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[Q] Future G Tab developement

I am still new to using the android system and just bought the viewsonic g tab and I must say that this is a real good toy and has some oportunity for future developement. Looking at the replacement ROMs they all seem like all you get is a phone instead of a true replacement operating system that acts like a computer.
Is there anyone working on something like windows 7 for these or even anything close?

notsob2002 said:
I am still new to using the android system and just bought the viewsonic g tab and I must say that this is a real good toy and has some oportunity for future developement. Looking at the replacement ROMs they all seem like all you get is a phone instead of a true replacement operating system that acts like a computer.
Is there anyone working on something like windows 7 for these or even anything close?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is the android operating system. The release of honeycomb will give you a more tablet look but what is it you want to do that you cant with this OS?

I have a convertible Windows 7 Tablet PC. Most days it sits at home, even more so since I got my G-Tab. Why? Because it is not designed to be used with a touch interface, and doing things that SHOULD be simple like rotation can become a big issue. Plus if you want one that runs all day, you are going to add an extended battery with all sorts of extra weight to go with it.
FWIW, Windows won't run on an ARM chip or Tegra, so Windows 7 won't be ported to the G-Tab. You might (?) be able to get Ubuntu or another Linux running if you want the desktop experience, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
As has already been pointed out in the thread, there is very little that you could do in Windows that you can't do in Android - and most of those things are because of the physical limitations of the device, not the OS.
My .02 worth anyway.

Yeah I hope we get honeycomb ,that would be great.as for windows 7,I love it on my pc not on my tablet.Android rocks you can even send a fax with filesanywhere for free through the internet!
Plus ive already invested in skinomi and a cool android decal.
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0B5.1 using Tapatalk

snipestech said:
Yeah I hope we get honeycomb ,that would be great.as for windows 7,I love it on my pc not on my tablet.Android rocks you can even send a fax with filesanywhere for free through the internet!
Plus ive already invested in skinomi and a cool android decal.
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0B5.1 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't know about Filesanywhere and the ability to send faxes for free. Thanks a lot; that's awesome.

Thanks for the FAX trick! I love my g, my laptop blue screened and crashed, couldn't have happened at a better time.

thebadfrog said:
what is it you want to do that you cant with this OS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought allot about this last night after playing with the GTAB and downloading a few free aps. I'm not knocking the android system maybe just the way it's current UI seems geared more to people used to smart phones. Maybe that's the whole idea and I'm not getting it as I'm too used to using a computer and don't use a smart phone. Hopefully Honeycomb will make it be more of a tab and the update will be made available to current GTABs like mine.
I still think the thing is great for surfing the web while waiting for my coffee to brew in the morning and I found a app to let me open office documents to I should be able to use it for some of my work files.

Honeycomb may give you less of a phone experience. You could also install the GAdam rom for more of a tablet feel

I would love a bi modal interface. One interface that works as a tablet when the machine is in tablet mode and another where it goes into netbook mode when it's plugged into a dock. This would definitely make the machine more useful for me. I could do some remote development on it (via ssh) or download a pdf document for reading on the couch or something.
I was really hoping for something like meego to take off and perhaps offer something like this. Oh well....

I just read that SAP is working on a BI for android . What would be great now if a usable VPN client and Lotus notes could be used.

windows 7 is been ported to tegra 2 says CEO of microsoft(i read somewhere). But it will be a long time before all the drivers are up and running.

Hmmmmm........now that they are with a phone company maybe we'll see something happen with tab
development for dual usability, work and personal use?

Pazzu510 said:
windows 7 is been ported to tegra 2 says CEO of microsoft(i read somewhere). But it will be a long time before all the drivers are up and running.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, M$ is back in the business of porting their primary OS to other CPU archs, but it'll likely die again as noone will want to hobble their devices with a windows version.
In any event, you realize that you won't be able to run the vast majority of windows sw right? (i.e. it'd be essentially useless unless you actually like windows look & feel...) It's ALL been compiled for x86 arch, and I find it unlikely that ARM version of many apps would ever be available unless something highly unlikely happened and windows for ARM actually got off the ground...

Hello all,
I find the gtab is much more than a toy. With my gtab I can access my company's network via VPN. My gtab can RDP to Windows servers at work. I can also access NTFS file shares on these work computers with my gtab. Access to my work LOTUS notes email and calendars is through IMAIL via the gtab and Dolphin HD browser. Any Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, or PowerPoint presentations I have for work can be read, modified, or created on my gtab. Reading PDF files is a snap on the gtab.
Whenever it is time to read the latest Preston / Child's or Dean Koontz novel I download it from Barnes and Noble and read it on my gtab. I can access my home network and stream media files from my NAS to my gtab. My gtab can access the Internet over wifi at home, work, restaurants, stores, anywhere there is a wifi hotspot. This includes my rooted myTouch 3g's ad hockey wifi hotspot. My gtab can play several audio and video formats. If I am in the mood for radio or TV I can stream full episodes or albums from Internet TV or Internet radio sources to my gtab.
My gtab has system tools that can be used to update its operating system kernels and ROMs, access and manipulate filesystems, and backup applications and data. I have utilities to monitor and benchmark the processes that run on my gtab. I am able to connect to my personal Windows 7 laptop or myTouch 3g phone via Bluetooth connection and access and manipulate their files and directories from my gtab.
I use my gtab as a remote control for my XBMC application on my Windows HTPC. My gtab can use the GPS on my phone to create a larger screened GPS. Sometimes I play Angry Birds on my gtab.
My personal calendars and task lists are kept current and meaningful with several of the calendaring and task apps available for the gtab. Current weather and news is but a click away on my gtab. Banking, credit card, and financial apps on my gtab let me monitor my finances. Shopping apps on my gtab allow me to peruse online catalogs and order merchandise from the likes of Target, Kroger, Best Buy, Amazon, and Newegg. I am able to access insurance records and medical records for my family / pets with apps on my gtab.
These are a few of the little things that I do with my gtab. I find the gtab to be quite versatile and consider it to be a quite powerful little ( size wise ) computer powered by the Android 2.2 Froyo OS. My gtab seems quite stable and I am able to address any issues that arise with the aforementioned system utilities.
Thanks to the incredible support that the gtab gets from the XDA developers and the Android app development community I believe the gtab has matured beyond toy status and has arrived as a useful tool equal to the challenges of everyday life.
Bob
Sent from my VEGAn-TAB-v1.0.0b5.1.1 using Tapatalk

