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If I’m getting a tablet for a Linux VM why am I buying an iPad at all? Android tablets can do VMs and tablets even run Windows applications (Winlator)

by dangus 2y ago

walterbell 2y ago
> for a Linux VM why am I buying an iPad at all? offline web/iOS clients + Linux backend VM app ecosystem for 2 billion iOS devices 4:3 retina OLED display active secondary market portable, efficient, fast many years of security updates iPad Pro has unique positive attributes unavailable elsewhere.
- dangus 2y ago
  Android has a larger device installed base than iOS. Android devices certainly have an active secondary market. https://swappa.com/catalog/type/tablet?platform=android https://swappa.com/catalog/type/tablet?platform=android Qualcomm-based Android devices are most certainly portable, efficient, fast. Android provides many years of security updates especially for recently purchased devices. For example, the pixel tablet guarantees security updates until at least 2028. Apple doesn’t actually make any guarantee, they’ve just had a good track record until this point. More modern releases of Android separate security updates from feature updates so that there’s less dependency on vendor support. They also separate play services updates from OS feature updates.
  - walterbell 2y ago
    Apple devices retain a lot of value in the secondary market, i.e. lower TCO when it's time to upgrade. Thanks for the pointer to Google Pixel Tablet, didn't notice that was launched in 2023. Looks promising for experimentation because it claims to support Android Virtualization Framework. Sadly, it's missing an external keyboard that connects via magnetic/wired pins like the Apple Magic Keyboard, instead of insecure Bluetooth. Perhaps the Pixel Tablet 2 will improve the keyboard.
    - dangus 2y ago
      There's two sides of the secondary market. The great thing about high depreciation is that you can get a used Android device very affordably. IMO there isn't a strong reason to be worried about security on modern Bluetooth keyboards to the point of it being part of a purchase decision. The most realistic attacks require physical device access or snooping during the pairing process. Heck, if you start using a password manager/Passkeys and SSH keys instead of typing in passwords it becomes a relatively useless attack vector. Let's not forget that Android has been far more flexible on USB devices than iOS. If you want a physically connected keyboard, Android has supported you for decades without any vendor lock-in. Apple has only recently delivered something resembling an open USB experience on the iPad.

If I’m getting a tablet for a Linux VM why am I buying an iPad at all? Android tablets can do VMs and tablets even run Windows applications (Winlator)

by dangus 2y ago

If I’m getting a tablet for a Linux VM why am I buying an iPad at all? Android tablets can do VMs and tablets even run Windows applications (Winlator)

walterbell 2y ago

> for a Linux VM why am I buying an iPad at all? offline web/iOS clients + Linux backend VM app ecosystem for 2 billion iOS devices 4:3 retina OLED display active secondary market portable, efficient, fast many years of security updates iPad Pro has unique positive attributes unavailable elsewhere.

dangus 2y ago
Android has a larger device installed base than iOS. Android devices certainly have an active secondary market. https://swappa.com/catalog/type/tablet?platform=android https://swappa.com/catalog/type/tablet?platform=android Qualcomm-based Android devices are most certainly portable, efficient, fast. Android provides many years of security updates especially for recently purchased devices. For example, the pixel tablet guarantees security updates until at least 2028. Apple doesn’t actually make any guarantee, they’ve just had a good track record until this point. More modern releases of Android separate security updates from feature updates so that there’s less dependency on vendor support. They also separate play services updates from OS feature updates.
- walterbell 2y ago
  Apple devices retain a lot of value in the secondary market, i.e. lower TCO when it's time to upgrade. Thanks for the pointer to Google Pixel Tablet, didn't notice that was launched in 2023. Looks promising for experimentation because it claims to support Android Virtualization Framework. Sadly, it's missing an external keyboard that connects via magnetic/wired pins like the Apple Magic Keyboard, instead of insecure Bluetooth. Perhaps the Pixel Tablet 2 will improve the keyboard.
  - dangus 2y ago
    There's two sides of the secondary market. The great thing about high depreciation is that you can get a used Android device very affordably. IMO there isn't a strong reason to be worried about security on modern Bluetooth keyboards to the point of it being part of a purchase decision. The most realistic attacks require physical device access or snooping during the pairing process. Heck, if you start using a password manager/Passkeys and SSH keys instead of typing in passwords it becomes a relatively useless attack vector. Let's not forget that Android has been far more flexible on USB devices than iOS. If you want a physically connected keyboard, Android has supported you for decades without any vendor lock-in. Apple has only recently delivered something resembling an open USB experience on the iPad.