I would like to find a small (max 24cm x 20cm) tablet with respect to privacy and security (no google, amazon etc). Not for any hard use, just basics, like video calls, mails, document writing and movies (so good video quality and battery life is apreciated, but no need for a high end powerhouse).
At the moment im using an Asus laptop with Zorin on it. Im not an expert Linux user, shifted from windows to zorin and love it!
I found Pinetab2, Fydetab duo, Starlite, Juno tab 3, Librem 11. But they all seem to have major downsides. Then I checked around, what tablet can work with possibly Zorin or Linux in general, and here I stuck. There are mixed info that its not possible, or its possible but a pain in the @ss kind, or totally doable with not bigger effort and expertise than how I shifted my Asus laptop from win to Zorin. For example I saw the Amazon fire, or maybe Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) - “gtowifi”, Chromebook etc.
So Im asking you all if you have any suggestion or guidance, which tablets would be the way to go, what are the available and possibly most hassle free options? I know here are many knowledgeable people, so I may receive clues.
Back when, MIcrosoft offered Windows Phone /Mobile.
It had a lot of good features that people want. It was quite stable, mostly. And Windows dominance in the PC world suggested it would make a strong contender for shoving their way, rather belatedly, into the mobile phone market.
It flopped.
And the reason it did so had nothing to do with what it offered or what people did not like. It had nothing to do with marketing.
It was because app developers were already invested in Android and iPhone and had no interest in developing apps for Windows Phone. This lack of apps, was all it took to make Microsoft red in the face. A 2 trillion dollar company.
Pine, Juno and others, they offer something great. But what they need is Support. Without user and developer support, it is exceptionally difficult to squeeze your way into a cornered market.
Yes, it is possible to install Zorin OS on some tablets. In some cases it is not easy, but can be done. But if you did, you would end up with a miniature Zorin OS on a tablet. At that point, you might ask if that is what you really want. It sounds like you are looking for ARM64 based tablet functionality, rather than a handheld computer that would use an onscreen keyboard and screen movement performed by cursor.
So this is where we are in the Current Market.
And that can include some trade offs and making some unhappy choices.
Even so a tablet can be locked down pretty reasonably.
I'm just looking for a solution for a travel tablet. Small thin, so I can carry easily and use in long flights for example. As I mentioned, I do not have specific needs for a robust power machine, yet would appreciate to have the basics covered as wifi and other functions (an issue with Pinetab2, that otherwise would be my top pick) to participate in video calls, write docs/mails and watch movies. So no big needs, but may be big enough to bleed out the Pinetab2...
Is there anything iut there that can fit these? That just my preference, because thats my only experience out of windows and live it, but if not with Zorin, then anything else that has nothing to do with google etc.
The best option would be to install LineageOS, which is a modified version of Android. If the goal is to reduce your privacy footprint, there are versions that allow you to install it without Google apps. If you use some popular apps, however, you might find issues since they expect to find Google Play Services and similar software running in your device. To work around that, there's a nice middle ground using something call MicroG, which essentially tricks apps into thinking that Google Play Services is installed.
You have to make sure that the device you want to install LineageOS is actually supported. Unfortunately, tablets haven't seen the same rate of adoption since phones are nowadays large enough for most uses. I personally think this is a pitty, since 8"~10" is the perfect size for reading or watching videos on the go.
You are more likely to have better luck with older devices, which on the bright side you can get for lower price if you buy them used.
