Android OS for PC

Did you know that there is a version of Android OS for PC now? Read this article to know all about how to use Android OS on your personal computer.

Google's answer to Symbian and iOS is Android. It is a Linux avatar specifically designed for mobile phones. The Linux pedigree means that portability is inherent in this operating system. Very few people in Android fan communities know that Android OS for PC has been a reality since August, 2009. The developer team of Android launched a live CD for computer users, where they could test the prowess of this new operating system. If you are wondering how to install and use Android OS for PC, you have landed on the right page. Here I provide step by step instructions on how to get Android running on your PC.

The concept of a live CD lets you test an operating system, despite of having a fully functional installed operating system on your PC. So people who are thinking of switching to a new operating system, can check it out before they decide to completely migrate over to it.

If you feel like testing the Android OS, before buying an Android phone, getting a live CD or live USB version and running it, is the best way to test it. Making this live CD or live USB version available was one way of increasing the credibility of the operating system among the masses.

How to Get Android OS for PC?

So how and where can you get Android for PC setup? Like all developers of the Linux open source community, the Android team has made the live CD version, as well as the live USB version available on its official website. Visit the Live Android home page to download the setup files of live versions. Either download it directly from the website or from any of its mirrors spread all over the world.

You could either download the live CD version or the live USB version. Know that these version only on x86 systems. You can also use live Android OS for tablet PC. Read all the instructions regarding download and installation on the website. A glance through the FAQ section will also be very helpful. You might want to check out which is the best Android phone.

How to Install and Run Android OS on PC?

Once you get the setup files on your computer, the rest is quite easy. There are two ways in which you can run Android OS for PC. Either you could burn the live CD ISO image on a CD and boot from your optical drive or you could run it using virtualbox or vmware.

If you download liveandroid v0.2, which is the latest version, you will have to first join the ISO files which come in parts. For that you will have to use a software called HJSplit, which is a freeware. Use the program to combine both the parts of the ISO files together. You can get the whole ISO image directly by downloading it from any one of the mirror sites, which eliminates the need to join them.

If you have a live CD version, burn it on a blank CD to use it or if you have a live USB version, then install it on a USB. To run the program, simply plug in the USB or put the live CD into the optical drive to boot and use. Alternatively, get vmware or virtualbox installed on your PC and run the Live CD directly from ISO image, without burning it on a CD.

Go ahead and check out Android OS for PC, which developers have made available for free online. As you will realize, the power of Android lies in its multitasking prowess and light use of computing resources. We have all been waiting for the Google Chrome OS to be launched soon. Though Chrome and Android are operating systems designed for different purposes, testing Android for PC, will give you an idea of what you can expect Chrome to be.

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