Ron Schenone

Why We Need Google’s Android On The Desktop

Posted by on Jan 5, 2009 | 5 Comments

Last week I wrote a piece about a rumor that Google’s Android operating system had been installed on a laptop computer. This in itself was a revolutionary idea since Android was basically a mobile phone operating system. What was interesting about the experiment is that it demonstrated what many of us have suspected for the past few years. Google may be getting ready to take on Microsoft in their own back yard.

So why do we need Google’s Android on the desktop? Microsoft has reined supreme for the past 25+ years and has keep its market share at about 90% during this period of time. Microsoft has basically been able to control the market place and hold us hostage with not only their operating system but also with their office suite of products.

Though Mac and Linux operating systems have gained slightly in market share over the past few years, Microsoft has been able to maintain its lead. With Google’s Android we will finally have a free Linux based open source operating system that could reduce costs on the desktop. Android could provide the competition that would actually challenge Microsoft and challenge Windows for the first time. Android will give the consumer a choice in how they operate their computers and provide a viable alternative to Windows.

I would also suspect that hardware companies would be more inclined to offer Linux drivers if they knew that Google was supporting a new operating system. This has always been the problem with Linux and the reluctance by some hardware companies to provide Linux drivers

So what do you think? Can Google Android compete with Microsoft?

Comments welcome.

  • Jeff

    Anything that drops the price of an OS from 300+ dollars is a great thing. Spending ridiculous money on an OS and then even more for the non included office software is getting old.

    Even with Open Office and other such programs, Microsoft Office muscles its way into the world.

    One reason to consider though for low adoption of linux and Open source is the lack of profit. If anyone can download Open office, where is the money for retailers? No one knows about Open office and Linux because they are not talked about, or advertised for. No one wants to spend money on something they can’t sell. So we see no large scale use.

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  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Hi Jeff,
    Good points. Thanks for the comments.
    Regards, Ron

  • Android to desktop

    Today at MWC Eric Schmidt re reiterated Google’s OS strategy in brief, Android for the mobile touch interface and Chrome OS for “desktop.”

    Google needs to reevaluate their OS strategy. Android will no doubt sell over 40M devices Q12011 and has wide adoption across hardware manufacturers while Chrome OS isn’t even out of beta. By slowing down Android form being ported to netbooks, laptops, and desktops Google does nothing other than support MS and slow Android adoption.

    Furthermore, the end user want a “unified” experience across devices and this is why HP is porting webOS to phones, tablets, netbooks, laptops, and desktops; and this is the same reason Nokia developed MeeGo to scale to any form factor.

    Google needs to wake up to their fractured OS strategy and realize the 100% cloud computing is not coming this year or within the next 10 years. The market is screaming for Android! Give it to theme, NOW!

    If Google continues to wait it will give MS time to develop Windows 8 which will cross form factors from phone to desktop and they will once again regain their stranglehold on the OS market.

    Maybe we need a site for hardware manufacturers and customers to kick Google in the ass and tell them to get Android going on the desktop?

  • http://www.anthonyguidetti.com Anthony Guidetti

    I know. I’m just a tad impatient that I have to wait two years to use the service.