Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

phoronix.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 71 posts

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#61

Post by RShiki »

lloeki wrote: post #11
Breakthrough wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love how you say "the Nexus 7's OS" when clearly, Android is used on a wide variety of devices (who calls the software on their phone the Droid Razr's OS or the Galaxy SII's OS? just saying...). Oh, and honest answer: It's a full-suited desktop OS, so you're right - it's not different than throwing Windows on it (aside from the obvious differences in the Windows/Linux software architecture and distribution models).…

I bet he meant the "Nexus 7's OS" as opposed to TouchWiz or Sense or whatever UI has been bolted on top of the Android innards. > You still get all the benefits of a full desktop OS like hunt-and-pecking in the smallish menus on a 7" screen? this is just ridiculous, and (given their UI plans) way too early to be useful.

Even if it's a nexus device it's pretty different from what we were used to with stock android : it's a blend of both the phone and tablet UI. Some apps are using the tablet UI, while others use the phone UI, and the launcher itself is based on the phone UI, rather than the tablet UI. What runs on the Nexus 7 is a form of Android that has never been seen before, and there isn't any other Android tablet that behaves in such a way, even those from Asus that are as close to stock android as an OEM can be.

Even with TouchWiz, the Tab 7.0 feels more like what we were used to than the N7.

I'm just stating facts though because I actually like the changes made for the N7 better, I think it fits a 7" screen more than the old tablet UI and I hope those changes will be copied by the others.

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#62

Post by [deleted] »

densh wrote: post #4
mariusmg wrote: post #2

OK...but why ? It's not like Unity is a good fit for a 7" tablet.

Very simple use case: connect keyboard and mouse and you'll get portable linux workstation. It's a pity that there is no hdmi out but you shouldn't expect a lot from $200 tablet. As a bonus you'll have lots of open source packages (including various development tools) that will run just fine on this relatively powerful hardware. Most of the user-friendly ubuntu apps won't be usable without a mouse. There are also lot…

[deleted]

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#63

Post by [deleted] »

ovi256 wrote: post #22
densh wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very simple use case: connect keyboard and mouse and you'll get portable linux workstation. It's a pity that there is no hdmi out but you shouldn't expect a lot from $200 tablet. As a bonus you'll have lots of open source packages (including various development tools) that will run just fine on this relatively powerful hardware. Most of the user-friendly ubuntu apps won't be usable without a mouse. There are also lot…

You mention HDMI out. $100 chinese tablets have it [1]. Arguably they don't have the same screen and quality battery as the Nexus 7. 1. http://www.ainolstore.com/ainol-novo-7-mars-cortex-a9-androi...

[deleted]

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#64

Post by zurn »

mtgx wrote: post #17

This is my problem with Ubuntu and Unity, and why I much prefer Linux Mint as a "Windows replacement" OS. They say they made that side bar to "work well with touchscreen devices, too", but as we can see Unity on a touchscreen devices offers a pretty poor experience, and the sidebar is just about the only thing that is meant for touchscreens in Ubuntu. The global menu and everything else is clearly meant for a PC and…

Can you expand on how Mint is superior on tablets?

I agree it Ubuntu isn't very good on tablets. But the sidebar works OK on PC, like it does on Macs.

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#65

Post by mtgx »

zurn wrote: post #64
mtgx wrote: post #17

This is my problem with Ubuntu and Unity, and why I much prefer Linux Mint as a "Windows replacement" OS. They say they made that side bar to "work well with touchscreen devices, too", but as we can see Unity on a touchscreen devices offers a pretty poor experience, and the sidebar is just about the only thing that is meant for touchscreens in Ubuntu. The global menu and everything else is clearly meant for a PC and…

Can you expand on how Mint is superior on tablets? I agree it Ubuntu isn't very good on tablets. But the sidebar works OK on PC, like it does on Macs.

I meant I like Mint more on PC's, not tablets.

