It's getting harder and harder to pick a smartphone, with options like
iPhone OS,
WebOS,
Android, and
Windows Mobile making the choosing difficult. Life would be easier if you could pick two, and that's what virtualization giant
VMware is working on, the ability to run dual OSes in one smartphone. The company already has Android/WinMo and other prototypes running, but phones featuring the tech now aren't expected to hit market until 2012 -- a big delay from the
earlier indications of a release this year. Those prototypes rely on ugly boot menus, whereas the vision for this tech would see users switching between environments on the fly, taking and making calls in either whilst juggling chainsaws and dazzling their friends. The company pledges it'll be a seamless experience, but we're doubtful given how even stepping out of HTC's SenseUI into the OS below can occasionally result in mild nausea. The bigger question is who would want this, and it's easy to think the answer is "basically nobody," but picture the poor corporate souls who must carry one phone for work and another for play. This tech could finally let them ditch that holster, and wouldn't the world be a better place then?
posted December 7th 2009 6:43AM
Those thinking this is a bad idea isn't looking to the future when mobile phone applications will be even more complex, and will tie in closer to corporate networks. When your company invests money and time into a WebOS piece of software, but your CEO insists on an iPhone.. it will be nice to give him the iPhone and still have the ability to run the WebOS app when necessary.. This is not a GREAT idea right now.. but the future implications of it COULD be pretty high.. it all depends on how powerful mobile phones get, and how integrated into the corporate networks it becomes..
@Basic
I love your comment about the CEO. I read a few articles about CEO's using their power to fight IT for no reason and they do some pretty crazy stuff. Like the one who bought a $30 wireless router for his office so he didn't need a wire to his laptop and inadvertently allowed open access around the network firewall. Or the one who's new laptop had to be restored three times before IT got him to admit he had been 'organizing folders' on his hard drive, including the system folder (DOH!).
I hate when the people in power have no idea what they're doing.
I remember multi booting in my n810, it wasn't exactly like this, but I remember doing it.
I wonder if I can do that on my n900 when it comes.
it's a geeky idea, but i would bet it won't be practical for 95% of us gadget users.
I was just about to complain about you missing an OS on that list.....
BUT I almost forgot Maemo isn't a mobile OS, Its full blown linux distro. And the N900 isn't a Smartphone, its a "mobile computer".
Duhhhh how could I forget!?
Nice graphic. If I could load the latest OS/2 (eComstation) on a smartphone, I might actually buy one.
People already have dual booted windows mobile and android, and isn't that all anyone could want?