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PengPod: True Linux Tablets and MiniPCs

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Re: PengPod: True Linux Tablets and MiniPCs

#31

Post by sciurus »

mganon wrote: post #9

IIRC the A10 specs are closed (and at a time I've been involved with a project including a A10, I've even been reported the A10 designers did not even have written one...), so this might not be the best SoC to start with, especially to target Linux geeks, promising them openness. Also $50k of funding seems quite light for this project. I hope anyway that it succeeds, because it would still be an interesting device.

Linux already runs fairly well on the A10's, see http://linux-sunxi.org/Main_Page for more information.

Re: PengPod: True Linux Tablets and MiniPCs

#32

Post by sciurus »

vidarh wrote: post #17
CJefferson wrote: post #2

I don't want this to just sound like "this is a terrible idea", but I'm interested -- why not just make a good linux distribution for something like the Nexus 10? I already want to get one of those, and would be happy to dual-boot traditional linux, or even just have access to true linux under the android hub. Unless there is some serious restriction, it seems easier to get software right, than hardware + software.

Interestingly, their pictures are of existing Allwinner based Android products that are available for purchase now from any number of sources, and that there are plenty of documentation on getting Linux running for. So making a good Linux distribution seems to be what this project is for. It's very unclear what they're actually offering - it seems that any donations will go towards work on a very limited set of missi…

Maybe it would help if they pitched this similarly to http://www.emperorlinux.com/ - taking other people's hardware, making sure it works well with linux, and selling an out-of-the-box linux experience.

Re: PengPod: True Linux Tablets and MiniPCs

#33

Post by tluyben2 »

vidarh wrote: post #26
fafner wrote: post #12

What about the Vivaldi: http://makeplaylive.com/ It's a "True" Linux Tablet. Running on Mer and KDE.

The indicated 200 euro for the Vivaldi is nearly twice that of Android tablets with the same specs and a range of Linux ports available...

Do you have links for those?

Re: PengPod: True Linux Tablets and MiniPCs

#34

Post by vidarh »

drachensun wrote: post #28
vidarh wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they're actually planning on specific improvements of the Linux distro, I might be willing to pay extra for it... But, yeah, it does seem like they're at the very least not doing anything at all to prevent confusion over what this is about.

Things move fast in China, when we started planning this project the cost was based on a bulk order. In the 6 weeks or so since the retail prices have come much closer the wholesale price. This is typical of Chinese goods once they are available long enough. So the order quantity is not as important now but we still need the bulk to provide enough funds for the software work.

You're addressing the wrong issue: The price is not the problem. The extremely misleading page is.

And with regard to price: I bought one of the tablets you list from Amazon in the UK for less than your stated price many months ago. A single one, via a UK reseller.

Re: PengPod: True Linux Tablets and MiniPCs

#35

Post by vidarh »

tluyben2 wrote: post #33
vidarh wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The indicated 200 euro for the Vivaldi is nearly twice that of Android tablets with the same specs and a range of Linux ports available...

Do you have links for those?

I'm in the UK. 200 euro is about 160 GBP at the moment. Here's a selection of ~80GBP comparable tablets:

At least this one is an A10 based one (it's one of the many incarnations of LY-F1 tablets): http://www.amazon.co.uk/M009S-Capacitive-Android-SANDWICH-Re...

Another LY-F1 variation (A10): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superslim-Multi-touch-Capacitive-all...

And another: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fineslate-MULTITOUCH-Capacitive-Ice-...

Dual core Rockchip, Jellybean: http://www.amazon.co.uk/A1CS-RAPID5%C2%AE-DUAL-CORE-1-4-TABL...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cambridge-StarPAD-Processor-performa...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Android-7SE-Capacitive-touchscreen-F...

There are cheaper ones around too, but ~80 is the cheapest I'd consider in terms of build quality (unless for a child - one of the things you see on a lot of the cheaper tablets is that instead of a glass edge to edge face plate, there's a plastic shell that protrudes out from the screen, and perspex/plastic instead of glass covering the screem, and from look and feel those tablets seem a lot more likely to withstand being dropped - none of these cheap tablets use Gorilla glass as far as I know, after all)

Re: PengPod: True Linux Tablets and MiniPCs

#36

Post by rjbond3rd »

quarterto wrote: post #16
rjbond3rd wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Android is on the flash by default, Linux on the SD card. So you're getting two OS's. The $5 is to overwrite the flash with Linux.

Linux on the SD is an $8 extra.

Ah, thank you. That is indeed confusing then but I'm leaning toward supporting it.
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