Ever wish you could run Android on your PC as your operating system? Well, you may be able to soon because that is exactly what a new Kickstarter project is trying to do.
Console OS is bringing Android to desktops to allow users to toggle between Windows and Android.
“We’ve taken Android apart and put it back together for your PC. Console OS is a fork of Android designed to take everything that has made mobile awesome, and bring it back to your PC,” according to the Kickstarter page.
To run Console OS, all a user needs to do is install it onto their desktop’s hard drive or run it from an external USB drive. It provides a window manager for Android, a hypervisor to toggle between native Windows and native Android, console remote access, codecs, media playback support, native DVR support, built-in media server, a file manager, and premium maps with enhanced turn-by-turn directions.
The operating system will also be available for tablets. “Tablets today come on x86 and ARM. But, they only run Windows. Or, they only run Android. You shouldn’t have to buy two identical tablets to do one job,” according to the Kickstarter page.
The OS, developed by Mobile Media Ventures, is trying to reach a goal of US$50,000 by Aug. 11 to make dual processing a reality. If the goal is reached, Console OS Developer Release 1 will be shipped by Sept. 10. Console OS Pro 1 is expected to be available by December. It will cost about $20 a year, but the organization will be offering it free for life to a limited amount of Kickstarter backers.
(Related: OS architecture puts iOS apps on Android)
“We hope that ecosystem players (here’s looking at you, Google) embrace and support our innovation,” wrote the company on its Kickstarter page. “We don’t expect too much pushback, but it is a potential risk when doing anything with Android. The beauty of Console OS being so disruptive is there’s potential for all kinds of interesting relationships.”
Currently, the OS will support a variety of desktops and tablets from ASUS, Dell, iConsole, Intel, Lenovo, Sager, Sony, System76 and Toshiba. If the organization receives enough backing, they plan to add support for Macintosh and Surface Pro in the future.
“Same hardware, different operating systems, living in harmony,” the organization wrote on its Kickstarter page.
More information can be found here.