SoylentNews

-- OriginalOwner_ [tinyurl.com] writes:

from the nice-convergence-with-some-early-gotchas dept.

We previously discussed an earlier version of the Ubuntu Touch OS as installed on an older tablet. [soylentnews.org]

Jack Wallen, via TechRepublic, now answers questions [techrepublic.com] he has received on the new mobile/desktop OS, now available pre-installed on the mobile hardware of their partner, Bq.

Ubuntu Touch on the M10 tablet is surprisingly fantastic, especially when used in desktop mode. Canonical has something very special on their hands, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for serious improvement. [...]

Can you install WINE on the Ubuntu tablet?

Simply put, no.

[If you install the terminal app, then get apt-get, then mount the system read-write, then use apt-get as you would on the desktop, you can install WINE] but doing so will disable updates. [Not recommended] [...]

What apps are available to install?

[...]Much of what Ubuntu Touch runs is handled via Scopes. In most basic terms, Scopes are simply apps or services as displayed through a webpage. Although that's not far off, these Scopes are optimized to be used in the Touch environment, so they display nicely and work well.

[...]Out of the box, the Bq M10 tablet comes with both GIMP and LibreOffice installed (and they both work great), so one would think all Linux apps are available. They aren't. For example, the only email client for Ubuntu Touch is Dekko (and it's a worthy contender for sure). The Firefox browser is also available, but not Chrome. That Chrome isn't available is a shame as Firefox doesn't run well on the platform and the default browser isn't fully supported on sites like Google Drive and Inbox.

As for the listing of apps, here are the official Core Apps [ubuntu.com] for Ubuntu Touch. If you're looking for a complete listing of all apps available for Ubuntu Touch, you need to visit uApp Explorer [uappexplorer.com].[1]

Does it really behave like a desktop?

Yes [...] (and with a mouse and keyboard connected), it feels very much like using a standard Ubuntu desktop. The only caveat to that is the slight lag with the cursor.

What would keep me from loving a Ubuntu tablet?

[...]lack of a home screen. However, [...] in Desktop mode, you get to enjoy a pseudo home screen

[...]the browser situation. The default browser is good, but it isn't fully supported by the likes of Google Apps.

[...]if you're accustomed to the notification system and the lock screen working in conjunction (as in either Android or iOS), you're going to be a bit disappointed in Ubuntu Touch.

Should I buy or not?

[...]It's not perfect (far from it), but it's a sleek, mobile version of Linux that works incredibly well, especially considering how young it is.

[1] I get a blank page even after I turn off styling and even when I have archive.is run the scripts. [archive.is]

Previous: Ubuntu's Convergence Vision is Looking Amazing (Video Evidence) [soylentnews.org]

Original Submission