ubuntu-phone team mailing list archive

[Nathan Haines <nhaines@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 07/30/2014 06:02 AM, Steve Smith wrote:
> Would it be an actual tablet also running Ubuntu, that is just
> synced to the storage on the phone?  Or would it be a special dumb
> touchscreen (rather than an actual tablet) that the phone just plugs
> into and the software continues to run on the phone itself - much like
> docking with an external monitor?

The second scenario is right.  The way it works is that the phone is 
running Ubuntu and the UI is provided by Unity 8.  Right now, the Ubuntu 
desktop runs Unity 7, but in the future (probably Ubuntu 15.04 or 
15.10), Unity 8 will also provide the desktop interface.

So Unity 8 will be able to adapt to phone, tablet, and desktop form 
factors, and once you add an external monitor and keyboard and mouse to 
your phone, Unity 8 will switch to a desktop-style display.  Everything 
will still run off of the phone (or tablet) and you will simply see a 
full desktop UI, and will still be able to run phone apps in a windowed 
environment.

This is already working to an extent: I use Ubuntu's mobile weather app 
on my desktop computer.  There's nothing special about that--both run 
actual Ubuntu and the same app runs on my phone and on my desktop computer.

So in this way you can always carry your computer around in your pocket. :)

I wouldn't buy an Android tablet just for this, though.  I'd wait for an 
Ubuntu tablet and I might worry that the first generation might not 
prove powerful enough to do this in two years (Ubuntu 16.04 LTS should 
have convergence fully integrated, but 15.10 may only have a developer 
preview).  So if you're set on buying an Android tablet, either buy a 
Nexus tablet or buy an Android tablet you're happy to use as is.

Regards,
Nathan

--
Nathan Haines
Ubuntu - http://www.ubuntu.com/