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PengPod Crowdfunding a Tablet Made With OS-Switching In Mind
PengPod is running a crowdfunder to create a GNU Linux/Android tablet, the PengPod 1040. This is their second such product; the first was mentioned on Slashdot last year. PengPod has pledged to make all source and tools used to build the images available, so users can build their own OS top to bottom to guarantee that it's free of NSA tracking. The PengPod has previously found some success as a low-cost touch platform for industrial/commercial control systems and is partnered with ViewTouch, the original inventors of the graphical POS to offer PengPod1040s as restaurant register systems. The feature that the developers seem keenest to emphasize is that the PengPod is built to run conventional desktop Linux distros without special hacking required; Android is the default OS, but it's been tested with several others (including Ubuntu Touch) listed on their Indiegogo page.
The project doesn't make any mention of the NSA. That's timmy inserting irrelevant editorial.
Well, we tried, but we didn't ham-handedly mention the NSA in 100% of headlines today. There's always tomorrow, folks.
Saving a spreadsheet downloaded in Android, then rebooting into Linux to edit it, then rebooting back into Android to send it back with a touch-centric email client, or any similar workflow seems rather archaic. It's like over a decade ago when on occasion I would absolutely have to reboot into Windows to get something done - it was annoying (and destroyed my uptime!). Further, you need a keyboard and mouse to operate this device under Linux - at least that's what the demo video shows, and I don't see how it could be done any other way (in a practical sense).
This is the total wrong approach. Now that Android is making it's way onto desktop type machines, perhaps it's time to look at porting applications like LibreOffice and Gimp over to Android. You would still want to plug in a keyboard and mouse to use them, but at least you wouldn't have to reboot multiple times in order to complete what amounts to a single task. Also, it would be nice to drop my phone into a dock that connects it to a monitor, mouse, and keyboard - but only if I have desktop applications available. If for some Android OS-centric technical reason, porting full scale apps makes no sense, then it's time to look at some kind of practical OS hybridization. Not to mention the time is now to steal Microsoft's thunder and if we don't make such moves now, I can't promise it will still be that time in two or three years.
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The project doesn't make any mention of the NSA. That's timmy inserting irrelevant editorial.
And isn't even a valid point -- no one can audit every line of code in every piece of software they run - the linux kernel itself has over 5 million lines of code, and that doesn't even include applications.
Even if you were certain that the code itself was clean, how do you know you can trust the firnware in the device, the compiler you're using to compile the code, and even your own computer?
If you went back to a 1960's era wirewrapped computer, you might have some hope at validating the operating system and hardware, but there's no way for an individual to be 100% certain that a modern computer is free of software and hardware back doors when the bad guys could have compromised the hardware locked inside of the core chips that run the device.
VM's have a performance penalty. What's the state of virtualization in the ARM world anyway? Mere emulation similar to what you find in the Android SDK will run faster, but you won't get the full Android experience. Running Linux in a chroot inside the Android host might be a better option performance-wise, but the Android kernel and userland have quirks not found in desktop Linux.
Yes but bitching about it *is* doing something, and if enough bitch about it it may yet have an effect, and even if it doesnt its an improvement from being blissfully ignorant. I prefer the bitching.
No, sadly that bit is actually in the PengPod video on their page.
Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
Why run a VM when you can just switch OSs?
Because rebooting any time I want to do any of the following sounds a lot less convenient than hitting a button to switch from the host environment to the VM and back again:
That way if someone emails you a document or presentation you can save it to your device in Android, reboot into Linux and run LibreOffice or another office app to edit it. Or if you’re using Ubuntu and want to watch Netflix or use Skype, you can reboot into Android to do that.
I'm part of the PengPod project, I thought I should come to Timothy's defense. We throw the no NSA thing around in the marketing because we directly share, or use common open source distributions that share, all the source in the machine. For the bootloader, u-boot, kernel up to the user space. We share all the Apache licensed parts as well. In this way, you can review and audit all the code, unlike with many Android devices where their Android modifications are hidden. Of course, as the above points out we cannot actually audit the entire existing code base. Also we don't have source for the 3D acceleration libraries but they aren't required for any uses. Since we provide all the tools to create your own images, the device can be flashed without those.
