Hello dear community,
I would like to own the last volla tablet that meets my needs (need a big screen with adaptable keyboard, want to protect privacy and don’t participate into the salling data systeme but using What’sapp, so SIM card slot required…). But I am not developper and don’t realy like informatics. I had never owned any smart phone before so I am not used to any googled android or appel. I use linux meent for a while on my lap top and used to alternatives (frama any thing, next cloud, etc…) that I use with some difficulties but… Well… Let’s do some concessions…
In your opinion, which operating system would be most suitable for a beginner like me and for the use of this equipment: Volla System, e/OS or Linux Touch? Is there a comparison of these three systems?
Every of those systems got french version of applications ?
Do you mean “Ubuntu Touch”? This is a bit different as it is not an Android based ROM, but a Linux distro designed for smartphones.
I personally use it on my Redmi Note 9S, it’s pretty nice and elegant to use, but not designed to run Android apps (without installing a “WayDroid” LineageOS container), which is quite complicated for general public.
I also use VollaOS on the first VollaPhone. It’s similar to IodéOS, quite simple but reliable.
Eventually, all of them (Custom ROM with Micro-G instead of Google) are quite similar on the way they work. Some will prefer a specific interface, community, project to support, native apps, privacy settings, security levels, choice of compatible devices, etc… But at the end they will all do “the same job”.
As I said before, mind that Ubuntu Touch, Postmarket OS, Mobian, PureOS or Sailfish OS (and some others) are not AOSP ROM and do not work the same way, especially concerning .apk apps.
Perhaps only a detail but WhatsApp is very much not privacy friendly. It may be quite possible to find easy to understand instructions to transfer a WhatsApp account to /e/OS but this question crops up on the forum quite often.
Just a personal observation, perhaps those most happy with /e/OS really want to keep privacy high and avoid highly networked things like WhatsApp.
/e/OS (and all Android systems) have French language as an option; support in French, not so good (good forum peer support is found here, ofc). Apps themselves are “independent” in how they operate languages. Many apps in use in France will be in French language, but there are apps with no second language support.
I agree with aibd’s comment on Whats App. I migrated all of my messaging to Signal some time ago, and stopped using Whats App completely. It can be difficult if you have a lot of contacts who use Whats App and don’t want to change to another messaging system. But, I just gave my contacts a deadline, and the alternative of using email or sms, if they didn’t want to use Signal.
I have been happy with Signal but, now governments / the EU via Chat Control are trying to eradicate data encryption and our data privacy, I am no longer sure that Signal will be able to offer in the future, the same private and secure service that they have offered up to now.
I am starting to investigate self hosting of messaging via services such as Yunohost, as suggested by another forum member (Vaughan).
However, if you don’t want to do self hosting, Signal is still much more private and secure than Whats App.
Android Apps are the common apps that you use on any Android (or Android based) phone. These are all the apps that you have on your device, and all of them have been downloaded through either App Lounge, Aurora-Store or F-Droid.
On Ubuntu Touch, for instance, none of those apps will be able to be installed natively. Only applications designed for Ubuntu Touch are able to run.
You will have to use it’s own “App Store” (called OpenStore). Your can browse the available apps here: https://open-store.io/
To use any applications designed for Android (the format is apk => meaning Android Package Kit) in Ubuntu Touch or any other Smartphone Linux Distros, you will have to install “WayDroid” (an Android emulator for Linux). Note that the installation process will vary from a system to another (PostmarketOS, SailfishOS, PureOS, Ubuntu Touch, Mobian, etc…). Please read carefully the WayDroid installation guide on each of those community project’s FAQ.
I do not know VollaOS but I do know ubtouch and eOS and even though you have a bit of experience with linux (mint) and the ubtouch-forum is a very nice forum too, I’d still recommend to go for eOS.
As it is an android it is more beginner-friendly imho because it is part of a broad ecosystem of apps and ‘common knowledge’ and you will most likely always be able to ask anyone (except for apple users) in case anything does not work or is not understood… Plus this nice forum here…
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I am actualy trying to understand the difference between e/OS and Volla/OS. I don’t know the iodé/OS…
By the list you mention, could you tell me want is the difference ?
