Run Android on your PC

If you are a hacker at heart and don’t have plans for this weekend, then we might just have the weekend project for you. Install Android on your PC – make that a spare PC. Good folks at android-x86 has ported the Froyo build for X86 architecture and got most of the things to work. Isn’t that something? The OS which was supposed to run on little things can be run on big things too. When was the last time iOS ran on anything bigger than an iPad?

The main goal of the project is to get Android installed on Asus EeePC, the small big thing. That goal was accomplished and is being extended to other X86 machines. Viewsonic Viewpad 10, Dell Inspiron Mini Duo, Samsung Q1U, Viliv S5 and Lenovo ThinkPad x61 Tablet are tested so far.

If you have toyed with Linux systems then you are aware that not all things will work out of the box. A little bit of tinkering is needed to get everything working. At least in the pre-Ubuntu days. Android-x86 might bring those memories back. It will be nostalgic for seasoned hackers. Audio, Camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, battery meter and external monitor are the some of the important things which are already working. The team is right now working to port Gingerbread to the X86 devices.

During the period of 2009-08-26 ~ 2011-04-02, the site of Android-x86 project received, 178,043 visits from android (9.73%). 242,275 pageviews came from android-x86 installed machines.

That’s impressive.

Bluestacks is another startup which is achieving the same result in a different way. Though with Bluestacks it will more of installing an executable and no real hacking is required. Bluestacks will send out alpha invites in Fall 2011.

Android-X86 is more than just clicking on an icon and it is not for the faint hearted. Whoever ventures into this know exactly what they are getting into. You have been warned. Now let’s gets some screenshot love from Android-X86 :

Android-X86