important news for early 2023
Most recently, a couple of weeks ago, we published a selection of Linux devices. And now it became known about a few new products. Here we have one mini PC, one laptop (it’s not exactly new, but it deserves attention) and one hybrid device, something between a tablet and a laptop. The latter was developed by Pine64, which produces a lot of interesting things. Details about the devices are under the cut.
PlanetPC XR Touchscreen Mini PC with ARM Processor
An unusual device from Planet Computers. It usually produces smartphones with hard keyboards, which many users like. These are, in fact, communicators with a wide range of functions. Different production models of this company support both Android and Linux.
Now she decided to release a whole range of devices of a new type – a mini-PC, and with Linux on board. Features of the device are not only Linux, but also a touchscreen, as well as a processor with ARM architecture.
Unfortunately, the device is not yet on sale. According to the plan, the manufacturer will start shipping in September 2023. But the cost of a mini-PC on pre-order is known – $ 610. The basis of the system is a 4-core Rockchip RK3566. The mini PC will ship with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of main storage. Well, for $ 769 it will be possible to purchase the same device, only with an 8-core RK3588 processor.
What else? The XR1 is also equipped with a 2TB SSD and a 14GB hard drive. Well, the XR2 received 32 GB of RAM, 256 main memory, and an SSD up to 2 TB.
As for the touchscreen, both models will have it. Color screen, resolution 1424*280. In addition, you can connect an external display or displays – though only two. Both devices are equipped with speakers and a microphone so that you can use them for video calls. As for the wireless module, it supports WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. There are two more gigabit Ethernet ports.
The good news is that Planet Computers is not a newcomer to the gadget market. She has been working for several years, offering devices with an unusual design and hardware. Therefore, the probability of the release of both models on time is almost 100%. By the way, here is another video with the presentation of both models.
PineTab2
Well, this is a device from Pine64, a device that the company itself calls a tablet. For the convenience of the user, a full keyboard is also supplied with it. At the same time, the device is not particularly expensive, so it may well be that it will become popular. It costs $159.
The device is quite productive, it is suitable for work or for home. You can also take it with you on trips or business trips. The company supplies two models with different features and price:
- PineTab2 with 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB storage for $159
- PineTab2 with 8 GB RAM / 128 GB storage for $209
Both versions have LPDDR4 memory, plus eMMC, as well as PCIe connectors that can be used to connect additional devices. In terms of ports and connectors, the device has USB 3.0 Type-C and USB 2.0 Type-C ports, as well as a micro HDMI port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an SD card reader. Plus, the user gets two cameras at once: 5 MP rear and 2 MP front.
According to a spokesman for Pine64, the device is modular. Cameras, battery, keyboard connector can be replaced in about 5 minutes. In addition, eMMC is placed on a removable module, which can also be replaced. Well, in addition, it is worth saying that the display is also not very difficult to change, unlike many other tablet models and hybrid PCs.
HP Dev One
But here, unfortunately, the news is not very positive. The fact is that HP will no longer produce this model. She will continue to support it, but not to produce it. While it is not clear what caused this decision, we would like to hope that company representatives will comment on everything later.
Perhaps the popularity of the device was not as high as HP’s salespeople had planned, so they decided not only not to continue to release this model, but also not to release Dev Two. By the way, Dev One was introduced only last year, 2022, so it’s even a little strange that they decided to abandon it.
The characteristics of the device are not bad. The screen is 14-inch, resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels, AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 5850U processor with Radeon Vega 8 graphics. It also comes with 16 GB DDR4 memory and 1 TB HDD. The wireless module supports WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0. There are USB Type-C, Type-A, HDMI 2.0 ports.
But if you still want to buy a laptop based on Linux, then you should pay attention to the XPS 13 Developer Edition model from Dell with Ubuntu Linux on board.
You may also be interested in these texts:
→ 8 books on PostgreSQL: from databases from scratch for self-taught to a guide about databases in the clouds
→ How to effectively share the results of your work? About the “boasting” of a healthy person
→ Hyperscaling in 2023: what we did to support our clients’ business
It has been on sale for ten years, and the likelihood that the company will decide to abandon this model is small. Dell regularly improves the device. The latest update touched the processor – since 2020, the model is sold with Tiger Lake for about $1000.
