I'm waiting for the first review to mention OpenRepos. I'm not expecting it to say that they're the cure-all or even for everyone, but it would be good to know that a reviewer has done enough homework to at least mention that it's an option for some of the application gaps.
Not a bad review. I have similar experience, except for the missing apps - especially after installing the Play store.
I like the device - the hardware is solid and feels good in the hand. The software is the good old 1.1.9.28 with one small exception - the Alien Dalvik runtime is version 4.4.4, but still doesn't support Bluetooth.
Here are some screenshots from a quick AnTuTu benchmark, which ranks it rather low, but the CPU performance is ranked high.
I'm waiting for the first review to mention OpenRepos. I'm not expecting it to say that they're the cure-all or even for everyone, but it would be good to know that a reviewer has done enough homework to at least mention that it's an option for some of the application gaps.
What you're saying is that there were many i486 compatible apps at OpenRepos at the time of the review?
He claims to have used the tablet for several weeks, so even if he discovered Warehouse/OpenRepos when he received the tablet, I would say there would have been close to 0 apps for the tablet there (except for a few noarch Python apps that launch the QML files directly).
The fact that we see such reviews now seems quite odd. It is quite a good review (at least UI and HW wise), but I don't understand why they sent out review devices at that time.
I don't have enough information to judge why that happened, but I think that ideally, they should have followed one of these two schedules:
Send tablets with a preview - 1.1.9.x - version to developers (in a transparent process) and release the SDK to everyone.
Finish the final 2.0 version.
Send the tablets with the final version to reviewers.
Send the tablets to customers.
or
Send tablets with a preview - 1.1.9.x - version to developers (in a transparent process) and release the SDK to everyone.
Send the first batch with the preview OS version to (early) backers.
Finish the final 2.0 version.
Send the tablets with the final version to reviewers.
Send the tablets to the rest of the customers.
But it seems that they have been doing this instead:
Send the tablets with a preview version to reviewers, testers, and a small group of randomly chosen developers along with non-public SDK release.
Push the preview version to all phones and release the SDK to the public.
Send the tablets to early backers with the preview OS version.
Finish the final 2.0 version.
Send the rest of the tablets to customers with the final 2.0 version.
Maybe I'm making too much of it and it was just a mistake, but I think that sending the device to reviewers with a preview version of the OS in a moment when there can't be any 3rd party native apps around, as (some limited number of) developers just got it as well... ...is just a weird decision.
The fact that the developer program wasn't transparent and there were no rules or no way to apply surely didn't help either.
I like the device - the hardware is solid and feels good in the hand. The software is the good old 1.1.9.28 with one small exception - the Alien Dalvik runtime is version 4.4.4, but still doesn't support Bluetooth.
But does that mean this tablet is a refreshing break from the status quo?
Jolla is more interested in following its unique philosophy than reaching the widest possible audience.
Then closes:
"I can already see the appeal for tablet newcomers who have light demands"
"Well, now what?" after using the tablet for only a short while -- I'd already run out of things to do. That's no good for a market where many simply assume that an app exists for whatever they need. "
Question remains, what did you try, what do YOU need exactly?
What do tablet users that are willing to accept "unique philosophy than reaching the widest possible audience" expect from their Jolla and does Jolla at this point deliver or not?
Personally I find an OS not coming from the USA quite the refreshing break from the status quo.
I see two guilty parties for reviewer's perceived status quo:
the one demanding a refreshing break is still assuming that "apps and more apps" will mask the matter that people in general have no ready scenario for putting a tablet to good use (including the reviewer, so it seems)
Maybe it would help admitting a tablet to many is just a limited device which can't even make a call but makes an excellent sofa toy that should behave energy friendly and providing some quick access to information for which the convenience of a full keyboard laptop is not needed?
Beyond that he is unfortunately not offering his own wide experience based usage scenario for a tablet and comparing what he can or cannot do with the Jolla after living with iPad (?) around for several years.
There are several things I can think off that would be interested to be included in a review and Jolla would not necessarily get a beating.
-consuming web content (ok we got this - Engadget web site did not load pictures - maybe it is time to simplify this website a little bit)
-office connectivity and remote access including cloud and web based office productivity
-encyclopedia / dictionary
-media, domotica, drone remote control
-laptop replacement document editing (keyb, mouse connectivity, USB OTG)
-sound editing / playback
-video conferencing
-reading digital books / graphic novels
-photo editing
And of course status quo for the main tablet user will not be broken by Jolla that is recently focusing development on perfecting the Android compatibility of their OS and UI convenience towards Android users instead of "following its unique philosophy rather than reaching the widest possible audience"
The problem is not lack of apps, but the slow pace at which Jolla is working on finishing and integrating the top page of the most voted items on together.jolla.com.
More later.
