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bandgeek
May 11th, 2009, 03:14 AM
Anyone else seen this.

First saw this in Popsci

https://www.alwaysinnovating.com/home/

Also on Gizmodo http://i.gizmodo.com/5162584/always-innovating-touch-book-is-a-part+netbook-part+tablet-open-source-frankenstein?skyline=true&s=x

Really cool if you ask me. A Netbook with a detachable touch screen. The power of Linux. Open hardware allowing the user to change the configuration. 720p high-def!

Also lot's of programming opportunities. Accelerometers allowing iPhone type games. Imagine tilting Enigma.

What is really sad is when you read the comments at the bottom of the page. People either just don't get the idea of the product or their afraid of change which one I don't know. First is people asking for proprietary hardware. If you went to the products website you would see that is supposed to be completely open and empowering the user! But when you think it couldn't get worse they want Mac OSX and Windows 7.:( Finally they wish Apple had come up with the idea first. Truth is Apple will make something completely identical then sue these guys for copying.:mad:

So basically I'm writing this to rant and think someone is listening. What I want to know is what is it you think makes people ask for such dumb things. Is it that they just haven't seen the light of Linux or is Microsoft using millions of computers to control people's minds (conspiracy anyone?):-k

Good news though I posted a link to the Ubuntu website. Converting the masses one at a time (bwah,ha,ha,ha:P)

Please tell me your rants (I mean ideas).

monsterstack
May 11th, 2009, 03:23 AM
That does look exciting! I'd love to hack with one of these things.

markbuntu
May 12th, 2009, 03:17 AM
Mac users are still under the misconception that osx is not just a proprietary unix hack.

Glenhawk
May 12th, 2009, 04:48 AM
I want one! I have already registered my interest as an international customer (damn Yankees get the first batch :cry: ;))
I have been searching every day since I found the Touch Book for evidence of Ubuntu Jaunty for ARM. Looks like it is still in beta stage

I can't wait for an Ubuntu Touch Book!!!:D

OpenTangent
January 13th, 2010, 01:07 PM
I really thought the Touch Book would be the most successful device of 2009. Like most things open source, it's incredibly innovative and hugely under appreciated.

AllRadioisDead
January 13th, 2010, 01:16 PM
I guess it's cool, but it's not something I actually need. The only thing that interests me is the ARM processor.

hobo14
January 13th, 2010, 01:50 PM
I really thought the Touch Book would be the most successful device of 2009. Like most things open source, it's incredibly innovative and hugely under appreciated.

Points for their innovation, but it's a bit under powered, and at $400 for both pieces it's WAY overpriced.

Kdar
January 13th, 2010, 02:17 PM
Looks exciting!

Another great news for linux and of course would love to have something like that.

phawnex
January 13th, 2010, 02:37 PM
great jump in innovation,

now wait a bit and the price will drop :)

Marisa H
January 13th, 2010, 02:45 PM
How big is the screen? It looks big, but that could just be the pictures.

hobo14
January 13th, 2010, 02:51 PM
I'm a little bit surprised at how enthusiastic everyone is about this.

It's a bit old and really nothing special (except the "pull off tablet").

Have you seen these other ARM netbooks? (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1377293) Most also run Linux.

AllRadioisDead
January 14th, 2010, 01:37 AM
It looks really bulky and the screen looks small.

OpenTangent
January 14th, 2010, 11:02 AM
The Touch Book would be the perfect device if:
1) It had a built in 3G/HSDPA modem
2) It had built in GPS + some kind of map application
3) It had a bit more memory, storage, etc.
4) It ran Ubuntu Netbook Remix

AllRadioisDead
January 14th, 2010, 10:17 PM
The Touch Book would be the perfect device if:
1) It had a built in 3G/HSDPA modem
2) It had built in GPS + some kind of map application
3) It had a bit more memory, storage, etc.
4) It ran Ubuntu Netbook Remix
1) I believe in the video he mentioned that it supports 3D.
4) It can run Ubuntu, you can install the NR apps yourself.

Cam42
January 14th, 2010, 10:21 PM
According to users on gdgt, this thing sucks.

ve4cib
January 14th, 2010, 11:08 PM
I pre-ordered one of these back in July, and have had a chance to play around with it. The device itself is kind of fun. Obviously it's not a standard laptop; it's under-powered and designed for long battery life, not for performance. That said, for basic netbooky tasks (web use, use as a PDF/e-book reader, taking notes on, and even using as a thin-client when SSHing to a more powerful machine) it works pretty well.

The touchscreen isn't great; it's resistive, and I found that I had to use the edge of my fingernail to reliably get it to register. Obviously multi-touch is out of the question with a resistive touch screen. It ships with a real scuzzy little stylus, but I have a stylus from an old Un-Mouse that worked pretty well with it for drawing or writing hand-written notes. The resolution is decent, but nothing spectacular. Images are clear and bright, but not exactly Droid bright-and-crisp.

The biggest down-side I ran into with my Touchbook was the quality-control at the manufacturer. My first TB arrived in November '09. The keyboard was DOA. I sent it back, got a replacement in January. After two days it died; the keyboard, touchscreen and USB ports don't work any more. I'm currently talking with them about getting a refund, because after striking out twice my confidence in the quality has been deeply-shaken.

That having been said though, my quality-control experiences do not appear to be the norm. The AlwaysInnovating forums have lots of happy users. So I just lucked out and got two lemons it seems.

Anyway, to address some specific questions and comments from an earlier post...


