Android OS not an OS?

I'm pretty sure this is the wrong place to put this topic, but i havn't found a better one.
So please move it, if you know, where it belongs.

Now to the actual problem.
I'm thinking of buying a Tablet as a Christmas present and while reading up on Tablets, i kept running into some weird statements: "Make sure the Tablet has the latest version of Android." or "Make sure the manufacturer offers an update to the latest version for your Tablet."

Why would i need an updated Android from the manufacturer of the Tablet and not from Google?
When i want a new Windows, i get it from M$ and not from Asus, for instance!

Really weird! Has someone some experience with Tablets and can explain this to me?

On a sidenote: Am i able to put any OS meant for ARM CPU on a Android Tablet?

Some weeks ago I bought a samsung 10 inch tablet just as a toy. It has android 4.
I'm very impressed about what I can do with it, even without downloading a couple of apps from the google store.
My a tablet has no own internet access (needs SIM), but WLAN works like a charm.

Overall my tablet works fine. I have no knowledge about "latest andoid", that means how 2.x would work.
If you are curious, my model is galaxy 10.1 tab, and I choosed it after reading a lot of tests.
Price was around 330 € some weeks ago at Media Markt (Amazon was the same)

Some issues, e.g.
When I answer to the reboot forum, quote something, and want to delete a part of the quote: That's not possible (Or I do not know yet how to do).

Any ARM OS: No knowledge.

Test example ( a bit outdated, mentioning android 3) : http://tablets-revie...0.1-review.html

Peter

Thanks for the answer.

If Tablets turn out, not to be free like computers, but rather locked like most mobile phones.
There's no point in me looking for the best device, when hard- and software are an unseperable unit.
Better then to just ask which one they want.

Hello, supposedly you can install Ubuntu as mentioned on http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android

Why would i need an updated Android from the manufacturer of the Tablet and not from Google?

To comply with local law regulations on the place where you live and to push a lot of icons/services that you don't really need. Kind of what we get with an OEM laptop with Windows.


Then there is also an app already available but you need to root access on the machine: https://play.google....DQxMHAzMDcyOSJd

If you want to learn how to install the stock version of Android that is not touched by a manufacturer on your machine, then XDA developers is the place to visit: http://www.xda-developers.com/

Then we have our goodies like Qemu, get something like this for running Windows: https://play.google....W11bGF0b3IiXQ..

You need a USB mouse/keyboard to make any use of QEmu there.

Or DosBox: https://play.google....2lkLmRvc2JveCJd

Nuno from most of the links you've posted, i think, we might have misunderstood eachother.
I wasn't wondering if any OS could be emulated on top of Android, but if i could replace Android, if i wanted to.
Just like i can replace a preinstalled Windows with another version or a Linux or ...




btw: Other interesting statements i stumbled across:
"New Android 4 is more optimized for speed, than it's predecessors."
"Don't upgrade to Android 4 on a old Tablet with single core CPU, it will slow the Tabled considerably down."
-- both statements from the same online computer magazine --

Oh darn! I knew it!
Every new piece of technology is intended for increasingly dumber and lazier people.

Setting up an OS on a Tablet, burns down to yet another application for PE building abilities
(creating a perfectly presetup unchangeable images).

Guess i will go with letting everyone decide for themselfs, which model they want.


Thanks for the feedback guys!

"Make sure the Tablet has the latest version of Android." or "Make sure the manufacturer offers an update to the latest version for your Tablet."

Why would i need an updated Android from the manufacturer of the Tablet and not from Google?
When i want a new Windows, i get it from M$ and not from Asus, for instance!

If Tablets turn out, not to be free like computers, but rather locked like most mobile phones.
There's no point in me looking for the best device, when hard- and software are an unseperable unit.
Better then to just ask which one they want.

Yes, as you have discovered, it is not at all like a general purpose "computer", but more like a mobile phone, where the specific software is managed for a specific device. BUT, android is built on top of linux (at its core) and a javal like runtime on top of that for the applications, etc.

So, in many cases, even if a Mfg has put out a piece of HW with specific SW on it, that doesn't mean you can "jail break" (iOS lingo) or "root" the device and get access to the boot loader, etc.

For example, all the basic code of Android is "open source" and available, and there are several non-MFG specific "roms" - some geared to older devices, and some to the newer ones. Things like "CyanogenMod" are very popular.

