Is the Librem 5 Ready for Launch?
Is the Librem 5 Ready for Launch?
Let's take a look at the progress over the last few weeks.
Progress on the dev kit has been absolutely crazy at the moment. September 15th was the last time I had to flash the dev kit - just nine days before the initial launch of the Librem 5.
After Flashing
After flashing, it was clear that this version was not ready for the public. For example, on the lockscreen when you enter your PIN code, the key presses remain highlighted - a bit of a security fail.
We can also see the unfinished app lineup including GNOME Tweaks, Vim, and non-final icons.
Software State
The software stack at this point included:
- Phosh shell: Functional but with visual bugs
- Core applications: Present but not polished
- Settings app: Basic functionality working
- Web browser: Functional with performance limitations
- Limited hardware acceleration
- Software still being optimized
- Browser engine not yet tuned for the hardware
- GNOME core apps (Files, Settings, etc.)
- Vim text editor
- GNOME Tweaks
- Various development tools
Browser Performance
If you recall in my last video, the web browser performance is basically unusable in certain situations. Heavy JavaScript sites bring the device to its knees. This is partly due to:
Pre-installed Applications
The dev kit came with several pre-installed applications:
The Verdict
Is it ready? Not quite for daily driver use, but the progress is undeniable. The foundation is solid, and things are improving rapidly. The initial batches (Aspen, Birch) were clearly targeted at early adopters and developers willing to help improve the software.