# The Ubuntu Forum Community > Ubuntu Community Discussions > Mobile Technology Discussions >  ubuntu tablet coming today?

## Lizzard77

Has anybody noticed countdown on ubuntu.com main page with words 'Tick, tock, tablet time!' ? Ubuntu for Android tablets? Would be great  :Smile:

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## h0bbe

> Has anybody noticed countdown on ubuntu.com main page with words 'Tick, tock, tablet time!' ? Ubuntu for Android tablets? Would be great


More on that: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/02/u...ement-tomorrow

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## h0bbe

> More on that: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/02/u...ement-tomorrow


It might be an HTC tablet!?

http://tech2.in.com/news/tablets/cou...t-today/766602

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## ssam

have you noticed the ubuntu.com frontpage? http://www.ubuntu.com/

"Tick, Tock, tablet time!  02:31:05"
and counting down.

My guess would be that it is to do with the Nexus 7 installer https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Nexus7 , but it would be nice if it were some custom hardware.

(its been pointed out that HTC have a similar countdown on their homepage http://www.htc.com/uk/ )

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## fuorviatos

Well, when it comes to here (Central Europe) I cannot see any countdown.
Maybe, something is about to come for your local market?

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## coffeecat

_Thread moved to Mobile Technology Discussions._

Thanks for the links. I'll be watching with interest too.

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## mr john

This other page by HTC has a very similar countdown:

http://www.htc.com/ro/

 Coincidence?  :Wink:

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## ssam

The HTC announcement seems to be unrelated.

Ubuntu site down, but looks like some news sites had the info under embargo http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/19/can...ce=twitterfeed

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## BslBryan

Tablet time! http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/tablet

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## Paddy Landau

Finally. A tablet that I can get excited about!

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## MyTinFoilHat

Not to clip the wings of those excited about this announcement (I am, at heart, also very excited), but this announcement feels oddly familiar - along the same lines as the initial ones for Ubuntu phone and Ubuntu for Android. 

I have a nagging suspicion that this "announcement" is more geared toward OEMs at this point (even if they have a specific device in mind for the very near future) than regular, "Joe-everyday" users who are suddenly imagining this as installable on the device of their choosing. 

Call me cynical, but I really am hoping that this is solid - that I'm wrong.

Again, not to rain on everyone/anyone's parade, I guess I just don't want to get overly excited only to be disappointed...

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## Paddy Landau

> I have a nagging suspicion that this "announcement" is more geared toward OEMs at this point


It could well be. The Ubuntu Phone's initial announcement was geared towards OEMs, although at least we have a delivery month (October) for general release of the phone.

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## mr john

The HTC countdown one was for a non-Ubuntu phone... Disappointing as an HTC Ubuntu Tablet would've been great.

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## tartalo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h384z7Ph0gU

5:19 "Now add a keyboard and mouse, suddenly your tablet is a full PC, running thousands of Ubuntu desktop apps and ALL WINDOWS APPS AS A THIN CLIENT"

What does that Windows part mean?

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## MyTinFoilHat

> The HTC countdown one was for a non-Ubuntu phone... Disappointing as an HTC Ubuntu Tablet would've been great.


Personally, I'd prefer an ASUS... but, yeah, non-Ubuntu phone was a little disappointing. Still, Ubuntu would look especially nice wrapped in that aluminum unibody - especially with a pulsing, back-lit, dye-cut Ubuntu logo glowing on the backside. That would look super!

Alas...

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## Paddy Landau

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h384z7Ph0gU
> 
> 5:19 "Now add a keyboard and mouse, suddenly your tablet is a full PC, running thousands of Ubuntu desktop apps and ALL WINDOWS APPS AS A THIN CLIENT"
> 
> What does that Windows part mean?


Good video. When Shuttleworth mentioned Windows as a thin client, Excel popped up on the tablet. I imagine that Canonical has arranged to have Office running  under Wine, perhaps? Or maybe the higher-priced versions have Windows running in a VM! (Pay for a Windows license, anyone, for Ubuntu?)