Why do you still use a laptop?

The mish mash of mobile devices, tablets, notebooks, desktops etc has me interested in collecting some of my thoughts (blogging ftw), now that stuff like Android devices, Chromebooks, and normal Laptops are bluring the lines ever more so. My TF101 is my go-to machine for almost everything that doesn't involve Direct3D/DirectX or Internet Exploder, even at work. I'm going to start blogging about the implications of such a bit more but it also makes me curious about what specifically keep people tied to the old world PC. Mine is only software developers that still target Windows on x86.
Maybe I'm sick of the never ending ICS and Prime stuff on this forum or maybe I've just got to much time on my lunch break. The TF101 and technically Android in general, provide 95% of what I need out of a computing device. We have had a few threads that amount to people asking if they can use a Transformer like a notebook, so I just have to ask why do you still use your notebook? What do you need to do that you cannot use an Android device for.
Between things like the TF's and Android x86, lack of a decent way of typing doesn't count lol.
-> disclaimer: my job involves more programming than editing office documents. I've had fully functional life using *BSD systems, let along needing Windows or OSX.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

Lack of a decent way of typing. Sorry, but the dock keyboard isn't that great. Oops, that does not count.

#1 THERE IS NO ANDROID OFFICE SOFTWARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE THAT WILL REPLACE MS OFFICE. I HAVE TRIED THEM ALL. SIMPLE EXCEL CHECK BOX DOES NOT SHOW UP IN ANY OF THE ANDROID OFFICE SUITS.
If all you do for example is surf for porn then yes, the transformer could replace your netbook, laptop, or desktop.

I find all the good productive software are on Windows, if I was not at home I have to choose between running these software on a x86/x64 architecture laptop natively or running a remote desktop connection back to my home PC to satisfy such needs. The small screen is also a factor when it comes to using it for productivity of any kind. The most downer for Android atm is probably the horrible multitasking for tablets. There is no way to open even two apps side by side, seriously?

What I mean by 'doesn't count', as far as the TF is concerned it is no worse than typing on a netbook or a comparably sized laptop. I should know, I've used laptop keyboards from 12 to 18 hours a day for the last 5, nearly 6 years now. I type and read excessively. For the wider scope of Android, it's more a matter of screen space.
Issues like the stock browser's text area's lagging on the TF or lack of certain keystrokes from Win/GTK/Qt, are purely software artifacts that can be fixed with updated or replaced software, hell maybe even contributing to ASOP! Hardly killer given what can be done (e.g. opera and HC's text selection) to work around, and when it comes to handwriting, there are more options than the typical PC.
If text input is your problem, then why?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

I have a powerful desktop, a notebook that's a few years old but was top-notch when bought, and now my TF101 with dock.
I use the dock less than I expected to, largely because the keyboard isn't very good. I mostly use the dock as a stand when watching movies, and for very light writing work. (Making quick notes, answering email, Facebook posts, etc.) although I find the stock Honeycomb soft keyboard *almost* as fast to type on, if I put the tablet in my lap.
The other area where the TF101 doesn't come close is for replacing my notebook for work. I need apps like Photoshop CS5, Dreamweaver CS5, etc. for my day job, and short of using MyDesktop I can't get those on my tablet. (MyDesktop works in a pinch, but again the sub-par keyboard means I don't use it as much as I might, and the lack of things like right mouse-button support reinforce that.)
So my Transformer becomes my content-consumption device -- browsing the web, listening to streaming radio, watching movies, checking Facebook and Gmail, maybe playing an occasional light game.
My desktop is my go-to machine for work, and for everything else. Proper gaming, anything where I have to do much typing.
My notebook is now demoted to where it gets used maybe a couple of times a month, when I don't want to be chained to my desk, but need more than my tablet can offer.
Each device has its own purpose, and none will ever fully replace the others for me.

Anything that requires power or precision you need something other than the transformer. For example you like watching movies on the tab but no way can you encode them on it same goes for video editing. You can view drawings on it but you can't create them on it even if you do have a stylus. Tablets are great for consumption but other that text based work, aren't very good at creation. They definitely have a use and I wouldn't be without mine but I need my laptop as well.

v8code said:
You can view drawings on it but you can't create them on it even if you do have a stylus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Adobe Ideas begs to disagree:
http://www.adobe.com/products/adobe...m-en-casestudy-creativesuite-design-brian-yap
So does Photoshop Touch:
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-touch.html

why i sometimes still need a laptop or desktop.
v8code said:
Anything that requires power or precision you need something other than the transformer. For example you like watching movies on the tab but no way can you encode them on it same goes for video editing. You can view drawings on it but you can't create them on it even if you do have a stylus. Tablets are great for consumption but other that text based work, aren't very good at creation. They definitely have a use and I wouldn't be without mine but I need my laptop as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It all depends what you need to do, as we can all see. for my wife, it has perfectly replaced her cruddy old laptop, since all she does is faccebook, email, web and the pics/movies etc. she doesnt miss windblows. i dont miss another laptop to douche/clean every year either. i can back it up easy enough, etc etc... me. i have one too, but for the same reasons - light stuff - i can't encode movies/mp3/etc etc - many things a power user cannot do on a tablet lol.. good tab tho, we both love it, the dock is killer - adds so much life to it, we both like it more than the ipad or ipad2 (which we both tried for a week).
thanks!

