why would anyone want Android OS on a tablet?

[DiapDealer]

Why is this even a discussion? The average user would be mostly helpless with a tablet running "proper" linux. And the power user would already have a device with "proper" linux (or know how to go about getting/creating one).

So in essence, your question boils down to; "why don't more people want to become more linux proficient?" To which the answer is quite simple: they don't need/want to. They want to turn the key and go. Nothing wrong with that (or the other).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

So in essence, your question boils down to; "why don't more people want to become more linux proficient?" To which the answer is quite simple: they don't need/want to. They want to turn the key and go. Nothing wrong with that (or the other).

Precisely. It's like the different between buying a car to tinker with it under the hood, and buying one as a means of transport for getting from "A" to "B". Nothing wrong with the former, but the overwhelming majority of cars are sold for the latter purpose.

[Billi]

Originally Posted by Sgt.Stubby

Why are you asking for non-e-ink linux devices?

There are lots of non-Android linux devices according to the matrix.

Sgt. Stubby, are you talking about ebook readers (eink) or about "real" tablets?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Sgt.Stubby

That's a good point, assuming it's correct.

Assuming? You seriously have any doubt?

The vast majority of people own tablets to do a small variety of productivity and entertainment tasks.

Android (and iOS) makes this easy.

One of our very astute users here described Linux apps as tools for techy people who like to make things harder for themselves.

The answer to far too many simple "How do I..." questions is Linux still involves far too many arcane command line entries.

The reason pure Linux isn't used on tablets instead of Android? Same reason it still hasn't killed OSX and Windows on the desktop. Times 10.

ApK

[Namekuseijin]

because they just work

I've had my fair share of Linux hacking on bash in my youth. I'm glad it's in my pocket now and serving my fingertips...

[jgaiser]

I'm a Linux user since sometime in 1992. I use Linux almost exclusively at home. And I'm still not sure what the Sgt. is talking about.

Android is open. Yes, there are proprietary versions, but I run Cygenomod on my B&N HD+. No need to work through any *holes*". Running 4.2 now. When I'm ready to upgrade to 4.3, I can and will.

There are *no* e-ink readers running Android. Most/all are running a linux flavor. E-ink readers are just that. A reader. No need for fancy OS.

So where exactly are you going with this? Sounds just like "Linux Rules" rant to me.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

There are *no* e-ink readers running Android.

Actually, there are. The Sony T1 and later run Android. With a custom UI, of course, but still Android.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Actually, there are. The Sony T1 and later run Android. With a custom UI, of course, but still Android.

And so does the e-ink Nook.

[ApK]

One of the best things about Linux is that it facilitates so many cool and successful solutions that get built on top of it, like Tivo, Kindle, DD-WRT, and...oh, yeah...Android.

ApK

[HarryT]

... which just goes to prove that what's under the hood is irrelevant. The typical user neither knows nor cares what o/s the device is running.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

And so does the e-ink Nook.

Indeed. The original nook (or nook classic) was the very first eInk device to use Android. It ran Cupcake, or Android 1.5, and was released at the end of 2009.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by afv011

Indeed. The original nook (or nook classic) was the very first eInk device to use Android. It ran Cupcake, or Android 1.5, and was released at the end of 2009.

That seems like ancient times yet it wasn't so long ago in years.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

I'm a Linux user since sometime in 1992. I use Linux almost exclusively at home. And I'm still not sure what the Sgt. is talking about.

Android is open. Yes, there are proprietary versions, but I run Cygenomod on my B&N HD+. No need to work through any *holes*". Running 4.2 now. When I'm ready to upgrade to 4.3, I can and will.

There are *no* e-ink readers running Android. Most/all are running a linux flavor. E-ink readers are just that. A reader. No need for fancy OS.

So where exactly are you going with this? Sounds just like "Linux Rules" rant to me.

I remember when I loaded Ubuntu on my Touchpad. That was a real pain. Apparently it wasn't the full version and just trying to get Chinese keyboard entry took weeks and visits to a dozen forums before finally somebody figured out a way. So I wound up deleting Ubuntu and installing Android. I had used it on an old PC before. Problems with drivers, no Netflix, etc. And I needed to use the command line for so many system maintenance or installation things. I see no need to do this to myself. I know Linux is great for people who like to tinker around, but I don't see why most people would want to use it. Standard Linux distributions seem to belong to the 1990s.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Sgt.Stubby

Suppose a device runs Debian, for example. When the manufacturer decides in 5-10 years to drop support because they want you to buy their latest model, the FOSS and Debian community will continue to supporting it well beyond its life expectancy. And every year there would be updates.

Androids rot. If you bought a device that ran 2.2, you may get an update to 2.3 the next year, but after that the maker loses motivation and drops the ball because they're already working on their next model.

This is chronic with android devices. You cannot simply go to google and ask for version 4.2 for your device. Even if they gave you some of the open pieces of 4.2, it's not a compilable fully-functional OS. (btw, google qualifies their use of the term "open source" to simply mean that some of the code is readable, not that it can be compiled and used). If you manage to port a newer kernel to your device, good luck extracting the proprietary hardware drivers from your old kernel and using them in the new. Android devices are as disposable as Apple devices.

My Flyer originally had Android 2.3. I now run 3.2. Which is not the update HTC put out, but created by the community. I probably can't install 4.x on it (no idea what the latest version is), but, why would I care? I doubt my hardware would even support it (processor, memory), if I see the current specs of those 4.x devices.

Originally Posted by RodMyers

Android is a version of Linux

I know that. But when I read Linux, I read an open source OS, which is not device specific. It's the core of it all, and once you build it for a specific device, or with a specific GUI, it gets another name. Such as "Android" or "Debian". (I never cared for Linux, I'm a Windows person, so I have no idea what all the various versions are called...)

[Sgt.Stubby]

Originally Posted by Billi

Sgt. Stubby, are you talking about ebook readers (eink) or about "real" tablets?

I had e-ink in mind when I started the thread (having looked at the comparison table), but perhaps it's the same discussion for all non-phone portables, because e-readers and tablets both have a good supply of non-Android linux devices on the market, no? (of course the same cannot be said for linux-based phones and thus buyers are still largely trapped into the Android walled-garden).