It’d theoretically be possible to run a straight GNU/Linux tablet or laptop with a 5G cell modem for data, use SIP service and a GNU/Linux dialer, and then run Waydroid for any specific Android apps that one has to run.
Idle power usage is gonna be a lot higher than on a phone, though.
And a lot of Android apps are made with a touch interface and small screen in mind and are aware of things in a cell environment, like “only update X when on WiFi”. Not really common for GNU/Linux software to do that.
I think you’re misunderstanding it. Most mobile apps have sensible defaults regarding data and battery usage, for instance, not updating (their feeds/server status/whatever networked service the app uses) if not in WiFi.
No, I think they understood. Android needs those settings because the process is automated. A Linux device would probably not automate updates like that and let users choose when to do so, which means they can just not do it until they get to WiFi.
Android and all its apps have had a lot of work done on keeping stuff low-power.
The GNU/Linux laptop I’m currently typing this on is drawing about 10W (granted, with the screen on, which is larger). The Android phone in my pocket is drawing (checks) a little under half a watt.
Granted, I didn’t choose the laptop hardware to try to minimize power usage; you can certainly get laptops that will draw less. But there have been a lot of engineers banging on Android power usage for a long time.
And stuff like auto-suspension of background apps using CPU time and stuff doesn’t have a GNU/Linux analog that I’m aware of.
There’s a GNU/Linux phones community here on the Threadiverse at !linuxphones@lemmy.ca. Even the phones they talk about there — where the hardware is much less powerful than typical current Android hardware — don’t have amazing battery life as phones go.
My tablet draws 4.5w at peak, at low loads it draws almost nothing (x86_64 tablet), maybe it’s the design of the laptop/tablet, but mine just consumes the same even with waydroid on, maybe setting efficiency in the BIOS help, but idk. On windows it just consumes a power plant every minute, linux is just efficient.
It’d theoretically be possible to run a straight GNU/Linux tablet or laptop with a 5G cell modem for data, use SIP service and a GNU/Linux dialer, and then run Waydroid for any specific Android apps that one has to run.
Idle power usage is gonna be a lot higher than on a phone, though.
And a lot of Android apps are made with a touch interface and small screen in mind and are aware of things in a cell environment, like “only update X when on WiFi”. Not really common for GNU/Linux software to do that.
Most Linux software only updates when the user tells the package manager to update it.>
I think you’re misunderstanding it. Most mobile apps have sensible defaults regarding data and battery usage, for instance, not updating (their feeds/server status/whatever networked service the app uses) if not in WiFi.
No, I think they understood. Android needs those settings because the process is automated. A Linux device would probably not automate updates like that and let users choose when to do so, which means they can just not do it until they get to WiFi.
Package manager update >< background information update
Unless your chat app requires a package manager update to retrieve new messages, we’re talking different things.
I’m talking about stuff like pulling down new podcast episodes and such.
oh yeah it’s weird how we’ve never figured out how to do that on pc
edit: /s
Arr can do it
I know Gnome has an option to mark a connection as metered, no idea what exactly that does though.
Idle power usage is not a lot higher…
I dunno, man.
Android and all its apps have had a lot of work done on keeping stuff low-power.
The GNU/Linux laptop I’m currently typing this on is drawing about 10W (granted, with the screen on, which is larger). The Android phone in my pocket is drawing (checks) a little under half a watt.
Granted, I didn’t choose the laptop hardware to try to minimize power usage; you can certainly get laptops that will draw less. But there have been a lot of engineers banging on Android power usage for a long time.
And stuff like auto-suspension of background apps using CPU time and stuff doesn’t have a GNU/Linux analog that I’m aware of.
There’s a GNU/Linux phones community here on the Threadiverse at !linuxphones@lemmy.ca. Even the phones they talk about there — where the hardware is much less powerful than typical current Android hardware — don’t have amazing battery life as phones go.
My tablet draws 4.5w at peak, at low loads it draws almost nothing (x86_64 tablet), maybe it’s the design of the laptop/tablet, but mine just consumes the same even with waydroid on, maybe setting efficiency in the BIOS help, but idk. On windows it just consumes a power plant every minute, linux is just efficient.