as many others I am really interested in buying a Librem 5. I’ve been a Linux administrator for the last 20 years and was looking for a phone like this for a long time especially after I read that Threema will be accessible from the phone.
As I saw there is a usb c connector at the phone that can be used to attach a (mobile) screen. It would be nice to know if I can use the phone as a replacement for my tablet /laptop.
I usually use my laptop to maintain my servers or do office work - nothing really special.
Are you aware of the planned convergence feature (search “convergence site:puri.sm”) and the monitor bundle?
It’s a bit early to say how well it will work, but if mouse+keyboard+shell could already satisfy you, it’s not unlikely you’ll get what you want.
Well,
Mouse, keyboard and shell is about 70% of what I need something like Libre Office and maybe a nextcloud client would be awesome and oc Threema (that’s actually a must have).
I saw the bundle, but I was hoping that I could connect any monitor capable of usb-c to the phone … am I wrong ?
sure why not. that bundle is just an integrated usb hub inside the monitor but you could connect any monitor to the librem 5 if you find adapters or a dedicated docking-station/usb-c hub.
I am not planning on fully replacing my laptop with the Librem 5, but I can definitely see myself using it as an extra one. I’m very interested in owning a phone that can double as a desktop/laptop
In addition to doing normal phone things (text, email etc) I can imagine running Manuskript on it (I like to write stories), as well as doing some Python programming.
If you are planning to use the Librem 5 as regular office machine, you can have a look at this kickstarter project.
I already supported this project and hope it will work like a charm.
I hope that puri.sm will also develop a tablet sized screen with battery and additional connectors where I can push in the Librem5, and use it as a tabled.
Additionally with an BT keyboard, mouse and so on, it will be a high value addition to my regular Laptop.
At one time I had a Lumia 950 which was almost usable as a laptop replacement so I’m cautiously optimistic that this will be even better. I used it to connect to VDI/RDS formost heavy lifting and actually worked that way in my office for several days without any major issues.
Yes I know MS is evil, but the convergence thing is something they were actually getting right until they killed the phones entirely.
The display output should work with most displays out there, but it will not work with all of them: there are multiple ways to transfer display data over USB. The USB-C port will use the DisplayPort alternate mode, and that’s what the display (or the hub) should support. Thankfully, it seems to be the most popular one by far.
Nawwww , not for me . My laptop has Ubuntu Studio 19.04 XFCE and even the great L5 is not going to replace it . Right now they have few apps libhandy modified to render correctly on this device but many still dont render correctly or just dont function at all .
Im sure as the device is delivered and interest and development grow this will all change .
But nothing is replacing my laptop right now . Certainly not with the listed L5 hardware and heat management .
The nexdock ? Thats actually not L5 and IS android . However that is just a hardware shell with a monitor mouse and keyboard interface. It should work with anything that has HDMI out to USB
No they show a librem 5 with the nextdock which is basically a laptop without any guts, just a keyboard, display. But the picture shows Ubuntu one, so I’m assuming you have to be running Ubuntu on your phone.
No , the device is what allows the nexdock to work via mini hdmi out . The operating system can be anything . All the dock does is put the HDMI signal on the screen . What that HDMI signal actually is is moot .
Thats exactly how I believed it to work as outlined above. To my knowledge the hardware on the device being hdmi is what creates the ability to use the dock .
Nexdock is a glorified monitor keyboard and mouse in a familiar housing connecting it all together via ports and not much more. I mean it does have M.2 SSD storage dock on board and built in speakers as well . But it is an empty shell awaiting a signal to distribute to all its components.
I bet you could hook a ps3 up to it and get a signal . and have maybe web browsing capabilities if the keyboard interfaced with the browser software.
I already do this with my OnePlus One on LineageOS, so the Librem 5, being native GNU/Linux, should work even better! The screen is a bit low resolution for it, bit it’s pretty hard to see normal resolution text in 1080p on such a small screeen anyway, even for me.
something like Libre Office and maybe a nextcloud client would be awesome and oc Threema (that’s actually a must have).