Canonical's new Ubuntu tablet doubles as a full-fledged PC

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,240   +192
Staff member

Canonical, the company behind the Ubuntu Linux distribution that in 2013 tried to crowdfund a $32 million smartphone that could double as a PC, is back to its old tricks. The UK-based firm has announced its first-ever tablet and like its Ubuntu Edge smartphone, this new slate can also serve as a computer when peripherals are connected.

Described as the first fully converged Ubuntu device, the Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Edition tablet is simply an Aquaris M10 from Spanish manufacturer BQ. Nevertheless, it packs a 10.1-inch FHD display that's powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT8163A processor clocked at 1.5GHz alongside 2GB of RAM and 16GB of local storage (11GB of which is usable).

The slate includes a microSD card slot for expansion, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, an FM radio, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus and dual LED flash, front-mounted speakers, a micro-HDMI port and a spacious 7,280mAh battery.

Hardware-wise, it's nothing to get excited about. No, the real star of the show here is the software as the Aquaris M10 can be used as a standard tablet or as a full-fledged computer when a monitor is connected. During a brief hands-on, The Verge said the transition between mobile and desktop mode was snappy but the OS didn't seem all that lively. The publication suggested this could be a result of a simple lack of processing power.

Canonical says the Aquaris M10 Ubuntu Edition tablet will go on sale during the second quarter. No official word yet on how much it'll cost although rumors suggest it'll be around €250 ($280).

Permalink to story.

 
No, the real star of the show here is the software as the Aquaris M10 can be used as a standard tablet or as a full-fledged computer when a monitor is connected.
I really thought that tablets = full-fledged computers when attached to keyboard and not when a monitor is connected...
 
This will fail too. Linux is cool if you're a hardcore techie or just really really really cheap, but stop trying to make it mainstream. It won't happen.
 
It's kind of comical, (and perhaps a bit off topic), but I have Ubuntu installed on an ancient eMachines T-5026, alongside XP. I would swear Ubuntu has grown to the point where it needs more resources that XP. Ubuntu wants to crash the IGP big time, and is virtually unusable. I offer this as anecdotal, as I really can't claim to know what's going on. OTOH, older versions of Ubuntu didn't exhibit this issue. :confused: Maybe it's the updated graphics driver in Ubuntu 15 which is the problem. (Again, I must emphasize this is purely anecdotal).

Back to topic, I can't picture any tablet (so no slight at Ubuntu), "doubling as a real PC". A real PC grows and molds itself to your needs. A tablet simply bulks up when you attach a bunch of junk to it. Sorry but, can I add a couple of multi-terabyte HDDs to this junk without more external baggage? I think not.
 
Back to topic, I can't picture any tablet (so no slight at Ubuntu), "doubling as a real PC". A real PC grows and molds itself to your needs. A tablet simply bulks up when you attach a bunch of junk to it. Sorry but, can I add a couple of multi-terabyte HDDs to this junk without more external baggage? I think not.
at least you can attach a 128gb usb flash drive if the device supports usb OTG (kingston's high-capacity flash drives: 512gb or 1tb).
 
Linux is pretty cool but the real measure of it's acceptability will be it's adoption by the major software developers into practical applications, 1st run games, and of course .... heavy use to STEAM! LOL
 
It's kind of comical, (and perhaps a bit off topic), but I have Ubuntu installed on an ancient eMachines T-5026, alongside XP. I would swear Ubuntu has grown to the point where it needs more resources that XP. Ubuntu wants to crash the IGP big time, and is virtually unusable. I offer this as anecdotal, as I really can't claim to know what's going on. OTOH, older versions of Ubuntu didn't exhibit this issue. :confused: Maybe it's the updated graphics driver in Ubuntu 15 which is the problem. (Again, I must emphasize this is purely anecdotal).

Back to topic, I can't picture any tablet (so no slight at Ubuntu), "doubling as a real PC". A real PC grows and molds itself to your needs. A tablet simply bulks up when you attach a bunch of junk to it. Sorry but, can I add a couple of multi-terabyte HDDs to this junk without more external baggage? I think not.

You should try your hand at Microsoft's Surface Pro 4. You will realise your misconception. It may not be as a full fledged PC but mist certainly as a full fledged "computer".
 
You should try your hand at Microsoft's Surface Pro 4. You will realise your misconception. It may not be as a full fledged PC but mist certainly as a full fledged "computer".
I have the worst trouble trying to type on tiny keyboards. I learned late in life, and I learned on M$' 3000, 4000, & 5000 series.

