Lenovo 10e Chromebook Tablet (google-kodama)

From postmarketOS Wiki
Note This device is supported as part of a generic port. Refer to Google Kukui Chromebook (google-kukui) for installation instructions and more information.
Lenovo 10e Chromebook Tablet
Lenovo 10e running GNOME
Lenovo 10e running GNOME
Manufacturer Lenovo
Name 10e Chromebook Tablet
Codename google-kodama
Released 2020
Type tablet
Hardware
Chipset MediaTek MT8183
CPU 4x 2GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x 2GHz Cortex-A73
GPU Mali-G72 MP3
Display 1920x1200 IPS
Storage 32 GB eMMC
Memory 4 GB
Architecture aarch64
Software
Original software ChromeOS
postmarketOS
Category community
Pre-built images yes
Generic port Google Kukui Chromebook (google-kukui)
Features
Internal storage
Works
Battery
Works
Screen
Partial
Touchscreen
Works
Keyboard
Works
Stylus
Partial
Multimedia
3D Acceleration
Works
Audio
Partial
Camera
Broken
Connectivity
WiFi
Works
Bluetooth
Works
Miscellaneous
FDE
Partial
USB OTG
Works
HDMI/DP
Broken
Sensors
Accelerometer
Works
Hall Effect
Works


Users owning this device


Subjective summary

It's a great and cheap daily driver device for pmOS with KDE/GNOME. Most of the quirks described below are minor and/or easy to workaround. Internal storage could be faster, but it's not a big deal.

Features

Screen

Screen rotation works via accelerometer, but in most cases (on GNOME, SDDM, ...) it's stuck +/- 90 degrees. Issue does not affect Plasma Desktop.

for openRC OS'es (like postmarkerOS)

Putting

ACTION=="remove", GOTO="sensor_end"
 
SUBSYSTEM=="iio", KERNEL=="iio*", SUBSYSTEMS=="platform", 
  ATTRS{modalias}=="platform:cros-ec-accel", 
  ENV{ACCEL_MOUNT_MATRIX}="0, 1, 0; -1, 0, 0; 0, 0, 1", 
  GOTO="sensor_end"

LABEL="sensor_end"

inside /etc/udev/rules.d/61-cros-ec-accel.rules

solves the issue

for systemd OS'es

Putting

sensor:modalias:*
  ACCEL_MOUNT_MATRIX=0, 1, 0; -1, 0, 0; 0, 0, 1

inside /usr/lib/udev/hwdb.d/60-sensor.hwdb

and running

sudo systemd-hwdb update && sudo reboot

solves the issue

Stylus

Lenovo USI Pen works well under Plasma Desktop. On GNOME it has inverted axis (might be easy fix, similar to screen rotation). Other brands of USI pens are expected to work in similar way.

External display

Doesn't work under linux yet

USB port

USB-C port is 2.0 - don't expect Thunderbolt docks to work.

FDE

FDE works well, but does not use proper screen orientation, when the keyboard is connected.

Audio

Jack detection doesn't work (can choose manually jack/speaker)

Putting device into suspense (rarely) may result in it generating high pitch noise. Fixing it requires full reboot or in gnome case logging out should do the trick too. Tends to happen less often on newer kernel versions.

Installation

Make sure to use the "tablet" method of enabling developer mode, as the "tablet with keyboard" way will not work.

For some reason, the firmware doesn't have screen output under certain conditions.

To enter developer mode, use the standard key combination used on the Duet (hold both volume buttons and power). Release after ~5 seconds, and you'll see the white power button light turn on and see a black screen. Press both volume buttons at the same time once. Then, press the volume up button (has a + sign) around 10 times. Press the power button once. Wait 5 seconds. A screen should show. You're in dev mode.

Every time you boot up, the developer mode screen should work.

Write-Protection

In case someone is interested in setting GBB flags

Disabling hardware write protection requires temporarily shorting 2 pins (see page nr 32 of manual or purple cable image below) inside the device

inside of the device

Process of opening the device is described in the Hardware Maintenance Manual

See also

Specifications