Few questions right before buying Xperia XA2 and starting to use Sailfish OS

asked 2018-11-26 01:17:11 +0200

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updated 2018-11-26 09:57:26 +0200

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  1. Is Sailfish 3 just continuation of Sailfish X or is that different installation ? Which one is available now for Xperia XA2 ?

  2. I have read that there is available trial version for Xperia XA2. In my understanding trial version is time limited version, however in Sailfish the limitation is some functionality (no android compatibility, neither microsoft exchange). Is it possible to run free version of sailfish for a long time at Xperia XA2 or it have additional time limitation (like 1 month or so), except the functionality limitation ones ?

  3. What is the browser issue at Sailfish OS ? As I understood there is dedicated browser sailfish app. Is it possible to run Firefox without enabling Android compatibility ? I do not want any part of Android on my phone - that is why I want to acquire Sailfish OS. I would not need any app except browser and alarm clock. I would also not use browser for personal accounts etc but only for one game and few websites that are lets say quite neutral data. If the firefox is not enabled in my scenario, then what about default browser ? Is that safe and is it respect privacy ?

  4. Is that possible to set just solid color like black or gray for the background ? All I can see is this Northern Lights theme which I do not like personally (but I admire too, but I am visual minimalist). I would like to set just gray color behind. Is that possible ?

  5. What should I care while buying Xperia XA2 dedicated for Sailfish OS ? I have read phone should not be blocked. Do this means blockage of SIM card or something else ? Can I just buy any of Xperia XA2 and run Sailfish OS ? I have read Sailfish support dual sim (H4113, H4133), single sim (H3113, H3123, H133). All of mentioned models ? I would not want to use Xperia XA2 Ultra, neither Xperia XA2 Plus, just classic.

  6. I heard in order to use camera in full quality later on (for example one day I would like to sell device or use Android again) - I need to backup TA partition before Sailfish OS installation process. Is that enough to preserve manufacturing quality of all components or should I care of something else too ?

  7. Is that something important I need to know before starting to use Sailfish Os for the very first time ? Up to now I have used Symbian on my old Nokia phone and occasionally Android on other device.

If you know answer for only a single point please anyway share with me. Thank you in advance.

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Comments

4

I'll make this a comment, because some of my answere are not definitive -- I run SFOS on an Xperia X and on a Gemini device, but not an XA2.

  1. At this point, Sailfish 3 doesn't seem to add much functionality over Sailfish X. It's said it will be added onto, but it's a continuation in that it's an OTA upgrade, not a reflash.

  2. I've never heard of a time-limited trial. As I understand it, SFOS/XA2 is currently beta. I do not know if there is a community version available, but community versions are free.

  3. The browser is reviled, though I've had no real problems with it. I am not certain as to its security, but if you run a decent VPN that should help with privacy issues. In my experience, SFOS works well with VPNs. There is no Firefox, but there is a decent third-party browser called WebCat, available at OpenRepos. The community version (and again, I do not know if there is a community version yet for XA2) does not have Googledroid and MSFT support, which in my view are to its credit.

  4. The first thing you want to do is get the OpenRepos app, called Storeman. (In order to do this you will need to enable untrusted software in the settings; so far as I know and have heard, the OpenRepos software is safe.) You'll then be able to find an "ambience" -- Jolla's word for themes -- of all black and others that might be to your liking. For instance, I have xplanets-background, which is a real-time astronomical program and very cool. Also mostly black, except for the moon. There are many choices.

  5. You need to get a device that is capable of having its bootloader unlocked through the Sony Open Devices program. I do not know if there are any XA2s that aren't unlockable. Perhaps someone here will confirm one way or the other.

  6. There is nothing in Sailfish that breaks your components, so restoring from a proper backup should restore the phone, I believe.

  7. There are limited applications for SFOS, but if your uses are as limited as you say, you are very likely to enjoy having it and using it. Read the things here. You might do a search on XA2 (I've not found the search function entirely helpful, but it's better than nothing) and look at the recent release notes for known problems with the XA2.

And then happy sailing!

depscribe ( 2018-11-26 01:58:00 +0200 )edit
4

I've been using iOS for years until recently I got me a XA2 and run SF3 trial as a daily driver since. Bit buggy (nothing major), bit quirky but I am altogether satisfied cause it works well for my needs. I will definitely buy a full version license, and maybe a XA2+, too, cause my wife likes to looks of SFOS so much.

Kopekenscheich ( 2018-11-26 13:20:11 +0200 )edit

UPDATE to earlier comment: Apparently there is no aliendalvic -- Android support -- for the XA2 yet.

depscribe ( 2018-11-26 17:58:25 +0200 )edit

And already bought one and flashed it to SFOS 3?

PS. I can really recommend the XA2 Plus. More modern design in my view and nice bigger screen. But I'll get it when you prefer a smaller screen size.

JSEHV ( 2018-11-26 20:17:45 +0200 )edit

Thanks for the answers :) I have made a research and its actually likely impossible to backup TA partition on XA2 since there is no publicly known exploit that can leverage priviliges before you backup this one. And later there can be some problems with the hardware, especially camera, that is what I read. Anyway I would try Sailfish :) Thanks a lot. About the trial version I have mean this: https://shop.jolla.com/ - official "trial" version of Sailfish OS for XA2.

tubujugi ( 2018-11-27 02:57:18 +0200 )edit