hpr-knowledge-base/hpr_transcripts/hpr4346.txt

Episode: 4346
Title: HPR4346: A brief review of the Pinetab 2
Source: https://hub.hackerpublicradio.org/ccdn.php?filename=/eps/hpr4346/hpr4346.mp3
Transcribed: 2025-10-25 23:25:49

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This is Hacker Public Radio Episode 4346 from Monday the 31st of March 2025.
Today's show is entitled A Brief Review of the Pine Tab 2.
It is hosted by Swift 110 and is about 11 minutes long.
It carries a clean flag.
The summary is, I go into some thoughts I have of the Pine Tab 2.
Well hello everybody.
It is Swift 110 and I just thought I'd go ahead and do a review of the Pine Tab 2.
I actually have the device right in front of me and I'll see if I actually have it powered on for a change.
Oh what do you do? It has power.
I haven't tested the battery life of this particular device as of yet.
But it's not awful.
It's just that sometimes I don't use it and we don't use it.
The battery has a tendency to just die.
But I really want to jump right into it with this machine this device is.
This Pine Tab 2 is a successor to the original Pine Tab which is a Linux tablet computer.
Fortunately I was able to get the one that has 8 gigs of RAM and 128 gigabytes of internal service storage rather.
What I love about this particular tablet is that it comes with a detachable keyboard that also protects it.
Now your processor is a rock chip RK3566 processor which features 4 energy efficient Cortex 85564 bit ARM cores and has great mainline Linux support.
This device was available pre-order actually were available in April of 2023.
So we're coming on two years that this device has even really been around and all in all I would have to say that I like it.
The operating system that runs on it by default is called the dank nix arch Linux.
And it's a version of Linux a version of arch rather Linux that is on based.
And so that's going to affect in certain respects.
The programs you're able to install on here and there's a lot of stuff that's available on here.
And you can also be able to run different operating systems not only from the internal flash memory or the EMMC or from a microSD card.
What I would like to do is have this date arch version of Linux on the actual storage space of the Pine Tab 2.
But then I'd like to be able to have an SD card that has other operating systems on them.
And then you know let's say I put up as the cards in and then have the option of switching to use those particular operating systems if I so desire.
I'm still trying to understand the best use of this device. It's not very powerful. So I'm going to tell you that up front.
Don't get on here thinking it is a powerful beast because it's just not.
They are working on software adjustments to work better with the CPU and you know it's it's a development in practice.
It's a project in development is the best way to put it.
Your system on a chip like I mentioned before is a rock chip arcade 3566.
So it's a nice machine.
I feel like first of all I'm glad to have 8 gigs of RAM.
So the RAM is great.
The actual bottleneck of the system is apparently the CPU.
My goodness if this thing would have been a socket at CPU that would have been phenomenal.
The display is 10.1 inches. It's an IPS LCD resolution 1280 by 800.
Not impressive.
The cameras as of yet do not work.
The battery is a 6,000 milliamp battery.
Wi-Fi sucks. I'm going to tell you right now.
Wi-Fi sucks on the pine tab too. I'm just keeping it real.
It will hopefully be something that's better over time.
However right now you're better off using a USB Wi-Fi dongle.
Bluetooth as of now does not work either.
So I want to get around that because I like to listen to my podcast, you know.
I like to listen to my music, like to get on YouTube and whatnot.
So it would be nice.
I will say something about the volume is that the volume is just fine on this little device.
So I overall like it.
I've installed my favorite programs on here.
You know Firefox, I tend to always install as my web browser choice.
But it does come with angelfish web browser mobile devices.
And that's probably what would be best to use on this device.
Try to use lighter versions of your favorite programs on this device to give it just a little more headspace
because that CPU is kind of weak in a knees.
And it can hardly speak.
It loses all control and then something comes over it.
Yeah.
So you just got to work with it, okay?
Please work with it.
And that's why I was saying that I really like it.
I don't know why I keep saying it, but that is true.
As far as education is concerned, let's talk about education for just a minute.
We have, you can create flashcards with Enky.
I don't have that one here.
But I wanted to talk to you a little bit about what to do, what to do, what to do.
There's a program on here called KDE.
Wow.
Let me cheat and look at the top of my screen.
KDE connect.
I really like it because then you can connect this device to other devices.
Like for instance, if I get a phone call, I can read it directly on my Piren tab too.
And I really like that.
Something else I really like as well is that I can use a program called No Machines on here.
And be able to use this device to control a more powerful device at a different location.
So I'm kind of digging into certain things and we'll see how that plays out.
But you got to bear with me.
Another thing I like to use on here that I'm going to get into even more is called KDE Geography.
I'm a big geography nerd.
So that's like right up my alley.
I got Solitaire on here because you do want to have a few games.
Nothing fancy.
I'm not going to be playing anything, especially graphics intensive.
But I will have a few things, you know.
You got to have a few things.
Whether you're talking about your games, when you have your multi-media,
so I can play pretty much any audio or video that there is.
I'm good with the office.
I got Abby Word as well as LibreOffice on here.
So we're, you know, I can do some things on here.
You just got to be creative about your use with regards to this device.
I've actually gotten into the habit of taking it with me instead of my pad.
I know this sounds crazy, right?
But it's mostly because I'm still enamored with the idea of actually having a Linux-based tablet.
That's exciting to me.
I've been wanting this long time probably since...
Let's see.
There once was a Linux tablet called the Zaw Reason.
Linux tablet.
Let's see when that came out.
I'm doing this real-time.
Yeah, it was an open and hackable $300 tablet.
When did this thing come out?
Jimny Cricket's Batman.
This thing was out in like 2012.
Yeah.
Zaw Tab.
Zaw Reason's open tablet.
Whatever happened to that boy?
Seriously.
Like, I've been waiting around for a great Linux tablet for many years.
Like 2012 is two years after I even got started with Linux in the first place.
So you can imagine how I feel to finally have a Linux tablet.
The only thing I just wish it had more power.
That would make me feel so much better.
But it's okay.
It's okay.
Hopefully they'll come up with a Pine Tab 3.
Okay.
This Zay Tab open tablet thing that was supposed to come out.
That was supposed to be a thing in 2012.
And it had money for it anyway.
But it was a good God Almighty.
Based on a cyanogen mod 9 Android 4.04.
It had an all-winner 810 system on a chip.
9.7 inch IPS display 1024 by 768 display.
16 gigs of internal storage.
One gigs of RAM.
Yeah.
Okay.
8,000 milliamp battery and 630 grams.
So I think I'm okay with missing this one.
Let's just say I ain't mad at you for missing out on this particular device.
Because, well, I don't even think the company exists anymore.
Oh, it was forced to close in 2020.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Closed in 2020.
So say it anyway.
I'm happy with my Pine Tab 2.
Learning how to take advantage of its lighter hardware, so to speak.
And let's see what else I find to do with it.
Anyway, this has been with 1.10.
And I want to encourage you guys if you haven't done so already to go ahead and do a recording
on hacker public radio.
They could always use more host on this wonderful website.
And we'd love to hear from you.
All right, y'all.
Take care.
Bye for now.
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