For me, my laptop is a necessity. I am a grad student, and therefore always seem to be taking notes (both personally and in class) and writing papers. While the tablet can do most things I do okay, it cannot compare to the PC for doing them all at once. I am constantly having to have multiple PDFs of books and various journal articles open, as well as at least two Word documents, in addition to web browsers. The laptop allows me to to all this while virtually anywhere; if I get too restless at home, I can sit outside doing work, or go to a coffee shop, etc. While at home, I can connect a separate monitor to the laptop to have research on it while the paper I'm writing is on my main screen. Printing is important, and while there are some ways of printing with the tablet, nothing as advanced or smooth as on the laptop.
The tablet can't even have two screens visible side-by-side at the same time, which is a major downfall. Also switching between PDFs and documents I'm writing is not at all convenient or smooth.
It's a great little device for doing basic reading and light research, but it has a long way to go before I even begin to consider using it as my primary machine.

I'd have to agree with most of the reasons for still using a laptop as above. Although I don't use my laptop much, my main reason is for the multitasking.
Most of the uni work I do (computer + social science) typically involves me having many windows open for referencing etc. Using a few messengers, social networking sites for communication, PDF viewers + browser windows for research papers, a few more browser windows for API references, Microsoft or Libre office for strict and formally formatted documents, reference software (Mendeley) for references + formatting and maybe an IDE or 2 all at the same time, just isn't possible on android at the moment.
If ICS improves on some of the existing multitasking concept and some more apps begin to realise their potential with regards to presentation of created content, then I'll probably use my desktop and laptop even less.
That's not to say I don't thoroughly enjoy my TF and use it for a lot of other things (mainly lazy content consumption, lectures, and reading eBooks, as well as travelling.)

I still don't find much "serious" software for Android. In specific, if Android had an Adobe Premiere analog I would be so down. I would much also rather do a lot of things on a bigger screen. I have a 15" laptop that is a nice size for most things; I wouldn't like editing video much on a 10" screen unless there was some amazing new interface for doing non-linear editing. I also really like being able to work between Windows 7 and Ubuntu on the laptop. But I'm wondering if the next couple of months won't have us triple booting Win-Lin-Droid. So how about a 15" Android dockable tablet with a full size keyboard and can triple boot the aforementioned operating systems and has about 4 gigs of RAM. With that much space in the full-sized keyboard dock we could probably see 30+ hour battery life, too. My $1000 is waiting for such a monster.

adampdx said:
...So how about a 15" Android dockable tablet with a full size keyboard and can triple boot the aforementioned operating systems and has about 4 gigs of RAM. With that much space in the full-sized keyboard dock we could probably see 30+ hour battery life, too...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. This is what I want too.

Multitasking is a good point, and one which is a major blocking point for me in using Android more (and in my day job).
Say what you like, but what we have now where most programs lack the ability for the user to close them, and can be unpredictably closed by the OS (losing work in the process) when you switch away from them for an indeterminate amount of time is NOT proper multitasking. In my opinion, this is the biggest single area where Android needs to improve. I understand that not everybody wants control over when apps start and stop, but for many of us it is crucial. It should at the very least be an option for the user to override the default behavior and assume full control over which programs are opened and closed.

Laptops are more flexible than Android/iOS tablets. my least favourite thing about getting my Transformer was when I transferred random video files over to it to watch in bed... and none of them worked in any video player I tried. With a Windows/Linux/MacOS laptop, it's just a case of installing VLC and everything works right away.
Then there's the fact that the browser doesn't suck even on my 900MHz Celeron-powered eeePC from three years ago. Even when overclocked to 1.6GHz, the Transformer can feel very very sluggish at times. Not something I want from a Tablet or phone. At least when my trusty old eeePC is being sluggish, there's an obvious reason why.

I still use my Laptop when I have to, I can do most of my work from the tablet but a few online services wont work without popups. and I cant find a browser to handle them.
Firefox will handle our citrix site at a pinch, but requires practice as the screen size is skewed. But its only a matter of time before these things are attended to IMNHO

Spidey01 said:
The mish mash of mobile devices, tablets, notebooks, desktops etc has me interested in collecting some of my thoughts (blogging ftw), now that stuff like Android devices, Chromebooks, and normal Laptops are bluring the lines ever more so. My TF101 is my go-to machine for almost everything that doesn't involve Direct3D/DirectX or Internet Exploder, even at work.
-> disclaimer: my job involves more programming than editing office documents. I've had fully functional life using *BSD systems, let along needing Windows or OSX.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
personally for me, the prime will be my general use item. I can web browse, email, view media, play some games etc and it will become my workaday.
but the tablets are not yet at a place to replace a full blown laptop because I do a lot of graphics work, sometimes with 400-600mb images, so until photoshop can run on a tablet I will still have a main machine.
so. can a prime replace a laptop? no, not entirely, because I still need my main machine to do graphics work, I use my main unit to convert video media to play on the tablet but for my writing and general use, the prime will be excellent.