I certainly agree that a Surface Pro might offer the performance of some desktops. Nonetheless it has several limitations.

It's never going to satisfy a power user or gaming addict.
That nasty small keyboard.
But more importantly for me at least, any laptop doesn't offer "atmosphere" or a "comfortable environment' with which to surround yourself.

Then too, I have little to no personal need for portability. The fact notwithstanding if any part of the machine I'm using to post this message were to explode, I'd simply grab another part, plug it in, and carry on...(y)

I have a laptop which I use almost never. I bought a crappy 40 buck tablet at Best Buy, and after realizing it doesn't actually do anything until you hit the "app store", I tossed it aside to deal with , "later". And let me tell you, I'm one hell of a procrastinator..:D

Good luck fixing that surface at home, or any other tablet type affair.

Accordingly, I don't have much of a "misconception", just an entirely different set of wants, needs, likes, and preferences....

No harm, no foul though, I still appreciate your input and viewpoint...;)
 
You know that Android is just a custom linux build, right? That's fairly mainstream :)

http://www.howtogeek.com/189036/android-is-based-on-linux-but-what-does-that-mean/

Android is not a desktop OS that has had <2% market share since its existence....

You do realize that Android is built on top of the Linux OS, don't you? Also, I believe there is an effort underway to make Android a desktop effort (aside from Chromebooks). Regardless, there are a lot more Android-based phone and tablets and other Linux-based devices out there than all the Microsoft Windows products combined. Even Apple's OSes are now "Nix"-based (FreeBSD as I understand it).
 
It's kind of comical, (and perhaps a bit off topic), but I have Ubuntu installed on an ancient eMachines T-5026, alongside XP. I would swear Ubuntu has grown to the point where it needs more resources that XP. Ubuntu wants to crash the IGP big time, and is virtually unusable. I offer this as anecdotal, as I really can't claim to know what's going on. OTOH, older versions of Ubuntu didn't exhibit this issue. :confused: Maybe it's the updated graphics driver in Ubuntu 15 which is the problem. (Again, I must emphasize this is purely anecdotal).
Back to topic, I can't picture any tablet (so no slight at Ubuntu), "doubling as a real PC". A real PC grows and molds itself to your needs. A tablet simply bulks up when you attach a bunch of junk to it. Sorry but, can I add a couple of multi-terabyte HDDs to this junk without more external baggage? I think not.

You should try your hand at Microsoft's Surface Pro 4. You will realise your misconception. It may not be as a full fledged PC but mist certainly as a full fledged "computer".

Why would I want to spend hundreds of hard-earned dollars on a tablet to do e-mail, play games, watch videos and go on social networks when I can do the same thing on a cheap Android tablet (I picked up an 8", 16GB Nextbook with USB/HDMI/microSD slot for expansion and a front and back camera for $70). Its handy for a quick google search, reading articles and a few other items. When I want to do real work, I go to my desktop.
 
Last edited:
You do realize that Android is built on top of the Linux OS, don't you? Also, I believe there is an effort underway to make Android a desktop effort (aside from Chromebooks). Regardless, there are a lot more Android-based phone and tablets and other Linux-based devices out there than all the Microsoft Windows products combined. Even Apple's OSes are now "Nix"-based (FreeBSD as I understand it).

Android is great because it is extremely user friendly and very well supported. Linux on the desktop is not. That is a cold hard fact.
TL;DR, Android is not a desktop OS that has had <2% market share since its existence....
 
...[ ].... Unfortunately, no "edit ability" here that I am aware.
@bobc4012 There surely is. At the bottom left of any of your own posts, you will find "edit", "delete", "report" (in that order), directly to the right of the gray time of posting.

There is no longer a time limit as to when you may edit your own post. I trust you will try and use good judgement when altering any post which has been quoted or is "in the flow" of the thread. What I mean by that is, I'll go back and tweak the grammar or correct the spelling days later, but I won't do anything that would substantially change the post's meaning or intent

And welcome to Techspot.
 
Android is great because it is extremely user friendly and very well supported
As someone who is admittedly completely ignorant of what Android is supposed to be, I find it hard to categorize as "user friendly". As near as I can tell, it's just one big API, and doesn't really do anything right out of the box, until you start slapping apps in to order coffee from Starbucks or whatever.
Linux on the desktop is not. That is a cold hard fact.
TL;DR, Android is not a desktop OS that has had <2% market share since its existence....
Well, all the major Linux distros actually have richer native abilities with respect to on board supplied programs than does Windows.