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## grahammechanical

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h384z7Ph0gU
> 
> 5:19 "Now add a keyboard and mouse, suddenly your tablet is a full PC, running thousands of Ubuntu desktop apps and ALL WINDOWS APPS AS A THIN CLIENT"
> 
> What does that Windows part mean?


It is a big nudge to business managers that they are not locked in to Microsoft. Nor do they have buy all new servers and applications.

Note this comment from the Canonical News Report




> On high end silicon, Ubuntu offers a full PC experience when the tablet is docked to a keyboard, with access to remote Windows applications over standard protocols from Microsoft, Citrix, VMware and Wyse. "An Ubuntu tablet is a secure thin client that can be managed with the same tools as any Ubuntu server or desktop," said Stephane Verdy, who leads enterprise desktop and thin client products at Canonical. "We are delighted to support partners on touch and mobile thin clients for the enterprise market."


and this blog from Mark Shuttleworth

http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/1158

So, we can put the garlic and pointed stakes away.

Keep in mind the target audience for all of these announcements - OEMs and Corporate IT department buyers. And also remember that the benefits of all this effort are already filtering down into Ubuntu desktop (13.04) and if enough of these devices do get to market and are purchased in sufficient quantities the prices might come down to something like I can afford.

Regards.

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## Paddy Landau

> with access to remote Windows applications over standard protocols from Microsoft, Citrix, VMware and Wyse.
> 			
> 		
> 
> 
> http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/1158


Absolutely brilliant! Makes me smile.

Well done, Canonical!

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## kevdog

Video was impressive -- however aren't most preview videos?  It will probably take a while to get the kinks worked out.  If only the Ubuntu install on my PC would run as fluid and fast as the demonstration video!

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## KBD47

> Video was impressive -- however aren't most preview videos?  It will probably take a while to get the kinks worked out.  If only the Ubuntu install on my PC would run as fluid and fast as the demonstration video!


I agree, if they can pull it off like in the video--it will be impressive.

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## C.S.Cameron

From The Register:
Canonical unveils fondleslab-friendly Ubuntu 'experience'

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02...ntu_tablet_ui/


From The Inquirer:

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/...tu-for-tablets


From Wired:

http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise...buntu-tablets/


From PCWorld:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/20287...r-tablets.html


From C/Net

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7...nexus-tablets/

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## Zombie Acorn

I am more interested in seeing which devices this will be ported to, the Nexus 7 is pretty close to the transformer prime, so hopefully I can try this out on my tablet soon after release.

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## Danny1234

The news said it will come the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10.

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## Peter09

> 5:19 "Now add a keyboard and mouse, suddenly your tablet is a full PC, running thousands of Ubuntu desktop apps and ALL WINDOWS APPS AS A THIN CLIENT"
> 
> What does that Windows part mean?


Note that its running as a thin client - presumably against a windows machine somewhere else - or Citrix.... or similar.

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## SuperBo

Wait for the download link for nexus 7, so exciting

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## OldGaf

I happen to have a Nexus 10 and am VERY excited about this... 

I have been using some RDP apps to access my desktop and they work very well... but having it installed (and supported) on the tab would be ideal.

My question is... is there a repo that has any current desktop apps compiled for ARM? In the video I see some icons... GIMP for one (Oooo that would be nice).. but not sure if that is just a mock up.

In an ideal world, (and I think I read somewhere it would be possable soon) we would be able to run Android apps in linux. Then a tablet running ubuntu would truely rule as top dog. 

Imagine having your "regular" linux app running and being able to load an android app in the panel on the right..... very cool.

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## Paddy Landau

> In an ideal world  we would be able to run Android apps in linux.


That sounds so weird, considering that Android is Linux. But I know what you mean.

It would need to run in a sandbox, I think, because of the malware within the many Android apps.

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## ceti331

> In an ideal world, (and I think I read somewhere it would be possable soon) we would be able to run Android apps in linux. Then a tablet running ubuntu would truely rule as top dog.


