Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/wp-conten...ge-350x200.png

Looks great. Much better than aquaris all over. The question is...do they deliver IT world wide to us?

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2015/02/m...t-mwc-in-march

Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition Specs:
5.3-inch IPS LCD display (1920 x 1152, 418ppi)
Octa-core MediaTek MT6595 chipset
2GB RAM
20.7 MP rear camera, 2MP front-facing
16GB built-in flash storage
Battery 3100mAh

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Yeah, I saw this earlier.

It looks like a great phone. But I have a few gripes with it.
Firstly, its those capacitive buttons. Its not 2011 anymore, get rid of them.
Secondly, there's no microSD slot. So you better have it in 64GB model.
Thirdly, the loudspeaker is average. And its not stereo. And its not front firing. See SONY Z3.
Forthly, the screen. Its great in almost every way except... aspect ratio!
1920/1152 = 5/3 ratio. It ruins compatibility with even Android Apps, where there are cut offs and some missing buttons and so on. Just stick to 1080p... its better for videos, and Apps/webpages are better optimized for it. It also makes it less ergonomic.
Fifthly, speaking of ergonomics, place that headset jack on the bottom. Make those hardware keys a little more 'clicky'. Why make a removable backplate for a non-removable battery. Choose a premium unibody chasis or go with removable battery (if you're a really talented designer like me, do both).

And lastly, its toting a MediaTek MT6595. Strong CPU, Weak GPU, Heat issues, Sub-par battery management, a really mixed bag. Sometimes it behaves like a QSD 600, other times like the QSD 801. But that's the least of one's worries. Just make sure it is bootloader unlockable, and all the source code and documentation is there. In other words, make it dev-friendly. So much so that custom firmware could be loaded from the likes of Android, UbuntuPhone, SailOS, Tizen, Mer, or webOS.

I'd pay upto $500 for it, which seems to be what they're asking for.

PS I was thinking of buying a Nexus 5 just for SailOS, but this might be a better option

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

How much ROM is taken by the system partition?

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

The BQ Aquaris E4.5 (what a fvking mouthful) has 8GB of internal NAND/SSD memory.

That converts to about 7.4GB of usable memory.
And from that, there is about 5.3GB accessible to the user on the phone.
Hence, the Ubuntu Phone ROM itself uses around 2.1GB's.

In other words, its more memory used than FirefoxOS and barebones Android (~1GB). Around the same memory used as light Android builds (2.0-2.5GB). And much less memory than Bloated Android and iOS (4.0-6.0GB). In layman's terms, its pretty neat !



So on the Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition, it'll have a 16GB capacity with no option to expand it. The amount available to the user will probably be around the 12.0GB to 13.0GB margin. And to me, that's pathetic for a high-end phone. Anything less than 25GB is pathetic for the high end market.

A rule of thumb that I generally use for ARM devices:
4GB - Enough for OS - but not enough for personal use
8GB - Low End - enough for system and apps, but no photos/music/videos/high-end games
16GB - Mid Range - enough for system/apps/photos/music but not videos or high-end games
32GB - Mid Range - enough for system/apps/photos/music/videos/high-end games but is a bit limited
64GB - High End - enough for system/app/photos/music/videos/games with lots of freedom

Unless its an x86 PC:
32GB - Enough for OS
64GB - Low End
128GB - Mid Range
256GB - High End



I hope I have been of some use, smash that Thanks button : )

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

hmmm.... I actually like the pones that use the bezel which has to be there for buttons and don't like that android onscreen buttons that just take space for no reason.
Of course, sseing them on UT is stupid but on android I prefer them over onscreen ones.

And once again, mediatek again........ next.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

looks great, if only sailfish users had hardware even remotely close to this. :)

just never been much of a ubuntu fan given a choice (more of a suse chap).

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Agree with Jedi.
I rather SailOS. And even on desktop I rather SUSE over 'buntu.
KDE is great, Unity is gross. RPM is better*

On-screen buttons are much better because of four reasons:
- That useless bezel can be shaven off = smaller device
- The size of the buttons is customizable
- The order, action, animation, design and amount of buttons is customizable
- When not in use (eg video) the buttons hide away, giving you a larger screen

Its really the modern route.

On-screen > Hardware > Capacitive buttons

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

can you point me to the device that has bottom bezzel so small that it can't have capacitive buttons?

I understand your reasoning but in reality situation is different.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Examples?

Alcatel Idol 3 is very close.
Meizu MX4 is very close.
Huawei X1 is very close.
SONY Z3 is very close.
LG G2 is there (has logo).
LG G PRO 2 (logo).
LG G Flex 2.
Moto G '14
Moto X '13
Moto X '14
Nexus 6.

In other words, not many handsets because this is new thinking/design and that most OEMs don't want to give up on a front logo (even when there's alternatives).

