Working on a tablet 2024 version

2024-12-19

This article describes the how and why I'm using a tablet for my daily tasks.

Motivation

It comes that in late 2024 another family member was in demand of a notebook because the current working device was not fullfilling the specs anymore. So, I simply hand over my notebook and took the opportunity to start an experiment I was thinking for a longer time. To have a tablet as my daily driver for all private related computing demands. My basic idea was to ditch my notebook completely or at least one week and use an old computer as ssh server with OpenBSD. In my day job I'm used to work in that way quite often where a terminal is your best friend.

My humble setup

I just picked a dated tablet that was lying around in our household to check if I can set it up as a daily driver. Most of my daily tasks can be considered as solved problems, namely

Most of these activities, if not even all, can be realized in one form or another on any platform available. I also need to admit that I'm preferring terminal tools over graphical applications when possible (and useful).

What I'm considering for my experiment for hardware point of view

And from software side

The setup is completed by a Synology hosting all kinds of services, and an old notebook that serves right now as a SSH server. My inital plan was to use termux, unfortunately it was the latest version incompatible with Android 5. If that had been worked I would foresee an even more offline-first experience. Anyhow, due to the fact that most of the activities need a network connection I'm currently using an OpenBSD system as a SSH server. That has also the nice side effect that I can re-use most of my already setup configs for mail, news, writing and irc. I should also note that the tablet as such is not directly connected to the internet because of security concerns due to the old Android version.

Writing articles and Development

I have to admit that I like to use that setup primarily for writing articles and posts. One of the main benefits is the mobility this setup comes with. Even so I'm right now limitted to my home wifi, working from all over our appartment is a new experience. It helps to stay focused (at least me) when you can work with your setup at any place and don't need to be a dedicated place like our home office. What I tried is to import my writing software (ie. editor, site generator) to the tablet which was not working. I therefore used the way to treat my tablet as a simple terminal device that connects to my OpenBSD system in the other room via ssh. Writing with either Vi or Emacs via the terminal was not an issue. Also my setup for generating my blog posts is heavily inspired by the cli. So for that part, the setup worked like a charm.

Work and Entertainment

I never intend to use this setup for my daily work. But as a go-to solution for my private research, coding and writing it is more than enough

And if not writing or producing anything (with more or less value) the same device is also useful to consume books, moviews and music.

Working with fossil and programming of my pet projects

Also tired out Emacs and TRAMP mode but the Android version does not found ssh backend

Kodi UPnP server with recorded shows for local streaming

faky wifi connection, seems to be an issue with the tabled

Connection Lost
Connecting to kingpin.fritz.box:22 via ssh
Unable to resolve host "kingpin.fritz.box": No address associated with hostname
android_getaddrinfo failed: EAI_NODATA (No address associated with hostname

How to follow links from newsboat without internet connect. First solution, a terminal base qr code generator for newsboat to scan by handy

go install github.com/mdp/qrterminal/v3/cmd/qrterminal@latest
# .newsboat/config
macro c set browser "${GOBIN}/qrterminal %u"; open-in-browser; set browser "xdg-open %u &"; quit

Keeping Everything in Sync

Using syncthing and the experience at the second day is that it just works

One of the main task for syncthing is to keep my book collection in sync between my devices

But also notes (zettelkasten) are there, and my org mode files

in short everything that is not on my repo

synology is also hosting a COPS server which can be used for ebook hosting, libera reading app can browse this network library

Stay ahead of the Chaos

Caveat: for my used Android system there where not the regular calendar and gallery apps available that I'm using on my phone

Summary

The capture loop is instant, the tablet is always there, waiting and keeping your task at the exact position where you left it

The high endurance of the setup, on occasional writing the tablet runs for a complete week

I often lost the SSH connection which was annoying at some time when I just wanted to get things done quick

An offline first experience would be better at least for the writing setup, in the end it is more a matter of producing text and uploadt the file to some space

One of the biggest drawback I'm currently seeing is, how do you get content into the collection. I mean browsing and viewing is not the issue but for example to import a book you need calibre, for tinkering with arduino you need a lab PC

It is an alternative drawing device (ie. rendering device) and a great companion for a bigger workstation. This setup needs a lot of services in the environment surrounding that device (THE CLOUD) which I personally see as critical to rely on.

This comes with a great mobility.

I would say outside of this environment the tablets functionality gets rather reduced which can be again enforce focus or is just inconvenient. As an alternative ChromeOS devices

it gets degradated to everything which is on the device itself, and also in my special case offline first.

our self-hosted web services worked best, which does not come to a surprise

Links

➥ working on a tablet 2017

Comments:

➥ Lobsters

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