Re: [tlug] to pad or not to pad, thats the question

[Pier Fumagalli <pier@example.com>]

On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 16:46, Christian Horn <chorn@example.com> wrote:

Hi all,

- do you plan to obtain an iPad?

Yep, it's in the post!

 

- any nice free alternatives in sight? 

 There is https://thejoojoo.com/sites/ for example.

Voices are around that Verizon and Google are cooperating on a Android-based (yay, Linux) one:

http://mobile.venturebeat.com/2010/05/11/verizon-google-tablet/

There's also some speculation around HP launching a WebOS (yay, more Linux) tablet having acquired Palm, and dropped their Windows 7 based Slate one:

http://www.examiner.com/x-11295-LA-Gadgets-Examiner~y2010m5d8-HP-Hurricane-webOS-tablet--likely-to-be-released-this-ub-3rd-qyarter

 

- or do you not yet expect the devices to bring you additional
 value over already used netbooks/smartphones/laptops?

I'm actually ditching my NetBook for the iPad. After one year, all I've done on it was browse the web, read email and (very rarely) use SSH to connect to my servers. All can be done on a tablet, and on top of it I also get a bigger/better screen to browse and read eBooks (I have a Vaio-P netbook running Linux, fonts are tiny).

 

- What OS would you like most there?
  android: opening android market, but the linux-variant is
    a bit crippled
  full linux: no android-market, but more room for playing

Full linux would be honestly a nice to have, but in all fairness, I think that the UI paradigm on tablets is not well suited for current window managers. Having a soft-keyboard and touch instead of a mouse is changing the game a bit and as a user of VNC over my iPhone to my linux desktop, I feel the interface to be a bit cumbersome.

For me the more "mobile" interfaces (android, webos, apple's) are snappier and definitely feel more tailored to such a device, but, we'll see once I get my hands on one of those!

    Pier