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Re: [LUG] Fwd: New Ubuntu Tablet: Everything You Need to Know [feedly]

 

On 05/02/16 08:21, Tremayne, Steve wrote:
Nice J

I think we need the weight behind Ubuntu / Canonical to make more people
aware of âthat other operating systemâ

Something thatâs not immediately apparent â is how easily can I get
something else to run on it? (i.e. Arch Linux)

*From:*list [mailto:list-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of *Richard Brown
*Sent:* 05 February 2016 08:14
*To:* list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Subject:* [LUG] Fwd: New Ubuntu Tablet: Everything You Need to Know
[feedly]

Hi

Looking forward to this.

Rich

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: *Richard Brown* <rich@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:rich@xxxxxxxxxxx>>
Date: 4 February 2016 at 22:12
Subject: New Ubuntu Tablet: Everything You Need to Know [feedly]
To: Richard Brown <rich@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:rich@xxxxxxxxxxx>>

----
*New Ubuntu Tablet: Everything You Need to Know*
<http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/02/bq-m10-ubuntu-tablet-everything-you-need-to-know>
// *OMG! Ubuntu!*
<http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/02/bq-m10-ubuntu-tablet-everything-you-need-to-know>

*We leaked news of Ubuntuâs brand-spanking new tablet a couple of weeks
ago
<http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/01/ubuntu-convergence-device-demo-mwc-2016>
â but today it /finally/ makes its official debut.*

And it doesnât disappoint.

Also See: The New Ubuntu Tablet â Photo Gallery
<http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/02/new-ubuntu-tablet-photo-gallery?utm_source=omgubuntu&campaign=nowread>

The âBQ Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Editionâ (to give the model its full name) is
a high-resolution 10-inch tablet â/and then some. /

Connect a keyboard and mouse and the M10 transforms from a
content-consuming Scope wonderland into a content-creating
workstation that runs all your favourite desktop apps, like Firefox 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 thatâs on the lips
of open-source gadget fans the world over.

*When can I buy the Bq Aquaris M10 Ubuntu tablet?*

BQ is yet to pick a precise date (which weâll let you know of as soon as
we do).

âUnlike last year, there will be no limited-time flash saleâ

But you can expect it *very* soon. Like, next month soon; both BQ and
Canonical say the tablet will *go on sale in March.*

*How Much Will It cost?*

BQ is yet to settle on a final price, 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 retailed at a similar price 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 the Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Edition tablet  directly through
their global storefront website <https://store.bq.com/gl/>.

Unlike last year, there is no limited-time flash sales, no invitation to
find, and no origami wall to bang your head against
<http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2015/06/meizu-mx4-ubuntu-edition-goes-on-sale-june-25>.

*Will It Ship To My Country?*

If youâre in mainland Europe, the UK, or the US the answer is *yes, you
can buy it. *BQ happily ship to most places..

Remember to factor in the cost of shipping and any local import duties
that may be applicable.

*What Are the Specs of the New Ubuntu Tablet?*

The *Bq Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Edition* pairs a blazing fast 64-bit MediaTek
MT8163 quad-core processor running at 1.3GHz with 2GB RAM. This combo
makes multi-tasking as a tablet or a portable pocket desktop fluid and
responsive.

And itâs worth reiterating that this is a convergence device. The 64-bit
quad-core ARM processor makes productivity a 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.

*What Apps 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 also comes with many pre-installed apps:

*Web browserVideo playerMusic appFile ManagerE-Mail ClientCalendar*

Web apps for popular services like Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and
Instagram are also available and integrate directly into the OS to
provide desktop notifications, badge icons, and more.

*Can I Install Desktop Apps?*

Yes, you can!

Traditional Xorg-based software runs on the tablet in a confined, secure
container using Xmir.

The tablet comes with a small number of these so-called legacy X11 apps
*pre-installed:*

*Mozilla FirefoxLibreOfficeThe GIMPXChat Gedit*

For other software, providing it is open-source, in the Ubuntu archives,
and compatible with ARM, you will be 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 yourself preferring 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 M10 Ubuntu tablet like the much fabled Ubuntu 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
normal use, 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 running /traditional/ desktop apps in the X11
container does currently drain the battery a fair bit, but
that improvements in this area are on the way.

*Wrapping Up*

The Ubuntu Tablet is very 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 for technologically savvy folks like you and I, Ubuntu convergence
/will/ find its way into our lives, both personally and professionally.

*What do you think of this device? *

/If weâve missed anything important or you want to know anything else
about the M10 tablet, feel free to leave a question in the comments./

This post, New Ubuntu Tablet: Everything You Need to Know
<http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2016/02/bq-m10-ubuntu-tablet-everything-you-need-to-know>,
was written by Joey-Elijah Sneddon
<https://plus.google.com/117485690627814051450/?rel=author%20rel=author>
and first appeared on OMG! Ubuntu! <http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk>.

----

Shared via *my feedly reader* <http://feedly.com>

...
Kind regards

Richard Brown
Youth worker, WordPress, Bicycles, Permaculture, Gardening, Fun
07747 343637
http://gucu.org.uk/



--

Kind regards

Richard Brown

Youth and Community Worker

http://gucu.org.uk/

07747 343637



Personally, on phone and tablet I want to get as far away from android as possible and ideally in a true Linux environment. I don't want google looking over my shoulder and I don't want to have to pay for apps (that I have on my desktop) and watch them be debugged over the next ten years or so. If these things come with the full development environment so I can build all my favourite apps and add multitouch to them I will be happy.
If the price drops to something more realistic I will be happier too!
Tom te tom te tom

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