Official statements from the City of Corpus Christi Watch video updates from inside Corpus Christi City Hall Public Information Officers support city residents by delivering valuable information Nueces Bay Boulevard will be closed between Up River Road and Leopard Street beginning Monday This closure is part of ongoing improvements to water lines along this section and is expected to last through Monday The City of Corpus Christi proudly introduces Ask Cece an innovative AI-powered chat tool designed to enhance customer service and streamline communication for residents round-the-clock access to city services via an easy-to-use web chat and text messaging platform This new service helps residents quickly find information simplifying the way they access city services La Ciudad de Corpus Christi se enorgullece de presentar Ask Cece una innovadora herramienta de chat impulsada por IA diseñada para mejorar el servicio al cliente y agilizar la comunicación con los residentes TX— Vector Control is actively working to manage mosquito populations across the city By conducting regular maintenance and targeting mosquito breeding grounds they aim to significantly reduce the presence of mosquitoes and minimize the risk of mosquito-borne diseases located at 4044 Greenwood Drive in Council District 2 The Brownlee Boulevard and Ayers Street intersection will be closed from Saturday May 17 as part of the ongoing Brownlee Boulevard reconstruction project This work will allow the contractor to connect the 42-inch storm sewer system with improved piping and infrastructure significantly improving drainage in the area – Corpus Christi Animal Care Services (ACS) is taking concrete steps to improve animal well-being and enhance operational efficiency will offer paper shredding for Corpus Christi residents on Saturday coinciding with their Litter Critter event Mayor Paulette Guajardo and the City Council received a preliminary General Fund Forecast for FY 2026 that projects an approximate $7 million gap in revenues to expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year The Corpus Christi Parks & Recreation Department announces the temporary closure of Bill Witt Park to facilitate planned road improvements at the park's entrance including roadway milling and asphalt overlay Call 311311 Website Landline Callers: 361-826-CITY (2489) Subscribe to receive the latest information from the City of Corpus Christi Subscribe And up until now one of the main reasons I’ve paid attention to his relatively small company is because they’ve also supported installing Ubuntu Touch as an alternate operating system sine day one But the company’s newest phone also has another feature that makes it stand out… for better or worse The Volla Phone Quintus is positioned as a smartphone “with distributed cloud computing.” instead of hosting cloud services on its own servers Volla wants to build a Volla Cloud out of… other Volla phones It’s an ambitious goal that Volla is positioning as a solution that “gives the power back to users” since data isn’t stored on the server of a “big tech” company like Google or Apple But it’s also a solution that is kind of dependent on other users’ buying into it First you have to accept that your data will be encrypted in a manner that makes it possible to store it on other people’s hardware in a way that makes it impossible for those users to access it. Volla says it’s using Holochain technology which uses a blockchain-like system to keep track of transactions and keep anyone from tampering with data But it also allows you to securely delete data something that cannot be done with blockchain you have to assume that there will be enough other users participating in the Volla Cloud ecosystem who are willing to give up storage space and data bandwidth on their phones so that your data remains accessible so I’m wondering if this is a feature that will be available in future hardware from the company The good news for folks who may be skeptical of the Volla Cloud and Volla Meshnet promises is that they’re entirely optional: you don’t need to use them if you don’t want to Volla began taking pre-orders for the phone earlier this year during those aforementioned crowdfunding campaigns, and now says that it’s begun the final stage of production: applying software and sealing the boxes before shipping them to customers The first units to ship will go to backers of the Kickstarter campaign with website and Indiegogo orders set to begin shipping in November The Volla Phone Quintus features a 6.78 8inch and support for the following cellular network bands: and 2MP macro camera on the back and a 15.9MP front-facing camera Other features include a fingerprint sensor Volla offers two operating system options for the phone: Volla OS and Ubuntu Touch Volla OS is a custom Android-based operating system that’s been stripped of Google apps and services and modified with a custom launcher and other apps while Ubuntu Touch is a mobile GNU/Linux distribution based on Ubuntu And if you can’t decide on a single operating system the Volla Phone Quintus supports multi-boot allowing you to install a second operating system on the built-in storage and choose which to load at startup Liliputing's primary sources of revenue are advertising and affiliate links (if you click the "Shop" button at the top of the page and buy something on Amazon But there are several ways you can support the site directly even if you're using an ad blocker* and hate online shopping Contribute to our Patreon campaign Contribute via PayPal Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. There is no mainnet ( it is not a blockchain) with apps that are built with holochain. The more apps that are used the better/and faster the network. Volla messages works great without the use of datacenters. Each holochaim app creates its owm network https://www.holochain.org/what-holochain/ this is not very exciting news guess i will keep using graphene os even if cloud is optional ubuntu touch would be better if it supported android apps like furi phone which i do know if it is any good either and i’m not really sure what benefit i would get over grapheneos since i can already install foss apps and get way better security on a locked down pixel someone should come up with a way to make storage modular and interchangeable with a phone some kind of slot in the phone where you can plug in a type of cartridge that can be bought separately and come in various amounts of storage That way we can get rid of the cloud altogether and not worry about big tech holding our depend on another person’s phone One of the big strengths of a linux phone could be the option to connect it to a screen and peripherals for desktop use “The good news for folks who may be skeptical of the Volla Cloud and Volla Meshnet promises is that they’re entirely optional: you don’t need to use them if you don’t want to.” but to me this isn’t really “good news” Once a project starts messing with that type of crap Because it doesn’t really matter if they are making it an optional feature or not it already means that the corporate mentality already got infected with the horrific plague that is Tech Bro investor hype vice It signals decay and that something is rotting from the inside out already Depending on what the solution is supposed to be is something I wouldn’t want to use and don’t think will work but it isn’t as dangerous as some software gimmicks can be encrypted cloud storage system isn’t automatically impossible You could agree to store some encrypted blobs for someone else in return for them storing some from you Some people already do that with companies that have large online storage options including applying strong encryption so that those companies can’t access their files I’d rather buy my own disks and build my own redundancy but that takes more work and is more expensive but something like that isn’t necessarily invasive Lots of open source software does very similar things and isn’t considered sketchy by default I think trying to run it on a phone is going to introduce a lot more resilience problems and put strain on hardware where strain is harder to recover from but not such a bad one that it would take down the entire product I don’t know if I’d go as far as to say that “Tech Bro investor hype vice” is without a doubt what they’re infected with but I’d agree it’s a sign of desperation and indicates a lack of sustainability There is indeed a difference between innovation and “degenerate” investments It would help if you provided some concrete examples All Volla phones AFAIK have removable battery built-in support for booting alternative operating systems and their Android variant seems quite clean and without tons of bloatware (contrast that with Samsung which has 3 proprietary cloud systems and tons of preinstalled apps built-in) Now they are experimenting with web3 storage but I don’t see what is so terrible about it except that it would be even more interesting if they implemented some solution that is agnostic and can interface with multiple web3 storage providers The LoraWAN and experimenting with meshnet technology seems very logical since these are communication devices Maybe their meshnet enabled smartphones will eventually interface with Helium or The Things Network or similar networks This would be a major upgrade since that would enable global communication outside of GSM system which seems to be plagued with SS7 and other proprietary firmware vulnerabilities Maybe it would be cool if they tried to work with Mediatek to enable GrapheneOS as an option for people who value that particular distro All in all it seems to me their evolution path seems quite logical. I would say for now the only hypey thing is their “Springboard” home launcher which can be easily replaced with Android’s default one in settings its to cheap to create my own local storage solutions and i never store anything online regardless of the method I wish the term “decentralized” hadn’t been ruined by cryptodouchebags Lilbits: Tariffs on Chinese shipments take effect, Apple opens up the App Store (a bit), and first look at Google’s Pixel Desktop mode Aura Triple Boost 14″ Pro gives you laptop THREE extra displays Epic Games Store moves to attract app developers with 0% developer share on the first $1 million in revenue Daily Deals (5-02-2025) the City of Corpus Christi will host a controlled burn to make room for the La Volla Creek Drainage Improvements project the controlled burn will take place near Holly Road the burning will only occur during the day The La Volla Creek Drainage Improvements project includes the following 130-acre detention pond and its supporting infrastructure: park improvements This project is expected to be completed in March 2026 For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App. Late yesterday evening a man on a motorbike a man on a motorbike for reasons currently being investigated collided head-on with a lorry the transport in red code to the Ospedale del Mare and then the death due to the serious injuries reported The man driving the articulated lorry did not suffer injuries The Carabinieri of the Torre del Greco radiomobile section arrived on site for the surveys and investigations the body is at the disposal of the judicial authorities Read also other news on Nova News Click here and receive updates on WhatsApp Follow us on the social channels of Nova News on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram While the international elite gathered at the CDIO Aachen on 3 - 7 July in France the National dressage championships were held for FEI pony riders and senior Grand prix riders the same weekend At the senior Grand Prix championship in Vierzon on 6 - 7 July 2024 the field of competitors was thinned out with the best riders competing at the CDIO Aachen and other squad listed riders deciding to rest their horses Pierre Volla picked up the third title in his career after winning in 2016 and 2017 on Badinda Altena This year he saddled his new hope L'Espoir de Massa a 9-year old Portuguese sport horse by Rubin Royal