Replicant project to get new mobile device with free bootloader
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https://blog.replicant.us/2019/01/replicant-will-receive-a-device-from-necuno-solutions/
However, see this:
"This device has the size of a smartphone, but doesn’t have a broadband modem: while users will not be able to use a built-in modem for phone calls, SMS or to access the Internet."
I guess it's like a libre iPod Touch then? So you can place Wifi calls?
Here's the FAQ from the project page.
From the Replicant blog post:
"...the only functionality of the I.MX6 Quad that requires nonfree software is the video decoding acceleration."
What does this mean and why is this a "more trivial" issue than nonfree bootloaders?
> why is this a "more trivial" issue than nonfree bootloaders?
Because a device will not start without a bootloader.
On a replicant phone the required bootloader and modem software is non free. If
you do not install the bootloader software it will not start. If you do not
install the modem software it cannot make calls or transfer other data
over the modem.
On a replicant phone the wifi card requires non free software. If you do not install the
wifi card software you cannot use the wifi card. You can still use the phone.
The i.mx6 device is better because it can start on free software. It can likely do
a lot computing also if the non free decoding software is not installed.
Right, thx for the explanation.
So if u plan to communicate with it, it's just as non-free as the other devices supported by Replicant? Say if I plan to install the wifi software because I plan to use wifi to communicate, there's no appearant reason to want this device any more than the other Replicant devices?
> as non-free as the other devices supported by Replicant?
If the I.MX6 device's wifi card can work on free software, then the
software will get into replicant. The bootloader is free sotware.
You get a replicant device that contains
no non free software.
Oh, right!:)
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