This device is not a tablet nor does it offer a slate form factor. It’s an ARM-based ultraportable, like the “smartbooks” that were mentioned in the past.

I agree about the OS. If I could install Debian on it myself and have everything supported driver-wise, then it would be a much better device. I’m unimpressed by most mobile phone operating systems on mobile phones, and I like them even less on devices with more traditional sizes and shapes.

I’d much rather configure my own stripped down version of Linux optimized for a proper desktop than run Google’s junky super-stripped down, java-encumbered version of Linux optimized for phones. In fact, I’d even rather just have Angstrom on it. Either way, apt-get is better than any app store will ever be.

The fact is that through the magic of firmware, Google and vendors are going to essentially tell us what versions of their Linux we are and are not going to be allowed to upgrade to, which is essentially just planned obsolescence, telling us when we’re to be done using the device.

One of the major promises of Linux should be (I’m not claiming that it is), that nobody can tell you what you can and can’t do it with. On the contrary, people have been whining “this device only ships with Android 1.X/2.X” for quite a while now, which points back to same issue. Apple pulls the same nonsense with its operating systems, just ask all of the people that had their PPC-based products go from functional to junk through the magic of OS X. Seriously, when is the last time that ANYBODY said “This only runs Windows XP” or Microsoft said “You may not upgrade to Windows 7”. Extending the useful life of hardware is something that, to my surprise, Microsoft has gotten right recently, and it’s always been a core value of the Linux community. Google’s Android does not have that. It has the opposite of that, and it’s the main reason that I will never buy an Android product. It’s too bad too because this hardware is awesome, and with some form of Open Embedded on it running an e17 desktop, this would be the logical successor to the Psion Netbrook Pro.

Whether you consider the AC100 a netbook or a smartbook, or something else, it’s certainly not a tablet. It doesn’t even have a touchscreen.

The reason you’re seeing more news about tablets here is because there *is* more news about tablets. Liliputing has always been a place for news and information on low cost ultraportable computers, which includes notebooks, tablets, even nettops and other topics. But there’s no denying that tablets are hot right now, so I’ve been spending a lot of time covering them.

I don’t think this coverage is coming at the expense of netbook coverage though. If anyone can point out major netbook news that I’ve been missing, let me know via the contact page.