Ubuntu for Android

It's a high-end phone AND a desktop computer in one and it's coming soon to enhance your work and personal life. What you get is the ability to simply dock your phone and it will become a laptop or desktop computer.

With Ubuntu for Android you get the best of both - the worlds most popular open source mobile operating system running alongside the worlds most popular free desktop operating system. Neither operating system is watered-down or scaled-back, you get the full featured versions of both. This is Ubuntu and Android working side-by-side in harmony.

A docked Android for Ubuntu phone

How it Works

When you dock the phone Ubuntu will start-up. When you un-dock the phone Ubuntu will still store it's data, but all the processing power gets directed back to Android. You don't ever get a sluggish mobile experience caused by Ubuntu.

Watch this short video to see how it works "in terms your grandma could understand" (their words not mine haha).

Ubuntu runs alongside Android and it can be added to phones already in development with ease.

They each run from a single Linux kernel so they can run at the same time creating a seamless switch from mobile to desktop and back again. The only real physical requirement is that the phone has HDMI docking capability and can accept a USB (or probably Bluetooth) keyboard and mouse, and those have become commonplace in smartphones.

Why a PC in a Phone Makes Complete Sense

Most of us use our phones for work, to keep in touch, to take and view photos and to entertain ourselves with videos or games and we use our PCs for the very same things! Ubuntu took that realization and they ran with it.

They made their desktop operating system work on Android hardware.

This is what the incoming call dialogue looks like when in desktop mode.Android and Ubuntu both share a single set of files and information. Your contacts, emails, messages, internet connection, videos and music are all available within each OS. If you get a message or phone call while in desktop mode then an on-screen notification will appear - allowing you to read the message or answer the call without having to switch to phone mode. Even your social networking credentials like Facebook and Google+ are synced between both systems.

Portable clam shell docks will be available to turn the phone into a laptop while your on the go or you can use a standard dock to use it as a desktop PC.

Benefits

People demand a lot from a desktop computer. I needs to be fast, responsive, have access to email, the internet and good applications. It needs to be able to do all these things... at once. With multi-core phones becoming the norm power will never be a problem Ubuntu for Android faces and instead (is likely to) drive production of faster phones with more cores and memory than ever.

Benefits of Android

You get all the benefits that come from Android - with it's touch input and mobile focused interface.

• All the brilliant apps of Android.
• High-speed Mobile Internet capability.
• Google developed OS and software.

Benefits of Ubuntu

• Ubuntu is the worlds biggest free operating system. It's reached that level because it's the most supported and developed for Linux distribution there is.
• You get desktop level apps with the portability of a smartphone.
• It comes with only the best programs pre-installed: with a full suite of apps for office tasks, browsing and email, media and social networking. Plus there's plenty of choice when it comes to other programs - almost all of which are free.
• Ubuntu is secure. Ubuntu pushes out more security updates for their free software than any of it's competitors.

Where it Could be Used

Ubuntu for Android is a the worlds first full productivity office suite for mobile so it obviously has a place in an office environment and would be the ideal solution for any tele-worker. Ubuntu is already the most popular choice as a Windows replacement within enterprise and office environments so Ubuntu for Android is only a small jump with amazing benefits.

Ubuntu hopes to open up the market for computer and internet access in the developing economies - where there is has been little access to it before. That would make Ubuntu mobiles some of these user's first ever PCs and open up an entire new market for businesses to explore.

What Are Your Thoughts?

How do you think having a powerful desktop computer with the portability of a mobile phone will improve your everyday life?

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