PineTab

The PineTab

The PineTab is a 10" tablet created by PINE64. The PineTab is similar in both form, function and underlying ARM64 architecture to the original 11.6″ Pinebook. It is powered by the same quad-core ARM Cortex A53 64-Bit Processor used in our popular PINE A64 Single Board Computer. The optional keyboard and trackpad – which doubles-up as a screen cover – effectively converts the PineTab into a petite on-the-go laptop with a touch screen functionality. It runs numerous mainline Linux distributions as well as *BSD and Android. 

Superseded by PineTab2.

Revisions

• Developer Edition - development version sent to roughly 100 developers. Close to the Early Adopter Edition, but with a different display panel
• Early Adopter Edition - the first hardware revision of the PineTab

The insides of the PineTab

Pinetab Board

Specifications

• Dimensions: 11mm x 175mm x 260mm (Thickness, Width, Height)
• Weight: 575g (Tablet alone)
• Build: Plastic
• Storage:
  • 64GB of internal eMMC storage
  • MicroSD slot, bootable
  • M.2 SSD slot, supports SATA and USB devices only, not NVME (optional)
• Cameras: 2Mpx Front, 5Mpx Rear
• SOC: Allwinner A64 Quad Core
• CPU: 4x ARM A53 1.152GHz
• GPU: Mali 400 MP2
• RAM: 2GB LPDDR3
• I/O: HD Video Out (Mini HDMI), Micro USB 2.0 OTG, USB 2.0 A host, 3.5mm Headphone/Mic combo,
• Network:
  • WiFi (802.11b/g/n, 2.4GHz only)
  • Bluetooth 2.1
  • M.2 LTE / Cell MODEM card, (optional, and takes place of optional M.2 SSD)
• Display:
  • Size: 10.1 inches (257mm) diagonal
  • Type: HD IPS capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
  • Resolution: 1280x800, 16:10 ratio
    
• Attachments/Accessories: Magnetically attached keyboard (optional)
• Battery: 6000MAh (6Ah)
• Misc. features:
  • Volume rocker
  • Speakers and Microphone
  • 2.5mm OD 0.7mm ID DC Jack Power (5V 2A) Port

Keyboard

Overview: The PineTab detachable keyboard features a full function row, FN key functionality, meta key (where the Windows key would be) and all of the keys you need for daily use.

FN keys: Pause/play (F2), Stop (F3), Previous(F4), Next(F5), Music (F6), Mail (F7), Home (F8), Mute (F9), Vol- (F10), Vol+ (F11), Disable touchpad (F12), NumLock (Insert), Scroll Lock (Delete), PgUp (Up Arrow), PgDn (Down Arrow), Home (Left Arrow), End (Right Arrow), Digital Numpad (7,8,9,0,U,I,O,P,J,K,L,;,M,.,/)

Operating Systems

The PineTab will automatically boot from microSD if a bootable card is inserted. Although it is technically possible to use any ARM distro (because the PineTab uses the mainline kernel), only few of them will actually be usable on Early Adopters PineTab, due to specifics of working with LCD panel.

Since most software issues will be release-specific, please see the PineTab Releases page for additional software related instructions, tips, and tricks.

Releases

The releases for the PineTab can be found under PineTab Releases.

Installation instructions

For instructions on how to install the operating systems to the eMMC or microSD card see PinePhone Installation Instructions. The information is almost the same for the PineTab, as it is a very similar device. Do not try to use the PinePhone images though, use the PineTab images linked above.

For details see the Getting started article.

Tips and tricks

Reset

If your PineTab is in unknown state or doesn't want to start: Press power button for 7-8s. It makes a sound and you know it's totally off. 3 seconds after, power button again for 2-3s and it will start to boot.

Power Off While Charging

When plugging your Pinetab into a charger, it automatically powers on. Use the above "Reset" instruction (holding the power button in for several seconds) to turn it off. This will allow your Pinetab to charge without being powered on.

Display rotated 90° on Arch ARM

With the following command you can turn the display to landscape:

echo 1 | sudo tee /sys/class/graphics/fbcon/rotate

This command does not persist a reboot.

Assembly and disassembly

Be very careful here. It is not a 'pop off' cover design. Special care should be directed to AVOID anything that may appear to cause a "bend" in screen.

Gently use fingernails (or if you have one, plastic pry), starting in the very middle location for each side (saving keyboard connector latch over area (bottom side) for the very last removal step).

Work your way from the inner middle on each side, slowly. Slide gently towards the direction of each corner (saving the lifting of actual corners themselves for the second to last step)). Careful not to break thin speaker wires that line the outside of the inner case.

The very last opening piece should be the "latch over" (where the keyboard pins connect).

KEEP IN MIND: The main key here is to avoid any potential "bend" of the screen. We save the corners until after working on the middle of each side to reduce pressure on the screen.

Do not force anything. If it is not coming off with gentle effort, you are likely doing something wrong (try another side middle).

Board information, schematics and certifications

PineTab mainboard schematic:

• PineTab mainboard Released Schematic ver 1.2
• PineTab mainboard component placement ver 1.2 - Top View
• PineTab mainboard component placement ver 1.2 - Bottom View

PineTab keyboard schematic:

• PineTab keyboard and Pinebook (Pro) keyboard using same controller and from same engineering source
• PineTab Keyboard Schematic
• PineTab keyboard firmware code
• PineTab Keyboard Controller Datasheet

PineTab certifications:

• PineTab FCC Certificate
• PineTab CE RED Certificate
• PineTab ROHS Test Report

Datasheets for components and peripherals

Allwinner A64 SoC information:

• Allwinner A64 SoC brief introduction
• Allwinner A64 SoC Data Sheet V1.1 (Official Released Version)
• Allwinner A64 SoC User Manual V1.0 (Official Release Version)

X-Powers AXP803 PMU (Power Management Unit) information:

• AXP803 PMIC datasheet

LPDDR3 (178 Balls) SDRAM:

• Artmem LPDDR3 datasheet

eMMC information:

• PINE64 eMMC module schematic
• PINE64 USB adapter for eMMC module V2 schematic
• PINE64 USB adapter for eMMC module PCB in JPEG
• 64GB SanDisk eMMC Datasheet

CMOS camera module information:

• OV5640 5MP CMOS Image Sensor SoC for Rear Module datasheet
• GC2145 2MP CMOS Image Sensor SoC for Front Module datasheet

LCD touch screen panel information:

• GOODiX GT9271 Capacitive Touch Controller datasheet
• PineTab GT9271 Capacitive Touch Controller configuration file

Lithium battery information:

• N/A

WiFi/BT module information:

• RTL8723BS/RTL8723CS specification

External Links

• The PineTab on the Pine64 store
• The PineTab section of the Pine64 forums
• Comments on back cover removal on forums
• Demonstration Video: Pinetab back cover removal on forums