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Librem5 Hardware Update

puri.sm

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Re: Librem5 Hardware Update

#21

Post by yogthos »

It’s hard to overstate how important Librem phone is. Currently, it’s pretty much impossible to buy a high end phone that you can actually own. All Android based phones have their firmware locked and root access disabled. This effectively means that you do not own the device, and you don’t get the final say as to what will be running on it. I’m aware that it’s possible to crack the firmware, but I think that’s completely beside the point.

We desperately need an open alternative that puts control back in the hands of the user. I think open computing is of fundamental importance. If we lose the ability to decide what code runs on our devices, we’ll be moving a step closer towards a totalitarian dystopia where the governments and corporations get to decide what’s good for us.

Re: Librem5 Hardware Update

#22

Post by zlatan_todoric »

blihp wrote: post #13
amelius wrote: post #11

Does it have a hardware switch to turn off the mic and camera?

Yes. You can see the switch on the side render here: https://puri.sm/posts/librem5-roadmap-to-imx8/

Those are just mockups and not the end product which might heavily change due to various things.

Re: Librem5 Hardware Update

#24

Post by blihp »

remlov wrote: post #19
wetpaws wrote: post #9

>18650 battery I am tired of subpar battery life being a de facto industry standard

I am almost certain that battery only applies to the dev board for testing and development. There is no way a 18650 is going to fit in the final Librem 5 product.

Sadly, I think you're right. Hopefully they manage to go with some sort of standardized (cheap and easy to replace) battery for the final product.

Re: Librem5 Hardware Update

#25

Post by floatboth »

yogthos wrote: post #21

It’s hard to overstate how important Librem phone is. Currently, it’s pretty much impossible to buy a high end phone that you can actually own. All Android based phones have their firmware locked and root access disabled. This effectively means that you do not own the device, and you don’t get the final say as to what will be running on it. I’m aware that it’s possible to crack the firmware, but I think that’s comple…

> crack the firmware

In most cases, you don't have to crack anything, you can officially unlock the bootloader and flash your own OS build.

Yes, you can't touch the early boot initialization, you're still required to use vendor blobs for using wireless/modem/camera/etc things, but you can control most of the software that matters.

Re: Librem5 Hardware Update

#26

Post by floatboth »

zlatan_todoric wrote: post #23

While the Librem5 is step into right direction, it is far away from open hardware and will likely need even software proprietary bits - so I would recommend to stay in realistic zone and help the project in any way you can.

> software proprietary bits

Only the DDR4 memory training blob (which someone could eventually rewrite).

Re: Librem5 Hardware Update

#27

Post by blihp »

zlatan_todoric wrote: post #22
blihp wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. You can see the switch on the side render here: https://puri.sm/posts/librem5-roadmap-to-imx8/

Those are just mockups and not the end product which might heavily change due to various things.

Of course. But you can see three switches on the side of dev boards which would seem to indicate that this part of the plan hasn't changed. (yet)

Re: Librem5 Hardware Update

#28

Post by conradev »

floatboth wrote: post #26
zlatan_todoric wrote: post #23

While the Librem5 is step into right direction, it is far away from open hardware and will likely need even software proprietary bits - so I would recommend to stay in realistic zone and help the project in any way you can.

> software proprietary bits Only the DDR4 memory training blob (which someone could eventually rewrite).

Where are they getting the LTE baseband software from?

Re: Librem5 Hardware Update

#29

Post by djsumdog »

floatboth wrote: post #25
yogthos wrote: post #21

It’s hard to overstate how important Librem phone is. Currently, it’s pretty much impossible to buy a high end phone that you can actually own. All Android based phones have their firmware locked and root access disabled. This effectively means that you do not own the device, and you don’t get the final say as to what will be running on it. I’m aware that it’s possible to crack the firmware, but I think that’s comple…

> crack the firmware In most cases, you don't have to crack anything, you can officially unlock the bootloader and flash your own OS build. Yes, you can't touch the early boot initialization, you're still required to use vendor blobs for using wireless/modem/camera/etc things, but you can control most of the software that matters.

Yea using adb/oemunlock. Sometimes you have to get a code (like with Sony, you input your IMEI number into their website and get one). I've had one Sony that was unlockable; a condition of the original cell provider.

Still, it's bizarre considering you can install Linux on any PC/laptop you buy.

The bigger issue of course, is that you can't just install Linux on a phone. They're all random pins soldered to random chips and all use patched to hell Kernels with binary blobs. Linux distros can release images that are designed on boot on x86/x86_64/PPC/Sparc and they'll booth up and install on most of those machines. That's impossible with nearly all Android/ARM devices.

PostmarketOS is trying to change that from the other direction, but Librem is a huge step in giving developers embedded hardware that doesn't require carefully modified and patched kernels/bootloaders.

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