Debian Lenny on Android Phones
Thanks to a hack a few days ago, BusyBox has been running on the T-Mobile G1 mobile phones with Google's Android platform. Now Jay Freeman, alias saurik, goes a step further: in his blog he describes how to install Debian Lenny by way of root access on the device.
All is well, according to Freeman on his website, because Debian already supports ARM EABI. EABI stands for Embedded Application Binary Interface developed by ARM to be the interface port for the same-named 32-bit microprocessors.
Freeman established a special hacker's mailing list to discuss the G1. The steps to your own Debian phone, however, are not trivial. Among other things you have to add a filesystem to the kernel and pack root into a filesystem image that you then mount on Android's 16-Gbyte FAT.
Beginners beware of such experimentation, unless you inherited a trust fund. Parts of the world where G1s are not yet available can only watch as those that do have them promptly turn them into bricks. The next updates to the device are already on the way, so Freeman advises users to play with it "while you still can." Unfortunately saurik's website doesn't show pictures of the result of his successful hack.
Issue 237/2020
Buy this issue as a PDF
News
-
Purism Launches a Mini PC
The makers of the Librem line of Linux-based laptops have released a mini PC.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.2 Adds AI Machine Learning
With the new release of openSUSE Leap comes some exciting new features, including machine learning.
-
Google’s Nearby Sharing Could Work with Linux
Google’s answer to Apple’s AirDrop feature is rumored to work with the Linux desktop.
-
System76 Launches Ryzen-Powered Laptop
The new System76 Serval WS includes a powerful AMD Ryzen CPU.
-
Linux Mint Drops Snap
Linux Mint has officially dropped their support for Canonical’s snap packages.
-
Lenovo Upping Their Linux Support
Lenovo is now offering full certification and Linux preinstalled hardware.
-
LPI Launches FOSSlife Website
Linux Professional Institute launches FOSSlife, a website for the FOSS community.
-
Tuxedo Computers Joins the Ryzen Bandwagon
Tuxedo Computers has released the Tuxedo Boot BA15 with an AMD Ryzen 3500 CPU.
-
Linux Apps on Windows Is Coming
Linux GUI apps will be coming to Windows Subsystem for Linux.
-
Linux Usage Is on the Rise
According to NetMarketShare, Linux saw a significant bump in usage during April.