Hello everyone,
I'm a very experienced Linux user (I have all sorts of devices with Linux, including a Jornada 720 and HP C8000 workstation), but I've always used iOS - my employer started issuing us iPhones around 10 years ago, and I went lazy. I like to play around with old UNIX workstations and use IRIX and HP-UX daily.
Before that, I used Nokia Communicators, starting with the 9210i and then had a short year with Blackberries before my employer went full Apple, so I have zero experience with Android.
I became wary of my privacy and also find iOS very disturbing. What I liked about the old Communicators is that they allow for you to get just enough information in a notification (SMS in the case) adding a barrier that impedes you taking action (you need to open the device, find a stable surface, etc), so I was very excited when I first found out about Cosmo and the possibilities of fine tuning notifications, plus keeping my private and professional lives separated (dual SIM, one for voice and another for data, and separated from my work phone).
My Cosmo arrived last week and I went straight with Linux. I found it rather limiting, though. I couldn't get the notifications through to the codi and the phone app is very basic (no carddav). Then I thought that, since I never gave Android a proper try, I will see what's up there. I host my own email, caldav and carddav services for already 10+ years, with full redundancy for everything.
After spending the whole day reading the forums, I have the following questions:
Linux:
- I found Debian very hard to use as a daily driver (usual interactions are too slow, text is too small even increasing font sizes and scaling). If I go the Ubuntu Touch way, what can I expect to work or not?
- Any way to get notifications out to the codi?
- I've ordered the USB-HDMI and the USB hubs from Planet. What is the current status of support? I went through the threads here but most of the information I found is rather old. I was hoping the Cosmo could become my main Linux laptop.
Battery life is not a concern. I'm hardly ever more than 4 hours away from an outlet and I'm not a person who spends too much time glued to the phone.
Android:
My installation routine was the following:
0. Rooted.
1. Upgrade to V25.
2. Upgrade codi to 1.1.1.16 (after trying some 20 times...)
3. Installed and upgraded Magisk.
4. Installed microG.
5. Installed DAVx and AdAway.
6. Installed Termux (omg I wish iOS had this!)
Using Aurora Store and F-Droid.
The questions and problems:
1. I'm using the native Contacts application, but the contacts don't show up on CODI. Any suggestions?
2. The media controls also don't seem operational on the CODI.
3. I can't remove the Google bar widget from my main screen. I tap and hold and don't get the option to drag it around or remove it from the main screen like I get with every single other widget and application icon. Tips?
4. microG "system spoofs signature" and "gmscore has correct signature" are not checked. Any way to fix it? What are the consequences if this fails?
5. My notifications are always hidden behind the "locked" icon on the codi (check attached photos). This kinda defeats the purpose of the external display for me (although having different LED colours is AWESOME). Is there a way that I can see the app icons of the notifications on the codi when the phone is locked? I'd love to have something like photo 9869 even when the phone is locked.
6. Nothing that I tap on the "About phone" screen would bring the developer options. Suggestions?
I'm sorry for the flood of questions. I'm loving the phone so far and look forward to being able to contribute to the community in the near future.