Posted inNews

PinePhone Convergence Pack: Use a $200 Linux phone as a desktop PC

The folks behind the $149 PinePhone Linux smartphone have introduced a new version that’s designed to work not only as a mobile Linux device, but also as portable desktop computer. The new PinePhone Convergence Package is a new $200 bundle that includes a version of the smartphone with souped up specs, plus a USB-C docking station […]

Posted inNews

CutiePi Sidekick mode: Linux tablet is also a controller for external displays

The CutiePi is a Linux tablet with a built-in handle, a custom user interface, and a Raspberry Pi single-board computer at its heart. Set to begin shipping in November, the CutiePi is up for pre-order through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. And now that the campaign has surpassed its original $35,000 goal, the developer has started […]

Posted inNews

PinePhone smartphone can run desktop Linux apps, also makes phone calls

The PinePhone is a $150 smartphone designed to run free and open source software. For the most part that probably means users will run Linux-based operating systems that have been optimized for mobile devices, like PostmartketOS, Ubuntu Touch, or KDE Plasma Mobile. But since the PinePhone is basically a cheap, low-power Linux computer, it can […]

Posted inNews

NexDock 2 is a new laptop shell for your smartphone (crowdfunding)

Nearly three years after running a crowdfunding campaign for a laptop dock powered by your smartphone, the folks at NexDock are back for another round. The NexDock 2 has a better screen, a more compact design, and an aluminum body (rather than plastic). You can connect a smartphone by running a cable to the USB-C […]

Posted inNews

Maru OS lets you use Android 8.1 on a phone, Debian 9 when you plug in display

You can do a lot of things on smartphones these days, but there are some things that are easier to do on a device with a big display and a full-sized keyboard. So most of us probably use multiple devices including phones, laptops, and maybe desktops or tablets. In recent years there have been a […]

Posted inNews

Samsung launches Linux on DeX beta (run Linux on an Android phone or tablet)

Almost a year after promising to release software that would let you turn select Android phones into full-fledged Linux PCs, Samsung is now allowing users to sign up for its Linux on DeX beta program and the company says the private beta will officially launch November 12th. In a nutshell, the software works by allowing you […]

Posted inNews

Closer look at Samsung’s Linux on Galaxy (use a phone like an Ubuntu desktop PC)

There are a number of ways to run a desktop Linux environment on a smartphone, but usually it involves installing third-party software. Samsung is one of the first major phone makers that plans to offer official software that lets you use the company’s Android phones as Linux desktop PCs. It’s called Linux on Galaxy, and […]

Posted inNews

Ubuntu 18.04 to feature GNOME desktop by default (DisUnity?)

After years of working on a user interface designed to run across phones, tablets, and desktop computers, the developers of the Ubuntu operating system have decided to shift focus. Starting next year, the default desktop environment for Ubuntu will be GNOME rather than Unity. Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth says the  change will start with the […]

Posted inNews

Ubuntu 16.10 launches with a preview of canonical’s converged desktop

Ubuntu 16.10 Yakkety Yak is ready for download, which isn’t that surprising: there’s a new version of Ubuntu every 6 months. But the latest version includes a glimpse of the future: there’s a preview of the Unity 8 desktop environment. What makes Unity 8 interesting is that it’s basically the same user interface that’s already available […]