Ubuntu via Canonical just announced a new project to combines the popular Linux Operating System with the most popular smartphone OS, Android. The project called as Ubuntu for Android where the idea is that a phone will run both operating systems with same linux kernel to run side by side.
However it likes Motorola’s webtop that lets you dock certain Motorola smartphones into a multimedia dock or laptop docking station. You can access a light-weight Linux OS and full Firefox browser than. But the Ubuntu for Android project more powerful because provide access to a fully functional OS with a number preloaded apps including photo and video players and video editor, PiTiVi.
When you dock the phone into a docking station than plug in monitor, keyboard, and mouse you will have a full Ubuntu Linux desktop environment to help you enjoy the desktop experience. Once you pull the phone from docking station, you will have the finger friendly Android Operating System.
The advantage from this project is you can access shared storage and other features including a new way to access documents whether you are using Android or Ubuntu. That’s mean, you will no longer need to sync anything. It will save your time if you frequently sync between the desktop and smartphone. Also the address book and Android calendar data are shared. Than you can even answer calls or reply to SMS messages while using Ubuntu. If the project successful, perhaps in next a few years, some PC’s in office will disappear with Monitor, keyboard, and mouse remained.
Ubuntu for Android able to run on smartphones with 1 Ghz dual core processors with hardware video acceleration, 2GB disk space, 512Mb RAM, USB host mode, and HDMI output. With those specifications, Ubuntu for Android needs new monitor with HDMI support and new keyboard and mouse with USB.
But this project will have some competitors from the Android phone manufacturer, they will release its application like Motorola webtop. And perhaps, if the market happy with this solution, Motorola will ask their developer to re-engineering the webtop or launch new product with more powerful feature to compete Ubuntu for Android.
