If you just can’t contain your excitement for Ubuntu Touch, you can flash the developer preview on your Nexus phone or tablet right now. The developer preview (which is in alpha stage and should be considered very experimental) is currently available for the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10.
All you need is a computer running Ubuntu, some command line fu and nerves of steel. This process requires an unlocked bootloader and will wipe everything on your phone, so make sure you make a nandroid backup before you start. Hit the link below to see the full instructions.
Instructions for flashing a phone or tablet device with Ubuntu [Ubuntu Wiki via OMG! Ubuntu!]
Aww, I was hoping there would be a way to dual boot with Android. I still need Android for development at work.
Considered chroot methods?
YES - super stoked for this, big fan of Ununtu on the desktop, not keen on Andriod on tablet (Don't be Evil - LOL) should be a super inexpensive solution (second handers on eBay, or a 10 from Kogan for $500), probably not as user friendly as the other offerings in the market, but plenty of potential for free and clever alternatives to the other platforms, and some tinkering to be had, which rulz. Yayee!!
Last edited February 22, 2013 1:53 pm
@Whiston Can you find out whether this voids warranty? Thx.
It does void your warranty as it requires you to root and unlock your bootloader
Are you sure that unlocking your bootloader automatically voids your warranty? I think that would be an interesting case in consumer law.
Just like jailbreaking, you're essentially unlocking your device for your own use. Even Motorola warn users that unlocking bootloaders results in voiding your warranty, even though they guide you through the unlock process on their website
Sorry, let me rephrase: In Australia, I am not certain that unlocking your phone would automatically void the warranty. I'm not sure it wouldn't void the warranty, but the fact that the manufacturer claims that it voids the warranty doesn't necessarily mean it actually does.
Yes, it voids the warranty. However, you can always reflash your device to stock and lock your bootloader, and they'll never know you voided it, so it'll be like new. Naturally, if you take your phone with a custom rom in and say that calls are dropping, even if you know the ROM isn't the problem, they're going to tell you that you messed with it and as such they have no responsibility to it any more
Currently flashing this onto my Nexus 7.
Is that a vanilla 7?
Let us know how it goes!
Aren't they all vanilla? Completely unusable as a day to day operating system at this point in time, interesting to take a look at though, heading in the right direction, a bit late to the game though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLivJc9Gq4g
A nexus4 would be ideal with docking station to bring out the full experience, but it's not LTE and now I am so converted I can't use 300bau... I mean 3G any more.
My nexus 7, well, it doesn't have the HDMI docking capability that would make it special, also no LTE.
I work on Ubuntu administering mission critical systems for a certain very large international airline, with a red tail, having the phone (on LTE) with me and dropping it into a dock on my desk at work is the ideal I need. Especially if any open terminal sessions into the Solaris boxes are not terminated.
The promise is there, it just needs to work with gnome 3 or mate, forget unity and it just MUST be able to have the amazon spyware removed.
Looks like I stay with my Sammy SIII and IPad 4 combo for now.