I have a desktop, laptop, and Transformer.
Desktop is used for primarily gaming, not much more than that.
Laptop is for creating docs, VPNing into work, keeping track of fantasy football team over multiple websites.
Transformer is for quick web surfing, long trips/on the go, various apps, forums such as XDA.
All three devices I have serve a purpose and are all important to me.

knoxploration said:
Adobe Ideas begs to disagree:
http://www.adobe.com/products/adobe...m-en-casestudy-creativesuite-design-brian-yap
So does Photoshop Touch:
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-touch.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By their own examples its a photo touch up editor and not a graphics creator. Sure you could probably do some good stuff but it isn't full photo shop on a 17"/21" monitor and a graphics tablet hooked up to it. You could also do VNC onto a server and do 3D cad if you really wanted to but why. Its just so much easier to do on a full desktop or good laptop.

Cut, copy and past pictures and videos from my cameras is a lot easier on a proper laptop.
Android 3.x won't even allow me to view the vidoes from my cameras - my laptop does with the standard media player.
Creating and editing documents, especially long ones, is easier on a laptop.
Multitasking is far better on a laptop - two programs side by side.
Image editing is far more intuitive and easier on a laptop.
Storage space.
Inking. When you've used a proper Tablet PC you'll realise just how pathetic a modern tablet is.
Voice dictation. My old 1.3MHz Atom laptop can run Dragon Dictate without problems.
Don't get me wrong, I won't be selling my Transformer, but there is no way it can replace a proper computer. The last time I went away on a trip I left my laptop at home and just took the Transformer. Never again.

Windows Phone Thoughts

Hello...
I come from old school Windows Mobile (even on a PDA as PocketPC) and pretty much used one until 2010. I kept waiting for Windows Phone 7 but the wait became too long and I decided to go Android.
I've had 3 different Android phones since 2010 and I am currently on the Samsung Skyrocket, which has been the best and most stable Android Phone I've owned. I also have an ASUS Transformer Prime with keyboard and it is a joy to use. I really do love widgets and use them heavily for my tasks, calendar and other at a glance "life notes." I also use OneNote for Android to keep notes and frequently accessed information.
I am also enjoying the Google ecosystem of Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Reader and other services.
Despite the Tegra processor in my tablet, I don't play a lot of games and I often find that I wish I could do real work on an Android device or even play my "Good Old Games" from GOG.COM on my mobile devices.
However, I am a Microsoft guy. I have a Windows 7 main PC that serves my media to my XBOX. My laptop currently has Windows 8 release preview installed on it. So far, I am liking the ecosystem between Windows 8 and XBOX.
Which brings me to Windows Phone. I have one for work but I've not really made it mine yet. I like most of what I see. Maps do lack when compared to Google Maps and navigation. There isn't a good Google Reader app I've found yet and the YouTube app is pretty bad. However, a lot of these I could live with because I do like the Windows Phone interface and the common ecosystem it will have with Windows 8 and XBOX. I am also Zune owner (we have 3 in our family) and love the Zune player.
Android, in my opinion, is king as far as useful mobile apps and collaboration. I like file level access, apps like DropBox work seamlessly and I love the options on sharing media. But I am really wanting to move to close to one platform as I can. Kind of jarring to go between platforms.
So, all that said, I wanted to hear from other Windows Phone owners on how they like their devices. A few questions:
Will current devices like Titan II and Lumia 900 be upgradable to Windows Phone 8?
I think I will miss being able to change my own battery. If and when a battery needs to be replaced, what is the process? Can a store do it or do we mail it back in?
I'd love to make a Windows Phone my Zune replacement but being limited to 16 GB kind of stinks and I don't want to always have to stream via ZunePass. I have unlimited data but I don't want to become a "top 5%" user.
Thanks for letting me ramble...looking forward to a good discussion. Even if some of you convince me to stay Android...ha.

I wouldn't get too comfy with Zune as it looks like it will be replaced with X-Box Music, It is very difficult coming from a platform which is so customisable to WP7 which is quite closed, No doubt you are aware of the limitations associated with WP7 so I wont bore you with the details, I initially came from using Symbian to Windows mobile 6.1 then 6.5 and now WP7.5, I did find it difficult at first as I was so used to changing backgrounds and checking my files in File Manager etc but now I must admit I don't really miss any of that and am happy having a phone which does not need any tinkering, I find I use my phone less now and only use it when it counts, Before it was a cure for boredom having lots of things to change and I don't miss flashing ROMs or installing CABs,I am not really a heavy business user but my phone keeps my appointments at hand and syncs with my contacts and calender and makes phone calls believe it or not I love the simplicity that I can update where I am and what I am doing with just a couple of swipes, I use Nokia Maps which I find very adequate and Nokia Drive is superb and Free, The way I look at WP7 is that it is an OS in its infancy which will grow and get stronger.

