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New Ubuntu Tablet: Everything You Need to Know
// OMG! Ubuntu!
We leaked news of Ubuntuâs brand-spanking new tablet a couple of weeks ago â but today itÂfinally makes its official debut.
And it doesnât disappoint.
Also See: The New Ubuntu Tablet â Photo Gallery
The âBQ Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Editionâ (to give the model its full name) is a high-resolutionÂ10-inch tablet â and then some.
ConnectÂa keyboard and mouse and the M10 transforms from a content-consuming Scope wonderland intoÂa content-creating workstationÂthat runs all your favourite desktop apps, likeÂFirefox and LibreOffice.
Exciting news, right? And chances are you have some questions about it, too.
So join us as we give you a deeper look at the device thatâsÂon the lips of open-source gadget fans the world over.
When can I buyÂthe Bq Aquaris M10 Ubuntu tablet?
BQ is yet to pick aÂprecise date (which weâll let youÂknow of as soon as we do).
âUnlike last year, there will beÂno limited-time flash saleâ
But you can expect it very soon. Like, next month soon; both BQÂand Canonical say the tablet willÂgo on sale in March.
How Much WillÂIt cost?
BQ isÂyet to settle on a finalÂprice, but we can make an educated guess.
The Android version of the M10 (FHD) sells for â259. As both the Bq Aquaris E4.5 and E5 Ubuntu Phones retailedÂat a similarÂprice to their Android siblings, itâs not unreasonable to expect to pay somewhere around the â250 mark, excluding shipping.
Where Will It Be Sold?
BQ is selling theÂAquaris M10 Ubuntu Edition tablet Âdirectly through theirÂglobal storefront website.
Unlike last year, there is no limited-time flash sales, no invitation to find, and noÂorigami wall to bang your head against.
Will It Ship To My Country?
If youâre in mainland Europe, the UK, or the US the answer is yes, you can buy it.ÂBQ happily ship to most places..
Remember to factor in the cost ofÂshipping and any local import duties that may be applicable.
What Are theÂSpecs of the New Ubuntu Tablet?
TheÂBq Aquaris M10 Ubuntu EditionÂpairsÂa blazing fastÂ64-bit MediaTek MT8163 quad-coreÂprocessor running at 1.3GHzÂwithÂ2GB RAM. This combo makes multi-tasking as a tablet or a portable pocket desktopÂfluid and responsive.
And itâs worthÂreiterating that this is a convergence device. The 64-bit quad-core ARM processor makesÂproductivityÂa key feature, not a tacked-on afterthought.
You will be able to run some pretty CPU intensive tasks, like compiling code, and have no problem browsing the web and streaming music at the same time.
WhatÂApps Are Available?
A wide selection.
The Ubuntu Store (the phone one, not the desktop one) is home to several hundred native apps, web-apps and Scopes.
The tablet alsoÂcomes with many pre-installedÂapps:
Web browserVideoÂplayerMusic appFile ManagerE-Mail ClientCalendar
Web apps forÂpopular servicesÂlike Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Instagram are also available and integrate directly intoÂthe OS to provideÂdesktop notifications, badge icons, andÂmore.
Can I Install Desktop Apps?
Yes, you can!
Traditional Xorg-based softwareÂruns on the tablet in a confined, secure container using Xmir.
The tablet comes withÂa small numberÂof these so-called legacy X11 appsÂpre-installed:
Mozilla FirefoxLibreOfficeThe GIMPXChatÂGedit
For other software, providing itÂis open-source, in the Ubuntu archives, and compatible with ARM,Âyou willÂbe able to install it. Whether or not it works, howeverâ
Whatâs The Sound Quality Like?
The front-facing speakers are another highlight. Unlike the tinny thin sound most tablets provide, the M10 has a pair of front-facing Dolby Atmos speakers. These deliver an immersive surround sound experience thatâs rich and bodied.
You may find yourselfÂpreferring to plug in a a pair of ear buds when youâre on the train. The 3.5mm headphone jack will see to that.
Can I Use It As a Desktop Ubuntu PC?
You can use the M10ÂUbuntu tablet like the much fabledÂUbuntu Edge: as a desktop PC.
As soon as you pair a keyboard and mouse to the tablet over bluetooth it âtransformsâ from staged tablet mode into a regular windowed desktop.
If the 10.1-inch screen is too small for your workflow just attach it to any monitor with a HDMI cable.
What is the battery life like?
The M10 has a 7280 mAh battery. Under Android this provides 11 hours of normalÂuse, 9 hours of video playback, and 24 days of standby.
Ubuntu should perform just as well (it does, after all, sit on top of a low-level Android stack).
We have been told that runningÂtraditional desktop apps in the X11 container does currentlyÂdrain the battery a fair bit, but thatÂimprovements in this area are on the way.
Wrapping Up
The Ubuntu Tablet isÂvery new, and many of its strengths and weaknesses will only surface when we get to have a proper hands-on experience with it.
I often hear people decry the need for Ubuntu to pursue personal technology, adamant that it wonât be the ânext big thingâ â but I donât think it needs to be. As long as value, innovation and utility are at the core thereâs no reason why Ubuntu canât find success. It might never be on the scale of Apple, but who really cares?
Of course it needs better apps, and of course the variety of hardware available needs to be broadened.
But forÂtechnologically savvy folks like you and I, Ubuntu convergenceÂwillÂfindÂits way into our lives, both personally and professionally.
What do you think of this device?Â
If weâve missed anything important orÂyou want to know anything else about the M10Âtablet, feel free to leave a question in the comments.
This post, New Ubuntu Tablet: Everything You Need to Know, was written by Joey-Elijah Sneddon and first appeared on OMG! Ubuntu!.
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