> You can even use Android apps natively with Waydroid Is that what's shown in the video? Or just another phone app that coincidentally looks like Android?
That's the gnome dialer, yeah.
Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
21–30 of 55 posts
Re: Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
#22Is there an easy way to make any generic computer work as a phone without hacking it?
Re: Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
#23It has whitelist for wireless cards ? That's just evil
Supposedly it's for FCC compliance. Makes perfect sense if you believe it, but I'm not super convinced.
Re: Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
#24Is there an easy way to make any generic computer work as a phone without hacking it?
Plug in an EG25-G USB module. It has good driver suppport on linux as this is the same modem that's in the pinephone. About $60 plus the antennas. It also gives you GPS.
I'm actually working on this right now. I made a case for the module + antennas if you want.
EDIT: oops I hadn't read the article yet LOL. But the wisdom about the USB module still applies. There are also adapters for mpcie or m.2 or whatever modules to convert them to USB modules. Also you probably want to have a module or adapter with a sim card tray.
I bought mine off of aliexpress and also bought the LTE antennas. You need a separate antenna for GPS as well.
Lastly, with some of these adapters, the sim card goes in backwards relative to how you normally think it goes in. This had me stuck for a couple hours.
Re: Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
#25It has whitelist for wireless cards ? That's just evil
Lenovo has whitelists for both wifi and cell cards. It's highly annoying.
A decade ago, I had a Lenovo Yoga 2. The Wi-Fi card it came with only supported 802.11g, or something old and outdated at the time. I learned about the whitelist the hard way when I bought a decently (then) up-to-date wifi card to upgrade, and the computer refused to boot.
But! I refuse to let a computer tell me no... So, after many many (too many) hours of reading forums, dumping firmware, flipping bits, and pushing firmware, I got the stupid card to work. And of course I took no notes, so if I had to do it again, I'd be starting from scratch.
Re: Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
#26A setup like this but in phone size would be ideal. The free software mobile world has really been a dumpster fire from the beginning.
Yes, whoever can shrink this down to the size of something that would fit in your pocket would make a killing. Imagine not only being able to make phone calls, but use productivity software and even browse the internet.
May your wish be granted:
https://www.amazon.com/GPD-Pocket-LPDDR5X-Bluetooth-Handheld...
Re: Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, whoever can shrink this down to the size of something that would fit in your pocket would make a killing. Imagine not only being able to make phone calls, but use productivity software and even browse the internet.
I can imagine it! It should be called the Imagine Phone, or iPhone for short.
Nope they just called it a smartphone when you could hook it up to your laptop and connect the phone by infrared, USB, or later Bluetooth when it appeared. Using the phone manufacturers software that was naturally free for Windows 98 but also W2K, XP and even Mac sometimes.
You really want the headphones when you're using the laptop as a phone because it can have audio feedback otherwise, especially if using the built-in laptop mic.
iPhones just weren't that smart when they finally arose, you did have to use your imagination but it wouldn't get you far in actual computer interaction like smartpones are supposed to, compared to a Motorola or Sony-Ericsson true smartphone.
You can only imagine how much better it would have been if more choices would have maintained their leadership and there were still other options besides only the relatively shoddy Android and iOS.
Re: Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
#28Alternatively you could use a GNU/Linux phone (Librem 5 or Pinephone), which allows to freely choose the OS and supports ordinary mobile use cases. It is small, but if you connect a screen and keyboard, you get the full PC.
Between a T480, Librem 5, or Pinephone, I wonder which is most powerful. I have a soft spot for my Pinephone, but fast it is not.
Re: Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, whoever can shrink this down to the size of something that would fit in your pocket would make a killing. Imagine not only being able to make phone calls, but use productivity software and even browse the internet.
May your wish be granted: https://www.amazon.com/GPD-Pocket-LPDDR5X-Bluetooth-Handheld... plus this: https://gpdstore.net/gpd-pocket-4-4g-lte-module/
I have been following this one for a while, but I have never seen anyone report on its status in linux.
Re: Using ThinkPad T480 as a mobile phone
#30Great work!
I have 4 t480s...and I buy new ones to cannibalize rather than replace the parts as works out to be still cheaper. they are the last of the period that still have an extra memory slot so can be upgraded and put to good everyday use.
This just makes it perfect as I only use the handphone for 2FA and no longer need the dying and hard(er) to find OnePlus 6/T
Thank you!