AndyFZ1S said:
I wouldn't get too comfy with Zune as it looks like it will be replaced with X-Box Music, It is very difficult coming from a platform which is so customisable to WP7 which is quite closed, No doubt you are aware of the limitations associated with WP7 so I wont bore you with the details, I initially came from using Symbian to Windows mobile 6.1 then 6.5 and now WP7.5, I did find it difficult at first as I was so used to changing backgrounds and checking my files in File Manager etc but now I must admit I don't really miss any of that and am happy having a phone which does not need any tinkering, I find I use my phone less now and only use it when it counts, Before it was a cure for boredom having lots of things to change and I don't miss flashing ROMs or installing CABs,I am not really a heavy business user but my phone keeps my appointments at hand and syncs with my contacts and calender and makes phone calls believe it or not I love the simplicity that I can update where I am and what I am doing with just a couple of swipes, I use Nokia Maps which I find very adequate and Nokia Drive is superb and Free, The way I look at WP7 is that it is an OS in its infancy which will grow and get stronger.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great reply. I use ZunePass to get the music I want and keep the 10 songs a month. It plays very nicely with my Windows Media Center extender on the XBOX as well.
I am OK with less customization as long as I get USEFUL apps. My most useful apps on Android are a caleder widget, syncing with google tasks, Cozi (has a killer grocery list app), OneNote, Google Reader. I use those the most. There are apps to replace those on Windows Phone and I'll try them out on my work phone. I am sure they may not be AS good but they could prove passable.
I am OK not changing backgrounds and such.
Really, I am more fascinated with Windows 8 tablets than anything else and just kind of want my phone on a like ecosystem. The trick is seeing if I could live with the changes. And the frustrating fact nothing comes higher than 16 GB and can't change battery (Titan II or Lumua 900).

It seems they are all going that way with the non removable batteries, It is a pain but I look at it this way, Most batteries can be charged/discharged up to a 1000 times, Taking into account not many people keep their phones for two years you would have lets say 1000 days usage before any severe battery degradation, That is just a theoretical view of course and I am going on standard rechargeable batteries but it makes me feel a little better about it.
Try and stick with it and do try the replacement Apps, Hopefully it won't be too much of a painful transition for you.

Interesting
I would recomend you look at the recent breakthrough in Titan (1), I came to winphone from 6.5 and now with the recent HSPL breakthrough it is like the good old days again
Mark

Android as a viable desktop - Discuss

Hi Folks
Just wondering if anyone has seriously considered or is using android on the desktop?
Hear me out here!
Since stopping using windows as my main desktop OS about 18 months ago, I've been enjoying all the fruits that open source has to offer. I think I must have trying nearly every flavour of Debian/Ubuntu distro's and currently using some Mint/Gnome 2 setup. partly due to Unity's immaturity as Multihead desktop and probably part of me can't let go of that "Start" menu analog.
Through all my "testing" however I've still not settled on the right desktop/development environment, I've tried them all, really, I feel like I given pretty much every Window Manager out there a go, I especially like the blank canvas of openbox although I've got real work to do as well, so configuration wise It's not something I want to know right now
Part of my issue is I've got a what I would consider a bit of an edge case when I comes to setup. My current setup is over 3 Monitors ( I was considering 6 but thought I might get whiplash from moving my head too much :laugh: )
Right now I live my live mostly in Terminal Windows and Bash Prompts and do most of my hacking In gedit with some plugins ( maybe not the most productive but it's kinda of working for me at the minute )
After giving the Android x86 project, It got me thinking whether It would be a viable option. I know android certainly has the capability to run over multiple monitors although whether I would have to do a bit of hacking on the Framebuffer internals ( add extra ones etc ) has yet to be investigated.
With regards Android Development it kinda of makes sense to Develop right there in it's native environment ( I'm talking Kernel/System Level here not apps) . Compiling the AOSP etc should still be the same process.
So Yeah, Android on the Desktop - Discuss
I'd be interested if anyone has been crazy/foolhardy/patient enough to go down this road and are just keeping quiet about it and If there's any gotcha's etc to think about before embarking on such a mission.

Android is better off on smartphones and Tablets and Windows in better off on Desktops and Laptops.
As Im an avid gamer, I wouldnot mind having Android on my Desktop. Android has limited no. of good games but Windows dont.
Sent from my GT-i9100 equipped with Grenade Launcher and Remote Explosives

www dot apc dot io
Hope that answers your question.
Sent from my YP-G70 using XDA

nightfire37 said:
www.apc.io
Hope that answers your question.
Sent from my YP-G70 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, That's the kinda of thing, I was not aware of this project/product ( although still vapourware til next month ) At least I'm not crazy for thinking it

I spent a week or 2 only using an hp touchpad, to see if I could get away using it as a desktop replacement.
The biggest problem I found is that the apps aren't really designed for serious productivity. Google docs is great for viewing things, but is very irresponsive on large documents, and doesn't like fancy formatting. Browsing was a nightmare. I had 3 or 4 different browsers, because each had different plugins, flash support, user agents, etc. Many browsers were unstable, and flash always caused random crashes and other weird problems. Gmail is useless for attachements, and there is no reasonable text editor.
It's doable, but you may have to spend a while finding apps to replicate all the functionality you expect from your PC.

trevd said:
Thanks, That's the kinda of thing, I was not aware of this project/product ( although still vapourware til next month ) At least I'm not crazy for thinking it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your welcome. I am thinking on getting this for the fact to support the devs on the product.
Sent from my YP-G70 using XDA

As a desktop replacement I'm not so sure but Android can definitely work as a netbook replacements.
It also depends what you use ur desktop for. Anything more that web browsing and email, I'll still prefer having a full fledged OS on it.

