KDE Plasma Active developer Aaron Seigo has been working to bring a tablet running open source Linux-based software to market for over a year. While the project has hit some roadbumps, Seigo says factory tooling for a new tablet has begun, and the first models could roll off the production line by May. While Seigo […]
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KDE Plasma Active 3 open source tablet software improves performance, adds new apps
The KDE team has released version 3 of the Plasma Active environment for tablets and other mobile devices. The latest release offers improved performance, a new file manager, eBook reader, better text input, and other new features. Plasma Active is an open source user environment optimized for touchscreen devices. It’s designed around the idea of […]
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Vivaldi tablet with KDE Plasma Active dissected
The Vivaldi tablet is a 7 inch tablet and open source KDE Plasma Active software. The €200 tablet is expected to start shipping in May, but the folks behind the official Vivaldi user forum at OpenTablets.org got their hands on an early unit — and they’ve ripped it apart to see what makes it tick. There […]
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Talking Spark tablets with KDE developer Aaron Seigo (video)
The Spark tablet will be the first 7 inch tablet to ship with Mer Linux and KDE Plasma Active software when it launches in May. It’s already available for pre-order in Europe for €200, and developer Aaron Seigo who started the project says when it goes on sale in the US the Spark tablet will likely be […]
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$265 Spark Linux-based tablet shipping in May (pre-order in Feb)
The Spark is a 7 inch tablet with an open source Linux-based operating system and an open platform for apps, eBooks, and other digital content. One of the developers of the Spark project introduced the tablet last week, and now he’s posted a Q&A with far more details — including launch details. Pre-orders for the Spark tablet […]
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$265 Spark tablet runs Plasma Active Linux software
A new tablet called the Spark is on the way. At first glance it looks like most of the cheap Chinese tablets we’ve seen in the past few years, but the Spark won’t run Google Android. Instead it will run an open source Linux-based operating system with the KDE Plasma Active interface running on top. […]
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Plasma Active One attempts to make Linux more tablet-friendly
A team of developers working on the KDE desktop environment have released the first version of a new user interface designed for touchscreen tablets. It’s called Plasma Active One, and the new customizeable user interface is organized around the idea of “Activities.” KDE is a user interface and suite of apps which runs on a number of […]
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Contour brings a context-sensitive interface to KDE Plasma Active
As KDE developers continue to build the device-independent Plasma Active Linux environment, other pieces of the UI puzzle are falling into place as well. Pieces like Contour, which the team bills as a “context-sensitive user interface that adapts to…current activities and behavioral patterns of the user.” As you can see in the screenshot, part of […]
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KDE looks beyond desktops and notebooks with Plasma Active
When we first saw it demoed on Linux netbooks in 2009, KDE Plasma was looking good. It brought a little sizzle to the desktop which was somewhat lacking in the Ubuntu Netbook Remix at the time. Now, the KDE team is looking to move beyond desktops and notebooks — and it hopes to deliver an […]