3 mo. ago • 93%

Has anyone achieved using their laptop as their only device?

I've been trying to get rid of my cellphone for awhile now. I switched to JMP.chat, I have Pidgin set up to make calls/texts, etc.

I use Trisquel GNU/Linux on my Libreboot laptop, my boss is fine with it.

My strategy looks something like this:

Use earpiece that's connected via Bluetooth, have narrator software read out notifications (notifications from Microsoft Teams, Thunderbird, etc.)
Put laptop into sleep mode, maybe use a script to put it into a special sleep mode to make sure I'm connected to WiFi while walking around warehouse so I can receive calls/texts timely.
Forward all notifications from Teams to my email, so that I'm not relying on the web-based version to be open.
For travel on the road, I have a USB modem that's connected to my LibreCMC router. I also have my laptop set up in my car on a stand.

Any suggestions?

TIA!

46 comments

may I ask why? Different hardware is designed for different tasks, and using even a Linux phone will beat out most laptops for energy efficiency to make the same call using the same apps

44
- I'm only using hardware that allows the Intel Management Engine to be fully disabled (e.g., ThinkPad X200, T400, etc.).
  
  The PinePhone seems nice, but its firmware cannot be freed to the same extent as that of one of the older ThinkPads.
  
  The reason why is because I want to escape from non-free software.
  
  16
  
  How about Purism Librem 5?
  
  PS: I do have a PinePhone and PinePhone Pro, used both with a USB-C adapter to have screen, mouse and keyboard and was a quite convenient solution but I understand that some of the firmware limitations might go against your goal. I hope they'll be fully open if they do a newer model.
  
  2
I was just about to say: "Yeah, I don't need a desktop" and then I read what you said. I can see myself going to a "dumbphone" aka a phone-only phone, but this is a bit too much for me tbh.

32
- Unfortunately, I can't go that route. I use many different phone numbers through Pidgin, so I don't think the flip phone would do.
  
  4
  
  You'd be surprised what a feature phone can do nowadays
  
  5
How do I use a laptop for navigation when walking around the city?

15
- A map, like a printed map that most touristic office give away for free? Same for public transport?
  
  6
- kde marble and a wwan card
  
  3
If you're trying a less "smart" phone experience, just buy a dumb phone. They still exist. Phones are needed for emergencies.

14
- Unfortunately, the flip phone route for doing daily calls/texts won't work because I use multiple phone numbers, and those phones have proprietary operating systems/firmware. Though, I still keep one in a Faraday bag if needed for emergencies.
  
  0
I know a guy who doesn't have a phone. Trying to get in touch with him is a PITA.

11
- Does he not have email?
  
  2
  
  You can get in touch with him eventually, but not for anything urgent. For example, I had to rescue his mom when she lost her car key because she couldn't get in touch with him to help her.
  
  3
How did you get pigeon to make calls/texts?

10
- I signed into my JMP.chat account via XMPP on Pidgin. I can make calls and texts just fine.
  
  Edit: Pidgin (installed from Trisquel repos) can be used for texting, but as of right now, calling seems to be bugged. I'm currently using Dino (installed from Trisquel repos), both calling/texting work fine on there.
  
  8
  
  nice!
  
  4
  
  What will you do if that domain goes down, blocks you, or simply disappears?
  
  2
No, not at all. They both are made for different purposes.

8
O wise teacher, are you able to get OTPs for services that require phone numbers with this solution?

I have a phone but no SIM, and I can't use a lot of the Internet because soooo many services require a phone number. How much do you pay for this per year?

6
- Yes. I have multiple accounts attached to my phone number and I'm able to receive OTPs from all of them (banking, shopping, etc.)
  
  I use my carrier (e.g. Verizon) for service, and pay jmp.chat $5/month for my phone number.
  
  2
  
  Huh, their front page says their service doesn't support SMS?
  
  1
  
  I don't understand why you pay Verizon. Would it work over WiFi?
  
  1
No, not suitable at all. I would be more interested in using my phone with GrapheneOS as only device.

But:

mail filters work fine with my provider, not in K-9mail (fair-email gives me anxiety)

office stuff just sucks, Collabora is as big as Libreoffice but no GUI options

MPV is very barebones and VLC very far behind on updates

missing GIMP

missing PDF editing

missing video or audio editing

missing code editing

missing commandline stuff

no qbittorrent, Aria2 works but only for leeching, BiglyBT works but has a weird UI and restricted features

no browser with tab groups, containers, security, etc.

But for a ton of other stuff a phone works very well

obvious one: small form factor

uses very little battery, awesome standby battery consumption

camera, audio, video recording

media consumption

offline (MPV, Gallery apps (why is this not a thing on desktops?), music players, antennapod)

online: grayjay, soundbound, antennapod, rimusic, ...

messaging (simplex, signal, element, briar, ...)

slight image editing (snapseed)

image compression (signal, save before sending, exit)

video cutting (signal, save before sending)

writing markdown (markor, acode)

weather

webapps

social media (jerboah, fedilab, ...)

navigating (there is no OSMAnd alternative on Linux)

In many areas there are way more apps for android, in many others way less.
5
- No osm and on Linux?
  
  Its just open street map data. Use the routing tool on their web page.
  
  Or make your own if you want to using gis.
  
  Or use the beta organic maps flatpak.
  
  Or KDE Marble has OSM routing as well.
  
  2
  
  Yeah lemmie just pull out my laptop real quick outside this pub to find how to get back to my hotel.
  
  Aaaaand its gone
  
  2
  
  damn a lot of nice things! Organic maps I tried, it is not at all comparable.
  
  OSMAnd does way more than routing, but I will have a look at their website, couldnt find it in the past.
  
  Didnt know that Marble has routing!
  
  1
  
  Or even waydroid if you must have the app
  
  1
I don't have any suggestions, but this is incredibly impressive. I haven't heard of jmp.chat before, but it sounds like you can create multiple identities using different phone numbers - is that correct?

If so, that sounds amazing. I really hate how the modern world is trying to force people into a singular identity online, and the way that they're using phone numbers to do it. This sounds like it could be a pretty decent method to avoid that.

5
- Yes, you can create multiple accounts and get all text/call notifications in one app. I recommend you use the Cheogram app for phone or Dino-IM for PC.
  
  1
I have "mained" a Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Extreme running Pop!_OS for over two years now. I run a company and interact with clients all the time, so I'm not just browsing PornHub all day. My Thinkpad has not let me down yet.

I have a Mac for my music production and graphic design hobbies, but only because I own software for it that only supports Mac or Windows. That said, I rarely use it since Bitwig and Renoise run on Linux. I'll only boot the Mac if I need some plug-in or Abelton. All that's happened is that I have slowly started to gravitate towards DAW-less production.

3
- How does DAW-less production work? No editing?
  
  1
  
  Old school. You do all your work on hardware sequencers, trackers, drum machines, synths, etc.
  
  2
I have a friend who’s never gotten a cell phone. Computer science PhD candidate. At this point I think he’s avoided it as we seem to be coming out the other side. He rocks a MacBook pro and uses Google voice. It’s possible…

3
I did this when traveling internationally in 2009. I used Skype-in to forward my USA phone number to my Skype account, but I think I made like 3 phone calls. I only used WiFi at cafes and hotels, no mobile internet service. Phones are overrated. Being offline is great.

3

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