theInfected1 said:
As a desktop replacement I'm not so sure but Android can definitely work as a netbook replacements.
It also depends what you use ur desktop for. Anything more that web browsing and email, I'll still prefer having a full fledged OS on it.
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Click to collapse
An android desktop could do mail, web browsing, multimedia, usenet or torrent downloads, games, dlna streaming, ebook reading and text editing (writing, creating pdf, etcetera) well.
It would not be able to do some of the things a desktop can do such as transcode video, run open office, use pc accessories, etcetera.
This is primarily because android is a mobile oriented os though it's likely that other than the use of pc accessories developers will write apps to get android doing even more as it is now a very popular tablet os and tablets often get used as a pc does.
Android could be a desktop for general everyday use right now but not for everyone.
For now windows and linux still beat android for both software, peripheral support and overall os speed making those better options however its also easier to have a new user mess those up than it is to mess up android so for general use it could be a good option.
Dave
( http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAownKXmAQ/bigfatuniverse )
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk 2

Short version: Currently, I would say no. In the future (2+ years minimum), I highly expect Android to compete for the desktop. It comes down to software moreso than hardware.
TL;DR version: Let me start by saying I've owned quite a few Android smartphones, and I've worked on twice as many for friends, family, etc. I've also owned a couple of Android tablets. Without trying to sound too cynical, let's just say I've been around the block when it comes to Android devices When it comes to phones, Android is as perfect as any OS could be. With it always improving, there's always more to love. For tablets, the experience didn't come off to a great start, but there have surely been improvements since. The first high-end tablets, as well as cheap alternatives, ran on Gingerbread or older. My first cheapo tablet ran on a rare version of Android 2.0 Eclair. Let me tell you, it wasn't pleasant at all! I decided to wait for Honeycomb to come out before trying another tablet, and that's when I picked up an Acer Iconia A500 with the sole intention being to use it like I'd use a computer. The only computer I had at the time was a 10" Acer netbook, so once I bought the tablet, I sold the netbook right away. Now, I will admit that I waited a little bit to see how Honeycomb took off. By the time I got my Iconia, 3.2 was just coming out. In order to completely replace any kind of computer, I knew I would need at least 3 accessories: a stand, keyboard, and mouse. In my initial research, I learned that Android 3.0 didn't have mouse support by default. This was fixed by the dev community here, and Google was prompt to add mouse support in the 3.1 update. So by the time I had my Iconia running 3.2, everything appeared to be ready as far as being a PC replacement. Or so I thought. One major reason I picked the A500 over other tablets was the fact that it had a full-size USB port right on the tablet itself, whereas others either didn't have one at all (Xoom, Galaxy Tab), or it was only available on the keyboard dock (Transformer). As a computer replacement, USB was important to me. It didn't take long for me to realize that a tablet as a PC replacement wasn't the most ideal choice at the time. While there are plenty of apps available to perform many different tasks, the real problem I had was with the way Android itself handled. The apps were more than good enough. There's email, web browsing, multimedia, word processing, etc. The problem is the way Android feels with a keyboard and mouse. One major problem for me was that Android has no proper right-click support with mice. It simply works like a back button. I feel that right-click would be more natural as the functionality of a long press. Another issue I was constantly trying to deal with was the amount of clicks required to complete simple tasks. I could do the same tasks twice as fast on any computer running Windows or Linux. This caused more frustration than anything else. File managers were generally really good - there's actually a couple that I really like a lot, but navigation was always an issue. It wasn't only file managers, but within several areas. Once again, this goes back to needing more clicks for the same tasks, and long pressing where a simple right-click would feel better. While the move to ICS was a huge improvement in performance, it didn't really solve anything with productivity and ease of use. USB support was also hit or miss, and a lot of it has to do with drivers. Now that's understandable, as most hardware venders don't expect Android to be the host OS. Hopefully this changes some day. Eventually I ended up trading the tablet and all the accessories for a mid-range laptop which I use now. I have this system triple-booting between Windows, Linux, and Android (android-x86.org). The same problems I faced with the tablet, I also face with ICS on my laptop. I find myself only booting to Android once in a blue moon, and it's always just to show off to my friends. Any real work is done with one of my other OS's. There's definitely a lot of potential with the Android platform as a desktop OS, but I feel like it's still a couple years away at least. There are still a few minor annoyances trying to use Android as a computer that need to be addressed. Maybe by the time Android 6.0 or 7.0 is released, it will put up a good fight for the desktop. Only time will tell. Another viable option is phones that dock to a computer with a desktop interface. Anyone remember Canonical's plans? Also keep in mind Linux kernel 3.3 which adopted Android natively, which is a huge step for Canonical and their Ubuntu-Android dreams.

i have been using android since 2008. The only thing i can tell you is Android can replace netbooks but not laptops and desktop. I used macbook for a year or so but I went back to windows.
HP Touchpad replaced my netbook.70% of the time i use my hp touchpad to chat, browse and play videos.
But when it comes to work or college work I go back to my good ol' desktop or laptop because
google spreadsheet is nowhere near MS Excel
google docs is nowhere near MS Word

fortemcee said:
The only thing i can tell you is Android can replace netbooks but not laptops and desktop.
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Click to collapse
I coming to that conclusion...... More for on the move devices, Although there some good stuff going on with the 10ft Experience (Android on TV's) at the moment.
It is also interesting to hear how people interact with their devices,
I'm far from an average user..... If i'm not developing with/on android I don't what to do with it :laugh: I think that's why my tablet has a keyboard and mouse plugged into most of the time
Thanks for the Input.

