First Acer Android netbook will dual-boot Windows
By Thomas Ricker 
posted June 5th 2009 3:34AM
posted June 5th 2009 3:34AM
posted June 5th 2009 3:34AM
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best article picture ever
sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet, from now on, dual-boot is no longer the Mac-Win prior
What about Mac-Ubuntu?
Or Win-Ubuntu
Or Win-Win?
Or Ubuntu-Anything?
Yeah dude. Lots of us were dual booting Windows and some Linux distro before it was cool. Hell, I'm tripple booting now and still don't let OSX anywhere near my computer.
So Acer is pulling an Apple...riding on the popular of Window OS to entice people to use their OS. How Sad. If Apple thinks it has the best damn OS in the planet, it should be able to stand on its own. Screw it's about giving Apple users more option...that's BS! While they're at it, they can also drop Exchange from their iPhonies.
that's great. but that also means the consumer will have to shell out $20-30 for that winXP license
Sure. It also means people will actually buy them.
I'll buy one without Windows please.
Or it means that people will have to pay the $20-30 Android. Personally, I'd rather have a useful OS on a netbook rather than a toy OS.
could you even get away from cpu tax? no cause your pc will not work without it. windows is a product too,without it your pc is a crap toy
Go get a job at McDonald's so you can spend the extra $20. Oh, stop living in your mom and dad's basement, too.
Hey Arash, I've been a heavy computer user my whole life and haven't used Windows as my Primary OS in on my desktop or notebook eight years. In that time I've obtained an engineering degree, worked from home on a regular basis, and generally enjoyed my computers.
Ironically, the only thing I can't do as well is play games...you know, those programs that let you use your computer like it's a...um...toy.
Why are some people so hostile with their comments when someone wants to opt out of paying MS every time they buy a computer? Really, are our consumer choices really that threatening to your sense of wellbeing that you have to shoot back with quips about getting jobs and moving out of basements? If you think that's the typical Linux user you're wrong.
Last time I checked, it's a free market, and some of us would like the chance to exercise that opportunity by not paying for products we don't want.
2009 is definitely Androids year.
The rise of the smartbooks is here
Really? Is that using the same logic as 'xxxx is the year that Linux rises'? Because if it is you're in for a hell of a disappointment.
Android needs to demonstrate it can compete with Windows and become as familiar and as accepted as the latter is. That's not going to happen this year or the next or probably the year after that.
That's why this dual boot is a shrewd move. Let people contrast and compare. Let them become familiar with the OS because that's how it'll win hearts and minds.
Android on its own? No chance. Android as an option? Yeah, that might work.
Netbook Salvation
@ Mark
Are you that vulnerable that a simple comment makes you feel that threatened? Funny xD
But anyway, Acer and others did some studies apparently and apparently there appears to be a nascent market for netbooks without Windows. At the razor-thin prices they're selling, manufacturers are earning back very little money out of them, so every dollar counts. Therefore it makes little sense having to pay for a MS license.
In fact, when netbooks started appearing, they only had Linux. Then the me-too company, Microsoft, rushed in with lower XP licenses to once again, kill all competition in the netbook market. Now it appears that the markets and manufacturers have found a viable solution to the Microsoft problem. Enter the smartbook, with Android running on chipsets where Windows cannot run and will not run. Good riddance.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/166009/microsoft_wont_offer_windows_for_smartbooks.html
.
@Fox
Dude, it's a computer OS. It's not a gorilla with a machine gun so why the hell would I be threatened?
The rest of your post boils down to "MS ran a loss leader campaign to annihilate the competition and succeeded. Some vendors, tired of getting their shit shoved in, have decided to dual load operating systems so they might, you know, actually sell them".
@ Mark
That's the thing. PC vendors found a new market that just didn't happen to involve Windows. As soon as Microsoft realized this untapped source they rushed XP in to squeeze everyone else out.
Smartbooks have the capability to stand up and succeed on their own, without MS forcing their hand at shoving Windows along with Android. A dual-boot solution is no solution at all, only for MS.
@Fox
Netbooks were also a touted solution for open source. No-one wanted them.
What makes you think smartbooks will be any different?
I actually think that sucks but people like familiarity. That's just the way it is.
Can Android installed on Dell Mini 12 with Atom Z530 processor?
Well actually, that sucks, because that much of your hard drive will be taken up by Windows OS.
But who wants android on a netbook, if it can't even edit documents? nor read pdf, or see flash...
Come on, android is ok for phones, but it has a loooooong way to go to be an OS for a netbook.
The dual boot gives you the option to use Windows, if you need to. Otherwise, Android offers you the benefits of fast boot & runtime, super long battery life, touch-optimized UI, location-based services, cell phone calls, SMS/MMS, multi-media playback, and access to all the other cool apps in the Android Market.
I think this is a REALLY exciting configuration! Kinda like Splashtop, except your quick-boot OS is VERY powerful & NET-connected OS!
My vote is for this to be standard on all netbooks...perhaps with Windows sold as an optional add-on.
Actually, I think Acer's version does support Flash.
That's probably another reason why they are using an Atom processor. Full Flash support doesn't exist for ARM yet.
i think this seems like a really good idea - i've just tried moblin on my netbook, and it's great for *most netbook functions* but i think i'd like the weight of another operating system to swap into. i'd comment more on this but i've just seen the "chrome for linux" link on the right so i'm offski.