x Landim SSC The gelding is still owned by the breeder and is yet to make his international show debut In Vierzon the pair won the Grand Priw with 70.369% as the only pair to crack the 70% marker In the Special they topped the board with 68.298% "It was important to me to win here for my ex father-in-law who is fighting against illness," Volla commented after his victory he should be under the trees watching… For the rest with this horse we will talk about it with the whole team at the Massa breeding we have to find the right strategy to return to a high level Getting back into the French team is a goal that I always have inside me The silver went to Stephanie Brieussel aboard the 10-year old Hanoverian Fellini du Soleil (by Foundation x Rubin Royal) They were second in the Grand Prix with 69.804% and third in the Special with 67.298% but landed a second place overall Bronze was for national dressage rider Mathieu Berville on the 9-year old Selle Francais bred Fragolino du Parc (by Don Juan de Hus x Sandro Hit) Berville only once competed internationally with Fragolino at the 2022 World Young Horse Championships He ranked 11th in the 7-year old consolation final Berville was fourth in the Grand Prix with 68.543% and fourth in the Special with 66.915% but finished third overall The Pony riders gathered at the traditional venue in Lamotte-Beuvron while the senior Grand Prix riders battled it out in Vierzon Nine pairs competed in two rounds for the gold medal and title in the French Pony Championships in Lamotte-Beuvron The big fight was between the riders who have been selected on the French team for the 2024 European Pony Championships in Opglabbeek in two weeks time Viaud and Dazzling Kid in 2023Thimoté Viaud and the experienced liver chestnut Dazzling Kid d'Herbord (by  Oscar la Chevaleriex Flatteur) claimed the title after scoring  69.33% in the first round in the individual test and  72.84% in the second round After bronze in 2023 Viaud got gold this time The silver medal went to Eva Clement aboard the 8-year old Dutch bred Bredendhof's Midnight (by Leuns Veld's Lord x Rhodin Hedde) They were the only pair to score over 70% in round one (70.14%) and posting 70.50% on the next day to finish second overall Brieussel co-owns the horse with Gildas Nicoleau The bronze was for Charlotte Pons aboard the Dutch bred Vinkenhove Xander (by Orchard Boginov x Pionier's Baltazar) They collected 68.9% and 69.32% to rank third overall Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot and Liliputing may earn a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on those links and this article only reflects the prices available at time of publication The Volla Tablet is a 12.3 inch tablet with a 2560 x 1600 pixel display it’s the software that makes this niche device stand out Volla OS has a custom launcher and user interface and features tracker blocking and other features that highlight privacy and security… potentially at the cost of convenience The tablet ships without the Google Play Store or other Google apps and services like Google Maps While that means you’ll need to look elsewhere for any third-party apps you may want to install it also means that you’re handing less of your data to Google And the tablet does support alternate app stores including F-Droid (a repository of free and open source applications for Android), and Aurora Store (a third-party client that lets you download apps from the Google Play Store either anonymously or with a Google account) The latest version of Volla OS is based on Android 13 The latest version that’s compatible with the Volla Tablet is based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Now that the Volla Tablet has begun shipping customers can choose one of these two operating systems at time of purchase But you can also install Ubuntu Touch on a Volla Tablet that ships with Volla OS The company is also developing an official Volla Keyboard accessory that should begin shipping in March 2025 to backers of last year’s crowdfunding campaign I’m guessing this is just a white-label tablet being made by a Chinese OEM and Volla is just adding their software and branding This looks nearly identical to the Headwolf HPad6 and I see it for $199 on Walmart.com with 24gb of RAM That’s an outdated mid-range chip that comes in very cheap tablets Thinking the HPad6 is almost certainly a reboxed alldocube iplay 60 pro which looks like it can be had for between £80-130 for bulk orders of >1000 units but Volla is absolutely taking the f###ing piss don’t really need a flagship SoC for what I’d use it for but there’s no chance I’d be paying a 6× upcharge to be sold an outdated piece of tech with a squiggle printed on the back All the images I found of the Alldocube iPlay 60 Pro do not look like the Volla Tablet or the Headwolf HPad6 except on the advertised screen resolution The 12GB RAM on the Volla and the 24GB on the Headwolf tablet at Walmart might be misleading as Headwolf advertises on its site as “20GB RAM (achieved via 8GB+12GB expansion)” so it is 8GB real RAM and the rest is “swap” in Flash storage how about blobs and open uefi/bios and free open network module Lilbits: Microsoft Recall, more tariff-related pricing uncertainty, and Samsung’s Ball-shaped robot Radxa Dual 2.5G Router HAT adds two high-speed LAN ports to a Raspberry Pi 5 (or other single-board PCs) Asus NUC 15 Pro mini PCs with Intel Arrow Lake chips now available Daily Deals (4-07-2025) pro-level display and an intelligent Volla OS enhancing user interactions with live results ~ This innovative device ensures privacy with a de-googled Android system and robust security measures including a unique security mode.  the Volla Tablet seamlessly transitions between a laptop embodying the ultimate "space for freedom" for creativity Uncompromising Security with Innovative Technology The Volla Tablet is crafted for those who value privacy running on a Google-free Android system and offering Ubuntu Touch the tablet respects privacy and emphasizes security through the intelligent Volla OS which includes a unique security mode tailored to protect users it doesn't just safeguard your digital footsteps; it excels in performance too With a large 12.3-inch display and a powerful built-in gaming processor this tablet is perfect for everything from getting work done to unleashing your creativity or enjoying entertainment Intuitive Operating System Designed for Efficiency At the core of the Volla Tablet's innovation is the Volla OS a sleek and intelligent operating system engineered to enhance your digital experience Central to its functionality is the smart text field within the 'Springboard' feature a standout tool that revolutionizes how you interact with your device the system intelligently anticipates your intentions offering autocomplete suggestions and relevant features such as sending messages The Volla Tablet is equipped with a variety of features designed to cater to the needs of modern users: Versatile Form Factor for Unmatched Flexibility and smartphone into a single dynamic device users can effortlessly switch between Volla OS and Ubuntu Touch adapting the device to various needs and environments This functionality allows the tablet to serve not just as a portable device but also as a fully functional desktop replacement when paired with an attachable keyboard and superior sound system with four speakers Powered by the MediaTek G99 processor and equipped with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of expandable storage it is designed to handle demanding applications effortlessly True to its roots, Volla Systeme continues to engage with its community through open-source projects and crowdfunding. The current Kickstarter campaign is not just a launch platform but a way to involve the community directly in the product's success.  Partnerships and Contributions to Open Source In line with its commitment to privacy and open-source solutions Volla Systeme has partnered with notable service providers like hide.me VPN and StartPage search engine to enhance the security features of the Volla Tablet a portion of the sales from the Ubuntu Touch version will support the UBports Foundation further contributing to the development of open-source software The Volla Tablet is set to revolutionize how users interact with technology prioritizing both functionality and privacy.  Contact Info: Name: Dr. Jörg WurzerEmail: Send EmailOrganization: Volla SystemeWebsite: https://volla.online/en/ Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCUNfnWLzrU If you encounter any issues, discrepancies, or concerns regarding the content provided in this press release that require attention or if there is a need for a press release takedown, we kindly request that you notify us without delay at error@releasecontact.com Our responsive team will be available round-the-clock to address your concerns within 8 hours and take necessary actions to rectify any identified issues or guide you through the removal process Ensuring accurate and reliable information is fundamental to our mission Indices Commodities Currencies Stocks Austrian Olympian Victoria Max-Theurer has added a cross-bred Lusitano horse to her string; L'Espoir de Massa. Dressprod reported the sale first L'Espoir de Massa is a 10-year old Portuguese Sport Horse by Rubin Royal out of Opera de la Font (by Landim SSC) L'Espoir was first trained and competed by Massa's in-house stable rider Renaud Ramadier in 2019 and 2020 Three years later the horse resurfaced at medium tour level under former French team rider Pierra Volla In February 2024 L'Espoir made his national Grand Prix debut and won The pair continued competing at national level in France with six successive victories They won the 2024 French Grand Prix Championships in Vierzon L'Espoir has now been sold to Austrian Victoria Max-Theurer The Achleiten based rider competed two Grand Prix horses in 2024: Abegglen and Topas With the former she finished 17th in the Kur to Music in Paris Related LinkViaud and Volla Claim Titles at the 2024 French Dressage Championships Up until recently it’s mostly been a place for installing Epic games like Fortnite But now Epic has announced the availability of third-party titles in the Epic Games Store for mobile devices With just under 20 games available at launch it’s not like Epic’s store is ready to topple the App Store or Google Play Store each of which have millions of apps and games available But Epic is giving users a reason to try its store: free games It’s a strategy that has helped Epic build the Epic Games Store user base on PCs and now the company is hoping it can do the same on mobile Here’s a roundup of recent tech news from around the web The Epic Games Store for Android and iOS now features 3rd-party games with “nearly 20” titles at launch Epic is also expanding its free games program to mobile starting with Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee After running Kickstarter and Indiegogo crowdfunding campaigns last fall, the Volla Phone Quintus began shipping to backers in November. It’s now available for purchase directly from the Volla Shop for €683 (when you use the coupon START25).The phone has a 6.78 inch FHD+ 120 Hz AMOLED display Available now from AliExpress for $673 and up the little computer supports WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 has two SODIMM slots for up to 96GB of total DDR5-5600 memory Other features include 2.5 GbE and Gigabit LAN ports Keep up on the latest headlines by following Liliputing on Bluesky or @[email protected] on Mastodon. You can also follow Liliputing on Threads and Facebook Most people have some commercial or government software that needs Android to run phone that works as payment for subway train a digital-only/implant payment system is easily abused When Volla launched a crowdfunding campaign for the tablet earlier this year the plan was to build a device with a 12.3 inch display But the company says it had to replace the original screen That will most likely lead to a 1-2 month delay in shipping but Volla says it’ll compensate backers for