[LAU] Portable/Touch devices Linux-friendly

[david]

Kindle Fire HD? They can be rooted. Don't know if there's any Linux that 
would run on one.

On 11/29/2012 01:33 AM, Carlos sanchiavedraz wrote:
> 2012/11/29 SxDx <sed at free.fr>:
>>> From: "Carlos sanchiavedraz" <csanchezgs at gmail.com>
>>> But I think their maybe two heavy to carry, and I would prefer
>>> something robust for live use and traveling.
>>
>> I have both an archos g9 (ssd version, no hd) and a nexus7.
>>
>> I didn't play much with audio yet. I just hacked the g9 to
>> put the linux I wanted, rooting by hand (for the funz), not
>> using the official method. Doing so, I had to plug/unplug the
>> mini-usb cable very often to debug my rooting/rebooting process
>> and now the connection is weak. I have to turn the cable before
>> plugging it so that there is some tension in there otherwise
>> it won't work. The version I have has also a weak display; when
>> you press behind the screen you have this "wavy" effect appearing
>> on screen (you know, when you press too hard on a LCD display, there
>> is this kind of wavy thing). The overall construction does not seem
>> very solid (it's plastic).
>>
>> So for robustness, the archos g9 is to be avoided. That said,
>> it's just my experience with it. And more recent versions might
>> be better (the "wavy" thing is gone as I've heard).
>>
>> For the nexus7, the screen has a nice glass, and 10 points of
>> touch (the g9 only 4). For music it might be better. But it has
>> not SD-card slot, contrary to the g9. There again, I didn't hack
>> it much, I don't want to open the bootloader the official way,
>> so to have an alternative to android is some more work for me
>> at the moment. I think, by having played with a virtual piano
>> on it, that the audio latency is a bit better with the android 4.2 on
>> it. Android 4.2 is supposed to have a better audio latency, so
>> they say at google. I don't think android is a good solution for
>> audio things. The system is very very bloated. (Note that I didn't
>> do much of audio, so just an overall feeling.)
>>
>> That said, maybe there are some free-software friendly devices out
>> there. The g9 needs binary drivers for the 3D thing (I didn't check
>> for the nexus7, but I suspect it's the same). Maybe some manufacturers
>> release schematics and manuals for the parts they glue together so
>> that we laymen can hack the thing the way we want. But
>> a little voice inside of my brain says "don't count on that".
>>
>> Note also that a big problem with those computers is the
>> difficulty to change the battery. You cannot easily open them
>> and replace things in there. (And just for the record, no I
>> didn't buy those, I won them in programming contests.)
>>
>> My 1.5€.
>
> Really useful information, and is very good to know those pros and
> cons you mention.
>
> Thanks for your extended response.


-- 
David
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http://clanjones.org/david/
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