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Google quits selling tablets

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Re: Google quits selling tablets

#321

Post by voltagex_ »

hedora wrote: post #285
voltagex_ wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you run Linux on it instead? Not to excuse Google - but there's little incentive for a company to maintain devices past a certain point when there's no financial or regulatory requirement to do so. I'm not sure Windows 7 being supported for a decade was intentional, but we'll see what pans out with Windows 10's incremental model.

I guess I’m old fashioned, but I highly recommend getting an x86 netbook and putting linux on it. They still exist, and are basically chromebooks with the crazy google bios removed. For instance the acer 11” cloudbooks run linux well. You can disable secure boot. However, if you want chromebook style security without google or the centralized PKI, you can purge the ms keys and enroll the bootloader of your choice wit…

The "crazy google bios" is CoreBoot, isn't it? Why wouldn't you want that?

Re: Google quits selling tablets

#322

Post by euyyn »

collyw wrote: post #185
hajderr wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry just got stuck and smiled over your first sentence "Fragments were way over engineered." and couldn't restrain myself of thinking about all Googlers that passed the whiteboard tests

True I don't think I have ever had an interview question that questioned my ability to keep simple. I think this is where experience comes in valuable, the ability to "keep things as simple as possible and no simpler".

I host interviews for Google. A simpler design that solves a problem is definitely valued better than an unnecessarily-complicated one.

Re: Google quits selling tablets

#323

Post by euyyn »

foobarbazetc wrote: post #82
euyyn wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I admit that I haven't paid much attention. But the whole revamp of the UI framework into Fragments was precisely to let app developers support both phones and tablets. Why do you say older versions of Android had better support for tablets?

It has nothing to do with APIs. Our app has a great tablet version, on par with iPad and we don’t use fragments at all. We just change things based on size. It’s more that Google obviously stopped caring about tablets many major versions ago.

See but that doesn't answer my question: What makes you think that they stopped caring about tablets?

Re: Google quits selling tablets

#324

Post by FussyZeus »

rz2k wrote: post #131
FussyZeus wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdotal: my iPads have never aged the way my iPhones do. As to the reasons, I suspect the primary is just where and how it's used: I beat the piss out of my iphones, dropping them, using them out of good areas, on the go, in the car, while eating, etc. where my iPads have a comparatively nice existence largely in my home. The most strenuous environment I use my tablets in is my porch. But yeah, I just recently upgr…

What's your experience on the upgrade from an iPad Air to a new iPad Pro?

It's like moving from an airplane to a spaceship. Especially with the new ARKit stuff, the pencil support, and the smart keyboard.

Re: Google quits selling tablets

#325

Post by criddell »

wlesieutre wrote: post #230
criddell wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What software do you use on the iPad?

OneNote mostly. The iOS version isn’t as full featured as the desktop one (it’s more in line with the Windows Store version), but it’s worked well for me. That’s where all my notes were when I switched so it seemed easiest to stick with it. The built-in Notes app from Apple has also gotten more capable in iOS 11, and there are other options that I hear good things about but haven’t tried. https://www.imore.com/best-n…

I've been using Good Notes and the handwriting part of it is fantastic. The notebook management part of the app is somewhat weaker though and lately I've been thinking about trying something else.

Re: Google quits selling tablets

#326

Post by namibj »

closeparen wrote: post #320
namibj wrote: post #315

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks, though they seem to be US-only, from quick research. Also LoRaWAN does not require a license and can handle lower-power applications with the same network. I will check it out in detail later.

Spectrum allocation for personal radio service is almost always country specific.

Somewhat. But some are larger areas. I might need to take a look at lower bandwidth applications based on spread-spectrum coding. That should enable reasonable sub-unity SNR transmissions, enabling higher frequency bands with much wider bands.

Re: Google quits selling tablets

#327

Post by macjohnmcc »

giancarlostoro wrote: post #263
macjohnmcc wrote: post #254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it because of the lack of interest or is it because people aren't replacing them because they are still working for them? I haven't lost interest in tablets but I also haven't bought one in four years because mine suits my needs.

I never buy a tablet because none of them are competitive enough. I usually have better specs on the phone in my pocket than tablets I usually see. I never understood why Android tablets did not get more competitive.

It certainly doesn't seem so for Android. The last Android tablet I bought was the Nexus 7 in 2013. Still use it from time-to-time.

Re: Google quits selling tablets

#328

Post by tracker1 »

leadingthenet wrote: post #279
tracker1 wrote: post #272

If there was a decent tablet made in the last 4-5 years that cost less than $250, I'd probably get it... my last one was the Nvidia Shield Tablet, which was nice, if a bit heavy, and the battery quickly stopped taking a charge... I haven't even turned it on in over a year. Before that was the Nexus 7, which was great, until OS updates made it run like a dog. In the end, the shield has had better support than most, bu…

“I don't want an iThing.” Your loss, because it’s exactly the device which would address your complaints.

As a developer, I just don't like the Apple experience all around. I do use macos on my desktop and laptop is a rmbp. The iPod/Pad/Phone is just too locked down for my taste.

Re: Google quits selling tablets

#329

Post by mfbx9da4 »

mercury888 wrote: post #231
dalbasal wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a lot of cases a scaled (or just small) phone app is good enough. But... overall.. I think the tablet category is just not a very big one. I had an iPad and an old 7" nexus. When they died, I didn't replace. Phones got bigger and better. We got better at thumb typing and comfortable holding screens close. Reading on a tablet for example, is not that different to a phone these days and a (cheap) dedicated reader is…

Nah I love my iPad Pro 10.5

If you are looking for cases which are definitely compatible with your iPad checkout https://identifymyipad.com/ Shameless plug

Re: Google quits selling tablets

#330

Post by tracker1 »

sjdbwixb wrote: post #281
tracker1 wrote: post #272

If there was a decent tablet made in the last 4-5 years that cost less than $250, I'd probably get it... my last one was the Nvidia Shield Tablet, which was nice, if a bit heavy, and the battery quickly stopped taking a charge... I haven't even turned it on in over a year. Before that was the Nexus 7, which was great, until OS updates made it run like a dog. In the end, the shield has had better support than most, bu…

Huawei mediapad was going for 220 brand new last year with a 2k screen and monster battery. Seems like it's all gone though

But which mediapad? I mean there are several results on Amazon.. M3, M3 Lite, M5, T2, T3 and several others... at even just the search results on Amazon glance, it's hard to tell what's what, what the MSRP is, what the expected price should be, what's current, what's old. How long will updates be supported.

I really wish that LineageOS gave some better guidance, I'd love a good community supported device, or clear(er) modeling.

It's funny, but I know enough about PCs to compare specs, but not nearly enough about tablets, ARM etc. I get what a lot of people looking at computers feel like.

--- edit:

Looks like the M5 is the current hotness, not sure about T3 etc. Just ordered one, thanks for the reference. It's just hard to know. Also, looks like there should be a LineageOS port, if it's still 8.0 and not 8.1 yet.

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