UserLAnd Delivers Linux Desktops on Android for $4.99 Without Root

1 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Aug 18

$4.99 for UserLAnd Pro was the tipping point in ZDNET's test, turning a difficult setup into a full Linux desktop on an Android tablet with just a few taps.
UserLAnd runs from the Google Play Store and does not require root access; users can choose among five distributions—Alpine, Arch, Debian, Kali, and Ubuntu—and launch desktops such as Xfce or LXDE.
Ubuntu with Xfce came up quickly in the trial, then allowed standard package updates and app installs from a terminal, though the default setup lacked a web browser and GUI software installer.
The app was not fully stable: sessions sometimes lost connection and had to be stopped and restarted, and some apps crashed unexpectedly.
Even with those flaws, the report judged UserLAnd the easiest current route to a full Linux environment on Android, especially for reviving older tablets.