Tablets you can hack Linux onto?

[Azuma Hazuki]

I've never been one much for the smartphone or tablet fad, but I like the idea of a tiny Linux tablet for just reading pdfs and listening to music on the bus or during downtime.

It seems like that almost never happens anymore over the last three years though. I remember in 2014 reading about people hacking Ubuntu or Arch onto the Nexus 10 etc. Is it still possible to do this on anything non-x86?

 

[XavierMace]

Why not just go x86 if you're putting Linux on it anyways? Although if all you're doing is reading PDF's and listening to music, not really sure why you wouldn't just use Android for that.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I had thought that I had read that Ubuntu was giving up on their tablet-oriented UI for their x86 Linux distros, not enough uptake.

 

[richaron]

I had thought that I had read that Ubuntu was giving up on their tablet-oriented UI for their x86 Linux distros, not enough uptake.

Yeah Canonical (the Ubuntu dudes) had plans for a smartphone/tablet/PC convergence, which I would totally get behind since modern mobile SoCs are more than enough for regular desktop duties. They even had a failed kickstarter for a Ubuntu phone for a while iirc.

I think they have recently abandoned both their tablet/mobile plans and their silly Unity desktop environment, so I guess they are downsizing and/or consolidating their efforts.

Why won't regular android do what you want? I've also considered remote desktop/thin client type app's to run Linux* on a phone (even with a proper monitor, kb, & m), but I'm not even sure if these exist or perform up to scratch. Maybe something like that will do what you want..

Edit:*to run a fully featured Linux distro, I'm sure you know Android is Linux already.

 

[quikah]

I am going to guess it will be easier to install on a windows tablet, but you will need to figure out how to disable secure boot. I have seen some discussion about installing on Dell Venue pro. I am guessing it would be easiest with some cheap Chinese tablet that has dual android windows.

 

[J.Wilkins]

I've never been one much for the smartphone or tablet fad, but I like the idea of a tiny Linux tablet for just reading pdfs and listening to music on the bus or during downtime.

It seems like that almost never happens anymore over the last three years though. I remember in 2014 reading about people hacking Ubuntu or Arch onto the Nexus 10 etc. Is it still possible to do this on anything non-x86?

Well, first of all Android IS a Linux distro but if you for some reason want some other Linux distribution you can get it on basically any tablet you want to.

Simplest way possible, use KBOX.

It might not suit your needs though so you might want to take a look at Linux Deploy, it supports installing Debian, Ubuntu, Kali Linux, Arch Linux, Fedora, CentOS, Gentoo, openSUSE, Slackware and RootFS. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.meefik.linuxdeploy&hl=en_GB

If you really want to install it instead of any other OS then it's certainly possible with almost any tablet (that has an unlockable bootloader).

 

[shortylickens]

Get an Android.
It comes pre-installed with linux.

 

[lxskllr]

That's the problem with calling things "linux". Linux is just a kernel that sits there looking stupid until it gets useful software added to it. A router is as much "linux" as my debian desktop is. What the op wants is gnu/linux. The linux kernel with gnu userland to make it useful, instead of the craptastic android. For simply reading pdfs and listening to music though, android is sufficient.

edit:
If it were me, I'd consider a cheap smartphone for your uses. It's highly portable, and in the 5" range, quite readable. Tablets don't do anything well. They're too big to fit in your pocket, and have limited hardware. They're 50% the size of a laptop, but you're still poking the screen like a monkey even if you do get competent software on it. Add a bluetooth keyboard so you can finally do some real work, and you have the world's crappiest laptop.

 

[ericlp]

Roll your own? Raspberry Pi Zero with Wifi 10 bucks, and a touch screen? Tho, you'd be stuck with chromium. Not sure how geeky you want your tablet to be.

 

[Raduque]

I've never been one much for the smartphone or tablet fad, but I like the idea of a tiny Linux tablet for just reading pdfs and listening to music on the bus or during downtime.

It seems like that almost never happens anymore over the last three years though. I remember in 2014 reading about people hacking Ubuntu or Arch onto the Nexus 10 etc. Is it still possible to do this on anything non-x86?

But why would you want to? For what you want, just about any Android tablet will do and there's no reason to try and shoehorn a Linux distro onto hardware not meant to run it.

 

[J.Wilkins]

Roll your own? Raspberry Pi Zero with Wifi 10 bucks, and a touch screen? Tho, you'd be stuck with chromium. Not sure how geeky you want your tablet to be.

Why would she be stuck with Chromium?