Jason Robinson 🐍 🍻 🚴<p>I haven't bought a brand new phone since the <a class="mention hashtag" href="https://jasonrobinson.me/streams/tag/oneplus3/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>OnePlus3</span></a>, which was ... 2016 I guess, when it came out. Still, only four years, so a bit allergic to the idea of buying a brand new phone. While a mobile device has become one of the most critical things in many peoples life (mine certainly!), they're hugely damaging to the <a class="mention hashtag" href="https://jasonrobinson.me/streams/tag/environment/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>environment</span></a>. Not just because of the metals that go into them, but due to the way they're designed to be discarded and replaced by the big manufacturers. They are not designed to be home repairable and often not even shop repairable. Often you either stop getting software updates (leaving you potentially exposed to security issues) or you get completely renewed software, which is heavier than at the time you bought your device, thus giving a worsening experience.</p>
<p>This is why I've been hesitant into buying a brand new phone. Except if that phone was something that was designed around different principles. Designed to be yours - repairable, flashable and built to last.</p>
<p>There have been some options, like the <a class="mention hashtag" href="https://jasonrobinson.me/streams/tag/fairphone/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Fairphone</span></a>, which gets a lot of extra credit for their model of fairly sourced parts. <a class="mention hashtag" href="https://jasonrobinson.me/streams/tag/pinephone/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PinePhone</span></a> is another good example. Unfortunately both those are more on the budget side in terms of hardware, which has stopped me from getting one. Then came up <a class="mention hashtag" href="https://jasonrobinson.me/streams/tag/fxtec/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Fxtec</span></a> with their Pro 1 and now Pro 1 X. When I first saw their device earlier in the year I instantly fell in love due to the fact that it's basically a <a class="mention hashtag" href="https://jasonrobinson.me/streams/tag/nokia/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Nokia</span></a> N900 but with <a class="mention hashtag" href="https://jasonrobinson.me/streams/tag/android/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Android</span></a>. Downside: no scandinavian keyboard layout, so it was a pretty big no no for getting one.</p>
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<p>With the Pro 1 X they've thankfully added not only a scandinavian layout, but also more RAM to make it last longer. While the hardware is not open like on Fairphone/PinePhone, the software very much is. It ships flashable by design and with a choice of <a class="mention hashtag" href="https://jasonrobinson.me/streams/tag/lineageos/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LineageOS</span></a> or <a class="mention hashtag" href="https://jasonrobinson.me/streams/tag/ubuntutouch/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UbuntuTouch</span></a> (with dual-boot coming!). For repairabiilty, they don't use glue like the big manufactuers, making things easy to tear down and put back together, like a laptop. The battery is home replacable. All in all, hopefully this could make a phone for a long time.</p>
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<p>So I jumped on the IndieGoGo campaign and managed to get myself on the "pre-early bird" 8GB/256GB model tracks. Hopefully it wont be too much later than promised as the phone is already production ready and it's not their first phone. Interesting detail from the campaign - the phone will only be sold during the next 46 days. Those who buy it get their phone and that's it. This feels like a fair promise considering the amount of people that seem to have bought the original Pro 1 but have had to wait a long time to get it. Being a small producer I would imagine it's probably easier to ship an X amount of phones and then just close shop for that model instead of taking in a constant trickle of orders.</p>
<p>Great interview with the team in this video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw4B1H4h39I" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw4B1H4h39I</a></p>
<p>Find the campaign here: <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pro1-x-smartphone-functionality-choice-control/x/4169729#/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/pro1-x-smartphone-functionality-choice-control/x/4169729#/</a></p>
<p>(yeah, haven't been this excited about hardware since the Ubuntu Touch days 😅)</p>