Move over, Eee: Android now running on HP Mini-Note 2133
Not content with letting the freelancers at Venture Beat hog the spotlight, some HP-loving Canadians decided to take their 2133 Mini-Note and add a dash of Google's Android OS -- the best thing to happen to netbooks since SSD. There isn't really much in terms of details right now, but if you're the kind of person who gets totally stoked by watching someone go through a preference pane and empty photo album -- without using a mouse, mind you -- we've got just the video for you after the break. Let's hope this Android-netbook lovefest doesn't stop anytime soon.
[Via Netbooknews.de]
[Via Netbooknews.de]

















Wow, small icons, tiny fonts, on a tiny screen. I hope somebody will optimize the UI ala Ubuntu eee/netbook remix.
Why would they do that? Are you planning on using Android on your Mini Note? Has life become so boring to all you guys that you actually feel the need to use a sub-par, semi-useless OS on a netbook, crippling its functions??
Seriously, why the fuck even try? As a technical experiment...?? Why don't they focus on putting Android on more embedded devices? Leave the netbook business to real Linux distros and Windows!
liv:
Netbooks are already crippled devices (low powered cpu, low RAM, low resolution display, small display, etc.). And, when you look at what most people do even on a desktop, Android is probably "good enough", with a few enhancements (IMO, about 6 easy to fix things need to be addressed). People who are looking for a "desktop replacement" type device, with the ability to run heavy apps, they shouldn't be on a netbook anyway. They should be on a laptop or desktop.
People who don't need a desktop replacement, but just a device that's up to common tasks (Email, Calendar, IM, RSS, basic web browsing) should be just fine on an Android netbook, or even an Android based thin-client. The only thing that's truly missing, IMO, is document editing (that's one of the things on my 6 items to make Android realistic as a netbook/thin-client OS: full Google Docs support, the other five are: full Gmail, full Google Reader, better VNC support, a few more IM/chat options (multiple Google Talk accounts, non-Google Jabber accounts, IRC accounts), and SyncML client for Calendar).
The real question is: what kind of idiot runs Windows on a netbook?
Meh not worth answering... you have been low ranked for being ignorant!
Yeah, because a two paragraph response with more than three sentences per is a real sign of ignorance!
*sighs*
Liv, I was pushing for Nokia to push Symbian development towards netbooks quite a while ago. The original NetBook by Psion ran the OS's precursor. It was short sighted of them not to develop this path.
The line between the Mobile OS and desktop OS will continue to blur. Sorry if that isn't your thing...
Finally, an OS that will run somewhat smoothly on the Mini-Note.
Fine, this is "idiot" here, running Vista Ultimate on two Dell Mini 9 netbooks and they run great. My only "problem" is that I keep installing more software on the damn thing, and I had to order a 64GB Runcore SSD for it to keep going. These things are great, and run Vista very well (including some old games I love, like Quake 3 Arena and emulators). It's great to have in the living room for looking up stuff, setting up my Harmony remote, all kinds of Bluetooth connectivity, and much more. I also convert videos with it for my daughter's Insignia Pilot and my G1.
That brings me to the G1 and Android. The only problem I have with it is not enough internal space, and no way to install applications to microSDHC media. The App Market application has grown to 25MB (I think it was 8MB or less when I got it) and I have had to remove applications I wanted to keep on it. I was a big Palm fan back in the day, and moved on to Windows PocketPC and later Windows Mobile with my Dash. With the G1, I find that install and use way more applications on it since they run very well (even if they are first attempts at applications in many cases). So, you tend to get carried away and install anything that looks cool. Since you can run multiple apps at once easily, well, you tend to gather a lot of stuff on it that seems great at the time. :-)
Running Android on a laptop, even a current size netbook, seems like a huge waste of hardware. I have a few apps for playing music and interacting with YouTube videos on the G1, but someone could just use a single app on the netbook for what they want (Amarok, Windows Media Player, etc). Also, you can get a much nicer office suite with native support for files you use rather than poking around with whatever alpha-grade software is available (not to mention it would have been designed for a small touch screen rather than a "large" regular screen). But, they did it and I guess that was the point.
Wow, this is so useful.... NOT!!!
