Yes. Just install the Terminal app. If you have a screen lock configured you're asked again to get to a shell prompt. You get a regular prompt as the "phablet" user but have unrestricted sudo access. It's easier to use ssh though: http://askubuntu.com/q/348714/7808
What's nice is that it's just a regular Ubuntu shell prompt, not a hacked up one like you get on Android. All the usual stuff you expect to have is there. The Terminal app integrates nicely too - for example if you use less, then swiping up and down scrolls up and down.
Note though that by default the root filesystem is read-only. You can make it read-write, but then the image-based OTA updates aren't expected to work and of course if you break things you get to keep all the pieces. For this reason I've avoided doing this for now, but it's nice to know that I can do it. I expect I'll probably end up rolling my own customized images instead in order to keep my phone more reliable.
What's nice is that it's just a regular Ubuntu shell prompt, not a hacked up one like you get on Android. All the usual stuff you expect to have is there. The Terminal app integrates nicely too - for example if you use less, then swiping up and down scrolls up and down.
Note though that by default the root filesystem is read-only. You can make it read-write, but then the image-based OTA updates aren't expected to work and of course if you break things you get to keep all the pieces. For this reason I've avoided doing this for now, but it's nice to know that I can do it. I expect I'll probably end up rolling my own customized images instead in order to keep my phone more reliable.