Qualcomm Demos Eee PC 'Smartbook' Running Android
Linked by snydeq on Mon 1st Jun 2009 16:27 UTC
Google Qualcomm showed off a previously unannounced Eee PC running Android at Computex in Taipei. The machine has a 10-inch screen, built-in webcam, and a universal 3G radio that supports all UMTS and CDMA networks on all frequencies used around the world. The 'smartbook' runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon, a 1GHz ARM processor core that marks a shift away from Intel Atom x86-based netbooks. A second Android-based netbook -- a prototype by contract hardware maker Compal Electronics -- was also demoed at the show. Google, meanwhile, declined to discuss what steps it is taking to adapt the smartphone OS for laptops.
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RE: Left hand meet right hand
by kaiwai on Mon 1st Jun 2009 20:34 UTC in reply to "Left hand meet right hand"
kaiwai
Member since:
2005-07-06

Snapdragon is an ARM chip and thus not x86 compatible. Therefore Windows (the desktop line - I know about and am ignoring CE) will not run on it (unless MS have been doing what Apple did and maintaining versions of Windows for different processors - just in case)

So if Asus/Eee are planning a new completely non-windows ARM based device, what is this all about http://www.osnews.com/story/21589/Asus_Microsoft_Launch_Anti-Linux_...

A case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing?


Or the case of someone putting up a website which has no association with ASUS - I've seen many websites in the past trying to pass themselves off as Microsoft websites when in reality they're nothing more than pathetic resellers trying to boost their sales through dodgy marketing tactics. Given that the website is registered to a 'Michael Sharp' to which the phone number provided on the whois cannot be verified and the address given doesn't give a specific organisation given that the address has something like 14 business operating from it - I doubt it has any link back to ASUS.

As for ARM processors; they need to get Flash working, without flash and some decent CODEC support for music and video, its going to be 'epic fail'. The problem that I see is that if ASUS does ship this, they'll try to do it on the cheap and thus have missing key components to make the internet experience alot more pleasant.

Reply Parent Score: 2

WereCatf Member since:
2006-02-15

As for ARM processors; they need to get Flash working, without flash and some decent CODEC support for music and video, its going to be 'epic fail'. The problem that I see is that if ASUS does ship this, they'll try to do it on the cheap and thus have missing key components to make the internet experience alot more pleasant.

Adobe Flash does exist for ARM processors already AFAIK, and they could always use Gnash as a backup. And FFMPEG supports almost every codec out there and what it doesn't support can be found in other packages. I don't have that Win32codecs package installed on my Linux at all yet everything I've thrown at my Linux has worked just peachy.

But yeah, given ASUS's bad track record at actually doing any decent job at anything their product will most likely not be anything spectacular.

Reply Parent Score: 2

kaiwai Member since:
2005-07-06

Adobe Flash does exist for ARM processors already AFAIK, and they could always use Gnash as a backup. And FFMPEG supports almost every codec out there and what it doesn't support can be found in other packages. I don't have that Win32codecs package installed on my Linux at all yet everything I've thrown at my Linux has worked just peachy.

But yeah, given ASUS's bad track record at actually doing any decent job at anything their product will most likely not be anything spectacular.


Even if they shipped FFMPEG, they would still have to pay royalties for using patented CODECS, and the win32codecs package is of questionable legality; so I don't see either solution being used let alone Asus trying to get Gnash working considering that Gnash is still far from being in a stable and useful state (non-feature complete).

As for the ARM version, they Arm version is a cut down version of Flash so it isn't equal to the full desktop version of it. What Arm needs is the fully fledged Flash that is available on the desktop and not some cut down mobile phone version which is missing key features which some developers are sure to use.

Asus when it comes to making hardware is ok - I have a Eee PC and as happy as larry, and when it comes to installing turn key solutions that require them to make no effort in terms of customisation they seem to do an ok job at it; btw, I am doing a report on the Eeepc which I bought, lots of praise for it btw when it comes to using it as a netbook. I just hope that maybe in a couple of years some of the rough edges of Linux will be smoothed - but lets be honest though, the focus on the desktop by a single vendor with some dollars.

Reply Parent Score: 2

Read more of this thread... >
memson Member since:
2006-01-01

Flash 9 runs on the N800 - ARM LINUX based.

Reply Parent Score: 2

lemur2 Member since:
2007-02-17

As for ARM processors; they need to get Flash working, without flash and some decent CODEC support for music and video, its going to be 'epic fail'. The problem that I see is that if ASUS does ship this, they'll try to do it on the cheap and thus have missing key components to make the internet experience alot more pleasant.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnash
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swfdec

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTASC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_for_Linux

All available as source code.

Even certain parts of Adobe's own Flash code are available as open source code for free.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/01/adobe_flash_builder_catalys...

Flash is not anyhwere near the problem that you seem to think it may be.

As for codecs ... open source has a zillion of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libavcodec

This is the codec library used by the best media player available, also open source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLC_media_player

Also not a problem. Out-of-the-box codec support on open source systems is better than that on proprietary systems.

Edited 2009-06-01 23:37 UTC

Reply Parent Score: 2

kaiwai Member since:
2005-07-06

As for ARM processors; they need to get Flash working, without flash and some decent CODEC support for music and video, its going to be 'epic fail'. The problem that I see is that if ASUS does ship this, they'll try to do it on the cheap and thus have missing key components to make the internet experience alot more pleasant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnash
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swfdec

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTASC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_for_Linux

All available as source code.


To which you ignore the issues raised by the first reply to my post - but hey, you keep replying because you like the sound of your voice - or more correctly, the appearance of your own sentences.

Even certain parts of Adobe's own Flash code are available as open source code for free.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/01/adobe_flash_builder_catalys...

Flash is not anyhwere near the problem that you seem to think it may be.


Which is useless because the plugin is still closed source.

As for codecs ... open source has a zillion of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libavcodec

This is the codec library used by the best media player available, also open source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLC_media_player

Also not a problem. Out-of-the-box codec support on open source systems is better than that on proprietary systems.


As I said in response to the first paragraph, you ignore the reply to the first reply in favour of wanting to see your own text. I addressed a number of the raised - and yet you ignore that post in favour of wanting to post something already addressed.

No cookie for you, try again.

Edited 2009-06-02 04:43 UTC

Reply Parent Score: 1