Bloodflame said:
Short version: Currently, I would say no. In the future (2+ years minimum), I highly expect Android to compete for the desktop. It comes down to software moreso than hardware.
TL;DR version: ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Brilliant That's exactly the type of responses I hoped for, a man whose got he's knees dirty in these dam robots on the desktop ... little long but I did read it.
[Short Version] In Summary I'm inclined to agree with you give it a couple of years, As a developer I could probably fix it up but I probably wouldn't be finished before google etc sorted it themselves[Short Version]
Here's a more verbose reply :laugh:
I have seen some 2.x tabs in my time, trailblazers but not nice.... I presume you gave the 1.6 x86 one a go as well then? Just for kicks.
I've been using a mouse and keyboard on my tablet, an Archos G9 through a usb hub which also has full size usb slot..... I've never really twicked onto the mouse lack of context menu/right click being an issue until you pointed it out, I can see how it would become an irritant after a while unless you're a MacUser than one button should be fine
The right mouse button acting the same as long press would be a vast improvement, I'll probably have a look at what development effort is involved in that ( or at least add it to the pile of interesting stuff I want to do with my time )
I've found the keyboard to be useful, Shortcut Keys are generally the same as there desktop counterparts. Take Ctrl+L to type a web address in your browser for example and If I dig around the android source code for a while I'm sure I could find some more unpublished ones or add my own and help on the number of click navigation issues etc .
USB Support is not a problem with each iteration of Android it gets better internally and I'm currently working with the opinion that if a linux driver exists I can compile it and at least get android the recognize the device... I've been deep in the USB Internals with android for the last few months.
On the Androidx86.... I've not checked the project in a while, there maybe have greater focus on solving some on these usability issues.
With regard to phones and docking I do remember canonicals plans ( wasn't that earlier this year) or are you talking about the circa 2009/10?!? ubuntu proposed project to run apks directly on your pc? essentially running the dalvikvm/surfaceflinger framebuffer management, support services on ubuntu with an X Window for the app.
The latter I feel is highly possible especially with android fully "unforked" in the kernel - not looked at the full details but I presume that includes all androids system level binder stuff and their shared memory modules and the former, I think a manufacturer release something called "Android in a Window" (Motorola or LG, maybe) An interactive android window on the desktop... also motorola's Webtop looks interesting.
I've written enough, Thanks for the Input

no one found any way to run android on PC or Laptop ???????

saqi4you said:
no one found any way to run android on PC or Laptop ???????
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Click to collapse
It runs in virtualisation fine and there are a few PC's that can run it natively, I would bet Jelly bean will run on x86 without fuss.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium HD app

I've had android ICS x86 on my Acer W500 (a windows tablet) for a little while now. It was installed along side the Windows 8 Developer Preview which expired and shuts down after a few minutes of use now. Instead of updating it to the W8 Consumer Preview for more time I just started using ICS full time. With my tablet in the "dock" (which is just a keyboard really) and a mouse hooked up I used it for days as a PC replacement (the power supply in my normal desktop died).
Android would be totally fine as a desktop OS, but apps would have to start being designed with that in mind.
Think about it:
You can't have multiple windows open at once on the screen for serious multitasking. What if I want to have a terminal/command prompt open while I reference a document in the web browser? With android I'm going to be switching between fullscreen apps.
The OS will have to be redesigned to allow for that capability and then new apps will have to be written to able to take advantage of it. Is it possible? Absolutely! Is it ready to be your desktop replacement? Not yet!

deathsled said:
Think about it:
You can't have multiple windows open at once on the screen for serious multitasking. What if I want to have a terminal/command prompt open while I reference a document in the web browser? With android I'm going to be switching between fullscreen apps.
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Click to collapse
I would say there is arguments for and against sizeable apps (I suppose that describes it), Personally I run multiple monitors and generally have Maximised Windows all the way, obviously every use case is different but I think android would become "just another window manager" and lose some of what android is If it had totally free window placement.
It is also assuming the current desktop metaphor which is in use today is the best/most productive way of interacting with the machine.... Maybe we're just blindly doing it because we've all be trained to think like that, and it's always been that way.
I don't claim to have the answers on any of these points though
I suppose the only thing I can do is stop talking and start doing, "try it yourself" as we say in the "trade" .....I've got a laptop I could give it a blast on, I can at least try a multiple monitor test with that with out too much disruption.

saqi4you said:
no one found any way to run android on PC or Laptop ???????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dragon_76 said:
It runs in virtualisation fine and there are a few PC's that can run it natively, I would bet Jelly bean will run on x86 without fuss.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might want to read the full thread guys It's kinda what we're talking about, check the Androidx86 project out if you've never seen it before

Actually with apps like overskreen and the open source standout library which lets apps float, so you can have several open at once on screen together and swap between them, you could multitask with multiple open windows.
It's a new approach but already finding favour on tablets.
Dave
( http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAownKXmAQ/bigfatuniverse )
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk 2

deathsled said:
You can't have multiple windows open at once on the screen for serious multitasking. What if I want to have a terminal/command prompt open while I reference a document in the web browser? With android I'm going to be switching between fullscreen apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I am doing some coding on my PC (running Ubuntu) I use i3-wm which is a tiling window manager. I find the best option is to have all applications full screen and switch between them quickly using keystrokes. The same thing can be done with a theoretical Android Desktop.
I think the case for an Android Desktop is a strong one. Just looking at mobile phone shops and sites, Android is the most popular firmware for smartphones on the market so the amount of people owning one is only going to increase. With that it means that online communities like this site will get bigger with more people offering support and development. An Android desktop might not have the same look and feel as the smartphone version but if it can emulate the same functionality i.e. the way to do something on a smartphone is the same as on the desktop then the leap from smartphone to desktop won't be so hard for people. As you will have the same underlying platform, the same will apply for developers so it means application development on the Desktop version should in theory be faster.
That's a way of doing it but my preference would be a convergence of devices where say I can plug my smartphone into a docking station which hooks it up with a monitor, keyboard and mouse or like the Assus Padfone where a smartphone can be pluged into a tablet dock which turns it into a tablet.

