Librem 6 Look Ahead Wishlist

As long as you’re dreaming … Salvador Dali would have loved a folding phone. (Right next to his melting clocks.)

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I’d rather see a discussion about getting the Evergreen working so it’s no longer a work in progress. Put the effort into what needs work and not share that time and $'s with any new ideas for a new device build.

~f

I like the idea of a second screen, but more of pager type mini display say on the back of the phone that is scrollable, OLED watch size that shows notifications, is always on, shows connectivity status, or any issues encountered, something akin to a production machine interface reporting status of all the components and is configurable.

Could show:

  1. time
  2. date
  3. upcoming events
  4. phone status (suspended, turned off, booting, ssh connected)
  5. currently used connection VPN yes no (WIFI, WWAN, Bluetooth, NFC)
  6. runtime remaining est
  7. temp cpu, gpu
  8. warning, errors from the kernel!

Similar to the MNT reform keyboard display.

And a little overkill but good for reading i suppose the yotaphone 2 YotaPhone 2 with the eink display. I am actually surprised somewhat the company still exists!

It is possible to re-design the phone as better look similar as Iphone with silver chassis with 3 cameras.

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Yes it is possible a fancy desing from Purism.

Like Pinephone more or less?

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It Librem 5 phone is long term phone. I do wish have better design for the phone. similar as Xiomi Phone or Samsung Galaxy Note 22.

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I am very happy with the physical design of the L5. The only things I would change (not in any meaningful order):

  • Move the SIM and uSD to internal.
  • Beef up the headphone port. I suspect it is getting loose. I use it every day during commute, so it gets lots of plug/unplug cycles and it has started to be sensitive to axial positioning of the plug (static). This may be due to the case as much as the jack. :thinking:
  • Better heat dissipation!

The human factors design is far better than I expected from the first usable GNU/LINUX mobile phone. I don’t miss my Samsung Galaxy in the least. Kudos!

Edit: Just realized that I made some of the same comments way up this thread. Oh well… I just hope that Purism continues on their current software-centric path for the L5. THIS IS THE WAY.

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I think that will always be a challenge with an upgradable phone like the Librem 5 because you have to accommodate standard size modules which other phones like the iPhones and Samsungs are not beholden too and also have the deep pockets to get custom chipsets with all their circuit blocks in power optimized formats. I mean Purism might get there but it’s too early I would think. Again they are the David against the Goliath’s in this space.

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Since the chassis is metal, you can probably achieve that silver look with emery cloth! (Much like the patina of that other thread where he dropped it a lot after several months, but more so.)

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An Option to install an Android based system native, like grapheneOS. The kill-switches are the most important thing on the Librem 5. A Linux System for the Desktop-Mode, native or virtually. I think running two different systems native at the same time on the same cpu is’nt possible or?

Camo cerakote?

You can probably achieve it automatically without doing anything specifically, if you are prepared to wait long enough. One edge of the bottom face of my phone is a little silver already, after 2 years. :wink:

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Why?! The L5 looks pretty good to me. No need to make it look like something that contains makeup. And why three camera’s? It is a phone, not a camera.

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Eh? OK, I believe I was wrong in my suspicion. My problem appears to be in the patch cables between phone and automobile head unit. Works perfectly in my truck using identical cables, but the truck is not used nearly as often. I need to buy some more robust cables!

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This might suggest your other vehicle’s plug-in is getting worn out.

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Where to move it to may depend on frequency of access. I think the SD card maybe more frequently accessed by users for various reasons, than the SIM card?

With that in mind maybe moving only the SIM card inside, while the SD card remains easily accessible similar to philosophy of having any external USB drive on your desktop computer easily be removal.

I think Apple in that regard in its designs does an amazing job compared to any Android phone if have seen, Apple uses stainless steel bands around connector ports to guide, reduce lateral, or twisting motions from stressing the internal port, that way the cable will more likely break when violently or at an angle being pulled out than the internal port (stress relief basically). Purism has done a good job mostly, but the USBC port at the bottom has a little too much play in my mind and needs to be tightened up a little.

I am also warming up to the idea of dual SIM support for two reasons:

  1. one SIM may only support local domestic communications
  2. for users with families abroad that need a SIM that can support international calls and data, or those that travel frequently having the ability to switch the SIM for calls, sms, or data would actually be kindof nice.

I don’t think you can expect your favorite or cheapest SIM vendor to also allow international calls. From a design perspective then it would make sense. I know Sailfish OS with oFono has supported dual sims for a long time ~5years? I wonder if that code could be used for the Modem Manager?

I have this issue as well but I don’t have a case. Started occuring just a few months after getting the device. Can’t go for a walk anymore while listening to music if the phone is in the front pocket of my pants. Bluetooth headphones also stutter a little bit for me, so have simply resorted to using my old Android phone again :frowning: Wrote a forum post about this multiple months ago, but got no replies so thought I was the only one with this issue.

That’s only half the problem though. Arguably, the bigger half of the problem is the lack of hardware in the phone to do this, whether that’s through having two SIM readers or through having one SIM reader and one eSIM (as many current iPhones do) or through having two eSIMs (and once you have two eSIMs it becomes easier to go beyond two).

If that’s travel overseas then they might also be interested in the third item on my personal list above.