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Comment by nailer | Hacker News Reader

I've seen a lot of Linux tablets, and so far they've always been a touchscreen added to an early 2000's desktop-style interface: small touch targets, gestures don't work in obvious places etc.

That said, it's been a while so I could be out of date: is the Linux desktop UI and apps used by the Ubuntu tablet touch focused?

Edit: Linux as in the common usage of 'Linux kernel, glibc, X', not Android. Which you knew.

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This is not a Linux tablet in that hacked-up sense. It's Ubuntu Phone. I've been using this for a year now on my Aquaris E5 and while it's not quite as smooth as IOS and Android quite yet, and that's only because my hardware is a little slow, it's definitely a full touch-oriented design from the ground up. I actually like the design better than the grid-of-icons approach. It's more sophisticated. And I'm not a zealot: I am highly critical of the buggy browser and the lack of apps, especially whatsapp.

But OS design-wise, this is absolutely not some kind of desktop UI squeezed into tablet form with a cranky layer of touch glued on top.

Can you please share (if you have the possibility to compare) how's the battery life compared with other tablets?

As per my post, mine is a phone, not a tablet. But it's the same OS. As far as the phone is concerned, I get 2 days easily in normal use (lots of browsing), and 3 days if light use. I would estimate it at 1.5-2x longer battery life than an iphone. It's definitely impressive. But again, I can only speak for the BQ Aquaris E5 phone.

I read that the UI is not even smooth on the Meizu Pro 5, which isn't a slow phone.

I'm not sure what "an early 2000's desktop-style interface" means, but the Linux-based Nokia tablets/phones aren't like anything I remember seeing on a desktop then; likewise Ubuntu Touch on he phone, of which you can find videos.

yes it's just like an android tablet, only better

Right. Because Android is built on a desktop interface...

The state of tablets could better but it's not that bad.

the tablet mode is just like android but you can change to desktop mode, hence better than an android tablet

What does that have to do with early 2000s linux desktops?

Haven't you seen a single of these “Android Linux” tablets in the last five years or so?

We all know what he means by "Linux tablet", you don't really have to nitpick...

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