The Touch Book would be the perfect device if:
1) It had a built in 3G/HSDPA modem
2) It had built in GPS + some kind of map application
3) It had a bit more memory, storage, etc.
4) It ran Ubuntu Netbook Remix

1- It comes with 3 internal USB ports, one of which is open on arrival. You could easily install your 3G USB modem in there. Or swap out the Wi-Fi card for it, since you don't really need 3G *and* Wi-Fi active simultaneously. Or remove the bluetooth dongle. For those of us who don't use 3G I'm just as happy there isn't one built in.

2- TangoGPS (http://www.tangogps.org/gps/cat/Screenshotsp/) is included in the standard OS (which is itself based on Angstrom). No GPS dongle included, but you can get some Linux-compatible ones for about $30 if you want one. Again, you've got the 3 internal USB ports, and 2 external ones where you could connect a GPS dongle.

3- More RAM (or upgradable RAM) would be nice. But that's one of the big limitations of Beagleboard. That said though, for what it's designed to do it's got enough RAM. The main storage is an SDHC card, so that will go up to... 32GB? Or are SDHCs up to 64GB now? Plus you can shove a USB stick inside if storage is your priority and you need more than what an SD card will offer.

4- As of January 2010 a Touchbook-specific Ubuntu remix (dubbed TBuntu) is included on the standard SD card image. It's not the Netbook remix; it uses XDM, a stripped-down XFCE, and is still under heavy development. But you could easily compile the NBR-specific packages and install them. (Cross-compiling from a more-powerful machine is suggested.)


Yes, I realize I suggested plugging about 8 different things into the 3 internal USB ports. It is a bit frustrating if you've got a lot of things you think you need, and not enough USB ports to use them all. There is a USB-Mini port inside the device as well. Never used it, but I assume it's another generic "plug anything into me" port.

Generally I think it's probably good to just pick-and-choose what you need to use at any given moment, and keep the extra dongles in a bag or case along with the power cord.

A few sample internal USB setups off the top of my head:

Dashboard Map/Geohashing Buddy: GPS, 3G. One internal port for extra storage, or bluetooth

Home Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, extra storage

Office To Office: 3G, Wi-Fi, bluetooth. Extra data on a USB stick inserted into an exteral USB port, and kept securely on your person when not in use.


Something a few people have mentioned wanting to try is to hack either the keyboard portion, or the tablet portion itself to install a USB Squid to give more external USB ports. So far I haven't heard of any success stories (nor of any failures), but it'd be a fun hardware project to try if you don't mind voiding your warranty.

handy
January 15th, 2010, 12:06 AM
Mac users are still under the misconception that osx is not just a proprietary unix hack.

If you had of worded that differently you might of got away with it. ;)

The Godfather
March 8th, 2010, 09:16 AM
I have been using this little machine for about one week now, so here are my impressions.
Firstly I did not expect stellar processor performance at the outset, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it handles my avi files.
I use this little machine to study when there is nothing to do in the hotel I work in, and I absolutely love it. Usually I get 10+ hrs of battery life on it, because I download all the articles I want to read on it beforehand, so I mostly keep the wifi and bluetooth unplugged. I just use the wifi occasionally when I need to use the net for a short reply, or a quick email. I maximise energy saved, by email beforehand.
The machine is always on, and I use it a lot as a tablet too. Very useful if you have a lot of pdf books too.
Also I use Xournal with it to highliight portions of the documents and make some notes. However because of the limitations of the touch screen, I cannot yet, and I don't think that I will be able to either, make handwritten notes to the docs, which for me is quite a let down, because I was fully looking forward to using this device as a paper replacement at home. Also part of the human memorization process involves handwriting!
There are also other little bugs with the UI, but nothing I can't live with. I presume they will be gradually roned out.
By the way, I have also used Open Office 3.0 on it, and it's just fine.
For me, considering my needs, it has been money well spent, much better than a smart phone, and a similar price. Lots of lovely screen real estate, and comfortable to read.
The build quality feels like a toy, but having said this, I am not needing the machine for use in a construction site! Everything works fine so far.
If Always Innovating puts a more calibrated, and sensitive screen in the next version, one which will allow me to write in small, bold letters, by hand on my documents, I will buy that one too.

Out of 5 stars:

Build quality: ***
Battery life: *****
Ease of use: ***
Office applications: *****
Screen size/quality: *****
Touchscreen precision & sensitivity: ***
Handwriting input: *
Tablet mode: *****
Processor power: ****

Overall:3,77 stars

In one line: less slick, but cheaper than an iPad, and much more functional.

eklem
March 17th, 2010, 01:02 PM
Please don't buy it. I got one at home, and it's useless. I'm used to hack and tweak my laptops, desktops and thin-clients, but this one will never fly.

Reasons:

Hardware too slow
Both Ubuntu and AlwaysInnovative's own OS is to immature. Early alpha-stage.
Touch-screen not very responsive
Touch-screen not in sync with screen


To bad, because I was really looking forward to get this one.

aaaantoine
March 17th, 2010, 05:00 PM
Imagine tilting Enigma.

I get what you're saying, but that's a different game mechanic. In Enigma, you apply force to the ball by moving the mouse.

A better translation would be tilting Neverball. ;)

Angewandte
July 11th, 2010, 01:23 PM
How to install OS and programs?.. From wireless internet only? Can we also connect it to LAN cable?

eklem
July 19th, 2010, 01:14 PM
How to install OS and programs?.. From wireless internet only? Can we also connect it to LAN cable?

No lan-port on the Touchbook, so only wireless. Basically, you need to prep an SD-card, and boot from that...