the wait by doubling the storage to 512GB The Volla Tablet is an upcoming tablet with a MediaTek Helio G99 processor support for Android and Ubuntu Touch operating systems This new mid-ragge chip is the first Dimensity 7000 series proecssor to feature ARMv9 processor cores (it has two Cortex-A715 Performance cores and six Cortex-A510 Efficiency cores) Other features include Mali-G610 graphics and support for up to a 200MP camera There’s also a MediaTek NPU 657 for AI features Google’s Pixel 9 Pro teaser confirms the phone’s updated camera bar design and emphasis on Google’s Gemini AI features. This comes about a month ahead of the official launch, but follows several recent leaks Megapixels was one of the first (somewhat) full-featured camera apps for mobile Linux phones like the PinePhone Developer Martijn Braam has been working on v2.0 for over a year and shares some goals & updates in this video Lilbits: Cheaper Microsoft Surface Laptop and Surface Pro coming soon and a MediaTek Helio G99 processor with two ARM Cortex-A76 CPU cores up to 2.2 GHz and support for touch and pressure-sensitive pen input as well as a detachable keyboard the tablet will also support 4G LTE cellular networks and features dual SIM support Other features are expected to include a 10,000 mAh battery which is a custom version of Android with a “Springboard” launcher that lets you send a message or launch apps by typing into a text field and other custom apps But Volla says users can also choose to install Ubuntu Touch “as an alternative and second operating system with the Multi Boot function.” Not only does this allow you to run mobile but thanks to the tablet’s 12.3 inch display you could also attach a keyboard and/or mouse to run supported desktop applications Volla hasn’t announced pricing or an estimated ship date yet but we should learn more when crowdfunding begins Update: Crowdfunding prices start at around $560 + (expensive) shipping for global customers or about $630 + $20 for shipping to backers in Europe via Volla (1)(2) This can be interesting depending on price (the lower the better micro SD and USB-C are mandatory for me) and level of Linux support Not really hopeful about price since it’s going to be made (or at least designed/managed) from Germany because MediaTek has a truly bad reputation in this regard (much worse than eg Qualcomm) with dismal upstream support which forces vendors to patch the kernel themselves and users tend to be left with outdated already gave them an email so they can let me know when it launches I hate the Android style clockface as a choice to advertise the product… It already makes me distrust it I hate the ‘aesthetics’ of Google’s Material Junk or whatever the hell it is called these days… Corporate art styles and the ways of such institutions are always puke worthy at best It’s now a blank black screen with no animations Now all I got to do is get rid of those annoying Android/Google cartoons of people with the overgrown limbs and fat bodies and I have no clue how to do it for fugly individual system apps without rooting Only if it has good stylus support & does not exceed $1,200 after tax @liliputing_ this is interesting glad to see more tablets in the Linux space even if it is via halium I’m currently using a pinetab 2 for my Linux tablet needs but this seems way faster and support for optional accessories including a backlit keyboard cover and a digital pen But what really makes it stand out from most tablets is the software: Volla will offer users a choice of two operating systems One is the company’s Android-based Volla OS which is a de-Googled version of Android with a custom user interface The other is mobile GNU/Linux distribution Ubuntu Touch First unveiled last month, the Volla Tablet is now up for pre-order through a Kickstater crowdfunding campaign and the tablet is expected to begin shipping to backers in October While backing a crowdfunding campaign isn’t quite the same thing as pre-ordering a product through retail channels, there’s a little less risk than usual associated with this campaign – Volla has a track record of delivering on its hardware promises, having started shipping Android + Ubuntu-ready phones to customers in 2020 What’s new this time around is that the company is launching their first tablet-sized device and cellular networks (with support for 2G and what sounds like a pretty basic set of cameras including a 13MP primary camera with auto-focus Kickstarter reward levels start at €528 (~$563) for global backers of the crowdfunding campaign or €628 (~$670) for backers in the European Union But global customers will most likely end up paying much more for shipping – it costs about $20 to ship the tablet to most European countries while international shipping can be much more expensive It costs about $85 to ship the tablet to the United States Entry-level rewards include a power adapter But users can pay a little more for a screen protector and/or “back protection shell.” Or you can opt for a Kickstarter Bundle that also includes the screen protector as well as a keyboard cover The optional pen accessory isn’t ready just yet, so Volla’s not offering it as a Kickstarter reward yet, but the company says it has confirmed that the tablet does support pen input Backers will be able to pick an operating system before the tablet ships Or users can opt for Ubuntu Touch, the mobile version of Ubuntu that’s been maintained by the folks at UBPorts since Canonical abandoned its efforts to port its desktop operating system to smartphones While there aren’t as many mobile-friendly apps for Ubuntu Touch as there are for Android, the operating system provides a touch-friendly user interface, access to at least some Linux apps that have been made for touch, and support for convergence which is another way of saying that you can use the same operating system to run both mobile and desktop applications This opens the door to using desktop versions of apps like Firefox or LibreOffice on the tablet when it’s connected to a keyboard and/or external display while using mobile versions when using the Volla Tablet has a handheld device Or I guess you could just buy a tablet with an x86 processor and install the desktop version of Ubuntu or another Linux distribution via Volla Blog Stream the hottest Turkish series with Romanian subtitles on our blog right now!” With free apps for reading, listening, and watching files, and streaming apps for all platforms, Android is unbeatable. A VNC session on a tablet offers great privacy and convenience. I’d gladly pay for such a solution. luciferdonghua.one It somewhat reminds me of JingPad and the Jolla Tablet for me it seems the market for “Linux Gadget” is a pipedream and it’s not even guaranteed to ship or ship in the coming weeks or months or potentially years Had this device been finalized and shipped in 2016 it would’ve been a much bigger deal although with specs adjusted for that era (Exynos 8890 And an even bigger deal if this device was shipping in 2012 (Exynos 4412 etc etc) because that was around the last hurrah of Linux fans focus shifted onto just using Linux on a Desktop PC Maybe using such a system on a handheld from Anbernic or the mighty SteamDeck But many project failings over the last two decades has put Linux Gadgets on some sort of freeze I wish Intel or AMD would create an energy efficient x86 cpu with gpu integrated capable of handling full x86 Linux distributions and then have either Lenovo or Dell put it into a 6-7 in display tablet with relatively high end everything for a weird mini-Linux tablet monstrosity They could even make it thicker with a large removable battery like the Unihertz Tank and I’d still want to buy it With free (as in beer) apps that I can read A VNC session that worked great on a Tablet could be a good place to start… everytime I wanted privacy I could just do things over VNC Even iPhone or iPad have been decent experiences for a long time Even then there could be security concerns I understand why there has always been a demand for a Linux Gadget that ran natively on the hardware the x86 options aren’t viable due to cost Whilst ARM devices have many issues in terms of driver support It’s just this weird place with no clear solution get ready made commercial devices and hack them with the software… That’s why I think “the year of Linux” is basically dead and a mere pipedream I wouldn’t describe x86 as “easier to code for” the issue is the fact that x86 has standardized UEFI and memory maps that require proprietary information to write drivers and kernels (and specifically drivers and kernels) for on any device that doesn’t follow similar standards Add the fact that most ARM devices have locked bootloaders and the enthusiasm for learning how to deal with them is going to be super low I don’t think that this means it’s wrong to keep trying even if it’s not economically viable Google and Microsoft haven’t stopped being evil even if most normal people have had the notions that might let them pick up on this fact programmed out of their heads or have just accepted that and decided that it’s more important to be smart than to not be evil and a ruggedized body that’s MIL-STD-810H tested and IP68 rated for water and dust resistance Unlike many modern phones, it also has a user-replaceable battery, a headphone jack, and a microSD card reader. But it’s also the software that really makes the phone stand out: Like all of the phones Volla has released since 2019 the Volla Phone X23 comes with a choice of the Linux-based Ubuntu Touch or the Android-based Volla OS Ubuntu Touch a touchscreen-friendly Linux distribution that was original developed by Canonical, the company that makes the popular Ubuntu operating system. Canonical eventually abandoned the project, but it was picked up by a team of independent developers that formed the UBPorts project The operating system officially supports a few dozen phones that originally shipped with Android as well as a few Linux-first devices like the PinePhone and Librem 5 But Volla’s phones are some of the only models available with the operating system pre-installed is a fork of Google’s Android Open Source Project code that includes a number of custom features including a Springboard launcher and replacements for some of Google’s standard apps with secure Volla OS is described as a Google-free operating system despite the fact that Google develops Android since it ships without Google Mobile Services Note that some of the phone’s features may vary depending on the operating system Ubuntu Touch supports “convergence,” allowing you to connect the phone to an external display to run desktop Linux apps but Volla OS doesn’t have any sort of desktop mode Meanwhile Volla says data encryption is only supported in Volla OS And if you want a multi-boot setup that lets you switch between operating systems on the same phone Volla recommends purchasing a model with Volla OS and installing Ubuntu Touch (or another OS) manually Both versions of the Volla Phone X23 are expected to begin shipping in May, 2023 and they’re up for pre-order now for €522 (about $560) although Volla says the first 20 customers who pre-order can use the coupon code SUPERX23 to save 15% And anyone who pre-orders by March 19th can save 10% with the code VOLLAX23 Right now the Volla Phone X23 is only officially available in Europe but Volla suggests that folks in other markets might be able to snag one through an upcoming Indiegogo campaign the phone has a 1560 x 720 pixel IPS LCD display with up to 500 nits brightness and a notch for the 16MP front-facing camera On the back of the phone there are 48MP primary and 8MP ultra-wide cameras And on the sides there’s a fingerprint reader as well as power and volume buttons and a button that you can use to dictate notes using offline speech-to-text functionality The phone has a microSD card reader with support for up to 1TB of removable storage a removable 5,000 mAh battery with support for 30W wired charging or 15W wireless charging via NotebookCheck I’ve been thinking about a non Google phone for quite some