Portable Devices
Ubuntu can work with many portable devices, including portable audio and video players, handheld computers, cameras, mobile phones, and various gadgets that combine these functions.
Portable Audio and Video players
Apple iPod
Ubuntu works well with all iPods. See iPodHowto.
iriver T10
The iriver T10 often ships in MTS mode which only works with proprietary software. Using the windows firmware upgrade tool, you can switch it to UMS mode. It will then work in Linux as a USB mass storage device. See ![[WWW]](../htdocs/ubuntu/img/u-www.png){kind=small}
here for instructions to switch from MTS to UMS mode.
See screenshot of Windows upgrader tool:
Alternatively, you may use free-libre tools to use your T10.
You can reportedly use gPhoto2 to copy files to the device in MTS mode. It may be possible to upgrade the firmware that way. See here.
The iriver T30 works in UMS mode.
Creative Zen
Ubuntu works well with all Creative Zen devices. See Ubuntu Forums.
Olympus M:Robe
Ubuntu lacks official support, but can be made to work with the M:Robe using some unofficial packages provided by 'Rick in Sweden'. See his posts on the MRobe forums.
Neuros Audio
Neuros Audio's Digital Audio Computer works with Ubuntu (I assume...) as there are packages available for sorune and positron, both of which can be used to update your Audio Computer, and obviously Ubuntu completely supports Ogg Vorbis straight out-of-the-box because it is one of the FreeFormats.
The Neuros 442 Digital Media Computer (which I believe is a branded version of a more general player since I have seen almost identical offerings from names such as Commodore) will work in Ubuntu just like any regular USB drive and appear in the /media folder.
It doesn't use an internal database or playlist system, it just relies on it's filesystem's folders, so you can drag 'n' drop supported files into a folder on the device using any file manager and they will be instantly available for playing.
There are some naming restrictions though, since the NEUROS 442 relies on you telling it what type of media a file is with the file's name through the use of "file extensions", which means they should end with a full-stop "." followed by three characters, such as "mp3" for MPEG audio, "avi", "asf" or "mp4" for videos, depending on their container format (the three given here are for audio/video interleave, windows media and MPEG4), "jpg" for JPEG images, etc. Also, the FAT32 filesystem used by the Neuros 442 means you will have to rename files on your Ubuntu machine to strip out characters such as colons (":"), angle brackets ("<" and ">"), etc. Tools such as krename can do this en masse.
The 442 does not support Ogg Vorbis, so the most obvious audio format to use is MP3.
Picture viewing can use the JPEG format which Ubuntu comes ready-equipped with.
In terms of video playback the 442 supports many codecs and containers, but I have found the most compatible to be Xvid (since MPlayer's Xvid output always works, whereas DivX, MPEG4, etc. can have many variations, some of which do not work).
Videos recorded with the PVR (Personal Video Recorder) capabilities of the Neuros 442 can be watched on Ubuntu if you install the MPEG4 codecs for whatever player you intend to use. The page RestrictedFormats has more information on getting these codecs to work.
As far as I know the 442's card reader cannot be directly accessed by Ubuntu through the USB interface, so you may have to use the 442's built-in file manager to copy files from the SD/MMC/etc. card onto the 442's hard drive, then access these copies in Ubuntu using the USB cable.
To update the music on a 442 you can use Amarok, just scan for media devices and use it as a "Generic Audio Player". Make sure only the "MP3" format is set, then you can then set which folder you want your music to be in, using / as the root folder of the player. Now you can use Amarok to drag 'n' drop files, change the names (for example to "artist - title.mp3" and (supposedly) convert to MP3 before transfering.
Handheld Computers
Handheld Computers Using PalmOS
You can sync email, contacts, calender appointments and more between Evolution and your Palm. Support to do this is inbuilt into Evolution. To install see: PalmSync.
Handheld Computers Using Windows Mobile or PocketPC
Ubuntu does not work with Windows Mobile 5 currently, although support is being worked on for the next version of the MultiSync's SyncCE plugin. Until that suport comes, there are two possible solutions:
Compiling the unfinished source code for the next version of SyncCE yourself (this may help sync contacts, appointments, mail, etc)
Using a storage device that your computer cvan also read, such an an SD card (if your computer has a card reader) or Sandisk's SD+USB for file transfer.
Users of Windows Mobile 2003 and PocketPC can sync email, contacts, calender appointments with Evolution by installing the multisync package. See InstallingSoftware.
Mobile Phones
LG Chocolate KG800
You can transfer music, images and themes to the LG Chocolate without any additional software. Just plug the phone in via the included cable and drag the files into the relevant folder in the USB Device that appears on your desktop.
SonyEricsson (most models)
Most SonyEricsson mobile phones support the SyncML protocol, allowing you to sync email, contacts, calender appointments with Evolution by installing the multisync package. See InstallingSoftware.
You can transfer music and images from your SonyEricsson phone using the standard USB cable. Ubuntu will detect the media and guide you step-by-step through the process. A USB Device will also appear on the desktop for transferring files the other way. It is worth noting that only files stored on the Memory Stick are available via USB, although it is possible to move files between the Memory Stick & phone memory using the options on your mobile.
Blackberry
Blackberry functionality is limited to community support. There is currently (as of March 2007) no known official Linux support from RIM. Blackberry devices are not Ubuntu certified hardware either. If you are using a Blackberry and would like it to work in Ubuntu, let RIM know about it.
- Barry is an Open Source Linux application that will allow synchronization, backup, restore and program management for BlackBerry ™ devices. This project also provides USB charging capabilities which will be available starting with the 2.6.21 kernel (most probably Feisty+1 in October 2007). USB/Bluetooth GSM modem capabilities are not yet implemented.
There is an online to get official
RIM BlackBerry Linux USB Driver Support