Just be sure that the phone cable comes to your house as a landline! Otherwise someone can easily steal your signal... I'm obviously joking, but I don't really know what'd be best choice in privacy matters. At least not n900 anymore, but what then? Perhaps the Purism Librem 5.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

The cool stuff is starting to flow in, https://twitter.com/chenliangchen/st...40831697719298

Direct link to short video with a mouse attached

I do realize this is android, but cool none the less ... since it should be easy to copy under linux.

Also happy to be back in the thread :)

x

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Thanks for posting this.
Haha: seeing that Twitter image it makes me remembering those days I was suffering a (gifted) Asus "Netbook" , even though it did come with full Linux, it was such a pain to use while part inviting to apply as laptop / desktop alternative, productivity wise quite useless and finally good for video calls and some surfing.

I imagine the massive bump in screen resolution we will see here on th F(x)tec Pro 1 will help a lot.
Not sure about the Android OS though.
The Purism Librem 5 might come out on top at the end with better mouse controlled desktop like applications. (Purism marketing says: device will be getting better over the years like a fine wine - once and if ever bottled that is)

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Can we pronounce a winner who got it first? I think not, because I'm skeptical. No pictures or videos.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

That is what it is all about for Chen too, for sure. Including/all the more this techie enthusiasm of (re)creating and updating all these old-style goodies.

Having read loads of frustrated - and for Chen & Co at least frustrating - remarks on the fora during this most stressful project start-up, I can't imagine how the Fxtec-team would have pulled this project though without that same drive. Especially this pre-delivery final when presenting progress, as to stem the public's impatience, backfired by fueling that impatience among the most outspoken buyers.
The Fxtec forum seemed even worse than over here, where silence more or less prevailed.


Purism should come out on top 'once and if' indeed. The Librem 5 'will get better': it simply must get better.
(Not only) opensource stuff takes time to mature - it does so very nicely. But it takes too much time - even when delivering - for most of the buying public. Resulting in additional financial drawbacks on top of already high development cost. So you need to "buy time", while not (yet) earning money to do so.

Fxtec are several increadable (progress) milestones ahead. They should now - hopefully - start to straighten out financially. Especially thanks to captating income from where it can be found, the droid loving masses.
I dearly hope this works out as planned.

In the meantime, I also do hope that Sailfish OS/Jolla does "open up" to/revitalises with the development flurry provided by all Pro1 related impulses.
It's a bit sad having to speak of hope ... It's probably that Jolla marketing is now nowhere ... compared to pre Aurora-times. Or to Purism's.

Putting both open and closed stuff together.
I'm wondering how Pro1 dual boot development is progressing. Not that I fully like the prospect of using Android, it simply seems that bank related services are pushing me to "open up" to Droid when venturing into the public mobile wide world.
Once again proof of how money rules our world(s). I repeat: please, let this not be(come) even more true.


+8 All prevailing thoughts indeed.
We can't be thankful enough to Chen & Co for this "new" platform he is providing us.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

You can connect a wired or wireless mouse and keyboard in android since 2011. Is there something else that I missed in the video?

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Oh hey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud8N30zB7hg

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Strangely enough I can't call anyone. Bug?

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Might be SIM/Carrier related.. mine works fine with Dual Sim

Can you help with verifying some of those?

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Will do later, i'm currently enjoying listening to I am Rolling using Audipo and my BH-111 which works just like on the N900 with Rockbox!

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

imei opinion, for security reasons you might want to quickly take down the video and reupload it with the seconds cut where people with bad intensions can spot all your device details. ;)

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Going to re-take the video because apparently I left the IMEI visible, whoops!

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Just a sidenote really...

sure knowing someones IMEI or even worse IMSI is a privacy hazard if someone does packet inspection in the core network, mind you not on RAN air interfaces!

I am constantly amazed why people want to safeguard their IMEI like bloody crown jewels, it is akin to not revealing ones MAC address fergossakes!

