Intel jumping Android bandwagon

[jussi69]

Intel is happily bringing latest Android to its devices. To me this indicates Intel is ditching MeeGo.

http://apcmag.com/intel-preps-android-froyo-x86-for-netbooks-and-slates.htm

[attila77]

Intel also did Moblin/Linux drivers and that does not mean they are ditching Windows (nor MacOS).

X86 Android is especially interesting for them as it can open a line of attack on ARM as almost all Android devices are currently using ARM.

[ysss]

Intel is just a player.. he's pimpin Android while waiting for MeeGo to turn legal :D

[microe]

Wow, big leap. Especially since Intel has long been OS agnostic. Saying that they will do a port for their own processor of another platform (BTW, it is the same OS for MeeGo and for Android) is just more the same from Intel. When Intel fires the staff they are paying to work on MeeGo, then I will believe they are ditching MeeGo.

Since we are going to make wild assumptions, I am going to say that since Intel is going to port Android to x86 it indicates that Intel is going to give me a pony. *closes eyes and crosses fingers*

[Bundyo]

Yeah... Intel will officially preview MeeGo, then 2 weeks later will ditch it for Android...

Intel sells hardware, remember? It will put whatever OS on it that will help the sales. Android is just one of them.

[Laughing Man]

Specifically Intel sells chips (among other things.. I don't think they sell full hardware units). So anything that helps their sales they'll work with.

More Android devices using X86 chips = more profit for Intel.
More Meego devices using X86 chips = more profit for Intel
More (insert name here) devices using X86 chips = more profit for Intel

[fnordianslip]

it indicates that Intel is going to give me a pony. *closes eyes and crosses fingers*
Would you like your pony in 32 or 64 bits?

[ndi]

If it's in bits, it's no longer a pony?

[onethreealpha]

pony in bits?
= Godfather remake
= soap

[festivalnut]

if intel are merely supplying the hardware its no real problem having them sleep around behind meego's back, infact since a lot of the problems porting games etc to n900 seem to arise from the x86 > arm translation/emulation/jiggery-pokery then a compatible processor across platforms may just work in our favour, no?

[windows7]

wasn't apple recently trying to take over arm processors?

[ysss]

@windows7: it was just a rumor. there's not much strategic point in owning ARM itself, since they can already license ARM's technologies to be used in their products.

I think they may have also calculated that the effect of buying ARM to block its technology to their rivals is much too expensive (paying off legal fees, public backlash, gov't investigation, etc) than the diminishing benefit they may get out of it.

[attila77]

I think they may have also calculated that the effect of buying ARM to block its technology to their rivals is much too expensive (paying off legal fees, public backlash, gov't investigation, etc) than the diminishing benefit they may get out of it.

If Apple buys ARM, it’s going to be party night in Santa Clara (Intel HQ) and two years later we’d be all using Intel chips (except iPeople, obviously). But anyway, I would think Apple learned the ’niche CPU’ lesson with PowerPC processors and while may be eager to do custom jobs like the A4, it would not try to take on ARM as a whole, not because it can’t, but because it’s not worth it.

[tswindell]

and because Apple wouldn't be able to, do you think if some company could just walk into Cambridge and buy ARM they would have done it by now? I can't really see any benefit buying such a company, if the only reason is to stop ARM licensing chips for other manufacturers then the company would die instantly. Many jobs would be lost and the company would stop functioning as it is.

[microe]

Would you like your pony in 32 or 64 bits?

I want it to be a 64-bit unicorn pony with 8 hooves!