Wow...you have shit for brains
How is this useful, when you can have a proper, full-blown OS with matching UI as well? All you get by Android is an limited OS & comparably tiny selection of apps that are build for a small touchscreen device and thus, totally mismatched with what a netbook offers...
So, Engadget, are we now going to see a post for every single netbook port of Android out there? Because, you know, it wasn't all that thrilling the first time (Linux-based OS compiled for different platform! News at 11!) and just gets more and more stale with every new post...
I have a baby, but it can't build me a new deck right now so it's not useful and therefore pointless. Nobody should have babies anymore.
Well, if you measure a baby's worth by the amount of work the little fella can do for you, then I'd say you *really* shouldn't have any more offspring.
You know, child labour laws and so...
Next time feel free to skip this article altogether so we don't have to listen to your bitching here.
@Jorvay
Thank you.
This isn't about what Android is, it's about what it will be.
The only really annoying thing on this guy is that crazy-glossy screen. HP started making their laptops with that DuraBrite or XtraBrite glossy plastic and for some reason they think it's such a great idea. It's really really not though. Fingerprints are more visible and the glare is magnified. Isn't that obvious?!?! A matte screen will not reflect as much as a glossy screen...
I just don't get it.
WHYYYY????
That's what she said..?
@Nick:
That's a very bad "that's what she said" joke.
What's the point of putting a smartphone OS on a netbook? :x
so you can have yourself a smartbook!
smartbook ..lol
Android belongs on phones imo
What about PMPs, Portable Navigation Systems, in-dash Navigation Systems, etc? There's no reason that Android (or any OS for that matter) shouldn't be ported to all kinds of devices.
It's official: everything runs on everything.
The end.
I can't get Crysis to run on my Gameboy Pocket.
=(
My problem with Android is that unlike Linux, Windows and OSX, most devices I'd plug to this via USBB have no Android specs at all.
Yes, Android, so different from Linux.
Amazing, someone stop the press! linux?! on net books!? inconceivable!
I do not think that word means what you think it means.
+1 I actually loled :D
Whoa whoa, easy does it.
I don't think we need to go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line.
@strider_mt2k:
Haha i love that movie
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
@ Strider , I actually spoke that word out loud with a certain accent while typing :D
Well the rumors that google would be looking into working on a OS might have been true after all. Its just that they knew some ppl out there would think, "I wounder if Android would run on netbook?" and do it for them. Yey for open source!
What i would like to know is when will we see symbian ported to a netbook. :S
i wonder if we will ever see android on the iphone
Once somebody hacks a Linux command line onto it, Android will be there to plant its flag of victory within days. Going from bootable Linux to bootable Android isn't that big of a leap. Getting usable drivers to actually make it do something may take a while, though.
Android needs to fix a few things (IMO, about 6) for it to be a useful netbook OS for me ...
but, that said, I'm hoping it gets ported to the Fujitsu Lifebook U820 next :-)
Phase 1. Install Android on a netbook
Phase 2. ?
Phase 3. Profit
You see, they just have to figure out Phase 2.
Phase 2: Use the knowledge gained in the netbook exercise to port Android to a more closed, more difficult device.
sed -i.old_way_of_thinking s/Profit/Reward/ Phase\ 3
I kept a backup for you in case the new way of thinking fails. But, I doubt it will.
....What's the amazing feat here? The Green Robot is just a Penguin distro, why wouldn't it run on a laptop? ...I love how Linux people brag about compatibility and their superior OS then throw a party once they actually get the thing installed.
But... the ultimate question... you knew it was comin'
Can it run Crysis????
LOLZERs jk
i kinda hate you for that.
agreed
i am ashamed
i low rank myself... consider this an eHarakiri
Crysis?! thats old... GTA4 is the new standard.
That joke took up more screen real-estate necessary.
any of these stupid comments about Crysis already take up more than necessary real-estate, even with just one line
so i thought i'd go for the big bowl of wham-o :D
Cool!
I wonder what kind of Android-powered stuff will be demonstrated at CES.
This could be a VERY interesting year for Android!
I do hope this helps people realise how powerful linux is (in his Hardware compatibility and by this I mean the CPU architecture mainly).
You can make an OS supposed to run on a phone, and 3 nerds within 4 hours can install it on a pc.
KABOOM !
welcome to 2009! the rest of us already knew that when they installed Debian on the n810 :)