Jide Technology may be a relative newbie when it comes to the game of software development, but the company is starting to make a name for itself, especially with the introduction of its Remix operating system for the PC.
Jide announced on Monday that it is ready to release the Beta version of the Remix OS for public download on the company's website on March 1. This new version features several bug fixes to the Alpha version that was unveiled earlier in the year, as well as better device compatibility and support for 32-bit systems.
The Remix OS
Considered as the Android version for personal computers, Remix presents users with a program that combines the ease-of-use of the Google-made OS with the look and feel of a Windows or Chrome OS.
Remix has a start menu, where users can access all of the programs installed on the PC, and a notification tray that can be swiped in from the right side of the screen, much like the one featured in Microsoft's Windows 10 and Apple's OS X.
Users can activate their various apps, such as Facebook, Instagram or even Microsoft Word, using separate windows or the full screen of the computer, as they are compatible with the Remix OS.
When the Alpha version of the Remix OS was made downloadable in January, people balked at the idea of how steep the required hardware specifications were in order to run the program. It was also limited to operating only through legacy BIOS booting and 64-bit devices.
To broaden the reach of Remix, the developers made the Beta version of the operating system more compatible with 32-bit computers, particularly older models that still use 32-bit Intel mobile chips.
They've also made setting up the OS on a computer much easier. Users can now simply connect the new installer directly to a PC's hard drive to have Remix installed without losing the original operating system.
Remix's over-the-air updates have also been improved, which eliminates the need for users to download a new image for the OS in order to have it updated.
"Thanks to the support and feedback from our generous community, we've been able to speed up the development of the Beta version," Jide Technology co-founder David Ko said. "Now with OTA software update support, users can begin to rely on Remix OS for more daily activities without the worry of a new update wiping their data."
People who will download the Remix OS Beta version will notice that the program does not come equipped with Google Play Store or Play Services. The developers said that Google is still in the middle of testing the new operating system.
