Ubuntu for tablets is a new operating system for slates, joining Ubuntu for phones -- and you can try out features such as phone apps sharing the screen with tablet apps on your Google Nexus 7 or Nexus 10.
Although it's optimised for the ARM chips that power tablets, the tablet version of the OS shares most of its code with desktop Ubuntu. That means you should be able to dock your phone or tablet with TV, computer or keyboard and the interface will adapt accordingly.
With Side Stage, you can put phone and tablet apps side-by-side on your tablet screen to multi-task to your heart's content. Maybe you need to consult a website and a map or note app at the same time -- or maybe an app doesn't come in tablet form yet and you want to pair it with another app.
You navigate with gestures at the edge of the screen, so there's no physical buttons and no home button required. The software is based around a universal hub for search, apps and your music and movies and other stuff, with a notification centre that uses sideways swipes to access your email, tweets and settings.
There's support for multiple users so you can share the tablet round the family and visitors, and there's voice control using the Ubuntu HUD interface. Check out the video to see it in action, starting with the short version:
And, if you want more, here's the long version -- or read on to find out when you can try it out.
I say you can do all these things, but at the moment there's nothing to do it on. The Ubuntu tablet OS will work on slates ranging from 6 to 20 inches, but no manufacturers have been announced yet to build either tablets or phones.
In the meantime, however, you can try out the tablet preview on your Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 slate when the developer preview turns up on 21 February. You can also try the phone OS preview on your Google Nexus 4 or Galaxy Nexus -- and we'll be trying it out next week at Mobile World Congress, the annual phone trade show.
What do you think of Ubuntu OS? Can it win over tablet fans who aren't persuaded by Android? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
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Comments 8
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NJZ tech 19 February, 2013 17:45
Really looks good, want 2 try it now!
anonymous 20 February, 2013 09:07
I'm know fan of ubuntu on a desktop or server PC. But I'm looking forward to see how this debuts and matures.
The most important aspect of this coming debut is that, in the future, when we add up the various shares of the market enjoyed by the various smartphone and tablet OSes, that we view it from the perspective of the sum of both Ubuntu OS *AND* Android, to keep in persptective the percentage in total superiority Linux continues to enjoy on mobile computing devices.
Elliott Haworth 20 February, 2013 10:57
Looks similar to that terrible Kindle Fire software
anonymous 20 February, 2013 12:41
I miss android not working properly so I'm really looking forward to seeing how Ubuntu can raise my blood pressure in new and interesting ways.
anonymous 20 February, 2013 13:35
i think the os will be perfect but my concern is apps . do they have lots of apps like android and os?
anonymous 20 February, 2013 14:24
It will take years to give you as much as Android does now...at which point Android would have improved a lot more. Looks good and all, but only Android for me thank you.
Running Windows apps as a thin client is very enterprise focused, but they all carry ipads around though. They really have a nice concept, shame they came late.
Jorge Kemp 20 February, 2013 17:13
Ubuntu on transformer type devices will be amazing, can't wait!
anonymous 21 February, 2013 09:33
So I take it I would be able to run a full version of Open Office on an ubuntu tablet?
If so, this is going straight onto my nexus 7. Tablets NEED fat OS capabilities. I don't know why the industry is so bloody blinded to that. Why is everyone just trying to create large, unwiedly smart phones, as opposed to small, portable computers with a touch screen interface?