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Here Come the Linux iPad Clones
CWmike writes "You can now pre-order an Apple iPad; but do you really want to, asks Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols. 'I mean, I get why you'd want an iPad. I'd like one too,' he writes. 'But,' he says, 'when I consider that there are soon going to be literally dozens of cheaper, Linux-powered iPad devices on the market, I find it a lot easier to resist putting $499 on my credit card. On top of that, Apple will be including DRM on some eBooks and other iPad content. I really, really hate DRM. All that said, I agree the iPad is really cool. I predict with absolute faith that the iPad and its clones are going to kill off single purpose devices like dedicated eReaders such as Amazon's Kindle and GPS devices within the next three years. How can it not work out this way? For the same price as a high-end dedicated device you can get a tablet that will do everything they can do and far more. But, and this is the important bit, you don't have to buy an Apple iPad to get all of the iPad's goodies. ARM, a mobile microprocessor power, is predicting that we'll see no less than 50 ARM-processor-powered iPad clones by year's end. And, what will they be running? These ARM-powered entertainment tablets will all be running Linux.'"
2010: Year of the Linux Deskt- er... Lapt- wait... no.. er... palmt-... no no... hmm.
'Tabletop'?
Scientists point out problems, engineers fix them
altslashdot.org: The future of slashdot.
"Perhaps Linux can get a better foothold in the tablet market than it has in the desktop arena."
Not very likely. Given the restrictions of the tablet form factor UI is even more important than it is on desktops or laptops. Sure linux is free and all that but you tend to have to have a gun to a linux developer's head to get him to spend time on polishing the UI.
If this was even just ten years ago, I would agree with you...but at this point, the average person has a basic understanding of how to use a computer, and shouldn't be pandered to with watered down offerings that cost as much if not more than their full-fledged peers. The elderly thing still holds true today, although the "young" elderly are more tech-knowledgeable than ever before.
If someone WANTS to pay that much for something with half the functionality of similarly priced tablets, that's totally up to them...but I think it's a little insulting to suggest that you have to be a geek to use something more complicated than a modified version of the iPhone OS.
Living With a Nerd
but at this point, the average person has a basic understanding of how to use a computer, and shouldn't be pandered to with watered down offerings
You clearly have not done a lot of tech support. The "average person" deserves treatment only slightly better than being beaten with rubber hoses. Since that won't clear marketing, they'll get the iPad instead.
Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
You clearly have not done a lot of tech support.
I do quality assurance and mail merge programming in a call center. Trust me, I've seen some stupid shit :-)
That being said, the average person still knows how to use a "regular" computer. They might not know how to fix one or maintain one, but I don't see how that would be any different with an iPad. True, being locked into the app store would prevent them from wandering elsewhere and downloading potentially "harmful" software, but my question is this: why wouldn't Apple let me use the appstore OR whatever software I want. I know the answer (money and sales, obviously), but that doesn't mean I like it (which is why I won't get one, doy)
The "average person" deserves treatment only slightly better than being beaten with rubber hoses. Since that won't clear marketing, they'll get the iPad instead.
Awesome:-)
Living With a Nerd
No Web browser
No MP3 player
No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
No keyboard
Lame.
Just keep swimming.
He would. Because he's a Communist. And a Nazi. And that's what communists/Nazis do. Somebody yelled it on TV, then broke down crying, then berated somebody else for being gay... which by Internet rules makes it the absolute gospel truth.
Yep.
Try not to take me more seriously than I take myself.
That raises a good point: If I launch a missile at my enemy or an unfortunate neighbor, and the missile's internal computer uses GPL software, then do I have to include a copy of the GPL source code (or make an offer to provide the code by mail) somewhere in the payload?
"If you can compile this then you are one lucky SOB"
Just hypothetical; I don't design, build, or launch missiles professionally or otherwise :\
"No ma'am, that's not a drink holder, it's a CD/DVD tray... Yes ma'am, they always go in shiny side down."
"No sir, that is not hackers taking over your computer every 10 minutes, that's what we call a screen saver."
"I understand you want to keep your surge protector protected; however you can't plug it into itself. It needs to go into the wall to power the other devices"
All real... sadly... Sometimes I miss it.
I agree totally about the stupidity of the average person. Horrifyingly, nearly 50% of people are even stupider!
They whose government reduces their essential liberties for temporary security, receive neither liberty nor security.
Imagine this yelled by Lee Ermey in drill instructor's uniform with his face six inches from yours.
Today I got an on site call. Mouse wasn't working right no matter what they did.
I literally rotated it 180 degrees. Problem solved before I even sat down.
Thanks, that will be $100!
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
I'd just print the source code on the outer casing of the missile. It would also give the target a fighting chance at survival. Assuming they had a really high-res camera and a couple good coders, they'd have the total flight time to try and find a bug that they can exploit to change its trajectory. Feels more sporting somehow.
Just like they killed off the iPod and iPhone! Wait...
Not only is it touting vaporware "iPad killers", but it's touting Linux-based coming-to-a-store-near-you iPad killers. Actually, retrofitted Linux-based, no-keyboard iPad killers which will have desktop GUIs.
But wait, there's more: people will buy them rather than the iPad because they want to do the kinds of things you'd do on desktops or laptops with keyboards.
I'll probably lose Karma over this one... I'm usually not this sarcastic, but this thread is so laughable... it's like some kind of super-hero movie where you see 100 kamikaze's on bicycles riding towards Godzilla with shouts of victory on their lips.