Will we recieve a notificaton via indiegogo by email and/or via your monthly updates as to when that will happen so we have time to add accessories? Or will you simply say ‘now we are shipping?’
We will certainly give a heads-up.
The roadmap page is not active, https://roadmap.braxtech.net/status/open-slate, and there hasn’t been an update for a while. Is there a scheduled update happening? Either there is a delay in progress or ahead of schedule. Is there another location explaining something in a video?
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When do we get the May, June or July update on the open slate development ?
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Hi community, I am preparing a new open_slate project update.
We’ve just came back from China and managed to finalize the EVT, after facing some design challenges. At the moment, we’re preparing new product renders, that will reflect some of the changes and improvements we’ve made. We should be able to publish an update including all of these changes early next week.
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Just saw the open_slate and did pledge for the pro version.
Now after your trip to China could you see if the GPU can handle 120Hz in a smooth way when scrolling and browsing the web, and for apps (not games).
I read that it will support Linux and Android. That seems great. Does that mean also that I can install a custom Linux distro or a Android ROM and safely relock the bootloader? I mean there’s no point of running custom roms on the tablet if we have to open the bootloader and remove the safe boot process.
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Hi community, we’ve shared a new project update on IndieGoGo. Link here: https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/braxtechnologies/open_slate/updates/5
Enjoy the read!
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More tests will be done on both Android and Linux when we have a near production OS ready, but 120Hz is not an issue on G720 chip, based on tests we’ve done on production devices using the chip.
Just like with the BraX3, you will be able to relock your bootloader after instlaling a custom ROM.
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I am sharing a follow up to the latest open_slate update, addressing the 5G network and SD slot decisions.
First, the 5G modem.
This one comes straight from Open_Slate’s core promise: to be a truly open-source tablet.
There is currently no open-source network modem on the market.
We decided not to embed a closed source modem into the device, because doing so would compromise that open-source promise — and we couldn’t pair it with a dedicated hardware kill switch the way we have with the other sensors.
This commitment is exactly why we chose the G720 chip in the first place: its roadmap supports going fully open-source on mainline Linux across all device components.
And to be clear, there are several ways to stay connected, apart from wi-fi connectivity: USB tethering from a mobile device, A wired connection via an RJ45 (Ethernet) connector, MiFi device connectivity over WiFi The
SD slot decision.
First, a clarification, since we saw some comments about this: the SD card slot was not removed to make room for the Kensington lock. The real trade-off was different — keeping the SD slot would have cost us one, possibly two, USB ports. We chose to keep those USB ports because they give you far more utility and flexibility.
And crucially, you don’t lose SD functionality. You can use an SD card fully as removable media through a USB-C-to-SD card adapter - easy to mount and unmount whenever you need it.
The bigger picture is storage expansion, where we have great news. After testing SSD support on the Open_Slate motherboard: Up to 4TB of SSD storage is supported, with full speed at 2TB, with a slight speed degradation at 4TB.
We’ll share final benchmarks once we have a better software build ready on both Android and Linux.
Given this massive expansion capability (far exceeding the expansion capability of the average consumer tablet), and the fact that SSD is far superior to SD for storage expansion, we see the SD card’s real role as removable media, which is exactly what the USB path handles perfectly.
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Great to know, thanks!
I get the port shuffle, it is a bit disappointing to go from 4x USB-C, 1 USB-A, and a micro HDMI, Plus a Micro SD, to now 2x USB-C, 2x USB-A, no micro HDMI (not a huge loss), AND losing the Micro SD, and having a downgrade to the front facing camera. As the EVT is finalized, I’m assuming you have specs for the camera modules selected for front and rear, can they be shared now, instead of just “dual 16MP” and now a downgraded 5MP front camera?
Edit: it is great news about the m.2 storage going up to 4TB, looking forward to speed test results when available.
Regarding Update 5 on Indiegogo
First, I’m really glad that you spend the time and effort to perfect a design instead of shipping something broken or poorly made. It’s also great that you could squeeze in another update between the management hell these changes probably caused. Now to the update itself.
Overall this update was a bit of a surprise for me. I didn’t expect so many changes to come as I thought the design was mostly locked in at this point. In my opinion the cosmetic changes are mostly well done:
- The rounded corners look great on the Open_Slate, making it more balanced and modern. However, I have a slight concern regarding the rounded display corners, which might not integrate well depending on the desktop environment.
- Having only access to the M.2 slot via the back panel is a very welcome change for me, due to improving the Open_Slate’s security by making stealing an expensive M.2 card more difficult.
- Both the relocation of the battery removal switch and the redesign of the kill switches are understandable changes and fairly neutral.
However, my feelings are a bit mixed for the hardware changes. My guess is that these mostly come from the very limited PCB space in the Open_Slate, which most people seem to underestimate how challenging it truly is.
- I have actually seen the Kensington Security Slot used by some companies for various things/reasons in the past, mostly integrated into laptop docks and to secure meeting room equipment. My guess is that you couldn’t really put anything behind the M.2 slot on the PCB and decided to use the space for something a large company might use. Unfortunately, it’s rather useless for the average person, so maybe there is another way to utilize the empty space.
- Having a USB-A port in place of a microHDMI port is where I’m a bit unsure. Right now USB-A is the dominant format used by desktop PCs so including another one makes sense. On the other hand, having a dedicated video output option is also incredibly useful in a desktop like setup, allowing you to connect a monitor without sacrificing a USB-C port or being able to have two monitors connected at the same time to preserve the OLED display. I guess most people don’t care about right now because it being no different from the USB-C port in terms of use (read my past comment on that topic). Perhaps a full sized HDMI or preferably Display Port is still feasible?