I’ve got the feeling that the Volla is much smaller and less dynamic community so that It would be harder to get help with…
Since it´s a volla tablet why not go with their OS? It looks clean, privacy-supprtative and presumably they support their customers well, also the multiboot-option with ubtouch looks nice…
In the end you can´t go wrong with neither option, also iodé is nice …
And … you have to more or less adapt to your OS and learn the specifics anyways, not sure if comparisons in details will help you as much as one might think they do… (especially w/o broad and proper context/background-knowledge).
Or simply go for eOS since you ask in the eOS-forum - if you already use eOS on a phone, just go for it…
To get the best comparison, the best is to ask a AI chatbot, or a search engine by writing “Comparison VollaOS vs IodéOS vs eOS”, then you will get a full review.
VollaOS only runs on Volla devices, the range is pretty limited, but the (even small) community is strong and helpful. The company is based in Germany (Hallo Welt Systeme UG), and I did personally realized some little tasks (translations) for Dr. Jörg Wurzer back in 2020 within UBports foundation (Ubuntu Touch) and Volla jointure. So I can confirm that all this project is really serious and reliable.
I don’t know much about IodéOS, but I will hopefully receive a Brax3 equipped with IodéOS (for my eldest daughter) within a few days. I will have a better understanding of the OS & community later on then. It runs on a limited range of devices also, but larger then Volla. They are also privacy oriented, quite the same way to /e/ - Murena.
So these are the things I can tell based on my experiences and knowledge.
You do have a personal computer (laptop) running Linux Mint.
No tablet, no smartphone up to now?
You want to buy the Volla Tablet with a big screen (12,6 inches) and use it with a keyboard?, similar to a laptop?
Would you replace your laptop with the tablet?
The VollaOS, Ubuntu TouchOS, /e/OS, iodéOS are made at first for touchscreen devices.
They use different launchers and userinterfaces, where you have to adapt.
Now it’s up to you, to investigate the internet (peertube) how VollaOS, Ubuntu Touch, /e/OS interfaces can be handled. There are videos showing smartphones running these systems.
Ubuntu Touch is recommended for advanced users Volla Tablet • Ubuntu Touch • Linux Tablet
The VollaOS is a new touch-philosophy
The Volla Tablet isn’t yet listed in the murena-shop Smartphones – Murena – deGoogled phones and services
In the Volla-shop Volla Mobile Devices there isn’t a Volla Tablet with /e/OS.
So, up to now, you could buy a Volla Tablet from Volla with both OS (VollaOS and Ubuntu Touch, dualboot:you can choose which you want to use).
Or you could buy at Volla and afterwards install /e/OS Infos über Volla Volla Tablet - mimir having an adequate person at your side.
What preferences do you have for handling?
Take your time and watch videos available about the handling of the different operation systems.
Good luck!
I don’t know about the other systems as I bought a Murena Google Pixel tablet installed with e/os a while ago. I am very happy with that so, if the Volla tablet is as well supported by e/os then it should work fine. However, a lot depends on how you intend to use it and the apps that you want to use. If you want me to test any for you, let me know?
Thank you for all your participations.
I think the one thing that makes me a bit scared with the volla tablet with the volla OS is that its german… And I absolutly don’t speak german.
It’s already a bit difficult for me to surf on volla website to look for informations because the translation mode in english doesn’t work anymore when you change page. You have to look where to translate it and it’s not so easy when you don’t even understand the menu…
I hope not having to ask for german speaking people to use my tablet…
Well… It was written on the murena list of phones and tablet compatible with e/OS that I could by directly this one with e/OS preinstalled on murena website but at the end It seems not… Or still not… I don’t know.
It’s not a so big problem at the end. I can by it with volla and try to get help to turn it into e/OS if I’ve got problems…
Switching the website to EN via the menu (option at bottom.of menu) on their website does not work? Works well for me, still EN when surfing their pages…
Have you asked them about language support in their OS?
I am pretty damn sure they support at least EN, the german market is assumably way too small if they want to make it with their OS… In fact they would be stupid…
Check: Their wiki is available in Deutsch, English, Česky Slovenská, Italiano, Español, Dansk, Norsk, Svensk
Their forum has an English speaking section…
since you ask in the eOS-forum - if you already use eOS on a phone, just go for it…