Maemo has been around for a long time. I used it on a device many years ago and it worked well enough. Not a phone, but it could make wifi calls IIRC. I haven't kept up with it though, so I don't know what state it's in now.

Maemo itself not so much, but its continuation https://maemo-leste.github.io / http://leste.maemo.org/ is very much alive.

I'm done with this thing. (Faint bugle playing "Taps" gently in the background.)

It goes dead if I try to either re-install Ubports, or any other phone system - neither Manjaro nor Maemo could get anywhere. Phone goes dark right after boot every time. Have to open it up and take out the battery in order to get any power.

P O S

Definite hardware problems.

Emailed them I want a refund (fwiw - lol)

Highly recommend avoidance.

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There's something I can't quite understand. Why would they open preorders that have been closed for several weeks to sell you a faulty device. And the shipping was rather fast as well, especially since they ship from Hong Kong. I certainly hope mine ships that fast

All I see so far are wrong expectations.
With pine64, you don't buy a ready-for-consumption product, you buy working hardware and it's up to you to make it into a working product with software.
I get the impression that none of the 17 OS available for the pinephone are 100% there yet, but much better results than what OP describes should be possible.

@binkyd, I was serious, if you decide to give up I'd like to buy it off you. Just give me a quick sign here in this thread, after which I will enable my private messaging and PM you.

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That's my issue - the Pinephone they sent me doesn't qualify as "working hardware" if I have to jump through hoops to use it.
The battery lasts less than 5 hours with nothing running. The on-line fixes - aren't.

Update: they have replied to my temper-tantrum with a fix. However, it also didn't work; have let them know. Let's see what they do next.

@ondoho, if this attempt doesn't work, you're on.

Have solved my Pinephone issues, I hpe. Actually, it was one issue, called UBports.

First, there's a bug in the Update settings. Even if you have a working SIM card in place, you have to change the "Download from" section to "WiFi only" - otherwise, you have my famous brick. Extraordinarily frustrating, bricks.

Once I did that, I was able to update 3 times, and verify that it still didn't function well - no chnage in battery life.

And I confirmed that the touch screen didn't like me at all. Pain in the arse, it was.

So I replaced it with Mobian. Piece o' cake. No issues.

I'm sure I will find them, given that this whole thing is somewhat experimental, but at least I now have a functioning device. A toy.

And one that looks like fun, too.

Thanks all for holding my hand on this, and putting up with my ranting.

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Hey congrats! I was pretty sure that was the deal. I'm sure you'll find problems since some of these os's are still very new. How's the battery life on Mobian?

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I'm glad to hear it, binkyd.
I already have 3 "alternative" smartphones so I'm not too sad to not strike a bargain with you

Absolutely no battery issues at all.