It's a little slow on my Nexus 6, but really surprisingly usable.
The fact that this is even possible is pretty great. I've been getting more and more frustrated with Android lately, but being able to do things like this is still a really great feature.
Very neat way to get a feel for Firefox OS without the need for new hardware.
Probably even slower on my Nexus 5, took some time to show up, and crashed as soon as I clicked on the top search bar. Agreed it's a great thing that we can do it, but I guess I'll have to wait for Firefox OS to become really polished.
> let you use Gaia (the user interface of FirefoxOS) on your Android device, as an alternative homescreen.
So.. this is just a launcher? Not anything to do with actually running an OS, just pretty icons and such? Shame. I was really looking forward to some kind of dual-boot or co-exist setup. I guess FFOS is in the same place a lot of small and hobbyist projects are at - without the marketshare of android, you simple do not have drivers available for your platform and considering the closed nature of most SoC's, its impossible to write you own.
Its kinda sad that smartphones didnt evolve like PCs. Drivers and specs have become proprietary trade secrets and that hurts us all.
That said, a FFOS Android distro would be pretty nice, especially if it broke away from the Google world of google play services, play store, etc. Imagine CM but without all the suckitude. I could see that having a chance and the driver problem would be solved.
Author of the project here. This is still very unpolished.
So... my goal with doing that is to lower the barrier to entry and get more people to try the Firefox OS user experience. Currently it needs some dedication (either getting a supported device, or flashing your existing one), and that's obviously preventing us to get mindshare, both from users and developers.
Having simply to install an android app is vastly simpler for many people that are just curious at first. Some things will always be a bit different in the android version compared to a full flash, but I expect that to be relatively minor. I'm trying to get as much meaningful OS integration, like opening links from android apps in our browser frames, bridging our Web Activities and Android Intents, etc.
I haven't played with it, but if I had to take a guess, it should be functionally equivalent to FFOS (for apps, anyway). The closest parallel may be the iOS Simulator - it gives you access to the iOS APIs on your Mac. This _should_ allow you to run FFOS apps on your Android device.
Since the userspace of FFOS all runs on web tech, if this has enough of the runtime to power the homescreen, it should be able to power the apps too.
What value would FFOS really provide on a phone that was sold with Android? Is replicating the guts all that important, if Mozilla's innovations are elsewhere?
One thing I really liked about this was the vertical scrolling of the home screen. I think it would be cool if Android did this with their home screens. That seems to be how we naturally read on our devices (webpages, news apps, email etc), so why should we have to horizontal swipe to change screens?
> so why should we have to horizontal swipe to change screens?
Because you change screens and you don't scroll. As the swipe motion is over more than 80% of the screen that would not work from top to bottom, only scrolling feels natural.
If anyone is interested in trying out Firefox OS, Multiboot is a great way to try it out (if your device is supported by multiboot). Truth be told, I don't know if running Firefox OS through multiboot has any caveats, but it worked for me when I tried it.
Nice way to get a feel but it is very laggy on my MotoG gen 1. I'd love to switch but... Whatsapp... Yeah, I hate it but it is THE thing among my friends. Same thing goes for Ubuntu Phone. Definitely a shame multibooting is not easier then it is now.
No, Firefox OS is built on top of the same Linux kernel as Android, and can use the same drivers as Android, but that's pretty much the only common stuff.
As a user of a ~$800 Android flagship phone I can't wait for the day that I can leave this to rot to use my Flame (or install FxOS on this device, but .. yeah. Exynos, the worst of the worst thing you can buy today. Don't do it. Never do it).
No use derailing the thread, this project is cool!
As a current owner of the current top of the line iOS, Android, and FirefoxOS devices. I would LOVE to ditch Android and iOS for FirefoxOS on high-end android hardware.
