StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet • Hacker News Board

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#101

Post by eternityforest » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:08 AM UTC

jauntywundrkind wrote: post #82

afavour wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If we get to 2030 and phones can't plug in to GPUs something is f-ed and the system is broken, tech has ossified grossly. Why? That’s an incredibly minor use case. If you’re expecting something this niche to become the norm then you’re destined to be disappointed.

You may be onto something, as Lenovo shut down the super-badass ultra-phone. https://www.androidauthority.com/lenovo-legion-phone-shutdow... But reciprocally, what's the new ultra-hot device? Gaming decks. Lenovo just announced theirs today. Steam, Asus, and dozen of others have amazing devices. And there are still gaming-centric phones galore. This should be an easy ask. It should be a lock. Android alas is kind of…

I wish Android and Linux would just merge. Give people access to a Linux userland that lets you install Nix packages(Most anything but Nix or similar would be a step backwards from Android's reliability during updates), and then Android could very easily be most people's only OS.

If people could plug in their phone and run Linux apps on a full size monitor they'd probably pay a lot more for the phone, knowing they didn't then also need a nice laptop.

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#102

Post by speed_spread » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:10 AM UTC

froggertoaster wrote: post #50

Turskarama wrote: post #19

I can't help but feel like an x86 tablet is a non starter, the architecture is just too power thirsty compared to ARM.

Agreed - ARM put x86 on the clock, and Apple Silicon - the best implementation of ARM yet - is the death knell of x86. Every opinion to the contrary feels like cope, because it's coming, and fast.

A CPU is not a computer. Apple does not sell its CPUs to other manufacturers. A single vendor cannot supply solutions satisfying every person and every business requiring computers, no matter how good their tech is. Fast ARM merely keeps Apple relevant. It is not such an unfair advantage that everything else dies.

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#103

Post by cycomanic » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:10 AM UTC

cookiengineer wrote: post #97

Honestly when I am looking at their other models like the StarBook and StarFighter, I have a weird feeling that I cannot repair them once the battery or other parts breaks down. They have an internal battery similar to the format of A1278 MacBooks, which makes my spidey sense go off that it's not easily repairable without breaking a ribbon flex cable. I don't need a bleeding edge gaming GPU, I don't need USB4, I don'…

AFAIK pretty much all (most?) the recent thinkpads have relatively easily replaceable batteries. I just replaced the battery in my X1 carbon (although it's a 2016 model so not so recent) and it was really straight forward.

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#104

Post by ConSeannery » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:11 AM UTC

xqcgrek2 wrote: post #40

I would have preferred their new Star Lite was an updated 12" fanless Linux laptop rather than a tablet. Do any decent fanless 12" Linux laptops exist now?

What's the difference between a fanless laptop and a Linux OS tablet? A keyboard on hinges or something?

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#105

Post by eternityforest » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:12 AM UTC

nimish wrote: post #91

jauntywundrkind wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

DisplayPort has the huge advantage of being incredibly easy to passively convert into the ultra-legacy-weird-difficult HDMI, where-as the legacy-centric-pita-gross HDMI requires active absurd adapters to turn into DisplayPort. 100% more usb-c please, with alt modes. USB4 mandates every port be able to do DisplayPort output. I really hope we start to see phones and tablets which have >1 USB port. Lenovo has an absurd…

DP can only be passively converted to HDMI if the source uses DisplayPort++/Dual Mode, which is not supported by the DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C spec (Why? Who knows). Every usb-c to HDMI adapter has to actively convert the signals which is why one end is usually much larger than the other.

Isn't there not enough pins for that? Plus, it would just be needless extra hassle, when their goal is to just not have HDMI at all eventually.

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#106

Post by RF_Savage » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:12 AM UTC

eternityforest wrote: post #15

Why did they have to use a micro HDMI port? Couldn't they have done dual USB-C and made one the DisplayPort output? MicroHDMI is not a very nice connector, it's a lot of pins under mechanical stress from the heavy, rigid HDMI people generally attach to it.

USB-C DisplayPort altmode would have required one to two extra chips for the port supporting it and some extra routing on the PCB.

So cost and complexity increase. MicroHDMI does suck, but despite that raspberry pi 4 has two of them.

