Google’s source code for Android 4.0.1 (Ice Cream Sandwich) has now been released for x86 processors, Intel and AMD alike. It seems there are currently some very obvious compatibility bugs that don’t play nicely with Intel chipsets. Sound, ethernet, hardware acceleration, and camera capabilities are currently incompatible. However, developers coding for AMD processors will find that sound, hardware acceleration and WiFi work perfectly fine.
Now that x86 is practically supported by Ice Cream Sandwich, Android’s growth potential remains strong in this area. X86 processor’s within tablets such as the Intel ATOM haven’t seen much love from Android lately, but I do believe support will grow – especially now that AMD plans to put fourth more work into their tablet market. As for running Android on your desktop at home, I’m not sure how much “fun” that would be. Maybe if your rig sported a capacitive touchscreen monitor it would be a bit more practical.
To go about installing the source code, just follow Google’s directions below to access the repo. And even more lucky for those of you working on MSI’s Brazo Tablet, the image file has been uploaded to their source page.
Hi all, The ics-x86 branch based on Android 4.0.1 is ready.
You may download the source as usual: $ repo init -u git://git.android-x86.org/manifest.git -b ics-x86
$ repo sync or from the SourceForge mirror $ repo init -u git://android-x86.git.sf.net/gitroot/android-x86/x86/platform/manifest.git
-b ics-x86
$ repo sync
[via 9to5Google and Android-x86]
Does not work with Intel CPU.
Not to mention, this is not an official Google project. I’ve been extremely impressed by the Android x86 developers, but it is not an official Google branch. Won’t stop me from trying it once Android becomes a legitimate replacement from a desktop OS, but to say “that x86 is practically supported by Ice Cream Sandwich” is just completely wrong. Google has not, as of yet, produced any Android code that is x86 in-nature.
All the best,
-HG