Android shares more and more information with every app on your phone, with each update (ex. every app get your Google email address and all wifi networks, even with "no special permissions"). iOS is closed source and walled off. FirefoxOS is a refreshing change. For the first time there is a usable mobile OS that puts users in control of everything.
at 2015 firefox aka mozilla is a waste of time and a good way to waste productivity and firefox os is one of the great example. they made open source a business and they use it .. bad ass
[+] [-] davidbanham|10 years ago|reply
The fact that this is even possible is pretty great. I've been getting more and more frustrated with Android lately, but being able to do things like this is still a really great feature.
Very neat way to get a feel for Firefox OS without the need for new hardware.
[+] [-] piyush_soni|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] drzaiusapelord|10 years ago|reply
So.. this is just a launcher? Not anything to do with actually running an OS, just pretty icons and such? Shame. I was really looking forward to some kind of dual-boot or co-exist setup. I guess FFOS is in the same place a lot of small and hobbyist projects are at - without the marketshare of android, you simple do not have drivers available for your platform and considering the closed nature of most SoC's, its impossible to write you own.
Its kinda sad that smartphones didnt evolve like PCs. Drivers and specs have become proprietary trade secrets and that hurts us all.
That said, a FFOS Android distro would be pretty nice, especially if it broke away from the Google world of google play services, play store, etc. Imagine CM but without all the suckitude. I could see that having a chance and the driver problem would be solved.
[+] [-] fabrice_d|10 years ago|reply
So... my goal with doing that is to lower the barrier to entry and get more people to try the Firefox OS user experience. Currently it needs some dedication (either getting a supported device, or flashing your existing one), and that's obviously preventing us to get mindshare, both from users and developers.
Having simply to install an android app is vastly simpler for many people that are just curious at first. Some things will always be a bit different in the android version compared to a full flash, but I expect that to be relatively minor. I'm trying to get as much meaningful OS integration, like opening links from android apps in our browser frames, bridging our Web Activities and Android Intents, etc.
Feedback welcome at https://etherpad.mozilla.org/b2gdroid !
[+] [-] nolanl|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bsimpson|10 years ago|reply
Since the userspace of FFOS all runs on web tech, if this has enough of the runtime to power the homescreen, it should be able to power the apps too.
[+] [-] cpeterso|10 years ago|reply
Firefox OS uses Android's kernel and userspace so it has just as many drivers as Android.
[+] [-] sliverstorm|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] capnhooke|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Bjartr|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] _davidd_|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] the_mitsuhiko|10 years ago|reply
Because you change screens and you don't scroll. As the swipe motion is over more than 80% of the screen that would not work from top to bottom, only scrolling feels natural.
[+] [-] minusSeven|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gcb0|10 years ago|reply
you can also install v2 from the app store but one looks better.
you can have vertical scroll with or without snapping
[+] [-] bentcorner|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jharohit|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] chenzhekl|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] teekert|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] MacsHeadroom|10 years ago|reply
Good news, there's a FirefoxOS app for that. http://www.connecta2.im/
See also: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/whatsapp-alternatives-f...
[+] [-] 746F7475|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Yoric|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wodenokoto|10 years ago|reply
So in this case you are running Firefox OS on Firefox on Android. That is obviously not ideal, but fine for testing.
[+] [-] trendroid|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] throwaway41597|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] alexnewman|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] amolgupta|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tofupup|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] darklajid|10 years ago|reply
No use derailing the thread, this project is cool!
[+] [-] MacsHeadroom|10 years ago|reply
Android shares more and more information with every app on your phone, with each update (ex. every app get your Google email address and all wifi networks, even with "no special permissions"). iOS is closed source and walled off. FirefoxOS is a refreshing change. For the first time there is a usable mobile OS that puts users in control of everything.
[+] [-] pjmlp|10 years ago|reply
From the business point of view, I don't see any value over the existing options.
[+] [-] oblio|10 years ago|reply
After all, we had Internet Explorer, Safari and Opera as perfectly viable browsers.
[+] [-] TryToCatch|10 years ago|reply
[+] [-] annoying_tech|10 years ago|reply