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Father of Linux gives Google Nexus 7 a thumbs up, OEM Android skins a thumbs down

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Father of Linux gives Google Nexus 7 a thumbs up, OEM Android skins a thumbs down
Linus Torvalds is the father of Linux and as such, he has a unique perspective on gadgets and devices like the Google Nexus 7. So what does Torvalds think of the ASUS built table? He calls it "solid" and his impression of the tablet is "so far, very positive." Linus had posted the comments on his Google+ page and starts off by agreeing with the decision by ASUS not to include a rear-facing camera saying that at the price point that the tablet is offered at, any rear-facing camera would be "nasty". Besides, as he points out, those who use tablets to take pictures look like "a complete dork".

The

The "solid" Google Nexus 7

When it comes to Android, Torvalds favors the stock look and doesn't like the various OEM skins comparing them to "pee in the snow" adding that they make Android "look and act terribly" just for the sake of the manufacturers aiming to differentiate themselves from each other. So this is why he likes the stock Android on the Google Nexus 7. Besides being smoother (thanks to Android 4.1's Project Butter) he likes what has been kept on Jelly Bean like app folder shortcuts and resizable widgets.

So what size tablet screen does Torvalds favor? He thinks 10 inches is too big and that while 8.9 inches is better, something between 7 inches and 8.9 inches is best. He adds that the alleged 7.85 inch size of the display on the rumored mini-Apple iPad sounds good, too. He states that if you don't like tablets or Android, the Google Nexus 7 won't change your mind. But if you're on the borderline, Torvalds believes that the quality of the Google Nexus 7, despite its low price, is enough to win you over.

source: LinusTorvalds via AndroidAuthority

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1. thedarkside posted on 21 Jul 2012, 11:48 13 1

rear facing cameras on tablets is just moronic. there is no need for them at all.

you can actually find pictures online of people taking self shots with tablets. it makes me LOL.

4. tedkord posted on 21 Jul 2012, 11:59 13

Skanks making duck face, usually.

5. thedarkside posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:02 12 1

there is a new facebook game called duck hunt. here are the rules.

1. find random girl in your friends list.

2. look through said girls pictures.

3. find stupid looking duck face.

4. comment by saying bang!

5. winning!

11. Non_Sequitur posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:23 7

Actually, because the girls that do the duck face have such high opinions of themselves, they'll think you're being a pervert. Lol.

13. thedarkside posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:26 6 1

touche', but its still fun.

25. EclipseGSX posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:39 1

Thats stupid. "Bang?" Why not say "quack" or something. Bang makes no sense I doubt these girls will get the reference

26. thedarkside posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:45 4

its called duck hunt. and guns dont go quack. they go bang!

30. EclipseGSX posted on 21 Jul 2012, 14:58 1

I KNOW, I get the reference i'm saying they wont. You can still hunt ducks without shooting them...kinda like wheres waldo but with duck faces

31. CivicSi89 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 15:18 2

EclipseGSX. we still need to race.

36. thedarkside posted on 22 Jul 2012, 11:04

i wish i still had my 240sx or my second gen rx7. :(

8. Non_Sequitur posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:21 2 1

I like to have options like having a camera. I don't use it often, but it's still a good feature to have. I also sync all my photos to Google+, so I can have all my pics together.

10. ph00ny posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:23 2 3

It actually comes in handy when there is one.

It's the same concept as cell phones. Convenience.
I've used it quite frequently and it's honestly not that bad.

27. darkkjedii posted on 21 Jul 2012, 14:08

No it's choice, isn't that what googles about?

2. ph00ny posted on 21 Jul 2012, 11:57 7 1

I have to disagree on OEM customization. As long as there are legitimate optimization being applied to the OS, i couldn't careless. There are always various launchers to choose from

9. Non_Sequitur posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:22 7

I just wish they'd give an option in the settings whether to use stock or not. That'd complete Android.

3. jroc74 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 11:59 9 1

Interesting comments about the custom UI's...

Back in 2010, Sense UI was the smoothest Android experience on the market.
The custom UI's have features... useful features.....that stock Android didnt have and might still not have.

The new version of Blur on GB held its own against stock ICS for speed, smoothness.

Stock Android has taken elements from Sense UI, Blur, Touchwiz, dont know about any other UI. So the custom UI's cant be too bad.

6. DroogV59 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:13 4

That`s right, the best OEM innovations inevitably find their way onto stock Android....at which point users drool (usually after first dissing the respective skins).

16. jroc74 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:00 4

Exactly...lol.

Hey I can resize widgets!!
Hey I have the Android market as a static icon in the app drawer!!
Hey I can do mores stuff from the lock screen!!!

