Android 2.2 “FroYo” to arrive as x86 OS this summer

In a move that may finally kill off Windows XP as the cheap OS of choice for the netbook manufacturers of the world, Intel has revealed it’s creating a native version of Android 2.2 to run on its Atom chipsets – which power the lion’s share of netbooks on sale today.

The Intel Android update “will be available this summer to developers,” Intel’s Renee James, its senior VP of software and services, told APC, meaning Android will soon be an optional desktop or laptop OS on anything with an Intel chipset. And quite a few “computers” around the world have Intel chipsets.

Here’s a fairly unrelated image to brighten up an otherwise dull page:

intel tablet

The Intel man also said its developments would be fully open sourced after Intel is done with it, which is a quite amazing development for Android – it has a great chance to take over from the various Linux branches as the low-spec Windows alternative of choice. Link via APC.

4 ResponsesLeave one →

  1. j2h

     /  June 25, 2010

    I can’t get behind this whole Android-as-laptop-OS thing. It’s great for phones and all, but IMO all phone OSs are far too limited to work as a proper computer.

    But people seem to like the iPad, so what do I know.

    Reply
  2. Matt

     /  June 25, 2010

    I’d have to agree to some extent. Although I’d say with android there is true multitasking so its closer to a desktop OS than iphone OS (not going to start calling it something else because apple say so)

    However I find the app centric nature of these sort of OS as counter productive when used outside the mobile space.

    Reply
  3. RandomInsano

     /  July 11, 2010

    I’m excited to run any open-source non-xwindows based GUI. Boy do I hate X…

    Reply
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