Reshuffling the Google tablet section

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1

I was just thinking, the non-Windows/Apple tablet space really is a hodgepodge right now:

  • We have most prominently, Samsung Galaxy devices, with most coherent ecosystem. Google’s Pixel line still is a jilted, stop-and-start affair.

  • Then we have the fast-growing e-ink note category, largely based on Android, with some custom Linux variants (eg. Remarkable, SuperNote).

  • And finally the very niche penabled smartphone category, and adjacent, still-experimental foldable/dual-screen phone-tablet hybrids.

Considering all this, I suggest a reshuffling of the current categories we have:

Google → Android/Linux

with subcategories:

  • Android OS
  • Samsung Galaxy
  • Google Pixel
  • Other Brands (mostly for Chinese manufacturers)
  • E-ink Devices (moved from Technology)
  • Smartphones (except Samsung/Google)
  • Linux Devices (a niche, but imo important category moving forward)

This seems an overall more natural fit with the current market environment. What does everyone say, yea or nay?

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Like MS and phones…

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So what’s the verdict? Really the only changes are:

  • Renaming the Google main category to “Android/Linux”
  • Moving in E Ink Devices from Technology
  • And the creation of a dedicated “Linux Devices” subcategory
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4

This makes the most sense to me. Linux devices aren’t Google, and while Android uses a modified Linux kernel, it is otherwise very different. So changing the category to a title naming both is the most logical decision in my mind. Also, the moves and subcategories also make sense. We’ll probably want to move the Steam Deck into the Linux Devices subcategory once these bigger housekeeping items are finished. Thanks so much tackling this!

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5

I would call the section Android and in the description mention that it also includes Linux devices if that’s acceptable. Reason: I like the top level category titles to be clean and simple.

6

Would “Android / Linux” (slug: android-linux) be acceptable?

(The open source warrior in me doesn’t like subsuming the original OS kernel into the branded one. :stuck_out_tongue: )

Additional reasoning: A new user coming to this forum, might not realize that Android section covers Linux equally as well. I’d like to foster more alternative OS tablet discussion, and I think “Android / Linux” successfully conveys that.

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7

Not sure what others think, but personally I don’t love the idea of a slash in one of the top level categories. I do understand the rationale, I just can’t think of a perfect solution.

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What if we leave this open, and have “Android / Linux” as the placeholder name for now?

When we can think of something better (maybe even create a whole seperate Linux category at some point), we can re-title it.

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All done. Moved in E Ink Devices and created a brand new Linux Devices section, complete with a subcategory description including example distros and devices from this helpful article:

I pulled in few scattered Linux-related posts to start off our new subcategory. May it live long and prosper…it may be our last refuge outside of the Walled Garden, if MS continues its current trend.

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