- Having all ports upgraded to USB 3.2 is an awesome change, as it’s faster and will make the device behave more predictable for an unknowing user.
- Not being able to get integrated 5G cellular connection in the Open_Slate is not too surprising for me, as it already looked incredibly tight I/O vise for the soc.
- The lost of the SD-Card slot is also a bummer, because in combination with not having an integrated cellular connection, one will have to choose between more storage or more connectivity or other features via M.2. This is suboptimal for sure and makes many people understandably mad though I myself do not really care too much.
This was all I have to say about the update itself. Here are some other questions and thoughts I have gathered over time.
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What is the situation with the accessories? There have been many suggestions and questions specifically about including a touchpad on the keyboard.
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How will the stylus be attached to the Open_Slate, will it be magnetic or do we to transport it separately? I also had a suggestion about how the stylus could be charged on the Open_Slate, but I do not expect it to make it to the final design or that other people think it would be useful.
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There were many questions regarding the battery, like if we will be able to charge it outside the tablet. Furthermore, it has been teased that the final battery might have 10000mA instead of 8000mA, which somewhat seems to be the case gauging by the new pictures. Would be possible to get definitive answers now that the EVT has been finalized?
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Would it be possible to get the complete specification/plans for the cameras and how they will be configured? I also had a suggestion for the configuration here, but I don’t expect it to make it to the final design.
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Another idea I picked up by another user was to be able to charge and discharge on all USB ports. That would be absolutely awesome, but not sure how useful it would actually be to other users.
Sorry for this rather excessive comment. I don’t expect to get an answer for everything, but I feel like some of these question are rather old now or important and should be mentioned again.
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In my case, the trade-offs are not too impactful. I must say I’m really happy with the changes.
- No compromise on security.
- The Kensington is a must have imo.
- There was little use of 2 display connectors anyway since the SoC itself does not support 2 secondary displays.
- More connectivity with an additional USB C.
- USB A upgraded to USB 3.2. Indeed, being limited to 2.0 would have seemed really awkward on such a product.
So overall, I think you did a really good job. Looking forward for finished product!
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I told you to get rid of the useless micro HDMI the first moment I saw the device :).
I was hoping you’d replace it with a full-size HDMI slot, but since there are multiple USB-C slots, one of them could be used for the second screen, and USB-C offers more flexibility.
Kensington lock I never used in my life, but it’s not a bad feature as it expands the use cases.
SD card is a pity; I wouldn’t mind having a built-in slot for microSDXC to add extra storage, which is what I used on my ultrabooks for years (before the card prices increased - but I still have the cards up to 1.5TB, and they’re more than fine for a tablet). SD via USB is not really a good option because the whole point is to expand the storage without attaching anything. Once you go to attaching devices, an external SSD is a better option, but then you’re losing the portability of the running device.
“Up to 4TB of SSD storage is supported, with full speed at 2TB, with a slight speed degradation at 4TB.” - This doesn’t make sense to me, as I’m yet to see a device that can work with 2 or 4TB SSDs and not 8TB or a device that works at different speeds with the same drive of different capacities, but again, it is a tablet, so the 8TB discussion is more philosophical until the AI bubble bursts and SSD prices return to normal. Nevertheless, I’d just think it will work anyway, and any mild speed difference is also kind of irrelevant for a tablet.
So all in all, the missing microSDXC card slot is the biggest functional drawback, as that would make a real difference for the standalone device.
The 5G modem I don’t care about much, as you can just tether from a phone with Cape with their unlimited data plan (referral code for discount is here if anyone needs one: PW0VQ073 ).
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It’s too bad the SD slot is gone. I have a micro SD slot on my current PC, and while I never swap it out, I do see why people aren’t happy about the change. I do like the removal of the green paint in the ‘on’ position and the M2 door though!
The rounded corners are the only thing I don’t really like, though it’s pretty subtle so I guess it’s not that big of a deal. I’m a big fan of the original, more square look since it was different than what a lot of other tablets are going towards.
Hopefully the stylus is integrated into the rugged case, similar to the Samsung Tab Active 5 Pro case.
Thank you for the thorough feedback. It helps us a lot
Let me answer your questions.
We do not have these finalized yet. This is our next step. We should have these finalized by the end of next month. Same applies to the stylus pen feedback.
this is one of the components we could possibly upgrade. Once we evaluate the open_slate performance, in relation to battery life, we will be able to make a better call. Upgrading to 10,000 mAh is a bit challenging with the current form factor, but not impossible.
Yes, now that specs are finalized, we will update the spec sheet with the final details soon.
Charging will be possible through a singel port currently. There were some challenges in making charging through multiple ports. Since we have so many “bells and whistles”, we had to choose our battles and simplify some components so we can progress and see this project to light sooner.
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Have there been any other accessories added to the list. I ordered everything except a rugged case and a spare battery. I think it might be a good idea to buy a spare. My questions to google revealed that it will most likely be a shape that is unique to the open slate so no chance of going to the battery store for a replacement.
Will spare batteries be available through Brax Tech.?
Will gladly give up 5g for security.
To bad shipping has slipped to Nov. Dec. I was hoping I had bought my self a birthday present but now it looks like it is going to be a Christmas present.
Kind of fun to see how this is all comming together. Keep up the good work and build me a killer tablet.