Developers to get native x86 version of Android 2.2 this summer?
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted June 28th 2010 11:51AM
posted June 28th 2010 11:51AM
We knew that Intel had designs on Android for its Moorestown CPU, and as you might have guessed, the company's plans don't stop there. Renee James, a Senior VP at Intel, recently said as much in a conversation with APC. Apparently, devs can look forward to seeing a fully native x86 version of Froyo at some point this summer. James goes on to say that "all of the code will be fed back into the open branch that will be created for x86." Awesome! Perhaps 2011 will see a yet another flood of generic, Atom-powered Android tablets. Because we don't see enough generic Android tablets as it is.
Will Froyo run Windows 7 ? ;)
@Andrew Jones
What?
@Andrew Jones
Lol wut?!
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i Tell me how Oblivion is this time of year!
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i Sorry, this message did not reach it's intended audience please hold your mouse with your right hand whilst making sure not to touch the edges of your keyboard.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
Trolling Troll is Trolling.
@okok only Apple Fanboys bought i
You've been banned under the names Android looks hacked together, Account5, Fragmented, Because it's not Google, kid300 just admit androids ugly, and others. Please go away.
@Andrew Jones HuH?
@Jacob1
Yeah well... last night i was hookin up with a super model and it did nothing for me. She pulled out her EVO and 8 hours later here i am. How good? That good!
Chrome OS fail. Google should just give up on it and integrate the features it offers into Android. Google could even make a dual boot solution so that Android by default boots up in a limited Chrome OS mode but you just hit a button and continue loading full Android.
x86 Android doesn't make much sense unless it does some binary translation for apps that exist or special versions will have to be made for every single app. Chrome OS gets round this so I think they need to merge the tech.
Let's say I want to install this to a laptop. Like the first Asus EEEPC. How do I put in drivers for the hardware?
@arashed31
You say pretty please.
"Perhaps 2011 will see a flood of generic, Atom-powered Android tablets."
So it's 2011 now? Where were those tablets from CES?
@pika2000 What's it like in the future? Did they fix the oil spill yet?
@pika2000
Yes I thought it was curious that he said:
"Because we don't see enough generic Android tablets as it is."
I would agree with that statement, without the sarcasm. There still hasn't been an Android tablet that looks like it would be a good buy, so as far as I'm concerned, they can keep pumping out new models until they get it right.
@pika2000 Currently, they reside in the land of vapor...
They seriously need to get on the ball and release some of these. I'm tired of apple being the only game in town.
@pika2000 It would be better if the tablets had ARM CPUs if they were going to run Android. Atom is good, though for Android based tablets... x86 is a little unnecessary.
More importantly, we'll get software that scales from mobile phone to tablets to netbooks almost immediately. And then Android desktop widgets for Windows PCs. Macs will become totally irrelevant.
@Bosco That's unlikely as developing for such a wide range of hardware will be come very complex. All windows and controls will have to be able to support every resolution and screen size. Developers would have to add special-case code to make sure everything fits properly on a smartphone and nothing looks smashed-together on a netbook. Among other things.
@SirSpam
Variable screen sizes are not an issue after Android 1.6. I have an entourage edge. (dual 10 inch LCD and eInk screens). Anything properly written for Android 1.6 will automatically open and use the full 10" LCD screen. In fact it is not technically difficult (for Android programmers) to make most 1.5 programs work properly on a large screen. It amounts to changing a couple values in a file and repackaging the APK.
@kenjennings
That isn't entirely true--it's more than a few values--but yes, applications are constructed to fit any size screen (although the smaller the screen, the tougher it becomes.)
x86 architecture has been traditionally bad for battery performance, how does Intel get 10 hour battery life on tablets? I would not bet too much on Intel delivering much with x86
@dementedacademic
From the looks of it Moorestown is on par with current generations of ARM SoCs when it comes to performance and battery life.
Hence 10 hour runtimes on a tablet shouldn't be an issue.
@dementedacademic
What? You use all your comp 10hrs continuously? What sexy movie did you watch, hook me up dude.
