Linux on my Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE??

[Goatmilk]

Hey, here's a question - I have a "tablet" or a "pad" (never found out the difference), it's a Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE and I hate that thing with a passion. I got it because I'm old and bleary-eyed and wanted something to read my WhatsApp messages (particularly those from the post-happy family) and maybe look something up when underway without getting a knot in my vision staring on my tiny cell phone screen. I also got it to read books in pdf-format who don't look so good on the eBook-reader.

What I don't like is probably not so much Android but Xiaomi - I get along quite nicely with my Huawei Mate 10 Pro cell phone. But Xiaomi is something else entirely. The crap they unload on the user is tremendous. Its "maintenance" routine (three dozen clicks for nothing) is downright impertinent (it apparently hates it when you use Google apps rather than its inbuilt Xiaomi crap, and nags about it every time). The result is that I hardly use that thing anymore - and when I use it, it's a terrible song and dance because, of course, its battery ran empty.

Would it even be possible to run a light Linux os on the thing, just for WhatsApp, maybe mail, books of course and a browser?

Might be a bit of a problem that I'm the eternal rookie, and the only Linux I halfway know is MX Linux (which might be too heavy for a pad). How would I even install anything when that thing doesn't even have usb?

Any ideas?

 

[Brickwizard]

start by reading this..

Running Linux on Android Tablets: A Comprehensive Guide

Android, the world's most popular mobile operating system, is built on the Linux kernel. However, using Android is quite different from using a traditional Linux distribution. But did you know that it's possible to run a full-fledged Linux environment on your Android tablet? This can open up a...

linuxvox.com

as for distribution , it must be ARM compliant and preferably medium or lightweight , suggested [but not by me] are Mint LMDE, Debian stable, Arch,-arm and Alpine. for everyday computing

 

[Goatmilk]

Thanks, I'll read through it.

But wait - when Mint LMDE and Debian would do, MX shouldn't be too big, either... Read about CachyOS and PuppyLinux as well, both said to be quite light and snappy... but I guess I'll read the guide first!

 

[Goatmilk]

Running Linux on an Android tablet essentially means creating a separate Linux environment within the Android operating system. This can be achieved through different methods, such as using chroot environments, containerization technologies like Docker, or virtualization.

Gah. Not sure if this is even an option then - the idea was to have Linux REPLACE the Xiaomi crap. That thing won't even run a music app from Google playstore without nagging about it.

 

[Brickwizard]

MX do not have an ARM version, there is however a third party re-spin for raspberry that may work

MX-Linux - Browse /Community_Respins/Raspberry Pi at SourceForge.net

MX-Linux project

sourceforge.net

again not an official puppy there is

PARM Puppy on ARM​

I cant think of a Catch arm version.

 

[Brickwizard]

essentially means creating a separate Linux environment within the Android operating system.

this basically means ,[think virtual machine on Windows] , what you see and use is the Linux OS you install in the VM, whilst the kernel runs all the crap components in the background.

There is not what you could consider a single Android OS, it is very much like Linux,
Google supply the modified kernel and the developers [tablet manufactures] chop change and modify it to suite the components they install in their machines. that's why the average life of an android tablet is 3-5 years, the manufacturers don't want to keep paying script kiddies to keep it updated longer than necessary

 

[Goatmilk]

I see. Keeping all the crap in the background AND run a Linux OS would doubtless be a little too much.

Maybe I'd be better off getting myself an 11-inch-laptop in order to read pdf in the park and appreciate my nieces' multitude of unwant... sorry, really wonderful WhatsApp pictures.

 

[theLegionWithin]

looked into it a bit - looks like it'll be quite the chore. you'll probably need to find a specific walkthrough for your version of the Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE, but here's a sample thread from xda --> https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-xiaom...unlock-root-and-replace-the-stock-os.4724393/ then once it's been rooted look at options for getting linux working --> https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-unix/linux-on-android/ or https://localdesktop.github.io/

if it was me i'd just get a native linux tablet - it'd be a lot easier... PineTab2 looks to be the cheapest at the moment.

 

[Condobloke]

read books in pdf-format

I also read books....lots of them.....nothing too complex....mainly thrillers........small sample below:
(There are 67 others awaiting being read. (I pay nothing for books)

I read them on an iPhone....using : 'Bluefire Reader'....i have no idea what else the app runs on... I use epub format...it also does pdf's...I love it. ....HERE ...it also works like a dream on an iPad etc

PuppyLinux as well, both said to be quite light and snappy.

Puppy Linux is quitre brilliant. It is downloaded onto a USB stick, and uses the ram of the pc/laptop to run. ....very successfully, I may add. I have a usb stick with just that on it. It is also super secure. if you do a banking transaction it....finish the transaction, and then close down there is no trace of it for hackers and the like to get their grubby mitts on. It is doable to create 'persistence' on the usb to save anything that you do need to save. (I use a 64 gb usb stick)

11-inch-laptop in order to read pdf in the park

Good idea. Dell or Lenovo transfer to a Linux OS easily and reliably....although that may not suit the place you buy books from.....they may use adobe etc ... which I think is windows only?....not sure
However....Linux has an app named ... Calibre ...Linux Mint cinnamon...available in the software manager) calibre has an app that comes with it named... E-book viewer ...works really well .... eg below

calibre - Download for Linux

calibre: The one stop solution for all your e-book needs. Comprehensive e-book software.

calibre-ebook.com

Installing from the software manager is a piece of cake. 30 seconds. Calibre is an especially smart app. I fI download a book to my desktop and doube click the book....calibre will open it.

A bit more food for thought ?

 

[Goatmilk]

Condo, I do have Calibre - had it on win7 and have it on Linux now, and I love it.

As for the pad, I've looked around in the internet and rather than start that not very promising endeavor with Xiaomi I decided to burn a few bucks on an experiment.

I bought an used "tablet" today that runs on Win 10 (and therefore should be happy to get Linux instead). It even has a usb plug. It's a "Terra Pad 1062" and obviously cannot decide whether it's a pad or a tablet or notebook or whatever but, it may be just what the doctor ordered.

It's not a laptop - you don't have to schlep the whole thing around, but can put the 10.8" screen into your handbag. Since it obviously runs with Win10, it should run MX Linux including Calibre easily. I might retire my Inkpad Pocketbook, it never was too nice with the pdfs, anyway. Also, it'll be much nicer to have Calibre right on the reader, and not fuss around with what to download/delete/exchange next. Might look for a "drench everything in sepia" program or something, though, to counter the screen light. I can read for hours.

It also should be possible to put a WhatsApp clone on it so I can watch my family's images much more easily.

No idea how realistic any of this is, I'll have to wait until the thing arrives next week. It's older and it didn't cost much, but it will hopefully tell me if this is a way to pursue.

Keep your fingers crossed!

 

[Brickwizard]

Terra Pad 1062

That should do nicely, it should have 4gb ram, the Atom CPU is more entry level on performance but is solid enough, from memory they only have USB-C