If you want a more standard "google" experiance and more likely to have an active hacker community, go with a "Nexus" device. For example, I have a Nexus one - the Original, and now very long in the tooth. But I can still run a custom ROM on it that uses the older kernel of Linux, but has all the new JB (Jelly Bean aka 4.1.2 version of Android) on it.

Best place to explore a lot of this is the XDA community forums...http://forum.xda-dev...splay.php?f=559 for the one specific to Nexus One Development - or the main Android forums at http://forum.xda-dev...splay.php?f=564 The more popular a device, the more likely you are to find an active community and "rom support"...

But, it is NOT at all like loading Linux or Windows onto a PC...

On a sidenote: Am i able to put any OS meant for ARM CPU on a Android Tablet?

There is always the issue of HW, and it is NOT enough to just think "ARM"...It is all about the various instruction set - think trying to do virtualization on an older X86 CPU...No VTx support can be a big issue. On top of that all the different video, networking and even graphic input / touch screen drivers you need!

But a tablet does have a place going forward, and will take over more and more of what most people do for "computing" (which is to play games, read facebook/email and surf the web/video)...i.e. content consumption! and then it is a matter of preference on which eco-system you want to use...iOS, Android, or even M$ (Surface/Win8)


Scott

Hi my friend,

On my previous post you find the official ubuntu version for androids on the first link, no emulator.

The second link is a third party app that allows you to install the default ubuntu alongside with android. It is not an emulator.

The link to xda is a great resource to learn how to reinstall an original android on a great number of devices.

Please visit them. I just mention qemu and dosbox as additional info without need to do anything that risks voiding the device warranty.

I hope now my previous post is more clear.

Sorry Nuno, didn't catch that Ubuntu didn't run in a VM of some kind.

@sbaeder
I seem to belong to a dying out species, which actually uses computers, for what they are intended, doing things, so you don't have to.

Hi guys!

I got a tablet as gift and I am content on how it works! It came with Android 3.2 and I updated it to version 4. A few new settings changed and the ability to put apps in "folders" on screen. The tablet is an Motorola XOOM 2 one. I use it on wlan mostly.

And about the update question, maybe because the update comes with a notification to update from the manufacturer. And the manufacturer chooses which models go with the update and which stop at a previous version.

Had anyone tried Android X86 http://www.android-x86.org ?

android rocks
just buy new stuff ( tablet ) and use it , wait for updates , android good with or without updates

im using Insert Coin v5 on my samsung Galaxy S3 ( i9300 ) i can do anything u imagin even loading arm images like BT5

if you are on contract with company u get updates from mobile networks, if ur not u get from google

Had anyone tried Android X86 http://www.android-x86.org ?

i did coz i test android apps ( dev ) but what you want it to ? replacing ur oprating system ?

 each manufacter has its own Android version like HTC Sence for HTC etc... so the manufacterer provide you the Android of their version, google works on updating the core of android but Manufacterers works on the compability and etcs , so if there is an update from google its not necessary to be updated on your phone or tablet depends if your manufacterer provide you a custom support for your tablet/phone or not idk if you got the idea

Edited by ziadkiwan, 18 March 2013 - 03:06 PM.

@ziadkiwan (  so if there is an update from google its not necessary to be updated on your phone or tablet)

 

come on man face it the manufacture ur talking about or any of them is 0 without google so please be sure what you are talking about this's GOOGLE don't disrespect

 

you really think that Samsung or htc or any tablet manufacture will success without ( Google's android )  ? oh i forget Symbian Nokia has offered there building for sale and re rent it

 

you know what i like that part of a movie called ( Glengarry Glen Ross) where alpacino say's "You never open your mouth until you know what the shot is"

@ziadkiwan (  so if there is an update from google its not necessary to be updated on your phone or tablet)

 

come on man face it the manufacture ur talking about or any of them is 0 without google so please be sure what you are talking about this's GOOGLE don't disrespect

 

you really think that Samsung or htc or any tablet manufacture will success without ( Google's android )  ? oh i forget Symbian Nokia has offered there building for sale and re rent it

 

you know what i like that part of a movie called ( Glengarry Glen Ross) where alpacino say's "You never open your mouth until you know what the shot is"

yeah i know that, but thats the fact, because google provide the core and the manufacterers provide the device support and compability