Last year, software company Jide released the Remix Mini, the first true Android PC in the world. Now, it prepares to bring the Android OS to a larger platform of computers.
Developers that crafted Remix OS announced that an x86 version of the operating system is now available, urging owners of yesterday's PCs and Macs to give it a go, for no charge.
Ben Woods, from TheNextWeb, says that he was pleasantly surprised about Remix Mini during tests. He notes that the real joy was using the functional Android OS, which is well optimized and intuitive for new users.
"It's what Chrome OS should be: productivity-focused and instantly familiar, with full support for Android apps from the Google Play store," says Woods.
Jide acknowledges that users in the developing markets sometimes lack access to their own PC device. Remix OS comes in handy in these situations, as it can be carried around on a USB stick and users may simply plug it into any computer and continue their work from there.
According to the company, all that is needed to run the Android-based OS on a PC are: a USB 3.0 stick that can handle FAT32 formatting with at least 8 GB of storage space, and a PC that can allow you to boot directly from the USB flash drive. It is also recommended that the flash drive has a writing speed of more than 20 MB/s.
Jide explains that Remix OS wants to increase the accessibility to personal computing, especially in the developing world where the number of PCs per capita is still rather low.
"Individuals will no longer need to rely on personal desktops or laptops to create, store, and manage data," Jide affirms.
For those who are in the vicinity of an Internet café, a community center or a library, Remix OS can provide a very affordable alternative to owning their own PC. All they need to invest in is the USB 3.0 flash drive.
"Remix OS for PC is free to download, free to install, and free to use. [...] The updates are free as well," clears Jide.
The new OS might revitalize seasoned AMD or Intel-based PC systems that are nothing more than dust-gatherers at the moment. The company hinted that even some of the not-so-recent Macs will get a new life after installing the Remix OS.
There are many options coming from the 1.6 million Android apps, ranging from work to entertainment. From school work to office productivity and from binge watching TV shows to playing Android games, the ecosystem offers its users a wide array of opportunities.
The current framework of Remix OS 2.0 is the Android Lollipop, but the near future will bring an updated Marshmallow structure with all the bells and whistles of the latest Android OS. Setting the new OS is both easy and safe. After finishing the installation process, users may start exploring the Android potential of their computer or continue using the native operating system.
Starting Jan. 12, users will be able to download the alpha build of Remix OS directly from Jide or project partner Android-x86.
If you are the kind of user who likes alternatives, check out this list of Android PC sticks that compete with Remix Mini and with Remix OS, implicitly.