time but need one that will allow me to run everything Proton Wouldn’t it be better to get the Steam deck and a 4g feature phone/hotspot The steam deck really isn’t very good as a PDA or camera just because you use a Linux Phone does NOT mean you’re not getting spied on you give too much credit to the corporations They are not as sophisticated as you think they are Their ambitions rest on increasing their profit margins If you said you were a wealthy and powerful individual but it would be moreso against the likes of NSA rather than the passive version used by mainstream devices there’s a lot you can do on Android to make it secure you can disable some services and be picky with the Apps and Data you use which gives you a lot of control in the sent data which can keep the good-bits and remove the bad-bits in this context being the Google Services/Framework sticking to mainstream has more advantages than disadvantages Most people should be happy to trade some privacy for convenience just pointing out that your behaviour is outside of the common person Regardless of all that I’ve raised here you still overlooked the point that was made It’s that the typical Linux User isn’t looking for the buttery-iOS experience And the experience of that task is stupidly annoying on a phone or tablet Typical Linux Users prefer having multi-monitors Linux Phone is a tiny tiny niche which is more fantasy than reality it’s worth picking up the Samsung xCover 6 Pro anyways You’ll be waiting MONTHS for this fundraiser to get traction/ship out devices you would get a comparable but better experience with the Samsung then you can make a detailed comparison between the two It will make your job easier when it comes time to decide between which one of the devices to keep or sell The reasoning is that both of these are One in a Million devices which have User Removable Battery (and they have IP68) where they differ next is the Operating System everyone knows that cell carriers track your location although you can turn airplane mode on to stop that until you need to communicate they’ll also track DNS requests if your connection to a DNS provider isn’t encrypted or you haven’t set a DNS provider that offers that But substantially less of your activity is being analyzed and correlated in detail if you’re not using an OS with Google Play Services or whatever proprietary analytics software Samsung is using on it And if the firmware is phoning home all the time well maybe it shouldn’t be doing that and you should at least try to send a message that you don’t want that even if the average consumer doesn’t really understand what firmware is or why they should care even when realistically everything is doomed and you should just condemn everyone who disagrees with the current paradigm for making the stupid decisions needed to go along with it less than everyone else rooting and installing custom ROMs is not something you can expect to work out of the box on any android device and might even be completely impossible on many devices (and Samsung devices have gotten more hostile to that lately) And you can’t reliably expect all hardware features to work unless you’re using an OS that shipped with the phone Most people are sheep being led to their slaughter I’m in the minority here but I want to minimize the amount of data and money that I give to giant evil corporations that ARE collecting as much info as possible on each and every one of us (even us nobodies) We know Linux phones aren’t some magic cloak that will completely remove us from big tech’s grasp but I’m still willing to shell out a few more bucks and have a little less convenience in order to remove some of these shackles placed upon me and I’m just your average normie when it comes to computer knowledge Your post reminds me of the famous quote stating that people who give up liberty for some safety (in this case Everything is clearly moving to a subscription based social credit score 1984 surveillance system and if people knew what’s best for them they’d stop giving so much money to those that want them to be mindless slaves Alt news sources and physical media is the answer I think our financial credit scores are far more dystopian than social credit scores if I have to choose between punishing people for being poor or being assholes let’s punish the assholes and help the poor I will never discourage anyone from trying to take back whatever control they can from corporations; i was an early backer for the Librem 5 and own each version of the PinePhone If you really want to win against the major corporations you need to join a communist party and get active in your community just in a very limited and non-threatening (to the powerful) sense @justin The problem with social credit is there’s no concept or precedent of who should oversee it or the rules that go into it and there’s simply too many unknowns thanks to the much greater scope Complaining about the system is considered bad behavior in China for example and if that’s applied to other countries systems even ones that offer more than one party to vote for the common person will have no say in what goes into the rule set once the system goes live Who decides what behaviors constitute being an asshole…and which ones don’t A conglomerate of corporate representatives A brand new set of elected officials (which will require constitutional changes) what if they decide to just give out certain bonuses to people’s scores based on a person’s immutable or less mutable identities If I were to extrapolate from current trends I’d expect stealing things to have less of an impact on your score than complaining about products that the government really social credit can in concept be checked at any location or doorway or any other time as there is no precedent for where it’s unacceptable to check it At least there’s limits about the financial score At least they don’t broadcast your odds of getting a loan to the public when they suck what happens if a large demographic develops a characteristic of just not really giving a care about the system it will certainly put them in conflict with everyone else more frequently each rule in social credit constitutes part of a game everyone has to play Each rule has to be carefully considered in conjunction with other rules including laws that already exist and the enforcement of said laws and corporate standards and practices and old rules (including laws) have to be changed or removed if you want anything good to come out of such a top-down system And there are far more rules than the financial credit score Slapping more rules you can’t enforce on top of rules that you can’t enforce due to other rules that are being prioritized won’t help if we start from a blank slate with no laws in principle the financial score is more repressive but in the current context where we theoretically already have heaps rules to try and prevent people from being jerks If you want to play games and have a phone Try carrying around a Steam deck the way that people do with phones; it’s not going to work What I want to do with it gots to do with vibrating beads when I sit down on it to play games should probably buy the Samsung Xcover6 Pro first and a display that looks much better but has No Burn-in Plus you get a much more stable software and 5-Years of updates most Linux users would prefer to use an iPhone/Android and have their Linux system on their dedicated Desktop PC And for anyone looking for “mobile use” the System76 Laptops are much better still I’m very well aware that by all common standards of normalcy anyone interested in this phone SHOULD just SUBMIT and embrace the botnet but that won’t stop me from also knowing that the way these corporations want human beings to live is not what we’re evolved for If it was available where I lived I’d be highly tempted I’m sure some people will flip at the price to RAM ratio but honestly unless you’ve got an iPhone no one cares what you have and 4 is still fine for a phone that’s not trying to be anything more than a contemporary communications device I’m supposed to say “you’ve got iPhone” apparently iPhones are overrated now I am surrounded by people using them and can see they are just as janky as my Android POS phone VollaOs is not interesting so I don’t know why they bother. there is no way my service provider would ok this as a phone as my service already sucks as-is with the stock garbage Android that they like so much when watching me poo As a stretch goal, the creators of the Volla Phone project promised to support a GNU/Linux-based operating system. Since that goal was reached, the Volla Phone can be ordered with a choice of the Android-based Volla OS or with Ubuntu Touch There’s also a community-supported build of the Linux-based Sailfish operating system for the Volla Phone The Volla Phone can be purchased from the Volla website Volla Phone Quintus is a smartphone that’s also part of a distributed cloud, supports Android or Ubuntu Touch Volla Phone X23 is a rugged phone that runs Google-free Android or Ubuntu Touch Lilbits: Apple’s new Mac Pro could have a 48-core CPU, Lenovo Tab M9 leaked, and Linux smartphone news Volla Phone 22 runs Ubuntu Touch or a privacy-focused Android fork… or both (crowdfunding) Lilbits: Another AMD handheld gaming PC, Volla Phone 22 (with Android or Ubuntu), and Asus Tinker Edge R single-board computer Trump administration exempts smartphones, PCs, and chips from reciprocal tariffs… for now Zum Inhalt springenCHIP Brand LogoBeliebte Suchanfragen Stattdessen nutzt die App die „Volla Cloud“ ein Netzwerk aus den vernetzten Geräten der Anwenderinnen und Anwender Laut Hersteller gewährleistet dies maximale Sicherheit und digitale Unabhängigkeit „Kommunikation wird so wieder zu einer direkten privaten Angelegenheit zwischen den Menschen die miteinander in Kontakt treten,“ teilt Volla Systeme mit Die technische Basis der Volla Cloud ist Holochain Diese Technologie übernimmt zentrale Eigenschaften der Blockchain Volla Messages soll es Nutzern ermöglichen Kontakte mit gesicherter Identität anzulegen ohne Vorkenntnisse in kryptografischen Verfahren Die Einrichtung erfolgt durch den Austausch eines Kontaktcodes der vom eingeladenen Kontakt mit einem Bestätigungscode beantwortet wird Für offene Gruppen lässt sich ebenso einfach ein Einladungscode versenden Laut Hersteller positioniert sich Volla Messages als werbefreie Alternative zu Telegram Die öffentliche Beta-Version umfasst zunächst die wichtigsten Basisfunktionen: Textnachrichten Fotos und Dateien können gesendet und geteilt werden Die Volla Messages App ist bereits in Volla OS integriert und für aktuelle Volla Smartphones und Tablets mit Volla OS 14 verfügbar Im Sinne der Langlebigkeits- und Wertbeständigkeitsoffensive wird die App auch bald für ältere Modelle wie das Volla Phone der ersten Generation und das Volla Phone X mit Volla OS 12 bereitgestellt Volla Messages soll unabhängig vom Besitz eines Volla Phones genutzt werden können Daher steht die Public-Beta-Version bereits für andere Android-Geräte sowie für Windows Linux und macOS auf der populären Plattform für Open-Source-Software GitHub zur Verfügung By comparison the original Volla Phone sells for €359 (about $425) But while that model initially went up for pre-order through a crowdfunding campaign before it was sold through Volla’s online store the new Volla Phone X is skipping the crowdfunding step The new phone has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance covers that protect the USB and headphone ports when you’re not using them and a 6,200 mAh battery which should provide longer run time But it’s also a heavier phone (280 grams vs 190) it’s one of a relatively small number of phones available for purchase with a Linux-based operating system pre-installed as an alternative to Android Folks who buy a model with Volla OS (the company’s version of Android) can also install Ubuntu Touch on their own if they’d prefer to go that route Here’s a run-down of some key specs for the Volla Phone X: Assuming that this will work well enough given I usually use an mvno that