All on custom UI's before stock Android. And accessing the pull down shade from the lock screen.....had to use apps from the market before ICS.

The custom UI's really dont get enough credit.

12. ph00ny posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:24 2 1

TW on S2 was where GB devices started to shine in speed because Samsung baked in a lot of hardware acceleration in various places including web browser and ui

15. jroc74 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:52

Exactly.....a custom UI used hardware acceleration in areas of the UI. Android really didnt start doing that til Honeycomb? Or ICS?

20. ph00ny posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:16 1

Honeycomb

24. Jimstar posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:29

the stock-android diehards usually can't handle that fact. Usually bringing up such things is met with a level of cognitive dissonance most people would find hard to believe....

7. akbar posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:21 2

"those who use tablets to take pictures look like "a complete dork"."
Finally somebody said it. I still don't understand how people can even think to point tablet to make a picture?

14. DroogV59 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 12:52 3 5

Linus Torvalds doesn`t need to take a pic with a tablet to look like a complete dork. There I said it.

A rear facing camera is handy, if only to provide app compatibility. Even a cheapo 3 MP snapper would do the trick.

17. crankyd00d posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:10 3 5

And that's why your opinion is worth...absolutely nothing. Come back with the same comment the day you have done the %1 he's done for tech. There I said it :)

18. DroogV59 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:14 2 2

My my look whose cranky. I was commenting on his looks (which is something HE started), not his contributions to technology.

21. jroc74 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:17 3

Ok....and whats your opinion worth.....

An opinion is an opinion. Thats all. If thats the case....everyone in this article needs to come back when they have done more for the tech industry.

I also dont fully agree with Tovalds opinions in the article.

19. downphoenix posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:16 2

True, him calling someone a dork is like Romney calling someone a hypocrite. He is the godfather of Linux, the man who made the dork's choice in operating systems happen. Also dissing the OEMs is counteractive to his philosophies with Linux, which was to make an open source platform that can be manipulated by hobbyists and organizations alike for their purposes. Which is what the OEMs are doing in the case of android. And android itself is an example of this as its based on Linux.

23. jroc74 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:24 1

"Also dissing the OEMs is counteractive to his philosophies with Linux, which was to make an open source platform that can be manipulated by hobbyists and organizations alike for their purposes. Which is what the OEMs are doing in the case of android."

See....this is what makes me scratch my head at Tovalds comments. And since there are stock Android devices out there....ppl have a choice of what they want. Stock or custom UI.

Sorry....but Torvalds sounds like a stock Android fanboy. Its his opinion....he's welcome to it....but he does. He makes it like custom UI's have no pros, all cons and offer nothing vs stock Android.

22. kanagadeepan posted on 21 Jul 2012, 13:23

Custom UIs are NOT bad till GB... But after using ICS, I love stock UI very much...

28. Beholder88 posted on 21 Jul 2012, 14:35

I agree with Linus in part. It all depends on what you want to use your tablet/phone for in the first place. Some people could be perfectly happy with a stock Android system and none of the extras thrown in there by the OEM GUI's. Others like the available options and customization done by the OEM's. For me, I would rather have performance available when I want it, and not have a bunch of crap sucking up my memory and CPU. My RAZR does alright, still rooted it to get the bloatware taken care of and with ICS, it's been just fine.

29. jimjam posted on 21 Jul 2012, 14:49 2

everyone these days looks like a dork. Put away your phones and tablets in restaurants, at the movies, in the mall, while driving etc etc.

32. Evil_SaNz posted on 21 Jul 2012, 15:55 1

You want a rear facing camera? It's handy? Then pay 100$ more and ignore the camera you already have on the phone (too easy to handle, let's all use trucks to make photos).

Qapla'

33. wendygarett (limited) 2 days ago posted on 21 Jul 2012, 18:11 2

Yep... Complete dork... But sometimes, rear facing camera can be handy when it is emergency... Idk what emergency is but it still useful sometimes... Different android skin show the beauty of android, choice!!! That's why I won't thumb down if I were you..

34. parkwaydr posted on 21 Jul 2012, 22:08 1

Dear Jesus, you are a female version of gallito, it all makes sense now.

Edit: Haha sense!!! Puns are so much sweeter when its not intended!

35. AeroPrime posted on 21 Jul 2012, 22:27

I agree with him when he said taking pictures with a tablet look like a "complete dork". I saw kids doing that and its nonsense.

37. Jimstar posted on 22 Jul 2012, 17:56

wait a minute he likes the Nexus 7? I thought he hated Nvidia's guts! Why would he like something with one of their chips?

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