I think eventually we will get that design, as technology will evolve to it like nature. The only question is "when"... I believed it would've happened already.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Okay... Did anybody ever hear about Saygus going to release the V2 phone? It does not have hardware keyboard or resistive touchscreen, but it does have microSD, hence lots of memory. And, stereo loud-speaker. And, any operating system that you can get to run on it. And, great cameras, both front and rear. And...

A beast, overall. Unless it turns into vapour-ware. But glimpses of it were already seen... http://www.gizmag.com/best-ces-products-2015/35592/

Thank you. Best wishes.

P.S. It seems that pre-orders of Pyra have not started, yet. Pre-orders of Neo900, on the other hand, may close soon - not exactly sure, though.

Per aspera ad astra...

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

well, wife have that one here and most definitely there's more than enough bezel for buttons. I can compare it with HTC sensation from 2011 I think and the bottom bezel is almost the same.
As long as there is ~10mm of bezel I don't see the point in on screen buttons. Waste of screen, nothing more. They are still capacitve anyway.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Ummm, I don't understand.
The bottom of the Moto X '14 has about 9.8-10.1mm gap/bezel from the screen's edge to the bottom of the phone.

That gap is taken up by the speaker.

Most devices with Capacitive buttons need around 14mm's of gap. And don't have to contend with a speaker.

The Moto X '14 does not have space for Capacitive buttons. If it did, you would expect the device's length to increase from 140.8mm to at least 148mm. Or about the size of the LG G3 which has a 5.5inch screen compared to the Moto X's 5.2inch screen.

I'm not sure if I'm explaining things properly for you.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

well, picture says a thousand words, right
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6S9BY7pis9g/maxresdefault.jpg

and video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S9BY7pis9g
does that motog screen looks bigger? Does that motog bezel looks smaller?
I have them both and motog has bezel big enough for buttons like htc has. The same goes for xperia z3.
Cudos to samsung for keeping the buttons.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

You do realize that is not the 2014 Moto G, right?

And the HTC Sensation has a lower bezel that measures 16.0mm's.
The Moto G '14 has a lower bezel length of 13.6mm's.
So it is close, but a little too narrow for Capacitive buttons compared to other models.
On top of this, it has the front speaker which will also take up significant space.

Like I said before, the SONY Z3 is close but still has a substantial lip. If it was smaller, it would've been the perfect device.

So going back to my original point;
On-screen buttons > Hardware buttons > Capacitive buttons

Hardware buttons are better than Capacitive ones because its easier to press and gives that satisfying tactile feedback. And they can have fingerprint sensor built into it.
And On-Screen buttons are even better because they are DYNAMIC. They move away when not needed, which results in a larger screen and smaller device. Its also a simpler from a design point of view. And if you're unhappy with some aspect of the buttons, you could modify it to your personal improvement. Downsides? It lacks the tactile feedback of physical buttons, which is a fair trade-off considering what you get in return.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

I have used mostly the galaxy or note series before switching to the xperia z2 when i became underwhelmed by the s5. I used to think the lack of capacitive buttons would make a huge difference in my feel. Well honestly it makes not much of a difference.

As for bezels, well the iPhone has them and the n9 which I consider to be one of the best lookers had them too. They don't make much of a difference if the device is properly balanced in terms of size vs weight and feel in hand.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

yes, but the point was/is that on-screen buttons sucks and the bezel is still there. So if it is there, why not make some use of it? Ofcourse, when you have something like motog 2014 or htc one (m7, m8, m9) with speaker grill on the bottom then you can't place the buttons all the way down. But still, M7 solution is better than M8
http://cdn02.androidauthority.net/wp...-6-710x399.jpg
On M7 that bezel is used for something unlike on M8.
or this one
http://i-cdn.phonearena.com/images/r...Nexus-5-01.jpg
it seems to me that s5 has smaller bezel and yet, it still have buttons that make it useful unlike that black nothing on nexus 5
well, then you are lucky because trending, no matter how dumb it is, goes your way.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Well, you're misconstruing my point.

I want little bezels and on-screen buttons.
What's the point of having on-screen buttons if you have massive bezels?

Thankfully the trend is going that direction.
We are getting larger and larger screens at the expense of bezel size.
In effect, its a more efficient design.

I wrote a little about it here:
http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p...postcount=2814

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

I don't think so. I'm all in for what you are saying but for now we dont have devices with so small bottom bezel so I'll rather stick with buttons on bezel then on screen. That's all.
And that speaker grill is also stupid, makes the device bigger. Make them a bit thicker, put bigger battery and speakers on a side like N900.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

A speakers on the side is odd (are you listening, Jolla? ;)). You usually listen to the speaker while watching what is on the screen, which makes an argument for a speaker on the front.