Why bother with the Java nonsense.
This is superior to android.

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## OldGaf

> Why bother with the Java nonsense.
> This is superior to android.


I do pref Linux... always have... but more is better and there is already a ton of Android apps out there... don't close the door on more choises.... esp if they are free.

After all.... android is a close cousin... and family should stick together  :Wink:

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## bouncingwilf

I'm keen to give it a try on my Nexus 7 as, despite all the positive comments from everyone, I don't rate highly. One thing bothers me though - does the ubuntu OS handle the 3G side of things - I read somewhere that the previous Dev versions did not.


Bouncingwilf

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## Nr90

> Why bother with the Java nonsense.
> This is superior to android.


There are quite a few apps that need to be available for people to consider an Ubuntu phone/tablet. For example whatsapp and skype. I doubt they'll be available natively any time soon. Therefor the Java interperter is very desirable imo!

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## iponeverything

that 


> Java nonsense


 is why android is where it is. 

It was actually a stroke of genius -

insulating the application developers to large degree, allowed for the OS to evolve much more quickly.

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## Danny1234

I have noticed it and I just want to try it.

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## OldGaf

Anyone try this yet?
I know it's just a dev release but I am interested in how functional it is.

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## Nr90

> Anyone try this yet?
> I know it's just a dev release but I am interested in how functional it is.


Don't think it's here just yet  :Sad: 
Maybe this can give you a bit of an idea of the functionality:
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/02/u...et-too-excited

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## 3rdalbum

> Anyone try this yet?


It's not available yet. Unless we've got some Canonicalians in our midst, the answer so far is no.

I'd love to get a Nexus 7 and play around with it, but I can't. We've just taken out a loan to partially pay for a semester of education.

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## OldGaf

> Don't think it's here just yet 
> Maybe this can give you a bit of an idea of the functionality:


I guess they only said the date.... not the time zone  :Wink:

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## OldGaf

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/02/u...et-too-excited[/QUOTE]

Oh... I am not expecting to have it work like the video... I just want to have a look under the covers so to speak and see that is there so far.

Also want to see what the install / uninstall process is like....

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## Nr90

> http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/02/u...et-too-excited


Oh... I am not expecting to have it work like the video... I just want to have a look under the covers so to speak and see that is there so far.

Also want to see what the install / uninstall process is like....[/QUOTE]
Have a look here for the install / uninstall process:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Touch/ReleaseNotes

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## Danny1234

I have found the details about *Ubuntu on tablets* and it seems today the develop preview Ubuntu for both tablets and smartphones is released.

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## arapaho

When is it going to be possible to buy Ubuntu Tablet? I mean tablet running pre-installed Ubuntu Touch.

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## annerjb

there was a news article that mentioned they are working on it but hardware manufacturers are dragging their feet with it. And the ubuntu edge should help give it a boost since it can show carriers that there is interest on ubuntu touch devices. I would say maybe a year at least since ubuntu touch is schedule for release AFAIK at the end of this year start of next year.

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## whatthefunk

> there was a news article that mentioned they are working on it but hardware manufacturers are dragging their feet with it. *And the ubuntu edge should help give it a boost since it can show carriers that there is interest on ubuntu touch devices*. I would say maybe a year at least since ubuntu touch is schedule for release AFAIK at the end of this year start of next year.


Unless it of course proves the exact opposite, that there is very little interest in Ubuntu mobile devices.  Right now, the Ubuntu Edge crowd funding thing is way, way behind schedule and Im guessing will fall at least 10 ~ 15 million dollars short of the $32 million goal.  My guess is that we will not see any mobile devices with Ubuntu pre-installed in a long, long time, if ever.

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## KBD47

Would like a phone if I could afford one. In any event I hope they meet their goal.
I would love to see a more modest crowdfunding project for a $99 Ubuntu tablet. With the inexpensive whitebox tablets coming out of China such a project would be likely to both accomplish and succeed.

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