Hands-on with Ubuntu Touch Preview for the Nexus 4

aGNUdomain.net - This weekend I formatted my Nexus 4 and loaded up Canonical's new Ubuntu Touch Preview. I was impressed by its polish and beauty.

Ubuntu Touch launched Feb. 19, 2013. As aGNUdomain's Ant Pruitt explained, Ubuntu Touch is Canonical's attempt to break into the mobile market. Smart Linux users already know how to run full-fledged Ubuntu on some Android devices, but this preview marks the first time Google released a developer version immediately installable on the latest four Nexus devices from Google.

If you have a Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 -- and you're feeling adventurous -- you can download the Ubuntu Touch preview code now.

Installing Ubuntu Touch was simple, though the current installation method is only supported using Ubuntu for desktop. After downloading the code only one command is required: phablet-flash -b.

If you are inclined to check out Ubuntu Touch yourself, be warned that your entire phone will be erased during the installation process. It is also possible that you could break your phone.

In reality there is not too much to see at this point. The folks at Canonical correctly labeled this release a "developer preview." You can think of it more like a model home. It is certainly a beautiful operating system but is hardly functional.

If you would rather wait for a more fleshed-out version of Ubuntu Touch, included are some screenshots of it running on my Nexus 4. Enjoy!