The release of JingOS 1.2 is now available, providing an environment specifically optimized for installation on tablet PCs and touchscreen laptops. The developments of the project are distributed under the GPLv3 license. Version 1.2 is available only for tablets with ARM architecture processors (previous releases were also built for x86_64 architecture, but after the launch of the JingPad tablet, all focus has shifted to ARM architecture).
The distribution is built on the Ubuntu 20.04 package base, and the user environment is based on KDE Plasma Mobile. The application interface is created using Qt, the Mauikit component set, and the Kirigami framework from KDE Frameworks, allowing the creation of universal interfaces that scale automatically based on different screen sizes. Touch gestures, such as pinch-to-zoom and page swiping, are actively used for navigation on touchscreen displays and touchpads.
OTA updates are supported to keep the software up to date. Applications can be installed from both the Ubuntu repositories and the Snap store, as well as from a separate application store. The distribution also includes the JAAS (JingPad Android App Support) layer, which allows running not only desktop Linux applications but also applications created for the Android platform (Ubuntu and Android programs can run side by side).
Components being developed for JingOS:
- JingCore-WindowManager, a compositing manager based on KDE Kwin, enhanced with support for gesture-based control and features specific to tablet PCs.
- JingCore-CommonComponents — an application development framework based on KDE Kirigami, including additional components for JingOS.
- JingSystemui-Launcher — a basic interface based on the plasma-phone-components package. It includes the implementation of the home screen, dock panel, notification system, and configurator.
- JingApps-Photos — an application for managing photo collections, based on the Koko application.
- JingApps-Kalk — a calculator.
- Jing-Haruna — a media player based on Qt/QML and libmpv.
- JingApps-KRecorder — a sound recording application (voice recorder).
- JingApps-KClock — a clock with timer and alarm functions.
- JingApps-Media-Player — a multimedia player based on vvave.
The distribution is developed by the Chinese company Jingling Tech, which produces the JingPad tablet. It is noted that they managed to hire employees for work on JingOS and JingPad who previously worked at Lenovo, Alibaba, Samsung, Canonical/Ubuntu, and Trolltech. The JingPad is equipped with an 11-inch touchscreen (Corning Gorilla Glass, AMOLED 266PPI, brightness 350nit, resolution 2368×1728), SoC UNISOC Tiger T7510 (4 ARM Cortex-A75 cores at 2GHz + 4 ARM Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8GHz), an 8000 mAh battery, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of Flash, 16 and 8-megapixel cameras, two noise-cancelling microphones, 2.4G/5G WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/Glonass/Galileo/Beidou, USB Type-C, MicroSD, and a detachable keyboard that turns the tablet into a laptop. The JingPad is the first Linux tablet offered with a stylus that supports 4096 levels of sensitivity (LP).
Key innovations in JingOS 1.2:
- Support for automatic switching between landscape and portrait display modes when the screen is rotated.
- Ability to unlock the screen using a fingerprint sensor.
- Multiple methods for installing and uninstalling applications have been provided. Tools for installing and running applications from the terminal emulator have been added.
- Support for Chinese 4G/5G mobile networks has been added.
- The ability to work in Wi-Fi hotspot mode has been implemented.
- Power management has been optimized.
- The speed of opening the App Store application catalog has been increased.
Source: opennet.ru