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#66

Post by jordanthoms »

keithpeter wrote: post #29
mtgx wrote: post #17

This is my problem with Ubuntu and Unity, and why I much prefer Linux Mint as a "Windows replacement" OS. They say they made that side bar to "work well with touchscreen devices, too", but as we can see Unity on a touchscreen devices offers a pretty poor experience, and the sidebar is just about the only thing that is meant for touchscreens in Ubuntu. The global menu and everything else is clearly meant for a PC and…

Yup, I saw the original article and thought 'good look with LibreOffice on that' Then I checked the specifications of the tablet: headphone socket, built in microphone, and so I could get puredata running on it with (perhaps) jack audio. That would open up the prospect of sound generation by touch. Puredata allows you to make your own interfaces so large buttons to hit. Also http://dinisnoise.org/ I could almost just…

That would be cool, but keep in mind that the headphone output is (unfortunately) not so great.

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#67

Post by nickpresta »

densh wrote: post #4
mariusmg wrote: post #2

OK...but why ? It's not like Unity is a good fit for a 7" tablet.

Very simple use case: connect keyboard and mouse and you'll get portable linux workstation. It's a pity that there is no hdmi out but you shouldn't expect a lot from $200 tablet. As a bonus you'll have lots of open source packages (including various development tools) that will run just fine on this relatively powerful hardware. Most of the user-friendly ubuntu apps won't be usable without a mouse. There are also lot…

HDMI out is done via MHL adapter: http://www.amazon.com/Menotek-Adapter-IMPROVED-Protocol-Sens...

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#68

Post by keithpeter »

rdtsc wrote: post #59
achiang wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't expect any huge departure from the existing sound architecture (PulseAudio, ALSA).

achiang, Unfortunately (and, conversely, fortunately for Ubuntu) Android audio on tablets sucks. Especially when we talk low latency audio. It is bad, in the 100s of milliseconds of latency, which is laughable really for anyone who tries to do audio synthesis or any realtime audio features. So frankly, just bringing ALSA or PulseAudio to the table will hugely improve the situation. Google is aware of the issue ( http…

So Ubuntu could deliver a useful gain in audio performance over Android on a tablet such as the Nexus?

As input appears to be limited to on board microphone in the particular tablet we are discussing, it is unlikely that real time processing will be a major use unless the micro-usb socket can be used with an audio interface.

I certainly would drop £160 or so to try synthesis if pd/jack/effects-loops are available. Just a single cable out, not too restrictive, perhaps even streamed audio over wifi.

puredata allows you to set up your own controls for a sound synthesis program - and you can have chunky buttons and big sliders for touch I'm hoping.

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#69

Post by Riesling »

itry wrote: post #58
Riesling wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I was a huge Ubuntu supporter from 2005 to 2012. And now I warn people to not use it. Wow, this is sad. Especially since it is so easy to install a different window manager on ubuntu. sudo aptitude install xubuntu-desktop will install xfce for example.

I tried it. But I like Gnome 2 a lot more then xfce. For example in xfce you cannot reorder the entries in the task bar.

Then install Gnome 2 with

  sudo aptitude install gnome-session-fallback
The best part is that you can install a multitude of window managers and decide at login time which one to use.

This is one of the big advantages of Linux.

Re: Ubuntu ported to the Nexus 7

#70

Post by rdtsc »

keithpeter wrote: post #68
rdtsc wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

achiang, Unfortunately (and, conversely, fortunately for Ubuntu) Android audio on tablets sucks. Especially when we talk low latency audio. It is bad, in the 100s of milliseconds of latency, which is laughable really for anyone who tries to do audio synthesis or any realtime audio features. So frankly, just bringing ALSA or PulseAudio to the table will hugely improve the situation. Google is aware of the issue ( http…

So Ubuntu could deliver a useful gain in audio performance over Android on a tablet such as the Nexus? As input appears to be limited to on board microphone in the particular tablet we are discussing, it is unlikely that real time processing will be a major use unless the micro-usb socket can be used with an audio interface. I certainly would drop £160 or so to try synthesis if pd/jack/effects-loops are available. Ju…

> So Ubuntu could deliver a useful gain in audio performance over Android on a tablet such as the Nexus?

It could if using USB audio input and output. The DAC in the Nexus 7 is not very good. Also, as you pointed out, Nexus 7 doesn't have headset jack, just a headphone jack. So that's lacking. However, there are some compiled kernels that added USB audio out support (but then simultaneously charging the device doesn't work, sigh...).

> puredata allows you to set up your own controls for a sound synthesis program - and you can have chunky buttons and big sliders for touch I'm hoping.

Have you heard of http://libpd.cc/ ?

Post reply on HN