That explains why they apologized to Microsoft for announcing that they'd be shipping them w/ Android...
whats so great about android? i don't get it. the first open-source os for phones, yes. but netbooks are pc's, so why don't install a light, free, also opensource linux distro... built for pc's?!?
Android apps?
you can use all google services using a browser. duh.
Yeah, but that's not the same as android apps (duh) they've got a large dev. community.
yeah, and ubuntu, fedora, centos, debian, opensuse, mandriva, mint, pclinuxos, gentoo and freebsd don't.
That's right, they have rich dev communities, but android's is richer.
ubuntu even planned android emulation, so you can run android apps on it.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/26/canonical-giving-ubuntu-the-gift-of-android-apps/
This is true. But I think that, as a netbook owner, I'd prefer something with a simpler interface given the smaller screen, and android looks better than eeebuntu on that front.
"Ole" JT is a wise cookie offering a dual boot. A number of people made the mistake to get Android and they had to buy MS and install anyway. Android is like it's name, sounds interesting, looks cool, it is hip cute logo but cannot do much. A lot like most people today. It will be years to go before it will amount to somthing and when it does plenty of people will be hacking into it to cause trouble. JT will sell more machines.
Your comment is a bit difficult to understand. I managed to figure out that "JT" refers to Acer chairman JT Wang.
When you say: "A number of people made the mistake to get Android ..." you seem to imply that Android is currently shipping on netbooks. Which company is shipping it? Acer will be the first "major" PC vendor.
If it's a small PC company, that might explain it, since they would certainly lack the kind of resources Acer has, to deliver a proper commercial product with a brand new OS.
No, I'm not happy. I don't want my netbook to be under a data plan contract. I just want to tether it to my existing phone.
Who says it has to be under a data plan contract? You can just use WiFi, if you want.
I do, however, suspect these will be HOT with the mobile operators. They will be able to generate revenue from cell phone calls, SMS/MMS, location-based apps & services, Android Market sales, etc., in addition to basic data contracts. The current generation of netbooks don't offer these same revenue opportunities to the operators.
HP & Dell better watch out! This configuration could propel Acer to the "preferred" netbook supplier spot, with mobile operators, unless they offer something comparable.
Oh, they'll have fun now.
But one night, when the Windows is sleeping, Skynet will be activated and the Android will join.
Don't trust robots.
A Taiwanese organization demonstrated a variation on this concept at Computex. Their netbook runs on Android, but automatically pushes it to the two sides of the screen and opens Windows XP when a user launches a program like Microsoft Word. This solution could make running both OSes a little more seamless, to users.
There is an article that describes it here:
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/166039/taiwanese_netbook_runs_both_android_and_windows.html
Actually, a similar approach could be used on smartbooks, with Ubuntu, instead of Windows (since Windows does not run on ARM).
This would be awesome! You would run Android most of the time, but if you need OpenOffice, or any other Ubuntu-supported app (developers could even run Linux dev tools!), you could launch them.
Does this whole android netbook thing mean they finally put USB host functionality in Android? When can I get this version of android on my phone and start plugging in things like flash sticks, usb sounds cards etc?
mobile OS just can't compete with a full featured OSes on a laptop.
actually I think they can...depending on where/how you are using it. So lets say yo go into your local coffee shop and want to sit down and quickly check Engadget to see what's new? Would you choose the full OS that takes 30-60seconds to boot into (and another minute to shut down) or the mobile OS that's up in 15-20s (and instant off)? The beauty of this is you have both to choose from.
If there's anything google should learn, it should looking back at when Asus et al decided to put Linux on netbooks at the beginning...
Could someone tell me how many consumers returned their machine just because
1. the learning curve isn't as easy
2. consumers know Windows just works despite the virus
3. Average consumer probably doesn't even know what the word 'Android' means or never heard of it.
4. Google's new motto is "Do evil by every means possible" (if u want examples, I can provide).
Look at every single google page and tell me why they need to shove that stupid "Install Chrome crap" button there.... So glad ad-block plus blocks that nonsense.
1.) While I can't speak for Android, as I've never used it, the Ubuntu learning curve isn't that bad. Yes, there is a curve, but it's no worse than one for somebody using XP, Vista, or OSX for the first time. Raise people on other OSs and suddenly you'll have them complaining at how hard Windows and OSX are.
2.)Fair enough. For all the crap Windows gets, it "just works" about as well as OSX does.
3.) I'm willing to bet the average consumer doesn't know what a Vista is. Non-nonsensical point.
4.)...Really? Could you please provide some examples? I mean, Google is getting more and more awesome lately. I love the fact they're finally advertising Chrome seriously; it's a far superior browser to Firefox, and I await the day it replaces FF. And then there's that whole Gmail thing; that seems pretty non-evil. And have you heard about Google Wave? Yeah, I'm not seeing much evil. I can provide you with more examples if you'd like.
Will the built-in camera work under Android? And an external USB webcam?
before a tech allows people to boot into one small OS, able to use when booting up another OS, I dont think I need this kind of dual boot... recover from hibernation is pretty and booting up a clean xp installation isnt bad either.