But yes, Linux does have a low market share, which given the current games M$ has been playing with everybody's favorite OS, I can only describe that as, "very unfortunate". In my case, it's strictly because I'm too lazy to stick with it, and suffer the learning curve required to master it.

With that said, I can still very easily do all common web tasks with it. It's just that Windows is more comfortable, and so I click through the GRUB options til I get to Windows....:D
 
Last edited:
You do realize that Android is built on top of the Linux OS, don't you? Also, I believe there is an effort underway to make Android a desktop effort (aside from Chromebooks). Regardless, there are a lot more Android-based phone and tablets and other Linux-based devices out there than all the Microsoft Windows products combined. Even Apple's OSes are now "Nix"-based (FreeBSD as I understand it).

Android is great because it is extremely user friendly and very well supported. Linux on the desktop is not. That is a cold hard fact.
TL;DR, Android is not a desktop OS that has had <2% market share since its existence....

Why do you keep changing your arguement? First you said stop making it a mainstream OS, and when Android is mentioned, you changed your arguement to desktop OS and <2% share nonsense... yet you don't want tto admit your mistakes. Face it... *Nix is already a mainstream... OSX is already one. Android is another one. I wonder what other arguement you are going to bring in now. Great people always admit their mistakes. Only empty cans rattle the most.
 
Why do you keep changing your arguement? First you said stop making it a mainstream OS, and when Android is mentioned, you changed your arguement to desktop OS and <2% share nonsense... yet you don't want tto admit your mistakes. Face it... *Nix is already a mainstream... OSX is already one. Android is another one. I wonder what other arguement you are going to bring in now. Great people always admit their mistakes. Only empty cans rattle the most.

Learn to read. I specifically said, desktop Linux (in this case Ubuntu) does not belong on mobile. It struggles in its main market as it is and has been for the last 20 years. Linux is not even a threat to Apple.

You need to learn the difference between desktop and mobile....
 
Why do you keep changing your arguement? First you said stop making it a mainstream OS, and when Android is mentioned, you changed your arguement to desktop OS and <2% share nonsense... yet you don't want tto admit your mistakes. Face it... *Nix is already a mainstream... OSX is already one. Android is another one. I wonder what other arguement you are going to bring in now. Great people always admit their mistakes. Only empty cans rattle the most.

Learn to read. I specifically said, desktop Linux (in this case Ubuntu) does not belong on mobile. It struggles in its main market as it is and has been for the last 20 years. Linux is not even a threat to Apple.

You need to learn the difference between desktop and mobile....

No, YOU should learn to read. Learn to read what I wrote. And learn to accept your nonsense argument. Go back to your first post and read yourself.
 
Learn to read. I specifically said, desktop Linux (in this case Ubuntu) does not belong on mobile. It struggles in its main market as it is and has been for the last 20 years. Linux is not even a threat to Apple.

You need to learn the difference between desktop and mobile....
I guess you consider icons on a mobile device different than icons on a desktop! While mobile devices have a touch keyboard display for data entry vs a desktop (which do for "mouse assistance"), I can connect a bluetooth keyboard to most or all mobile devices (tablets and smart phones) and accomplish the same data entry as on a desktop. Most tablets and smart phones have micro SD slots that can be used for data transfer. Then you have micro USB and HDMI ports. And, of course, there are touch screen desktops and laptops. The point is, the line between mobile devices (tablets and smart phones) have become blurred. One reason why Canonical (with Ubuntu and Unity) and Microsoft (Windows 8) have tried to have one system to work on both desktops/laptops and mobile devices. Also, the reason why that approach has not been a rousing success is because it was an idea too late for the average user who has used a mouse for point and click on an icon and a stylus (or the finger - pun intended) on a "mobile device" to accomplish the same "point and click". Change the screen layout or "desktop" to something with sufficient difference and the average user is reluctant to switch.
BTW, you state Ubuntu does not belong on the mobile, the same can be said for Windows. There is no difference! Windows 8 is based on the same code base as prior versions of Windows with some changes to run it on a tablet architecture with a different desktop. While I have no interest in running Ubuntu on a tablet/smart phone, I suspect it will run decent in a 8GB tablet, where Windows 8 would struggle if it could.
 
Back