Over the last fifteen years of the personal computer market was the scene of fighting all three platforms. Suddenly, unexpectedly, after a year it added a fourth member. And your next personalka when (and if) you take the risk to buy it, can not be running under MS Windows, Mac OS X or Linux, as under the “frivolous» Android.
Admit it: if you do not have considered this possibility seriously, at least at the level of intuition and the subconscious idea has already been formed. And not only do you as a consumer, but also from vendors. Many manufacturers have already presented, prepare supplies or sell their Android PC, and Google, it seems, is about to announce the addition of a mobile operating system nee necessary qualities for the desktop.
However, in order. By now we can talk about the formation of the two categories of Android PC. The first involves the performance of your computer in the form of a tablet or exaggerated hybrid tablet and laptop. Its typical representative – featured in late June monoblock HP Slate 21. Its main part is a 21.5-inch Full HD-touch display, and hidden inside the chipset Tegra 4, 8 GB of flash memory, USB-interface with the ability to connect every conceivable peripheral card slot SD, Android 4.2 as the primary OS. The same or similar products already with Acer, Asus, Samsung and many others.
HP Slate 21
parallel with them developing Category 2 – devoid of micro-PC display a la Tronsmart MK908 and CompuLab Utilite. These cars are literally fit in the palm of (monitor, keyboard, mouse, of course, can and should be connected) and as long as that masquerade as “set-top boxes.” However, functionally they are hardly inferior to the first category: the same alternative (ARM) processor, the same memory, the same expansion options.
Roughly estimate the mass of such devices on the market can be published on Google statistics: approximately every twentieth copy of Android is already working with the screen, much of b lshim than the tablet screen (that is supposedly working on a PC ). And this, by the way, about 50 million units. Thus, whether we like it or not, Android PC segment already exists. But why Android is still not considered a full – that is suitable for desktop use – OSes?
The application software it in order. In Google Play has everything you need to cover the needs of an average home and office user. Web surfing and communications, office and graphics processors, multimedia for everyone, but about the games and say nothing. Contrary to the original idea of ??a platform for content consumption, Android today, and is suitable for its production. (Do not believe me? Plug the keyboard into a tablet – yes, the usual USB-or Bluetooth-keyboard! – And try to spend that day.)
little more complicated situation with the drivers of external devices, which, it seems, in the standard configuration Android trimmed to a minimum. However, the core of the system is Linux, so the task of adding new drivers is trivially solved (just by including ticks at compile time, of course, this should take care manufacturer), and the fact that HP has successfully coped with it in the Slate 21, clearly confirms this. So that the periphery should be no problem.
Tronsmart MK908
But with the user interface and the true problem. In fact, the latest version of the system are able to take the big screen. However, the management of applications running needs some work to fully use multiple programs on one screen is still not possible, many applications are not able to scale or make it ugly. Is this not the crux of the matter rejection of Android as a desktop system? And is not this imperfection is fueling the inertia of the mass consciousness? It just so happened that the average user is easier to understand the expansion of the operating system from the desktop to mobile devices than in the opposite direction.
However, against the inertia and small defects have a great drug – low price! Android PC category 1 already sold at an average retail price of $ 100 (even in Russia they are not much more expensive – and the experts, I believe, can prompt options and cheaper). Category 2 will hit the mass fall and closer to the New Year, the average price for it is $ 400. In addition, the space between them is expected to take Android-netbooks that, say, Intel sees in the neighborhood of $ 200 apiece. Such price tags in the PC world, accustomed to the four-digit numbers (in dollar terms) look particularly striking.
can only give a layman to understand that Android is ready to officially take place at home and work desks. Perhaps this will make Google – converging on July 24 for a meeting with the press Sundar Pichai, who now steers the development of Android Andy Rubin instead. Version 5.0 Key Lime Pie there, of course, will not be shown (release, probably in October), but analysts expect that Pichai tells about her functional – and in particular the normal desktop operation system. And there is little doubt that 5.0 will provide just the PC.
CompuLab Utilite
What else can interfere with Android to get out of the mobile niche? Viruses and malicious software? Hardly: PC users this will be surprised. The opponent can be a Chrome OS, the success of which in the budget devices are impressive: against the background of the continuing unprecedented downturn in PC sales Chromebooks are growing, and today, according to estimates NPD Group, in the United States, almost one in four sold budget laptop – a model running Chrome OS . They are engaged in the production or are planning to do all of the major PC-manufacturers (Acer, Asus, HP, Samsung, Lenovo, etc.). However, there comes into play the factor of habit. Android is already familiar to almost every earthling, even by hearsay, even at second hand. But about Chrome OS even heard of a few, and only accept the concept of “cloud OSes” will definitely not all. One does not need to be a prophet to predict what choices the user makes a simple, faced with the same price an d appearance devices on Android and Chrome OS.
Linux users do not want to upset (he is), but it looks as though android is destined to take place and the “desktop Linux”, which enthusiasts rave about ten years. And then, who knows, maybe, Android to press and MS Windows? The prospect should become clearer by the end of the year all speaks in favor of the New Year will be made to personalkami counters with a green little man on his side.
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