Surface RT w/ 8.1

Hey everyone. Looking at trying to pickup a Surface RT during the black friday sale. I primarily want to use it for taking notes in class. What do you all think of the original RT with the 8.1 update? Worth getting it, or should I spend my money on something else?
On a side note: It's between a Surface RT (at black friday prices), a chromebook, and the Nvidia Note 7. I can see the pros and cons of all the devices, but a) I am entrenched in google's ecosystem (gmail, google keep, google drive, google music, etc) and b) I am going to school for computer engineering.
So what do you all think?
Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk 4

It will work great for notes if you get the Type Cover, there is no active pen support. But it's not that great with Google services. You will have a much better experience using Outlook, OneNote och Skydrive with the Surface.
Sorry I'm not much help here, never used a chromebook nor the Nvidia =).

I used my RT for note taking for a few months before moving on to the pro model, and it was a pretty good experience. I would have a notes doc open in reader and copy/paste stuff from it into one note and type additional info in various combinations. If you are interested in using google docs on the RT, that may dissuade you, as it's quite laggy. I had no such issues just using the office software for that sort of thing. For google apps, the only workaround I really had to look for was a google voice app, the rest of what I use was just fine via browser and the built in mail app.
I ended up moving to a Pro due to a few limitations that I ran into:
- inability to run the e-testing software we use on the RT (lockdown browser and a security.exe file)
- desire to do more pen writing for some notes (really just chemical reactions and such, things that don't lend themselves to typing)

If you have a laptop as a backup for any software you need on your course then yeah. Chances are on a computer engineering course it will be useless for anything other than a glorified pen and paper replacement (as would the other 2 choices).

As long as you are ok using Google Apps in a browser only, an RT can work well enough (I can't comment on the rest of your use cases). My employer uses Google Apps for Education as our primary email so I've done it. If a jailbreak is released for RT 8.1 I am curious how well (or not) Outlook RT will work with gmail, especially since I won't be able to run the sync software Windows 7 and previous could (I don't know if it works with Windows 8).

domboy said:
As long as you are ok using Google Apps in a browser only, an RT can work well enough (I can't comment on the rest of your use cases). My employer uses Google Apps for Education as our primary email so I've done it. If a jailbreak is released for RT 8.1 I am curious how well (or not) Outlook RT will work with gmail, especially since I won't be able to run the sync software Windows 7 and previous could (I don't know if it works with Windows 8).
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You have always been able to add IMAP accounts in outlook and GMail offers full IMAP support.
MS Office can save in open document formats (ODT instead of doc/docx etc). Google docs also use these formats under the hood or can at least attempt (albeit poorly) to import .doc and .docx etc anyway. Could certainly download your file, open it in MS Office, save it in open office formats, re-upload to google drive. In my experience MS Word outputting to ODT works better than google docs or libre office importing DOC and DOCX

SixSixSevenSeven said:
If you have a laptop as a backup for any software you need on your course then yeah. Chances are on a computer engineering course it will be useless for anything other than a glorified pen and paper replacement (as would the other 2 choices).
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My original plan was chrome book + chrome remote desktop to my gaming PC at home, but the surface and tegra note 7 wouldn't provide that. Then again, the surface is a bit stronger in the notes department and portability, and the tegra note would excel at math notes (its a math and physics heavy degree)
Unfortunately, my budget is very limiting, and I cannot get multiple devices. I have an old netbook loaded with my sata2 ssd, and mint Linux right now, but the performance is meh, and the resolution is abysmal...
My desktop should suffice for specialized software, but I am really needing a device for notes (I write slow, but type fast, at least with a real keyboard).
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

bluefalcon13 said:
My original plan was chrome book + chrome remote desktop to my gaming PC at home, but the surface and tegra note 7 wouldn't provide that. Then again, the surface is a bit stronger in the notes department and portability, and the tegra note would excel at math notes (its a math and physics heavy degree)
Unfortunately, my budget is very limiting, and I cannot get multiple devices. I have an old netbook loaded with my sata2 ssd, and mint Linux right now, but the performance is meh, and the resolution is abysmal...
My desktop should suffice for specialized software, but I am really needing a device for notes (I write slow, but type fast, at least with a real keyboard).
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Surface would do remote desktop just fine. Windows RT being a near straight port of windows 8 to ARM (minus the desktop lockdown) does include RDP support which is the default windows remote desktop software, although there are 3rd party RDP servers for OSX and linux too. RDP is very effective.
You also have VNC as an alternative to RDP. There are VNC clients and servers for most major platforms including android and jailbroken windows RT devices (this does limit to windows RT 8.0, although looks like the 8.1 jailbreak isnt far off).
Although in all honesty. I wouldnt rely on remote desktop access.
Will you be returning home each day and can you also use the machines at university? You may be able to get away without bringing your own full x86 machine. Otherwise I would seriously be considering a laptop or x86 windows tablet. There is the ASUS T100 for £350 which is a windows 8.1 10" tablet with a proper keyboard docking option too and using intel bay trail, but at £350 you can get a laptop with a bigger screen (also important) which is morepowerful too.
There are people on my course that bring surface RT's (and a few pro's too) and take notes in lectures, but they all end up fighting for lab computers the rest of the time and I dont think you can rely on remote desktop always being available or having a low enough latency, not to mention some university or college firewalls blocking it.