Linux-based KDE tablet hopes to spark open-source movement
If you want a tablet that's more open than iPad and Android devices, then this Linux-based tablet might be for you.
(Credit:
Aaron Seigo)
Looking for a truly open-source tablet? A new Linux-based slate may just be it.
Dubbed the Spark, this tablet doesn't have the latest and greatest hardware--it comes with a 1GHz ARM processor with 512MB of memory and 4GB of internal storage. However, it includes an SD card slot, a capacitive, multitouch display, and Wi-Fi. And at $265, it won't break the bank if you decide to go the open-source route.
Its main draw will be the KDE Plasma Active user interface that's preloaded on top of its Linux roots (apparently it runs on Mer, a fork of the MeeGo platform). Designed for touchscreen devices, this interface will include familiar elements, such as an onscreen keyboard. At the same time, there are some interesting ideas that are best conveyed by the introduction video below:
Aaron Seigo, the developer who spearheaded this project, hopes that this tablet will be the "spark" for a whole new open ecosystem, including a future content store with free, digital books from Project Gutenberg, as well as paid software apps. It's too early to tell how things will pan out, but more details about this tablet will be revealed later this week.
(Source: Crave Asia via Ars Technica)