allows choice of network is there a way to order this phone in the states On the Volla shop you cannot order to the U.S and while there is one option to order on the Indiegogo site Not to mention it says it’s not guaranteed to make it through customs I want a Linux phone to tinker with at a 500 or less price range so I would like to get this if it’s possible I would really like to experiment with distros and develop some applications What’s the general consensus on the processor Is it low-end like the Pinephone AllWinner I’m thinking about getting it but don’t want to get another Pinephone-type phone with inferior hardware Due to the mistake of getting a Pinephone I was thinking of waiting until the Mobian devs integrate Halium and then flashing a OnePlus flashing the Volla phone with Mobian/Phosh might be an option I suppose but it’s an 8-core arm cortex-a53 chip with higher cou and graphics clocks than the PinePhone’s quad core Allwinner A64 chip Basically it’s a step or two up in performance Maybe think of it as a better budget chip or a lower mid range smartphone chip it’s actually one of the more robust options available for phones that use Halium rather than a mainline kernel and there are a number of mobile friendly apps as well as tools for running desktop applications But development isn’t super fast – the latest current builds are still based on Ubuntu 16.04 and it’s unclear when they’ll rebase to Ubuntu 20.04 Is there any way to buy this if you live in the USA I think Volla phones are like the Iodé phones but unfortunately they don’t sell in America I checked with Volla Phone and they are taking orders for the US but I couldn’t get my US carrier (Verizon) to guarantee that it would run well on their network so I hesitated to spend the money to order the phone Volla’s tech/sales rep gave me the frequencies it runs on and it matches about 75% of Verizon’s frequencies which I think indicates it may have less than full coverage in some areas depending on frequencies that various towers are running Many international phones work on T-Mobile and AT&T in the US It sounds like the situation here may be a little better than usual for Verizon customers but I’d be wary of buying it if I planned to only use their network But what really makes it stand out is the software. The phone, which is up for pre-order through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign ships with a choice of the Android-based Volla OS or the Ubuntu Touch mobile Linux distribution allowing you to install more than one operating system and choose which to run at startup This is the third phone from Volla. It has a faster processor and twice as much storage as the original Volla Phone and Volla Phone X both of which feature MediaTek Helio P23 processors and 64GB of storage and while the phone’s 4,500 mAh battery is a little smaller than the batteries used in the older models the Volla Phone 22 is the first phone in the series with a user-replaceable battery So you can swap out batteries if you need more run time or replace an aging battery with a new model to extend your phone’s life span in a few years While Volla works with the folks at UBPorts to ensure its phones are compatible with Ubuntu Touch the company develops the Android-based Volla OS in-house It’s based on Google’s Android Open Source Project code and set of apps with an emphasis on privacy as this is a phone aimed at folks who want to minimize tracking from big tech companies Other Google apps and services like the Chrome web browser The upshot is that no user data is collected or stored by Volla or other companies unless you decide to install apps that track your data that could make using the phone a little less convenient if you’ve come to rely on those apps so the Volla Phone might not be the best choice for everyone Volla OS also has a built-in user-customizable firewall, an App Locker feature for disabling and hiding apps, and optional support for using the Hide.me VPN for anonymous internet usage. The source code for Volla OS is also available for anyone that wants to inspect the code The operating system also has a custom user interface including a Springboard that allows you to quickly launch frequently-used apps by pressing a red dot for a list or by starting to type in a search box for automatic suggestions such as placing a phone call You can also create notes or calendar events from the Springboard or send an encrypted message with Signal here are some of the phone’s key specs: Volla expects to begin shipping the phone in June 2022 to backers of the Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign Prices start at €378 ($408) for early bird backers or €398 ($430) for folks who miss out on the early bird special Note that shipping to the US will add €46 ($50) to the price though Is this another phone reported here that doesn’t support most US bands gigaset.com/hq_en/gigaset-gs5/ better gs290 It’s intolerable — the government (which presently steals our data wholesale) should instead ensure that secure operating systems uncontaminated with proprietary waste are made generally available perhaps by buying Linux-based ones or mandating that all phones be made flashable with better OSs It would be helpful to identify closely comparable hardware and see its price; how much of a surcharge do we now have to pay for Linux on a phone National governments are involved with way too much stuff as it is with a billion things they shouldn’t be doing that no one knows how to stop I wouldn’t trust a government to be able to not do stupid stuff like make them ship binaries with proprietary backdoors in them without disclosing it If we want phones to let people do what they want with them as much as computers conforming to a standard that people could buy replacement modules for at any retail outlet (like SD cards except those are not fast enough to satisfy most people) we wouldn’t have to be seeing custom kernels and locked bootloaders for every device and when someone wanted to upgrade the storage the easy thing to do to make sure their phone could still do anything would be provide an OS installer It would make the development of operating systems that Respect Your Freedom much easier to the point of being a prerequisite for the rule you propose in the first place This could theoretically happen without government involvement if someone were to convince investors to buy a factory to make phones like this then sell a billion trillion units by making them better than everything else…and pigs could also fly Because data mining is the biggest part of the phone business A large part of the internet hardware would have to be destroyed before that made sense which is why ARM laptops are as locked down and soldered together as phones and x86 laptops are moving in that direction too or one of the many Android handsets available from the likes of Google then you might want a phone that truly does too is a good-looking device that is focused on keeping you safe and secure It runs a choice of operating systems -- Volla OS and the recently added Sailfish OS -- that can be selected on start-up Support for additional mobile operating systems is coming soon The Volla Phone 22 is a solid mid-range device that first came to market via crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo It is available in White and Elegant Black and features a 6.3-inch FHD+ display It’s powered by a MediaTek Helio G85 4G processor and comes with a 4500mAh battery (which supports Qi wireless charging) This can be removed and replaced simply by taking the back off the phone which is something you don’t see so much of these days the Volla Phone 22 is unusual as it only comes in one version with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage The capacity can be expanded by adding a MicroSD card of up to 512GB and this can be used for installing additional operating systems On the back of the phone are two cameras -- a 48MP primary shooter and an 8MP ultrawide angle camera with macro capabilities The front has a 16MP selfie camera tucked away in a small notch By default, the phone runs Volla OS, which is based on the open source Google-free Android Operating System (AOSP) Which you might view as refreshing or terrifying The phone’s support for multi-boot means you can also install and use Ubuntu Touch or Sailfish OS as your operating system These can be installed through Settings and you can switch between them or Volla OS on boot up In Volla OS there are three screens you can swipe between From here you can search the web by typing what you’re looking for or if you add the @symbol when typing you will be shown matching contacts and can call or message them You can also use Springboard to create notes or add events to your calendar There’s a red dot in the bottom right corner and tapping this will open up a menu for features like Dialer You can change the shortcuts on offer here in Settings There are six other 'overflow' apps like Clock Adding additional apps can be done through Store or F-Droid 'Store' in the apps list is actually Aurora Store and this lets you download your favorite apps from Google Play You can do so by either logging into your Google Account or taking the anonymous route -- in the latter case there are secure and insecure methods for doing so F-Droid is home to open source alternatives to popular apps and might suit you better if you’re truly worried about your privacy gives you access to the following options: In the month I spent using it I’ve come to really like the Volla Phone 22 Volla OS does take a little getting used to but once you’ve got everything set up how you want it The Volla Phone 22 is priced at €452.00 and can be purchased here © 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy This 12.3 inch pro level tablet packs the powerful MTK gaming processor G99 with cutting-edge features Some of the most exclusive features include: – Smart Interface: The tablet comes with a smart/intelligent/ai user interface concept – Unique Privacy Features: Enjoy an entirely Google-free experience with Volla OS – Unmatched Performance: The device is powered by a MediaTek Gaming G99 8-core processor It is also equipped with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage for seamless multitasking – 3-in-1 Design: Thanks to the convenient design with Ubuntu Touch you can use it with a Linux system prepared for convergence – Sleek Design: Slim and lightweight the Volla Tablet boasts a spacious 12.3-inch display with 2650×1600 pixels and 4 speakers for immersive entertainment – Advanced Security Mode: With this tablet you can easily enjoy uncompromising privacy and cyber security with a unique security mode and Google free OS – Ubuntu Touch Compatibility: Opt for Ubuntu Touch for an independent mobile Linux OS experience – Customizable Features: Customize Volla OS with dark and light modes and background images to suit your preferences are you ready to be a part of the movement towards digital freedom with the Volla Tablet a powerful tablet that focuses on top-tier performance lightweight design and a Google-free interface View Product Specs Discovered on May 1, 2024, 7:00 am EDT Discovered by Genevieve Healey Report thisEditor's QuoteDigital safety in a device that makes tablets look so different and real We use cookies to personalize your experience. Learn more here ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " In corona times we are all ordered to stay at home With more time on your hands to spend online Eurodressage launches a "Hit & Run" interview series so that you get to know the world's most famous dressage riders and personalities more closely French Grand Prix rider Pierre Volla had a career making time on his one-hit wonder The pair represented France at the 2012 World Young Horse Championships in Verden and competed for France at the the 2015 and 2017 European Championships and 2016 Rio Olympics They were the 2016 and 2017 French Grand Prix Champions and they won bronze at the 2018 French Championships In February 2019 he sold his horse to Denmark Volla runs a training and sales