A hacker's seeming delight a $49 tablet

[woodsmoke]

Ok a 7 inch tablet for $ 49.00 USD

Technical Specifications:

1GHz Single Core ARM Cortex-A9 processor


Plasma Active has been installed previously on:

1GHz AMLogic ARM Cortex-A9 processor

+++++++++++++++++++++

The "problem" with the "average person" trying to fiddle/play with Plasma Active on a tablet is paying for a $200 dollar thingy that might be turned into a brick.

For their own, self bought Christmas Present........... they could turn a $49 dollar item into a brick and not feel too bad about it, that is less than the cost of lattes every day for a month.

Here is the tablet:

The main problem that I can see is that it only has a "mini" usb port. Don't know if it would be possible to get Plasma Active onto a usb, and put a mini adapter on it and then get the OS into the device......

just don't know....

maybe a "net install" of some kind...don't know.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/RCA-7-Tabl...emory/28458515

Here is the previous install on a single core device:

http://androidcontrolling.blogspot.c...cases-kde.html

Here is the KDE wiki on installations

http://community.kde.org/Plasma/Acti...eTab_.2F_ExoPC

comments anyone? These things will blow out fast.

woodsmoke

[oshunluvr]

Even with an accessible USB port (which I doubt it is having a sub-$100 list price) you'd need more than that to install plasma active to it. Namely, an unlocked boot-loader and root access. If you can't find information on how to unlock this model's boot loader, you're likely going to be stuck with android.

If you go ahead and buy one, you'll want to install ADB tools on your PC and connect the tablet to it to see if it's even recognized. Supposedly, this thread will "root" that tab: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2518795

[SteveRiley]

The Cortex A9 is not exactly a speedy SoC these days (especially in its single-core iteration) and the low-rez 800x480 LCD will drive you insane. This tablet is only $49 for a reason -- it's junk. Oh, and RCA is a brand again? Whodathunk?

Furthermore, remember that in the land of ARM, you don't just "net install." You need to flash a build specifically for the SoC in your device. The ARM-based Plasma Active images are built specifically for the named devices.

[woodsmoke]

great replies!

If anyone else has comments please provide them!

This was just an off the cuff if somebody really wanted to putz with a tablet that, if bricked, wouldn't be that much of a loss.

woodsmoke

[verndog]

Here's a $39 dollar "brick", that I've been keeping my eye on:
http://www.microcenter.com/product/4..._Tablet_-_Grey

[SteveRiley]

An A8 SoC, 512 MB RAM, and a plastic 800x480 display? Double plus junk, that is. No wonder people gripe about Android tablets -- most of them apparently should be called Android Trashblets. Do yourself a favor and get a Nexus 10. What a lovely device.

[claydoh]

I'd love a Nexus 10, but even a 7 is pricey to me. I could live with a plastic hunk, poopy camera (or none), and maybe even poor battery, but I won't settle for the gawd awful resolution and no ram.

[woodsmoke]

welll the point is play value ;0 , playing with trying to install KDE plasma on the thing to gain experience when a more expensive item is obtained. ;0

poco a poco se va lejos

woodsmoke

[SteveRiley]

playing with trying to install KDE plasma on the thing

ARM is not x86; you can't just install Plasma Active on any random device. You have to use one of the few devices that the Plasma Active team is building for.

[whatthefunk]

I have to agree with Steve on this one. Why throw money away on crap products? I know people who bought really cheap smart phones and 100% of them are disappointed. The screen resolution is bad, the speakers are laughable, they break easily, they have software problems, and they tend to be slow. May as well save your money for a decent one or just dont get one and buy a book.

[woodsmoke]

well, if somebody else has installed it on what is supposedly the same "kind" of system, then one should be able to install it on the same kind of another system.

Otherwise then a distinct distro would have to be written for each and every iteration of a piece of hardware.

And, I never said that it is a great device.

it was just a thought for people to putz with instead of possibly bricking an expensive device.

woodallintowalkingbeforeleapingsmoke

[claydoh]

Otherwise then a distinct distro would have to be written for each and every iteration of a piece of hardware.

Basically, that is what every separate device, whether phone, tablet, or whatever needs for its OS. This is why you can't simply download and install Cyanogenmod (or any ROM for that matter) on just any device. Availability of device driver code (radios, bluetooth and video, for example), boot loader hacking, etc make it fun for the devs.

[woodsmoke]

well it was just a thought, apparently a bad one so everybody just forget I mentioned it.

Going off to suck my thumb in the corner now, no playtoy for the old woodsmoker over Christmas vacation!



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