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#107

Post by eternityforest » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:15 AM UTC

RF_Savage wrote: post #106

eternityforest wrote: post #15

Why did they have to use a micro HDMI port? Couldn't they have done dual USB-C and made one the DisplayPort output? MicroHDMI is not a very nice connector, it's a lot of pins under mechanical stress from the heavy, rigid HDMI people generally attach to it.

USB-C DisplayPort altmode would have required one to two extra chips for the port supporting it and some extra routing on the PCB. So cost and complexity increase. MicroHDMI does suck, but despite that raspberry pi 4 has two of them.

The Pi also put a nasty old microUSB on the Pi Pico so I'm not surprised they used a crappy connector, when there's way less reason to still use MicroUSB.

They're a great company but MicroUSB? Really?

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#108

Post by LoveMortuus » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:18 AM UTC

MerelyMortal wrote: post #51

LoveMortuus wrote: post #34

No USB-A ports and no plain old Debian option... Would be cool if they offered a blank keyboard option, because right now I would just have to pick any ISO language and because I used Slovenian layout, but if I bought it, as is, I couldn't look at the keyboard anyways... Also the display seems a bit dim at 300cd/m. And since it's touch, stylus (digitizer) would be very welcome.

USB-A to USB-C adapters are cheap. USB-A is past its prime. Your post contains only negative points. There will never be a perfect device because everyone has different wants, so enjoy it for what it is.

I'm sorry, I guess I didn't fully express my thoughts. I'm genuinely excited about the device and had signed up to be notified when it's available. I will, of course, wait for the reviews, but at ~600€ with a keyboard, it's already leagues ahead of my current Chromebook, and this is running a "real" operating system!

I expressed my issue with no USB-A ports because I prefer my devices to be self-sufficient (I hope that's the right word). My mouse that I've had for many many years has USB-A, all of my USB storage drives are USB-A, Wacom tablet is USB-A, external DVD drive is USB-A.

What I'm trying to say is that all of my devices are USB-A, I have a USB charger only for my phone. And I do find it absurd having to use an adapter to use a mouse with my computer. I would be very slightly less bothered if the adapters at least came with device, but they don't, switch means that it's something I have to buy (no, I don't have any USB-C to USB-A adapters, because only my phone has a USB-C port).

I don't believe USB-A is past its prime, I don't really even know what that's supposed to mean. I still love and use my 3.5mm headphone jack on my phone.

With criticism, it's much easier to improve then if you only hear praise.

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#109

Post by RF_Savage » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:18 AM UTC

mcny wrote: post #78

afavour wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If we get to 2030 and phones can't plug in to GPUs something is f-ed and the system is broken, tech has ossified grossly. Why? That’s an incredibly minor use case. If you’re expecting something this niche to become the norm then you’re destined to be disappointed.

We had USB 3 with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 in September 2013. It is now almost a decade. If rumors are true, Samsung will announce a USB 4 (thunderbolt 3) phone before the end of 2024. I agree with the grandparent. While most people don't care too much for eGPU (?), I'm sure if we let people innovate, good things will come. My dream is much smaller. I just want whatever hardware circuitry is required to accomplish t…

One of the tragedies of USB-C is how it can be anything from dumb charging only to one's capable of 40GB/s data transfer among everything else.

Re: StarLite 12.5-inch Linux tablet

#110

Post by contrarian1234 » Fri, Aug 18, 2023, 5:24 AM UTC

mcny wrote: post #78

afavour wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If we get to 2030 and phones can't plug in to GPUs something is f-ed and the system is broken, tech has ossified grossly. Why? That’s an incredibly minor use case. If you’re expecting something this niche to become the norm then you’re destined to be disappointed.

We had USB 3 with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 in September 2013. It is now almost a decade. If rumors are true, Samsung will announce a USB 4 (thunderbolt 3) phone before the end of 2024. I agree with the grandparent. While most people don't care too much for eGPU (?), I'm sure if we let people innovate, good things will come. My dream is much smaller. I just want whatever hardware circuitry is required to accomplish t…

My Lenovo Y700 does passthrough power. It also has a mode where it only starts charging if the battery is below 40% and it'll stop at 60%

Unfortunately its not a phone. Its a mini tablet. But I find the size ideal for daily use - browsing，reading pdfs, small sketches . (no SIM slot though)