Just for reference, here's my IMEI; 358098077905919

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Xperia X F5121 :D

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Got it and tried an unboxing stream.
Well, i need to step up my gear.
Audio is unbearable again and video cuts off to low res due to data plan depletion.

For your eyes only, will not be listed in yt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SfmYlzX09o

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Could not hear a thing but it is a beauty! I'm happy for everyone that has gotten one.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Thanks, this solved the last piece of the puzzle... ;)

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

I didn't actually order Pro1, but since it now officially exists (and hurrah for that), I'm bit puzzled of the keyboard layout options.

In Mosen's vid there seems to be Nordic Ö and Ä characters. Is that the usual QWERTY layout in the fxtec.com shop?

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

I have the Qwertz version which was developed with the community. I have not checked the shop but all variants that exist are Qwerty and Qwertz.
Nordic guys discussed in FX-Forum which variant would be better to adapt for scandic users and concluded that Qwerty is probably closest.
I wonder how the qwertz is viable at all but apparently FX saw a market or wanted to show of flexibility.
You would need to ask them if Qwertz is still up for order or if that was a one time offer.
support@fxtec.com is responsive within 24h.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

It is still an option at order page (only for Europe) so I assume (and hope) it is not a one-time option.

However, it was good to see finally also the QWERTZ version.
I have also ordered that because of the shifted layout seemed to be farther to any other layouts and I would like to use national (not German) characters. I didn't like the idea of modified (shifted) QWERTY, if an unshifted QWERTY would have been existed then I would bought that one but definitively not the shifted version.

However, I am in the second batch sadly. :(

I also hope they will have an option of unshifted QWERTY keyboard but I did not see it mentioned in forums...

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Thanks! I think plain qwerty one didn't have nordics, and that was the main reason for me to not to jump into early wagon with this.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Maybe this is worth knowing about: https://android.onse.fi/finqwerty/pro1.html

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Another Unboxing of the Qwertz version from TeZtdevice who drove all the way from munich to the Bonn Froscon presentation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn4RHNfDPLE

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Ok, got mine as well today. Don't have to much time at the moment. But did of course some tests.

First objective impressions:

Even so it is much thinner than the N900 (the whole phone is just as thick as the keyboard part of the N900) it is a quite big and heavy phone. I didn't expect it to be different, anyway I would have preferred a smaller (not thinner) phone. For my hands it is not that easy to reach every button on the keyboard. But I think I get used to it. On the other hand being thicker than the XperiaX I use at the moment makes it much saver to hold.

Build quality is excellent. The only things to criticize:
The slider snaps in place quite hard. I hope it gets a little bit softer with time. The keyboard backlight is - like it was already reported - a little bit uneven, but who cares.

All things I tested worked fine. Sound of the phone is very good (earplugs and speaker). Camera quality with stock android camera app seems to be good. Screen is bright and you can dim it down quite low.

The biggest let down on the Pro1 is the OS. Android feels just horribly wrong. I wanted to start the notes app, just to test the keyboard. But you can't do that without having a google account. What the hell.... :confused::confused::confused::mad::mad::(:(

I hope I will find some time on the weekend to flash Sailfish on it.

Thanks to chen and his team! They did a great job!

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Just download Evernote from apk mirror.
Enable unknown sources in the browser from the phone settings and you will be able to sideload whatever apk you want.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

And root, remove the google trash, or flash lineage.

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

I've already used F-Droid and downloaded a notes app fro there. I just wanted to point out how sick stock android is. :eek:

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

But Cmon! If this phone had a keyboard, wouldn't have it been shown into the videos as first thing?
No, I'm sure, one more disappointed hope, this phone has no keyboard!

I was sure :D:p;)

Re: Are you Ready? F(x)tec Pro 1 HW Keyboard Phone
 

Everything is google services related when you use a fork that is almost pure android.
Double edged sword I'd say.
Privacy wise it's just a nightmare. But productivity wise, it just works seamlessly.