DC147 Purism Librem 5 Smartphone Hardware Impressions

The Librem 5 is Purism's re-envisioning what a smartphone could
be and should be. It runs on Purism's own Linux distribution
PureOS, which is certified by the Free Software Foundation to be
free of non-transparent, proprietary code such as many commercial
products use.


The "Evergreen" batch of Librem 5 phones is the first official
production model, and possesses unique qualities not found in
most smart phones:
* Hardware switches to turn on/off camera, microphone, WiFi,
Bluetooth, and cellular connection.
* Easily removeable battery for easy replacement.
* Easy access to replace the cellular modem and the
WiFi/Bluetooth circuitry
* Updates to the PureOS operating system for the long term, not
just a few years.
* Connection via USB-C to an external monitor.
* Does not inherently track customers' usage of the phone and
apps.


As of December 2020, this "Evergreen" batch of phones does not
have a sleep function, so battery life is very short. The
microphone of this particular Librem 5 is described as sounding
"muffled" and "under water" compared to other smart phones.
Purism promises continuous improvements to both the phone's
operating system and the Linux kernel that interacts with this
promising hardware. At this time, the phone is not usable as a
"daily driver".


Useful links about the Librem 5 including video tours:


https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/


https://puri.sm/posts/why-fsf-endorsing-pureos-matters/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaRf8JBL7tE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aQp3twe7D4