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Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard
If you dream of owning a Linux phone that respects your privacy and keeps your data secure you'll want to check out Purism's new crowdfunding campaign.
The security-conscious US-based Linux laptop maker is hoping to raise $1.5 million to manufacture a 5-inch privacy-focused smartphone powered by open-source software.
Starting at $599, the Librem 5 will run the GNU/Linux PureOS distribution instead of Android, and will include a slate of features aimed at helping you protect your 'digital identity' — including end-to-end encryption of calls and texts made to other Librem 5 handsets.
While the phone will use as much free software as possible Purism do concede that the mobile baseband will likely use ROM loaded firmware (but with a FOSS kernel driver).
Wondering what kind of smartphone you get for $599? Us too. As it is, Purism say Librem 5 specs won't be finalized until after the campaign ends. This, they say, is to "ensure the best available components."
[...] If you're thinking of replacing your current smartphone with the Librem 5 you will need to look elsewhere as Purism plan to ship the phone in January 2019.
Source: Purism is Crowdfunding an Encrypted Linux Phone
(Score: 1) by Beau Slim on Wednesday August 30 2017, @06:23AM (2 children)
Yep, a non-open, non-user-auditable base rom makes these guys absolutely no different from anyone else. In fact, it probably makes them (and any other small player) worse because they won't have the funds to hire the legal team required to protect themselves from secret warrants, etc. If they weren't US-based, they might stand a chance of avoiding the "install this and keep your mouth shut or go to prison" situation.
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday August 30 2017, @06:39AM (1 child)
Even if you have tons of money..
http://www.techradar.com/news/canonicals-dream-for-an-ubuntu-phone-is-dead [techradar.com]
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 30 2017, @06:57AM
Followed by an expensive non-cellular SoC for the 'system'.
Hell you could even add a switch to turn off the baseband SoC if desired, rather than software disable via the 'primary' SoC.
Now mind you this increases parts costs by 25+ percent and may be worse when you roll in design costs.
But it is totally doable today. It solves that pesky baseband issue, except for the cornercase of using the baseband to spy on the RF emitted by the main chip, and it allows you to securely partition the phone in ways that haven't been done since the ceullar modem got rolled into the SoC for cost cutting and power saving reasons at least 10 years ago.