I remember back to the forming of the Open Handset Alliance back in Nov 2007 when the ‘Open Platform for Mobile Devices’ was announced. Intel were a founding member and it was unclear what silicon platform Android was going to use. I think the term Google used at the time was ‘processor independent.’ Soon after that, the thought of running Android in Intel faded away but Intel has remained a member. Recently I’ve been hearing more and more news about Android on X86 and in news out today from IDF in Beijing, it’s been confirmed.
It looks like this is all stemming from the news that Google and Intel are getting together to offer Google TV [news was published by NYTimes on 17th March.]. Yes, Intel is involved with another project to build software for TV’s (MeeGo) but there’s no way that Intel are going to say ‘no’ if Google are interested in the platform.
The likely platform is ‘Sodaville’ which is aimed at media delivery through an Atom CPU and a GMA500 graphics and video processor in a highly integrated, low-cost and power-efficient package. The platform is very similar to that used in MIDs, UMPCs and embedded applications. It’s also likely to be very similar to the upcoming platform for smartphones, Moorestown. (More on that tomorrow.)
In Beijing today, the story took another step forward when Rene James, GM of Intel’s software and services group, confirmed that Android was indeed running on Atom and was also running on the Smartphone platform. That’s Moorestown. Apparently, customers are interested.
No real surprises there to be honest. Android ‘running’ on an X86 platform is hardly groundbreaking news but it does highlight that Moorestown will not just be a MeeGo-only platform. Indeed, Windows, Chrome OS, OSX, Linux builds, Android and MeeGo would all work. It’s just a matter of getting the people (money) together to make it happen.
As I mentioned in the MeeGo article today –
Stay very closely tuned to the Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit which starts tomorrow and runs for three days. Intel, Nokia and Google are all there.
Maybe we’ll hear more very soon!
Hello Chippy,
do you have any informations regarding the platform?
Running Android on a normal Atom-Eee-Pc is a no brainer.
So are they talking about “Oak Trail” with a UEFI-support or are they talking about Langwell with SFI-Support (comparable to devices like the LG GW990)?
In other words did they changed Android to work with SFI – like Moblin is capable of working on a SFI design.
Or is Intels UEFI-version of the smartphone-Atom ready for take off and Android is simply running on the UEFI-Version(which is a no-brainer)?
Regards,
Tom
Or….this could be Android on QueensBay (which looks like it could be similar to a UEFI version of Moorestown – Moorestown-W)
I suspect it’s a UEFI version so that MeeGo retains a competitive advantage. I.e. it has more control of power features.
But….if the project is big enough, there’s no reason Intel can’t work with OHA to re-develop Android for SFI-enabled platforms. At least I don’t see why not.
I’ll try and find out soon as I have a chat with Intel planned soon
I can’t wait anymore….
Thank you – you are the best information source on the WWW in terms of tablets, MIDs and UMPCs. Keep up the good work.
I enjoy it so as long as I can pay my bills, i’m not stopping!
Christof Windeck from german magazine c’t gave me a hint that linux has some sort of SFI support built into the kernel:
http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=commitdiff;h=6349d9979beba240fe7182872cb547250264b865
Regards,
Tom
great post you should check this yt vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NVuUAr4MMs
Hey! this Google TV idea is very very mind blowing how does one gets an opportunity to beta test it does anybody here knows? thanks! much appreciated.