The PineTab is a low-cost tablet developed by Hong Kong–based computer manufacturer Pine64.[1][2] The PineTab was announced in May 2020, with shipping beginning in September 2020. It is based on the platform of the existing Pine A64 single board computer,[3] with the platform being used in related devices, such as the Pinebook and PinePhone.

PineTab
PineTab with the optional keyboard attached, running postmarketOS
ManufacturerPine64
Release dateMay 2020
Operating systemLinux
CPUAllwinner A64 ARM Quad core Cortex-A53, 64bit @ max 1.2GHz
Memory2 GB LPDDR3
Storage64GB eMMC flash memory
Removable storagemicroSD (bootable), optional M.2
Display1280×800 10" IPS LCD
GraphicsMali-400 MP2
CameraFront: Single GC2035, 2MP, f/2.8, 1/5″
Rear: Single Omnivision 6540, 5MPx, 1/4″, LED Flash
ConnectivityWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, single-band, hotspot capable, Bluetooth 4.0, A2DP, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB 2.0, micro USB 2.0 OTG, HD Video Out (Mini-HDMI)
Power6000mAh
DimensionsPineTab: 258 mm × 170 mm × 11.2 mm (10.16 in × 6.69 in × 0.44 in)
With detachable keyboard: 262 mm × 180 mm × 21.1 mm (10.31 in × 7.09 in × 0.83 in)
MassPineTab: 575 g (20.3 oz)
With detachable keyboard: 950 g (34 oz)
SuccessorPineTab 2

History and editions

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In May 2020, Pine64 announced the PineTab tablet at a starting price of $99,[4] alongside an optional detachable backlit keyboard.[5][4] Pre-orders began shortly after the announcement.[6] Devices were first shipped to developers and early adopters, though shipping was delayed until September 2020 for consumers.[7] It then later experienced shipping delays and shortages for components due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which made Pine64 decide to allocate more resources for the then-released PinePhone,[8][9] creating varying availability.[10]

In December 2022, Pine64 announced a successor to the original device, dubbed the "PineTab 2".[10][11] PineTab2 is expected to not face the same Supply chain issues as the first generation tab.[12]

Hardware

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The PineTab uses an Allwinner A64 SoC, which has four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.152 GHz, alongside a Mali-400 MP2 GPU, together with 2 GB LPDDR3 of RAM and a 6000mAh battery.[13] It has 64 GB of eMMC flash memory, alongside a M.2 slot for optional expansion with a solid-state drive or cellular modem.[13] Storage capacity can also be expanded with a microSD, which is bootable.

It supports Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0, has one USB 2.0 port, a micro USB 2.0 port with OTG, Mini-HDMI for external display output and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The device also contains stereo speakers, a 5 MP rear camera and a 2 MP front facing camera. The display is a 10" IPS LCD with a resolution of 1280 × 800. It weighs 575 grams (1.3 pounds).[14]

Software

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The PineTab aims to be an open platform for the development of free and open source software for Linux on mobile devices. Operating systems include Ubuntu Touch,[13] postmarketOS,[15] Mobian (Debian ARM)[16] and Arch Linux ARM.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Das, Ankush (June 10, 2020). "$100 PineTab Linux Tablet is Finally Available for Pre-order". ItsFoss.
  2. ^ Humphries, Matthew (January 31, 2019). "Pine64 to Launch $79 Linux Tablet, $199 PineBook Pro Laptop". PC Magazine.
  3. ^ "Raspberry Pi vs new Pine64 board: Same price but H64 has 2x memory". ZDNET. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  4. ^ a b "May Update: PineTab pre-orders, PinePhone Qi charging & more". Pine64. 15 May 2020.
  5. ^ Sneddon, Joey (June 10, 2020). "PineTab, the $99 Linux Tablet, is Now Available to Order". OMG! Ubuntu!. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  6. ^ Kumar, Sarvottam (2020-06-11). "Linux Tablet 'PineTab' With Ubuntu Touch Is Now Available For Preorder". Fossbytes. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  7. ^ "September Update: Let it sink in…". PINE64. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  8. ^ Proven, Liam. "Pine64 announces open tablet: PineTab 2". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  9. ^ "December Update: Merry Christmas and Happy New PineTab". PINE64. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  10. ^ a b Purdy, Kevin (2022-12-16). "PineTab 2 is another try at a Linux-based tablet, without the 2020 supply crunch". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  11. ^ Sneddon, Joey (2022-12-15). "Pine64 Announce a PineTab 2 is Coming Next Year". OMG! Linux. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  12. ^ Proven, Liam. "Pine64 announces open tablet: PineTab 2". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  13. ^ a b c "The $99 "PineTab" Linux tablet is now available for preorder". TuxPhones - Linux phones, tablets and portable devices. 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  14. ^ Kumar, Sarvottam (2020-05-18). "Linux Tablet PineTab With Ubuntu Touch OS: All You Need To Know". Fossbytes. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  15. ^ Nestor, Marius (2022-12-18). "postmarketOS 22.12 Released with Support for Fairphone 4 and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1". 9to5Linux. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  16. ^ Kumar, Sarvottam (2020-09-10). "Mobian OS For PinePhone Now Available For Linux Tablet 'PineTab'". Fossbytes. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  17. ^ Ferdinand Thommes (2020-10-19). "PineTab Linux-Tablet mit Mobian und Arch Linux ARM". LinuxNews (in German). Retrieved 2023-01-20.
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