stable with his wife Which person alive do you admire the most and why for the longevity of her career and success When we achieved the qualification for the Rio Olympics at the 2015 Aachen European Championships When a doctor told me it was finished with my riding after a fall What is your most annoying character trait Which trait do you dislike the most in other people What was the best choice you ever took in life Who can sit next to you at your dream dinner table What was your biggest disappointment in life What would you change if you can go back into the past Name one thing that would improve your quality of life What is the most important life lesson you have learnt That friends and family are very important Which character would you dress up in for Halloween When I sold Badinda Now it looks like Volla may be preparing to launch a second phone The Volla Phone X is a rugged phone with a sturdy body and a big battery and while details are pretty light at the moment it will likely be available with a choice of operating systems when it goes on sale Update: The Volla Phone X ships in August, and it’s available for pre-order for €449 (about $530) As spotted by TuxPhones, what appears to be a Volla Phone X prototype made its debut during a Volla Community Days live stream last week The phone is said to feature IP68 certification for dust and water resistance and it has a rugged case that should help protect the phone’s hardware from damage There’s also a cover that protects the USB-C port on the bottom of the phone when you’re not using it the phone will likely have the kind of battery life that’s measured in days rather than hours And a glance at the back of the phone suggests it’ll have two rear cameras With a MediaTek Helio P23 (MT6763) processor the Volla Phone X probably won’t be a speed demon but that 2.3 GHz octa-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor should be noticeably faster than a PinePhone which has a 1.2 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 chip Unfortunately, that chipset also means that, like the original Volla Phone, the new model will likely be unable to use an upstream Linux kernel and will instead rely on software like Halium that allows Linux distributions to use Android drivers to interact with smartphone hardware I dont get it … The spec you are giving here for volla Phone X are exactly the same spec than the old volla phone according to your “compare phone spec page” or in the “compare page” … unless they are releasing a new phone with same specs as the previous one … @phaxos I think the main difference is the new phone is a “rugged” model and the phone is on track to ship to backers in November The phone is still up for pre-order through Indiegogo for €359 (~$420) and you can choose whether it will ship with Ubuntu Touch or the Android-based Volla OS There’s also a community port of Sailfish OS for the phone, as well as a community-made multiboot tool called Android Boot Manager that allows you to boot an alternate operating system from an SD card In the latest update posted to the Volla Phone crowdfunding page the developers say that the release candidate builds of Volla OS and Ubuntu Touch for the smartphone should be available next week In addition to shipping without proprietary Google apps and services there’s now better support for the Volla Phone’s hardware support for transferring files between a Volla Phone and a connected PC or Mac and support for over-the-air updates (delivered via the Ubuntu Touch dev channel for now but stable OTA updates should be available soon) There are still some kinks to be worked out for the Ubuntu Touch builds for the Volla Phone: You can see the development team’s to do list at the Volla Ubuntu Touch issue tracker, or just check out the Hello Volla GitHub page for more details about all of the team’s software developments Here’s an overview of the Volla Phone’s specs: And you can see how the Volla Phone stacks up against other smartphones designed to run GNU/Linux distributions in our Linux Smartphone spec comparison page Does the Volla phone work in the US on GSM networks (e.g. Looks like it supports at least some T-Mobile and AT&T bands although I don’t know if it’ll be fully supported by Ubuntu Touch at launch or if you’ll need to use Android for the best support for all of the phone’s hardware Here are the network bands supported : GSM / 2G: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz FDD / LTE / 4G: 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 MHz do its USB charging and wireless charging work in the US Obviously the EU power supply will not work Trusted Reviews now has a forum! Join the discussion & win £250!  Privacy is something that is hard to put a price on It offers the opportunity to keep your data out of the hands of Google That this trade-off isn’t as steep as might be expected is a big triumph a more powerful processor and a more modern display the Volla Phone might have been an unexpected recommendation Ask a phone nerd what their ideal device would look like and the wish list is usually quite similar while others might add a removable battery and a replaceable back cover There are some still who might also say, no Google, no Apple Though it has a modern tall/thin design and a teardrop notch a removable back and a replaceable battery that will be reason enough to spark interest This is a rare device that comes with Android sans Google completely scrubbed of every product offered by Mountain View no Play Store and more – a bold gambit but then Volla’s goal isn’t to make a mainstream smartphone instead it is to make one focussed on a single quality alone: Privacy Where it is placed in the market is then moot as you will either have read the above and thought “that’s the phone for me!” or “not interested” the question then is simple: is it as good a phone as it is interesting as a concept A single look at the Volla Phone 22 reveals one thing; design was not a major focus That isn’t to deny that it looks modern or good but simply that there isn’t much interesting about it at first glance and is an interesting throwback in some ways but that allows it the freedom of keeping camera lenses flush with the back The phone is made entirely of plastic (apart from a glass panel on the rear) and though this doesn’t feel especially premium it does have some positive trade-offs when it comes to durability A lot about the Volla’s utilitarian design becomes apparent when considering its origins as a Kickstarter project that raised £100,000 in 2022 This financed the purchase of white-label Gigaset GS5 devices which were then customised with a backplate and software (Volla OS) This is standard practice for smaller manufacturers what is really interesting about the device isn’t on the surface On the bottom right of the Volla Phone 22 there’s a little fingernail hole to prise off the back panel (something this author hasn’t done with a new phone since 2016) two nano-SIM slots and a MicroSD card slot underneath Being able to remove the battery opens up the option to ‘hot swap’ in a charged battery and the dual-SIM slots will be useful for the same The MicroSD card slot allows for another of the Volla Phone 22’s unique features the ability to change the operating system – more on that later it doesn’t look bad but maybe a little boring though those are tradeoffs that come with having a removable back All of these metrics exist to pit phones against one another, but as before the Volla isn’t a normal phone By most stretches its display gets the job done gets just about bright enough to use in strong sunlight and dim enough to read in bed What is the case for the screen is also much the same for the cameras flanked by a 8MP ultrawide snapper and a 16MP selfie camera on the front There are no claims of amazing camera performance This approach holds true with the camera app and capturing HDR images causes a fair bit of shutter lag though this improved with an update during the review process and nothing like a Night mode or a Portrait mode Surprisingly, images captured in good light are decent, showcasing nice colour and enough detail for the most part. A big problem is with the dynamic range. The HDR function is plodding and inaccurate, in the same way things commonly were before the Pixel line shook the smartphone market up here the Volla Phone 22 exhibits performance reminiscent of a device from 2013 The above is true of images taken with the selfie camera and ultra-wide angle sensor The Volla Phone 22’s weaknesses are in software processing and can improve with time (no promises) For all that’s been said in this review about the Volla Phone 22 I still haven’t scratched the surface of its most interesting feature: this phone can swap operating systems it is easy enough to partition a MicroSD card install it and then use it nearly immediately Indeed the phone is sold with a choice in operating systems – you can get it either with ‘Volla OS’ or Ubuntu Touch This is sold as a boon for business buyers who maybe want this flexibility When I tried it the process was simple enough and there were prompts to help me through the process though I still had a couple of false starts For the purposes of this review I tested Ubuntu Touch and Sailfish OS among the most ‘mainstream’ of the options available run by Jolla and crafted from the bones of MeeGo developed and abandoned more than a decade ago by Nokia and Intel This is a mobile-first OS and is built entirely around gestures including a pin screen with all currently running apps there isn’t compatibility with Android apps as there is with Xperia devices running Sailfish OS Neither of these have any ambition to remake the mobile world In a monoglot market of only Android and iOS there’s no oxygen left for different operating systems They’re instead curious toys to tinker with interesting but sometimes punishing to use for every purpose An issue with running them from MicroSD cards is that even with a fast card the memory speeds don’t match those of internal storage so performance can be quite sluggish when using an ‘alternate’ OS… Coming to Volla OS and general performance the Volla Phone 22 runs a MediaTek Helio G85 and sports 4GB of RAM and 128GB of memory by default If you are concerned about corporate overreach which works like a universal search function There’s an app drawer that looks at your most used apps monochromatic first with an occasional splash of red Swiping through the operating system and general basic tasks proved to be no issue as you might expect of a modern smartphone this is where any ‘alternate’ operating system dies a death unable to offer anything close to the overwhelming quantity and quality of offerings on the Play Store or the App Store loading two app stores onto the phone by default containing a hodgepodge of open-source apps Most will head instead to the Aurora app store There’s the clincher that many of these require the Google Services Framework which runs counter to the spirit of the device but at least the option is there for those who want it through the review period an update arrived taking the core of the experience from Android 11 to Android 12 improving the look and the experience of Volla OS What this also did was embed MicroG in the OS an open-source replica of Google mobile services This means that where previously a Google app wouldn’t work on the phone (i.e though what you will make of that is up to you One slight hiccup is the chipset used for the device and it is a little geriatric for some purposes where the device achieved a single-core score of 413 and a multi-core score of 1334 In other benchmarks the store proved to be the same; the Volla Phone 22 isn’t a powerhouse Gaming performance was a moot point, this isn’t a powerful gaming device, but then there are few games available for it to run. If you want a gaming phone there are much better options available elsewhere Battery life on a device like the Volla Phone 22 is difficult to measure when compared to other phones it won’t have the same checks and balances going on in the background as an