By 
Intel has been prepping a port of Android 2.2 for their x86 Atom architecture, and says they are aiming for a summer release. Their hope is that a quick release of an Atom-ready version of the raved about latest edition of Android OS will entice manufacturers of netbooks and tablets to use a combination of Intel hardware and Google’s operating system for their upcoming endeavors.
The new port hasn’t been a “tremendously difficult” undertaking for the Intel team to accomplish, according to senior vice president of software and service Renee James, and the plan is to funnel their code right back into the source tree where it will be open to all comers.
[via APC]
Android desktops? :P
Cheap Netbooks with the new Atom processors running Android? Sounds great to me! I can’t wait to see this come to fruition. Speaking of Fruit, I wonder what Apple thinks about all this, since Intel is the source for all motherboards and chips in the current Macs.
@Dex Apple hasn’t got an exclusivity deal with Intel so they can’t really do anything about it.
Hot dog.
Android Atom tablets?
Sign me up.
It’s good news to see Android on Intel. However, the ARM based devices are better than the Atom/x86 devices.
So, I’ll still be waiting for the right Android/ARM tablet to actually become available for sale…
How about a Mac running Android? If intel puts out a port it could happen. Like the iPhone running android it would be against the laws of nature, but most awesome things are!
can we please let that x86 platform die! and take along flash with it!
There are rumors of Apple switching to AMD processors. I’m sure they’ve got OS X running on an AMD box already. I’m not sure they’d do it though since Intel currently has the performance crown in the x86 and x64 space. Then it’d be like the 90’s all over again with Apple having put out benchmarks that say they’re faster on their hardware compared to Intel. Doesn’t seem to be worth the trouble, but you never know.
it would be cool android smartphones with intel atom
Atom would be nifty for a Nettop (netbook spec’d desktop) but for Tablets and netbooks I would much prefer a dual core or quad core Cortex A-9 based SoC. The Toshiba AC100 http://www.slashgear.com/toshiba-ac100-tegra-2-mid-hands-on-video-2190627/ is a nVidia Tegra250 based smartbook/MID that runs Android 2.1 and will be updated to Android 2.2. This is a nice example of what’s to come. Seeing that it is a Tegra250 it is a Cortex A-9 with the following specs (pulled from wikipedia)
Tegra 250
Processor: Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore, up to 1 GHz [8]
Graphics: double 3D graphics performance of Tegra 600 series
LP-DDR2 / DDR2
1080p H.264/VC-1/MPEG-4 Video Decode
1080p H.264 Video Encode
JPEG encode and decode
dual-display support
camera support
Have fun folks!
GoogleTV will only be available on Intel Atom powered TV’s and set top boxes for at least the first year.
GoogleTV runs on Android, I though this was obvious.
wouldn’t it be cool to be able to dual-boot android on any PC or laptop? That way you can try it out and use the same apps that you can have on your android phone or tablet.
Why dual boot? You could probably run android in a window.
Nice, hexacore Core i7 phone here I come. 60x the processing power of the snapdragon, 1/3000th the battery life.
What about Thermal Design Power (TDP) of ARM vs x86? That is the key question!
hmm…intel is playing to much around. today they annonced meego together with nokia which is for the same devices…
@t_e_e_k – That’s because Intel doesn’t care what software is running on their chips as long as that software makes sure that Intel sells more chips. To make sure that Intel sells more chips they also need good software and that’s why Intel is investing in software.
Oh and one more thing, this is not for netbooks or anything, but for phones. Check this out: http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/intel-demos-android-2-1-on-moorestown-smartphone-video/
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/16/aava-mobiles-intel-moorestown-prototype-hands-on/
Until they can come out with a chip that can work in a phone and have as good a battery life as the incredible (which is a low bar) I’m not interested. Put wine and mono on it and have it run x86 code native on a smartphone and they will really get serious cash.
Someone make an ISO of this upon release and put it online! I have an atom but no Android (well, not on my netbook) (DROID FTW)
Atom based devices with Android 2.2 are something that I am waiting for…