computer science

Pinebook

Pinebook is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Pinebook rather than just read about it. In short: The Pinebook is a low-cost notebook developed by Hong Kong–based computer manufacturer Pine64. The Pinebook was announced in November 2016 and production started in April 2017.

Key takeaways

Pinebook belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Pinebook to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Pinebook from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Pinebook is a low-cost notebook developed by Hong Kong–based computer manufacturer Pine64. The Pinebook was announced in November 2016 and production started in April 2017. It is based on the platform of Pine64's existing Pine A64 single board computer, costing US$89 or $99 for the 11.6" and 14" model respectively. Its appearance resembles the MacBook Air. The Pinebook is sold "at-cost" by Pine64 as a community service.

Hardware Pinebook uses an ARM CPU rather than x86. It uses the Allwinner Technology A64 SoC, containing quad ARM 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 cores and Mali-400 MP2 GPU, together with 2 GB RAM LPDDR3 and a 10,000mAh battery. Instead of a hard disk drive, it uses 16 GB of eMMC 5.0 flash memory, expandable to 64 GB. The storage capacity can be further extended using the microSD card slot (up to 256 GB). It supports WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 wireless networks, has 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 mini HDMI port and a headphone jack. It also contains 2 downward-facing speakers. The display is an IPS LCD with a resolution of 1366 x 768. The device weighs 1.04 kg (11.6"), or 1.26 kg (14") respectively.

Software The Pinebook supports Linux and Android operating systems. As of 2019, the Pinebook can be run on free software in the form of RISC OS and Linux. Common choices include Manjaro, Arch, Debian, Armbian, BSD, Gentoo, Fedora, OpenSUSE, and Q4OS. Support for most hardware has been merged into the kernel mainline as of 4.19, with other drivers slowly trickling in.

Gallery

See also PinePhone PineTab Open-source hardware

References

External links Pinebook homepage Unboxing the Pinebook64

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Pinebook

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Pinebook claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Pinebook before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Pinebook ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Pinebook

In research: Pinebook appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Pinebook in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Pinebook is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computer-related introductions in 2017, Laptops, Single-board computers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Pinebook outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Pinebook in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Pinebook means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Pinebook out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pinebook in simple terms?

The Pinebook is a low-cost notebook developed by Hong Kong–based computer manufacturer Pine64. The Pinebook was announced in November 2016 and production started in April 2017.

Why does Pinebook matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Pinebook?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Pinebook.