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Samsung’s Android-Powered Notebook Coming in Next Few Months

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Samsung is reported to be prepping for a launch of an Android-powered notebook, or ‘AndroidBook’ as the devices are now dubbed, for launch in the next few months. There has been speculations recently that Google and its partners are working to bring the power of the Android operating system to the clamshell notebook or laptop form factor, but those efforts won’t debut in time for the Google I/O developer conference that’s scheduled for this week as the launch of the next-generation Android 5.0 operating system has been delayed. Samsung will try to get a jump start ahead of the Android 5.0 AndroidBook push by launching its own model in advance of Google’s debut of Android 5.0.

If this intelligence is correct, that means that Google will have two competing operating systems in the notebook form factor that could make it confusing for consumers. Google already has Chrome OS that’s powering current generations of Chromebooks, and an AndroidBook would definitely compete in this same segment. In the past, when asked if the Internet search giant intends on bringing its Chrome OS to tablets, the company had stated that Android was specifically designed for phones and tablets while Chrome OS was for the keyboard and mouse form factor. That said, the lines are blurring recently if an AndroidBook is in the works and with Chrome code referencing tablet features like screen rotation.

outletpc_2261_122352445Android Book – Android Book won’t be introduced at the upcoming Google I/O as development of Android 5.0, which is targeted at NB, is incomplete. We think Android Book featuring Android.4x will be rolled out in the coming 3-4 months because some brand vendors, like Samsung (Korea), want to move first. But shipments will be limited as the current Android OS isn’t well supported for laptops.

9to5 Google is reporting that Samsung will be jumping the gun by introducing its AndroidBook with Android 4.x Jelly Bean rather than Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. This news gives us a few things to digest.

First, Android 5.0’s main feature will be better support for keyboard and mouse form factors that are mainly used by clamshell notebooks. This means that Android 3.0 Honeycomb debuted the first tablet support for the OS, Android 4.0 unified tablet and smartphone platforms, and now Android 5.0 will introduce the first support for notebooks.

Second, this isn’t the first time that Samsung has jumped the gun. After Apple had debuted the original first generation iPad, Samsung quickly introduced a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 slate that introduced a portable form factor and voice calling for international markets. Google reacted negatively to Samsung’s over-enthusiasm for the tablet market by saying that Android, at that time, wasn’t made for tablets. All was patched between the two companies when Google debuted Android 3.0 and Samsung had moved on to introduce the Galaxy Tab 10.1. It seems that Samsung is moving faster than Google with the AndroidBook form factor once again if it jumps the gun and launches its own hardware efforts ahead of the Android 5.0 release.

However, this won’t be the first notebook design running Android. There have been other efforts in the past, and Asus had popularized the hybrid form factor with a detachable tablet display with its Transformer Pad series. It’s unclear at this time if Samsung will debut a hybrid form factor, like Asus’ Transformer Pad, or a standalone non-convertible notebook design. Samsung still doesn’t offer a hybrid product in the Android family like the Transformer Pad.

This shouldn’t be too surprising given that Intel had hinted that sub-$200 notebooks and tablets are arriving on the market with its new, more powerful, and energy efficient Atom processor.

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, an updated Nexus 7 will be the headline of the Google I/O show. However, Google and its partners are working behind the scenes on new products, including an AndroidBook, a smartwatch, and an Apple TV competitor.

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Ronald Geiken

    05/13/2013 at 10:58 am

    Several years ago I installed Android 4.0.3 in my ASUS Netbook with it’s own self contained keyboard. It originally came with W7 which I like in my Desktop and Laptop with i7 processors and 6 and 8 gig of ram. On a Netbook with an Atom processor and 2 gig of ram and W7 32 bit, not too much. Netbooks probably worked better with XP, but never got a chance to try that O/S with one. My Android 4.0.3 installation was a kludge that I discovered on the Internet. After playing with it for a while, I finally got it installed. The Android for me at least worked much better than the original W7. I used it with a dual boot to Android or W7, but rarely used W7 on it after Android was installed. W7 64 bit is fine but 32 bit is lacking. There is too much background work going on in W7, and the 2 gig of ram just couldn’t keep up. It sure wasn’t a multitasking set up. One thing at a time with that get up. I finally gave it away and it is still uses with Android, since I wanted a fully compatible Android tablet which I have now in my Nexus 10. For Seniors, a Nexus 10 with a large screen monitor is a great set up. I have 27 inch HP monitor and it is so easy to use that anyone would be happy with something like that.

  2. kateperry

    05/13/2013 at 3:41 pm

    One other new hybrid model to be released this month is the Hummingbird PX103 by Aocos Electronics — and this “Transformer style” 10-inch device includes a hard cover with a reverse side built-in keyboard that easily snaps into place. The PX103 is the third edition of this device and offers an excellent build quality, with impressive features for a mid-range tablet… spec wise includes the latest Rockchip Quad Core processor and an HD 1280×800 IPS screen; along with Bluetooth 4.0 (works with built-in keyboard), HDMI – 4K, quality dual cameras, a 7000 mAh battery, Android 4.2.2 and Google Play… it offers an ultra-thin 9.6mm profile and weighs in at only 1.4lbs… and is priced competitively at $249 — it also is one of the first tablets to work with the new Miracast HD Wireless adapter-dongle ($35) which marks the first time an HD Wireless system to an HDTV is available for under $100… and compares to Apple’s Airplay device… allowing users to stream HD movies and video, display any tablet content and also use a tablet as a control device to play video games on an HDTV.

    One of the first U.S. sellers to carry this model is a site called TabletSprint — a 3G – HSPA+ edition of the Hummingbird is also expected in June.

  3. Wing Ferrell

    05/15/2013 at 4:35 am

    It is great to know that Android powered notebook will coming, we are eager to use this with hoping that it will fulfill of our requirements. I am always impressed with all updation of Google for community purpose.

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