Android alternatives?

[ArminasAnarchy]

Hi all!

There's something about Android that just really annoys me: control.

I have no control over things. Mobile doesn't seem to be so much as "your desktop where ever you are" as "someone else's desktop, the way they think you want it, without the ability to change things".

Some of this is to do with software. For instance, I'm big on online privacy/security, but at the same time, do like the ability not to have to enter the username/password on every single site (and often having to reset the password if I've forgotten it, which I inevitably will). My settings for Firefox are thus: ability to save passwords, and history/cookies, but the history/cookies are to be deleted when I've finished browsing (and close the browser). Adblock is also used to stop any adverts (which REALLY annoy me). :@ Last I checked, there just wasn't an option for this in Firefox for Android.

However, some of it is just to do with Android it seems. For instance, I can only disable certain default programs, I can't purge them. I've read that rooting might help (and keep meaning to get round to testing this out), but knowing myself I've still the feeling that something would annoy me.

What would be nice is a genuine "desktop in your pocket" experience. More than nice, that would be ideal, since carrying even a laptop&charger around the house (let alone anywhere else) is a pain. I've looked into replacing Android, but I've no idea how I'd go about this...has anyone done it? If so, what were your experiences like, and what with? I've read that devices need to be "flashed" - I've only heard this before in the context of replacing a BIOS, is it not possible simply to install from a .iso on a USB stick?

Moreover...am I just expecting too much? Am I misusing the tablet I have (Asus TF201), and expecting too much? My feeling is that if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck, and the TF201 certainly FEELS like a lightweight laptop (at least when docked) and so I should be able to treat it as such. Am I missing something?

[Therion87]

Well, if you rooted it you would be (given your device has a community for it) different ROMs you can install which would give you the ablility to change all the things that are annoying you potentially. Also, Ubuntu does have a version that works on the Nexus 7 tho it is still in beta it gives you a complete Ubuntu desktop experience on your Nexus 7. There is also http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android that from Ubuntu in the works. I don't think your expecting TOO much from Android, your just not experiencing Android, rooting is where you would need to go for the freedom you are expecting I think.

[xenopeek]

If you have a Nexus 7 you can run KDE Plasma Active on it http://www.muktware.com/5012/kdes-plama ... NSic9GTsd0