Android and linux?

[avacomputers]

I am currently running xp and 7, I would eventually like to move away from using Microsoft products. I know android is based off of Linux. I was wondering how well they interacted. I was thinking about OpenSuse for an old laptop. Any suggestions.

 

[Astridax93]

As far as I am aware, I know this sound stupidly ridiculous, but Linux doesn't work well with Android, seen as the software for connecting it to your computer is windows only. Anyone with more knowledge correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Eugene]

What software connecting to your computer, Android doesn't have any. Android syncs with google and if you want to sync data to google then just find a linux app for that. Thunderbird, firefox, chrome, etc all work just the same on linux as windows.

 

[Howie]

You shouldn't have any issue.
Like said above, it will sync with Google. If you need the Android SDK they make it available to Linux users as well Android SDK | Android Developers

 

[Eugene]

The SDK is not only available for Linux, I believe Linux is the recommended platform for development, I seem to remember reading that someplace.

I've been running Linux 99.9% of the time for a few years now, can't remember the last time I booted Windows.

 

[avacomputers]

What about pdanet or a similar app? I would need to be tethered sometimes.

 

[Astridax93]

Oh sorry, mate, I stand corrected, always a good thing sometimes. I was sure I heard about android not liking linux... oh no wait, what was I thinking, that was the iphone

 

[AlanJames1987]

I use Kubuntu and Android runs very well with it. I have tried openSUSE and have not liked it as a distro. (k)Ubuntu is the most popular distro for currently and for good reason. It is very easy to use and the community at ubuntuforums.org are very knowledgeable and can help with nearly any issue you have.

 

[Astridax93]

I use linux mint, a variant of Ubuntu, very nice.

 

[Mortus]

I use Ubuntu 10.4 (Lucid Lynx), when I connect my Milestone in USB Memory Card Management mode, it is automatically picked up as both a photo device and a music device. In short F-Spot Photo Manager wants to Sync with it, however as the music player I use (Exaile) currently does no detect my Milestone. However for me this is no issue as I have manually transfered all the music I want using drag and drop.

 

[KryPTiC]

What about pdanet or a similar app? I would need to be tethered sometimes.

Android works awesome with my openSUSE 11.2 setup, suse has yast2 which is a kick ass setup tool. And forums are filled with a lot of useful info, I would recommend it. Ubuntu is fine as well, it is gear more toward a linux 'noob' mind you (no offence to anyone running it here ), and it runs Gnome, which I personally don't care for, (there is a KDE version of Ubuntu, Kubuntu, altho never tried it to be honest) the best looking and integrated KDE distro is hands down openSUSE.

And for mp3 sync on Android the new Banshee works wonders, its ugly but it works great, I setup a smart play list to pick out genre's or whatever and it picks out at random from my collection, has a crap load of options so you can tell it to load up so many minutes/gigabytes etc, then you just drag it over to your android all within Banshee and, done.

and....

Here is a link for using a proxy setup, it's fairly easy to set up with a little linux knowledge.

Tether an Android Phone Using Proxoid - Linux Magazine Online

 

[Miki1212]

My HTC Legend works perfectly with Ubuntu 10.04. It is mounted as a flash drive, and it's possible to sync photos and music.

Still there's an issue with HTC Sync software which doesn't actually exist in linux, so I didn't find any way to sync PIM data directly to the PC.

So, I sync both the device and Evolution mail/PIM client with google. Seems to be quite convenient, and you always have access to the data from your google account.

 

[Chains]

HTC Droid, Ubuntu. No problems, even booting recovery VMs off of the microsd on it over wifi while listening to pandora.

 

[avacomputers]

Thanks guys.

 

[bluenova]

I use Ubuntu...

Data transfer = Plug and Play
Tethering = Plug and Play

No need to fiddle around with drivers like in Windows.

 

[androidized]

If you are begginer to linux try ubuntu or some variations, is working exactly like your android phone, app database is what you need, and the desktop.

 

[ethoms]

the best looking and integrated KDE distro is hands down openSUSE.

hands down! not quite, PCLinuxOS is the best. Notice I don't have to put a version number or biannual animal name after it, that's because it's a rolling release. Best hardware detection, solid as a rock, cutting edge KDE4 and updates never break the system. And way more beautiful that OpenSUSE or Kubuntu.

Yast2 is pretty damn good though.

 

[Hangdog42]

I use Slackware, the oldest dinosaur in the Linux universe, and it works quite happily with my D1. I can mount the SD card as a normal drive, and wireless tethering is flawless.

 

[capink]

The only difference is that there are third party software that enables yo to sync adnroid and outlook in windows. Currently there are non for linux email clients.

 

[baillou2]

I use Ubuntu with my Vibrant, and I've never had a problem. Then again the only interaction I have between the two is accessing the sd cards and occasionally wifi tether, both of which work perfectly.

p.s. I'd like to switch to openSUSE, I have it on a VM but it's so slow with only 2 gigs of ram on my laptop. So I'll have to install it directly, but I've been lazy about it.

 

[baillou2]

hands down! not quite, PCLinuxOS is the best. Notice I don't have to put a version number or biannual animal name after it, that's because it's a rolling release. Best hardware detection, solid as a rock, cutting edge KDE4 and updates never break the system. And way more beautiful that OpenSUSE or Kubuntu.

Yast2 is pretty damn good though.

I hear Arch is the best, but that's a hardcore high-level Linux-lovin' techie OS right there..