On the other hand, two speakers on the front make little sense due to the very narrow stereo base so that is an exception where putting them on the sides makes more sense.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

I'm not sure if that's right.

The NOTE 3 has its loudspeaker on the side (ie/ bottom) and produces tinny noise. Half of the volume is directed towards the user so that somewhat compensates. However, overall its a poor experience.

And the shift to the NOTE 4 had them move it back to the phone's backside. Samsung quoted the reason for the shift was due to lack of space for the new speaker. According to iFixit they're right. The NOTE 4 produces much louder and clearer sound than the NOTE 3. Its mostly due to an upgraded speaker. However, since it fires to the rear the volume is greatly reduced and quality is muffled.

So dual front facing stereo loudspeakers is the best approach to take. You could just have a large mono frontal one and save more internal space. But doing so would increase volume but reduce clarity. I think there should be a balanced between the two.

And I'm all for greater battery life... but I don't want it to negatively affect the experience.
I mean check the HTC One M8... one of the thickest, heaviest and (relatively) largest high-end phones of its time. And what's the result? Complaint after complaint about dropping it !

So when designing a phone its all about choices and compromises. And its a real tightrope act.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

As per usual Ars gives great coverage to UP (& FFOS/Tizen), & almost zero to Sailfish.
Even when UP was still but a twinkle in Mark's eye & Sailfish was much further advanced, this held true.

Oh well, at least they're covering an alt/niche platform, right...
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/...-ubuntu-phone/

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Some quotes from the article:

So they can't even maintain a charger?

I'm liking the attitude of this Sebastian Anthony.

I'm surprised they could've even got it booting considering the MTK 6595 in there, with a locked bootloader, no sources, and no documentation.

So the Ubuntu OS has become another "me too"... okay.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Why did they copy iphone 6 design? They should copy the original ubuntu indiegogo design

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

That's not really a (good) hands-on.
All they talked about was the Meizu MX4's hardware.
Where a comprehensive review could be found with only a few Google clicks away.


I'd like to see the Nexus 5 (SailOS) vs Meizu MX4 (UbuTouch).
I have a hunch Jolla's gonna kick some corporate arse.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

just buy the two devices. Reviews can never keep up With your own standards....

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Anyone seen any news lately? Might be cancelled...

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Lol. It's not cancelled.

Most likely delayed into May / June, though. They seem to want to do more work before they release it.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

They're extremely late to the party, so it doesn't even matter.
If you think about it, they should've jumped in 2011.
Hell, even the slow-poke MS made the shift in 2011 and they gotta worry about their licenses, partners, software direction etc etc.

So even if they launch in 2016, it won't really matter.
They would be lucky if they get a niche like the N900, Palm, or even Blackberry. Maybe its the sour deals they've been making, they should really jump in bed with Cyanogen Inc since they're so alike.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

who cares? Late to the party?? Yeah its easy to say about all mobile devices...

But then again, nothing lasts forever and android will lose it attraction at some point. So I would say it's more about timing than late...

I'm sure we are enough people on this ball of earth to make more than 2 or 3 Os secessfull and profitable at the same time.

Let's wait and see...for now it would be nice with announcement

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

MS's already done that, some good points made in that article, could be a clever move, if done well:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/...r-ms-services/

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Yeah true.
My point was that Linux was waiting to get into mainstream for a long time.
And of the builds, Canonical used to boast that it was the most ambitious one.
Many words, little actions.

Then came the superphone revolution, and Linux builds never jumped on it.
Only Moblin/Maemo = MeeGo was taking the plunge, but we know how that turned out.

Anyways, I was trying to say Canonical is way late to the party.
So they may as well take their time and release a solid product.

The iPhone/Android domination probably won't end until 2025.
So unless "The" ubuntu PHONE poops out fairy dust and gives unicorn boners, I take everything with a grain of salt.

edit: thread is cleaned and the off-topic contents have been moved to:
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=95357
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=95359

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Where is this Phone? I need it ASAP...

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

I guess they don't want to release it if the battery life is so poor. I think I read somewhere that the bq phone's battery lasts a day or something even if you don't use it.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Dave, does your real name happen to be Davina? ;)

(My wife also has troubles recognizing the difference between "want" and "need" ;))

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Don't tell me you are my husband ;)

No, it's not. Basically I don't wants it. I need it to continue my new device steak.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

<Homer Simpson Voice>Mmmmm. New device steak.</Homer Simpson Voice>

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

MX4 Ubuntu Edition is apparently being launched on Monday (the 18th).

http://cngdgt.com/2015/05/15/ubuntu-...unch-18th-may/

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

Can that source be trusted?

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

If it comes from the official Ubuntu Weibo channel, then yes.

Re: Meizu MX4 Ubuntu Edition - Second Ubuntu Phone
 

so does it come from the official Ubuntu Weibo channel?