I fail to see how any device that is on the internet (and what's so fun about an android device that's NOT on the internet) can escape the NSA. You are on the net, you are subject to being monitored by the NSA and a whole host of countries which do the same thing (albeit on a smaller scale..)
So is this article assuming android has NSA tracking built in on all commercial devices sold? Somehow, I doubt even the NSA (which apparently has the same reputation as Ole Saint Nick, [knows when you are sleeping, knows when you are awake.. etc]) could manage to do that. Most of these devices are built and have their software loaded over seas. If anything, I'd be more concerned about China getting their software bits added but that's a totally different story.
Even though Snowden and WikiLeaks make loud claims about what the NSA can possibly do, it does not make it so and to me, much of the noise being made is self serving "I want my 15 seconds of fame" grand standing. Yes, they can likely track a lot more than most realize, but they are not putting tracking software on commercial devices being sold to the public. If they did, it would be a HUGE violation of law that would make the reported on excesses at the NSA look like a 2 year old shoplifting candy in the checkout line. (Bad, to be sure, but you might want to pay attention to the armed robbery going on involving the cash register..)
Sarcasm
Of course, turning off the TV IS doing something about it, now they won't know what I'm doing. Better unplug your X-Box too, oh and all your android devices, I-devices, etc, cause they are out to get you...
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
I'm looking for a 4" device that runs android and is not a phone, and has current hardware. Nobody seems to be making such a device unfortunately. Samsung used to have the Galaxy Player but not anymore. I specifically don't want a phone.
Twinstiq, game news
if they ship for $249 as spec'd I buy one
The normal minimum price for a ViewTouch point of sale system is about $3,000 plus $1,000 a year for unlimited support, training and other services. The offer of ViewTouch on the new PengPod cuts $2,500 from that price and $600 a year for support, training and other services.
I own the PengPod 700 and I contributed to this project for the 1040 for an upgrade. Here are some comments I have:
First, the PengPod 700 is great for what I need it for - which is mainly a mobile tablet that boots Linux for taking notes in Vim. I would do the same with a Rapsberry Pi, some USB display, and a battery, but it is all there in one package with the PengPod 700. It fits just fine in a case with a mobile keyboard. Some downsides to the original design: low processor speed + RAM - starting Firefox takes some time, but it still works. I feel like USB in Linux without autologin is a single point of failure - and it has been reported that the connector does suffer. It also doesn't have access to the backlight PWM/GPIO out of the box - so no brightness control, which directly affects battery life, which isn't that great. For what I use it for (taking notes at meetings or on the go), the issues aren't too bad. At $100ish for a Linux tablet, you can't go wrong if you set your expectations right.
Now, I want the 1040 because the specs are amazing for that pricepoint, especially with Linux. I would up my usage of it to playing some light games, spreadsheet, general web browsing - it would really be something that I wouldn't feel bad using from the couch or pulling out at a conference. I still would prefer multiple USB ports, but most tablets don't even have one.
I really wanted an Ubuntu Edge, but didn't really need to replace my current smartphone and honestly I could see myself using the 1040 a lot more. I probably still won't be doing heavy development on it or running WINE (both due to ARM), but I can't really find much that is cheaper from a mobile perspective with the full package running Linux.
Now you can be disappointed with *all* the open source software support for ARM systems simply by rebooting!
I'm on the project so if you have any questions ask away and I'll try and answer.
Smartphone prices are routinely marked up with the expectation of carrier subsidy. I don't want to pay marked-up phone prices for what amounts to an Android pod touch.
I have two questions, and I will ask one per post, as is customary for Slashdot interviews. The first: Android runs on a kernel that's Linux with a few modifications. Ubuntu also runs on Linux. Is there a possibility of rebootless switching between Android and Ubuntu by running Ubuntu in a chroot? Canonical seems to think so.
slightly less than the ipad and slightly more thet the nexus 10
Why not just get a second hand Android phone and throw the sim card away?
Runs perfect, I am uploading a video to our youtube channel now http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQp6DbrwnQThoUb_3oSJFVw.