Android or iOS device taking calls and listening to music from the SD card during the day with enough juice to then make it to 5pm the following day This is with the caveat that the above didn’t include video or other more draining activities due to the sometimes incompatibility with certain apps So with the proviso that you might not be able to follow a normal use pattern the Volla Phone 22 is capable of great battery life With MicroG active and following a more ‘typical’ use pattern of YouTube this saw us reach 60% at 5pm the first day So regardless of how you use the Volla Phone 22 Fast charging is a separate issue; there isn’t any A full charge from flat therefore took over three and a half hours which won’t be an issue for those who charge overnight though that suffers from the same speed issues : The ability to run a range of mobile operating systems gives the Volla Phone 22 unmatched customisation : The MediaTek Helio G85 is showing its age in 2023 and is easily outshone by budget alternatives The quest for a ‘privacy first’ phone is an old one maybe starting with the release of the Black Phone by Silent Circle in 2014 Volla is definitely a far superior phone to most of these options at least giving users the option of using some Google services if they want to functionality that will get the pulses of some racing and a relatively high price tag at £389/€452 offers more usability and capability across the board but this is not a device intended to compete If you are someone who likes to tinker and likes the idea of less Google in their life the Volla Phone 22 is about as usable as a privacy-focussed smartphone that has been produced for some time though for business travellers the combination of great battery life and hot-swappable batteries might be a compelling one The Volla Phone 22 doesn’t have the best screen powerful speakers or any of the hallmarks of a usual ‘recommended device’ lots of potential for tinkering and truly great battery life While it might not succeed in being a perfect modern smartphone it offers a change of pace and direction that most can’t – if that holds your interest then this might be the device for you If not, you’d be better serviced by taking a look at our selection of the top cheap smartphones We test every mobile phone we review thoroughly We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly and we use the phone as our main device over the review period We’ll always tell you what we find and we never Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough unbiased and independent advice on what to buy we have millions of users a month from around the world and assess more than 1,000 products a year Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company with the avoidance of conflicts of interest every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards But one emotion was notably absent: surprise hiked MacNaughton Mountain March 4 by herself without the clothing and gear officials advise winter hikers to bring State forest rangers located her body Saturday afternoon Davis was an avid hiker who logged 1,500 miles in 2015 alone hiking those six mountains in the Saranac Lake area in less than 24 hours and was back to do the Winter Ultra Six with a group She did the challenging MacNaughton as a kind of warm up in which hikers limit the weight of their gear Davis was found wearing sneakers and sweatpants which several people have said was her normal hiking apparel She had a lighter but no other emergency gear son-in-law Steve and their 7-month-old daughter came here from their home in France after she died and have met with state police and forest rangers who were involved in the search-and-recovery operation They want others to learn from Davis’ mistakes it became a fatal mistake,” said Steve Volla “I don’t think that she ever understood that ultralight doesn’t mean take nothing and survive with your instincts.” a sleeping bag and other gear were found in Davis’ car at the Adirondack Loj parking lot She had no survival gear with her while hiking and had become desperate enough to try and start a fire using her gloves were soaked through and offered little in the way of insulation Davis had no sleeping bag or space blanket with her “And her strength,” Echo added “The strength of her character,” Volla said saying “she swam with the sharks for too long.” Davis had not only done the 6ers in less than 24 hours; she also hiked each of the 46 High Peaks last winter “You certainly have to be in awe of what she achieved,” Volla said the more comments about how amazing (you are) just feeds in to a person that wants to continue to strive “What happens is the collision that happened this past weekend of a person who knew how to hike but didn’t know how to prepare for a hike She was successful because she was with a group or was lucky while soloing “She left her family with a tragedy.” Steve and Echo fault social media with feeding Davis’ dangerous behavior Davis tended to pull away from those who had her best interests at heart Echo said her mother received admiration on various social media platforms for completing such arduous hikes should have stepped up and told Davis her clothing choices and lack of skills were dangerous Echo said she had tried to discuss these things with her mom but was met with resistance The couple said Davis lacked some basic backcountry skills She didn’t know how to use a map or compass The Vollas said they were extremely grateful for the state police and forest rangers who were involved and commented several times that everyone they had met with was kind and thoughtful that Davis had put others in danger with her unpreparedness and stressed that if anything comes out of this tragedy it’s that other hikers learn from Davis and don’t repeat her mistakes “She would always find a way to make (hiking) not monotonous She was spontaneous and real and just happy “The dark side of that is that people wouldn’t tell her the truth” about her dangerous behaviors “God forbid if someone follows her advice or what she did because she had no expertise to do that.” LAKE PLACID – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) Board of Directors approved four new members at .. Today's breaking news and more in your inbox Copyright © Lake Placid News | https://www.lakeplacidnews.com | PO Box 318, Saranac Lake, NY 12983 | 518-891-2600 | Terms of Service Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInA couple is facing charges accused of causing injuries to an 11-month-old's head are charged with gross child neglect causing risk of serious bodily injury officers contacted Wayne County CPS about an 11-month-old at Cabell Huntington Hospital with head injuries Investigators say hospital officials contacted CPS after Tawny Maynard brought her son in The infant had significant swelling on the right side of his head and a black right eye the child had a brain hematoma and skull fractures CPS was given temporary custody of the child until the investigation is over and he remains in their care as of Thursday afternoon Dakota Riggs lives a few houses away from Volla Maynard's home along Route 152 Riggs is a mother of three and grandmother of 12 "I'm the type that panics when something happens," she said She said it's a little surprising something so serious happened so close to where her grandchildren come to play "I never would have thought anything down there like that Tawny Maynard told officers that her son fell out of bed while she was in the bathroom Maynard told deputies her son did not have any marks or visible injuries at the time The mom says she checked on her son Saturday before leaving for work and he "appeared to be fine." Maynard says the infant still appeared to be fine when she got off work Saturday evening deputies say Maynard left the 11-month-old with her boyfriend Tawny told investigators when she went back to her boyfriend's house she and Volla both noticed the swelling and took the child to the hospital The deputy also took measurements of the height of the bed which was a drop to the carpeted floor of 2 feet 7 inches Volla told the officer that he and Tawny were sleeping in the bed when Tawny got up to use the bathroom He said the child was on the floor and must have fallen out of bed the boyfriend also said he checked on the infant who appeared to be fine and they all went back to sleep He also said he was playing with the child for most of the day Saturday and he still seemed fine the kid was playing in a play pen and fell onto a toy Volla said the infant still did not have any swelling or marks from the fall the boy's head was swollen so they took him to the hospital the couple went to the sheriff's department for video interviews under Miranda warning Deputies say both suspects were inconsistent with their stories compared to the previous statements they told deputies they were both in bed asleep when the child somehow rolled off the bed and fell and they woke up to sounds of crying Tawny claimed that she got out of bed and checked on her son with a flashlight and did not see any injuries Volla stated that he was the one to get to the infant and check on him Both stated that the child didn't have visible injuries so they went back to sleep Volla told deputies during this interview that the boy was playing the next day in a play pen when he fell backwards onto a plastic dinosaur he said the child was acting "funny" the rest of that day Volla said that only suboxone would be in his system CPS officials told deputies that Tawny tested positive for meth and amphetamines and Volla tested positive for fentanyl officers called the couple and asked them to come in for another interview Tawny told deputies she did not wish to speak to them without a lawyer and left did agree to talk to officers after being read his Miranda rights Deputies determined that the couple was aware of the child's two falls and did not try to get the infant medical attention until April 1 Editor's note: If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 in Traill County District Court said the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation was seeking evidence at the home of Steven Wesley Volla The 59-year-old who was known for his classic car collection died Jan The standoff unfolded about 8 miles south of Mayville Department of Homeland Security and sheriff's office tried to serve the warrant starting at 1:45 p.m a bomb squad and crisis negotiator were called to help with the situation The negotiator spoke with Volla for about an hour and a half trying to get him to surrender Volla told authorities he had access to a gun Volla was pronounced dead shortly before 7 p.m The Bureau of Criminal Investigation started investigating the case on Nov 2 after receiving a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that three child porn files had been uploaded to a phone connected to Volla Those images depicted children as young as 4 years old being sexually abused A deeper search revealed Volla’s phone had 23 videos and images of suspected child porn One video showed an adult sexually abusing an infant Law enforcement also looked into other phones connected to Volla and found nine more images of suspected child sex abuse The warrant noted several electronics were taken from Volla's home on Jan Volla did not have a criminal record in North Dakota or Minnesota Volla's family called him a loving husband "He was everybody’s rock," the statement said "He would do anything he could in his power to help anyone in need Steve should be remembered for the heart that beat within him Never skipped a beat when he was helping anyone do anything and everything." Texas — The Texas General Land Office announced over the weekend it was giving the city $1.3 million to buy homes and allow those residents to move to an area that doesn't flood as often we learned the money may be used to buy out some homes in the Las Colonias subdivision off Saratoga Boulevard near Greenwood Drive Corpus Christi Assistant City Manager Keith Selman said the area was chosen because it floods often sending water spilling into