Let’s start with this. I do not work for or receive any compensation from Furilabs. I am just a satisfied customer and Linux phone enthusiast who desperately wants to see linux mobile succeed. This is my eighth and final chapter. I hope you have enjoyed reading this journey as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

The journey had taken me through the history of Linux mobile: from the keyboard of Planet Computers, past the ideological crucible of the Librem 5, and through the community wilds of the Pinephone. Each step taught me exactly what was possible, and cruelly, what was still missing.

And then, I stumbled upon to Furilabs.com.

The FLX1: A Different Kind of Concept

I was searching for a device that could finally blend the practicality of a Halium-based approach (to ensure basic functionality) with the openness of a standard Linux desktop experience (for convergence).

While I don’t necessarily want those exact technical solutions without any compromises, my experience has taught me that this hybrid strategy looks like the best path forward if we want people to actually use Linux phones just like they use Linux on laptops. We need the “it just works” reliability of Halium for the phone stack, combined with the power and freedom of the FOSS desktop for productivity.

The FLX1 concept sounded different and resonated perfectly with this strategy. Furilabs was introducing a new Linux phone, and the people behind it seemed to have analyzed the exact pain points of my decade-long journey. The price tag was reasonable, and the background research looked promising. I ordered it, just as I have ordered almost every potential Linux phone before, even with a history of disappointments.

This time, the concept felt right:

• Manufacturer Support: An immediate commitment to modem and system support from the manufacturer.
• Halium Base: They used a Halium solution, which I knew from my earlier days with Ubuntu Touch was the fastest route to getting hardware to work out of the box (OOTB).
• True Linux Desktop: A full-fledged Phosh environment, bringing the convergence potential of the modern Linux desktop.

The Droidian solutions I had tried previously often lacked exactly this mix of manufacturer commitment and stable modem support, even when the software itself was quite usable

From Pioneer to Polish

I was maybe the fifth person to receive the phone, and the first six months naturally introduced issues. However, the masterminds, Bardia and Jesus, solved them one by one with incredible speed and dedication.

Out of the box, the device was already fast and nice to use. But over the course of a year, it took a huge leap. The FLX1 can truly compete with a mid-level Android phone in speed and fluidity. Given where Linux phones stand today, this is an incredible achievement.

The stability and performance are a testament to the benefits of the Halium starting point, backed by dedicated vendor support.

The Convergence Comeback

The community around the FLX1 has been super nice. We are throwing ideas around, dreaming up new features, and sharing setups. It was during one of these sessions that I introduced the concept of the latency-free wired display-out that Planet Computers had perfected with their custom HDMI dongle.

The response was astounding:

• About two days later, Barry sent a photo showing that display-out was now working.
• A week after that, Barry implemented full convergence: the external display extended to a full GNOME desktop, while the phone screen could still be used simultaneously in Phosh.

This is the convergence dream fully realized! If this setup – even requiring a custom HDMI dongle – is even half as fluent and latency-free as the Planet Computers solution, people will absolutely love it. The ability to quickly and reliably transition from a pocket phone to a full desktop is no longer a theoretical promise; it is a feature ready for daily use.

Stable as a Rock!

Phone reliability is often the last hurdle for Linux mobile, but here, the FLX1 shines. Furilabs supports nearly the whole world with one modem and modem firmware. I have seen Barry and Jesus tirelessly fix issues for specific carriers who deviate from standards. For me, here in the EU where standards are more rigid, the phone is stable as a rock.

I have never miss a call, and core functions like SMS and MMS work (even complex issues like APN multiplexing).

There are also some stuff what might sound stupid to even mention if you don’t know the state of average linux mobile phone. But with FuriOS you will…

• …get standby battery life of week and even with heavy use full day – with default 2025 smartphone use it will last around two days
• …get working cameras (including video) like in modern smartphone of 2025
• …get instant GPS which locks immediately even inside
• …get tailored Android container (called andromeda) which is fully integrated to the main os and it will share clipboard and you can even share all files between container and FuriOS
• …get callaudio which just works, including speaker calls without echo
• …get working nfc sensor, working nighlight, working bluetooth, working wifi etc.
• …get phone that can easily run heavy tasks without burning battery to flat in minutes
• …get full linux freedom of top of that
• …simply get phone which was built to work just like any other smartphone – and again I know this migh sound stupid but if you read all my chapters you might see why these are worth to mention 😀

My journey, which started with a utopian dream, has finally led me to a device that successfully balances the ethical demands of Linux, the performance needs of a modern user, and the necessity of simple, reliable communication. Now I am eagerly waiting the FLX1s and the new dock which will make the convergence dream a reality!

Honey, I’m home.

Last words… remember to support your favorite Linux mobile project using whatever method suits you best! Since I am quite bad at coding, I try to put my money where my mouth is, so I have personally supported every project I write about financially.
I can also proudly encourage you to buy my current daily driver FLX1s – please feel free to ask me questions about it if you are curious. 2026 will be the year of Linux mobile, so jump in and enjoy the ride!