A smartphone running GrapheneOS can become the heart of a DIY laptop. No traditional PC required.

This Lapdock project has gone through several iterations, with the latest version featuring an adjustable 180° hinge, laptop and cyberdeck modes, and a main body 3D-printed in a single piece.

It uses the Desktop Mode available on Google Pixel 8 and later, paired with an external display, a power bank, and Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

An interesting way to turn a phone into a portable workstation, with a design that keeps improving.

https://youtu.be/kA4Y8LVgLII

Would you use a setup like this instead of carrying a laptop?

#GrapheneOS #DIY #Cyberdeck #3DPrinting

Follow-up: why mobile Linux still makes sense even if AOSP exists

In my previous post, I shared Amos B. Batto’s analysis on whether Linux phones could become a real alternative to Android and iOS.

Many readers replied that AOSP is already open source and Linux-based, so developing traditional mobile Linux is pointless.

In a new article, Batto responds directly to that argument.

He argues that AOSP was designed around surveillance capitalism and deliberately restricts user control. Google also retains significant influence over the project. Traditional mobile Linux, by contrast, is not controlled by a single company and better aligns with software freedom and digital sovereignty.

The practical trade-offs (apps, hardware support, battery, security model) are real. But the long-term case for independence remains strong.

Do you see mobile Linux outside of AOSP as a worthwhile path, or is a hardened AOSP fork like GrapheneOS the better solution?

https://amosbbatto.wordpress.com/2026/10/19/the-advantages-of-mobile-linux-over-aosp/

#LinuxMobile #AOSP #DigitalSovereignty #OpenSource #Privacy

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS on a Xiaomi 12T Pro, running on the mainline Linux kernel.

The developer reports that most functions are working, including calls, navigation and YouTube. After a day of use and a few reboots, the battery was still at 50%.

The project also targets the Redmi K50 Ultra and provides the sources needed to build your own image.

It's an interesting experiment in bringing native Linux to smartphone hardware, beyond the usual Android-based alternatives.

https://github.com/royka1/diting-ubuntu/

Would you try Linux on a spare smartphone just to explore what's possible?

#Linux #Ubuntu #MobileLinux