💾 Archived View for jsreed5.org › log › 2022 › 202212 › 20221213-smartphone-status.gmi captured on 2023-01-29 at 03:35:13. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
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In March of 2021 I added a picture to the "Files" section of my capsule, listing every mobile phone I've ever had and when I used them. In that picture, I listed the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 as my current smartphone and the F(x)Tec Pro1 X as my next smartphone.
Today, 21 months later, I'm still using my Galaxy Note 8, and I'm still waiting for my Pro1 X to arrive.
The Pro1 X story has been an absolute disaster, an incessant comedy of errors that would be hilarious if it didn't cause such a blow to the reputation of F(x)Tec. From the initial revelation of a scam by a dubious chip supplier to a rushed and buddy redesign project to a contractual dispute with the company's shipping partner, F(x)Tec has had to overcome one crushing defeat after another. I believe the company truly did want to make a top-of-the-line device that appealed to keyboard lovers and tinkerers alike, but the horrible hand they've been dealt has left them in a likely unrecoverable position.
In the meantime, I am a mere two weeks out from having used my Galaxy Note 8 for five years straight. That is the longest time I've ever used a single smartphone continually, by a significant margin--my previous smartphone was a Galaxy Note 3, and I used that for exactly three and a half years. The screen has some burn-in issues and the battery doesn't last very long, but beyond those flaws, my Galaxy Note 8 has held up surprisingly well.
Unfortunately, I will be required to switch smartphones before long. My employer uses a multi-factor authentication system called Duo Push, which requires a smartphone to use. My device, being as old as it is, is stuck on Android 9 (Pie), and Duo will end support for Pie in February. On the bright side, F(x)Tec claims to have all shipping issues sorted out now, and they claim that all outstanding orders will be shipped this month.
Even if that happens, I'm likely going to get a cheap smartphone and a second line to use as a work device. I want to at least run de-Googled LineageOS on my Pro1 X, and maybe even Ubuntu Touch. It's likely Duo won't work with either of those operating systems. Of course, it would be nice if I could switch to a TOTP solution at work, or even SMS or a physical key. That's not an option, though, so I'll likely need an OS that can handle Duo's proprietary Android app. A separate device is probably the safer and more flexible path.
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[Last updated: 2022-12-13]