I am really hoping to see a good Android based tablet to come out by the holidays. Atom or not
@JXCGunrunna
yep. preferably running 2.2 as well. fingers crossed.
I will have to make do with my Dell Streak
@atc9000 Streak is excellent for a first go from Dell. Am just looking for a good bluetooth folding keyboard.
@Oflife Yes its good, loads better than my SE x10i, had bluetooth mouse on it and well it worked.
This is relevant to my internets.
Yeeeeeeeha!
Wow, so many good Android news in so little time. I'm liking this
Should be fun in a VM...
@CountDooku You can already do it :P http://code.google.com/p/live-android/
Just give me an image that I can run in VMWare or such.
> Because we don't see enough generic Android tablets as it is.
Sigh, I wish that were actually ironic, which in fact it isn't. You know, there is a difference between ANNOUNCED products and actually AVAILABLE products. How many Android tablets can you currently actually buy in the US?
This + Chrome Native Client = Android in a browser (aka even tighter phone-computer integration).
[[. Because we don't see enough generic Android tablets as it is.]]
Why be snarky about this??? an x86 version pulls the larger manufacturers with intel partnerships into the fold = higher quality devices.
@everyone does
Because it is not an apple product. Like all things engadget, Apple is praised to the high council, while everything android is redundant. It appears that engadget only praises android when it is about a new phone device, dozens of off brand tablets is overkill for them i suppose?
Now that we are starting to see bigger names play a role in bringing Android to the masses, it appears that too many tablets is the thing to bitch about.
@Leachpunk I can't help but agree with you here. Despite claims to the contrary, you can actually "feel" the spin and bias when browsing through articles on both Apple and Android.
TBH, I've been reading Engadget for long enough to recognize that not all the writing staff operate in this way, but unfortunately the majority do... seemingly by directive.
But we all know Josh isn't a biased Apple fan, right?
@Leachpunk
I beg to differ.. Engadget was very much into the joojoo.. until they got it, and all the announcements went up in smoke.. they were very much into the courier , hp slate, anything they can take picture of or write about..
the problem is, apple is currently the only one who actually made it.. a tablet that doesn't get warm, works for 10 hours, have a 10" touch screen that works and can show videos just fine. When someone will come up with that I'm sure engadget will not say "apple is still the one". but, apparently, you need apple to get apple level products.. as much as it hurts some people, having some off-US company like HTC will just not make it - and mind you, I am not american.
I know, it sucks, but maybe with intel things will get better (just god , please not the atom)
Think this would be a great first step to an Android desktop app. Wouldn't it be great if you could have Android running in a vm and integrated with your existing desktop? Put Android widgets on your desktop. Run Android apps quickly alongside your regular apps.
Why do this? These apps are lightweight, and have highly optimized single purpose interfaces. They work especially well for data feeds like social networks, rss, stocks, etc. I keep my phone by my desktop and use it for some things my desktop can do, just because my phone can do it faster and easier. So why not let my desktop take advantage of all of that?
So obviously this will be able to run Dalvik-based apps with no problem. Is Intel releasing an ARM to x86 translator for the apps built with the native SDK?
What is the POINT? This will further fragment the entire planet and then no one will live anymore because the super market is out of bacon.
It's about damn time! I couldn't use the 2.1 emulator because it was too slow on my computer. It took 30 seconds for each click to register! ARM code emulation does not run well on a Core Duo.
So what is chromeOS now really?
It's obviously not something the x86 developers are interested in lest they'd have already gotten themselves the source and all but released products with it ala chromium os
So really why would Dell want that when they have this android os with 60,000 apps ready to go!?
Android on tablets aside... i'm still waiting patiently for a kick-ass
Android PMP... something on par with an iPod Touch... why not?
i already have one in my virtualbox but its slow!
@Motwera
running a 2.1 build I can hit 45+MFlops in linpack in virtualbox, maybe you should just get a faster computer.
@jmhalder i had a netbook , i may run it natively