these neighborhoods City officials say they applied for the grant primarily for the Las Colonias subdivision near La Volla Creek “Those are areas in the La Volla Creek area that are prone to have a potential for flooding,” Selman said Selman said the city submitted the application in 2017 just after Hurricane Harvey “And we received notice back in 2018 that we had received these funds and we've just now finalized the paperwork on it,” Selman said That neighborhood has dealt with major flooding in the past Divina Hernandez has lived in the neighborhood since 2005 First time I bought a home and I lost everything." Hernandez said "But I chose to stay for the payment to live over here heavy rain flooded the Greenwood wastewater plant nearby sending sewage into La Volla Creek and into the Calle Colonias neighborhood “It's an area where we have had residents that have flooded during large events,” Selman said There are more than 100 homes in that subdivision The homes would have to be purchased at market value "It's hard to say just now exactly how far $1.3 million will go,” Selman said Selman said there is potential the city will buy out lots as well There is no time frame on the buyout process yet “It will take quite a bit of time to mobilize and get the money mobilized for purchasing the properties,” Selman said but we hope to move forward with it as quickly as we can." Selman says decisions will be based on the homes that are most prone to flood No action will be taken until the city council decides to move forward with those buy outs It's not known when they will vote on the buyout plan   New research addressed the Tungsten Diselenide clumping problem by introducing a polymer an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry has won the NASI Young Scientist Award 2018 for his research in the field of chemical sciences the process of accelerating a chemical reaction by the use of an agent referred to as a catalyst He shares the award with three other recipients instituted by The National Academy of Sciences acknowledges promising researchers by recognising their creativity and excellence in any branch of science and technology in India 143 researchers across India have won the prestigious honour Volla and his team have developed novel and highly efficient reactions that use copper as a catalyst to construct molecules for the synthesis of quinoline derivatives Quinoline is an essential constituent in many pharmaceutical agents the team developed a convenient and simple method using Rhodium (II) as a catalyst for the synthesis of benzoxazinones and oxadiazoles that find applications in the pharmaceutical industry for their antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties These new methods play a significant role in minimising the production of hazardous wastes during chemical reactions thereby providing immense scope for green chemistry “Developing new methods for the synthesis of heterocyclic derivativeshas been the focus of our work” Heterocyclic compounds are ring structured molecules with other elements in addition to carbon and hydrogen They are used in the fields of medicinal chemistry “The methods are developed purely on academic interest to study the basic reactivity of the chemical model” Volla attributes this success to his group I see this as a recognition for my students more than me” Volla’s current research is mostly academic without an immediate he wishes to build on it in the coming years “The basic theme of activities in our lab is catalysis we intend to do application-oriented research through collaborations to address issues that haven’t been resolved for long using catalysis” he says on the future direction of his work One such application-oriented research is the in the field of optimisation of chemical reactions where it is desired to develop a method that reduces the number of steps “Numerous steps in a reaction do not preserve a particular compound and also generate waste in each step the resulting products have to be purified in each step and the wastes generated amount to an environmental hazard I want to look at how we can bypass these steps as it is beneficial to both industries and academia” — A loving family man and a friend who was always there for others That's how family and friends are remembering a Mayville man who took his own life during a police standoff on Wednesday While police are not saying why they were serving a search warrant at his property 59-year-old Steve Volla is being remembered for the loving husband father and friend he was to the whole community host of "Rides with Jay Thomas," and a friend of Volla Thomas described Volla as the true definition of North Dakota nice "(He) always opened his place up for people even strangers could come and take a look at his stuff," Thomas said Thomas remembers the day a few years ago when they went to film on Volla's farmstead which has several garages full of collector's cars and other memorabilia he flipped them on and it was just goosebumps," Thomas said about seeing Volla's collection for his show "We all just sat (there) with our jaws dropped," Thomas said "I've never seen anything like this in person." Thomas' footage shows garages full of Mopars Volla's favorite ride at the time was a '71 Plymouth Barracuda Thomas says Volla's willingness to show off the cars in his garage is rare for this hobby "A lot of times these guys will amass these massive collections but they won't show them to anybody," Thomas said "Steve was always willing to open his place up Thomas is using this tragedy to reveal a secret of Volla's kindness I'm going to get this at rock bottom.' Steve would go in and buy the vehicle or buy the collection," Thomas said it puts a smile on your face and you just get that image in your mind of all those beautiful cars," Thomas said amazing father to two sons and two daughters He would do anything he could in his power to help anyone in need Despite these alternative companies struggling to find a place to sell their phones (or an audience to buy them) there’s a rising trend of individuals picking up the baton he’s setting his sights on the gadget we all use the most and he’s hoping to convince people that small is cool again But take a look at any mobile operator’s phone selection and Android or iOS are likely your only options which Boyer points out is optimized for video viewing Both Boring phone and Volla had successful crowdfunding campaigns while Volla is on track to be in backers’ hands this fall Davidson says his Boring phone has two main audiences: People who want fewer distractions having a “dumb” phone is social suicide for many tweens and teens these days just with a stripped back operating system could keep parents and overwhelmed professionals happy While the Boring phone’s Kickstarter goal was modest -- it only needed around 75 backers to hit its target -- Davidson is confident more people are looking for something like this “It's a little bit of a strange one for people to get,” he explained So I have all the useful things and I just don't have an option to have anything that's going to waste my time.’” His vision was to make a phone that balances privacy with a smart it too is based on a heavily modified version of Android at its core but has no Google services and a completely rethought user interface (it will run most Android apps if you want) “I realized that it's almost impossible to decide on my own with whom I share which data if I use stock Android or iOS.” Wurzer told Engadget Taking an existing phone and modifying the experience is an obvious route Making your own handset is fraught with challenges you need access to reference designs from the chip makers getting those from the market leaders is nigh on impossible as an independent the hardware development and software development is around between 500,000 and one million Euro” said Boyer Even tweaking an existing design requires deep pockets for getting one made where they change the chipset at the factory for you Which is like $100 a phone for a base model that's $300,000 upfront” according to Davidson This is even before you consider selling the phone in the US None of them mentioned any plans to sell their phone in America “We are focused on Europe because FCC certification costs about $150,000 and this is Boyer is exploring crowdfunding as well as traditional investment routes. He’s been speaking with Xavier Niel, a French investor who founded Free It was Niel who told him that about 15 percent of customers expressed an interest in a smaller phone But Neil drives a hard bargain and told Boyer that for his phone to be considered for Free’s network it would need to sell for around €200 ($220) which is a very low price for a new company to meet And it’s not just how marketable your phone is “There's all of the stuff with the cellular networks between countries and how they're all just different enough to make that difficult,” Davidson added Having a large network offer your phone to its customers is likely the holy grail for an independent “We need to be confident that there will be customer demand for a particular product and that it but the customer is at the heart of our decision making.“ Magnus McDonald Director of Product and Category Management at O2 (UK) told Engadget He admits some brands (Apple and Samsung) make up most of what customers want “We would absolutely consider smaller companies making interesting phones” he added “I’d encourage any new and emerging brands to contact my Hardware Category Management team on LinkedIn and investment that will enable them to achieve cut-through in the UK handset market.” but often in a way that doesn’t resonate with US buyers either “You only have to look at a few Kickstarters and you'll quite quickly start to realize what's really homegrown and what's kind of pretending to be homegrown,” Davidson said using a local manufacturer had other benefits because they are able to produce highly customized small batches through the way they're produced it's a highly automated way to produce them with robots and people and because of that it's possible to produce high quality and low price and high customization” He said “And what you can't underestimate is the legal and the business security you have if you have a vendor in the same country that is 90 car minutes away.” What all three of these projects have in common is the desire to solve a problem what I'm trying to do is to solve a pain point which is which want a small smartphone and there isn't any smartphone available for them,” Boyer said it’s productivity: “I just found that I was just spending more and more time on the phone and not able to control it And most of the things that I tried to do to stop it “It's the usability and privacy for my freedom But that doesn’t help much if you’re one of Boyer’s 15 percent or one of the people seeking to get more done or just wanting to have control over your data adding bespoke software to an existing handset isn’t exactly the same as the quirky Nokia “see what sticks” days but what it does tell us is that what’s out there right now running the same grid-of-apps style software isn’t what everybody wants Both Davidson and Wurzer indicated they would like to get more involved with hardware customization further down the line Boyer is taking that challenge on directly to slowly chip away at the current cadre of companies that dominate the current market we want Volla to have developed and serve a third market segment alongside Apple and Google I deliberately speak of a market segment instead of a market niche I see a market segment for alternative products to the current duopoly which will not only enable sustainable economic growth but survival for a single brand.” No one expects building your own phone to be as easy as building your own PC but it also shouldn’t be as prohibitively difficult as it currently is there is hope that phones from smaller companies with interesting ideas can find a place in the market But if the challenges our independents have described continue then we might be waiting a little while longer