Android and Chrome OS Look Poised to Accompany Other OSes

by Sam Dean - Apr. 01, 2010Comments (1)

Could Google's mobile Android OS and its upcoming Chrome OS--initially aimed at netbooks--both have futures running alongside other operating systems? Android already has shown up as an adjunct operating system running alongside Microsoft Windows on some netbooks, and now it looks like a new one from Acer could feature both operating systems.

Acer's mobile product manager, Martino Mombrini, told Electripig that a new Acer Aspire D260 netbook may have Android and Windows. The netbook is a follow-on to the D250, which also dual booted both OSes. There are also good reasons to expect systems that dual-boot the upcoming Chrome OS alongside other operating systems.

Acer's Aspire One line of netbooks has been a huge hit, and the company continues to experiment with designs and software configurations. As the number of applications for Android has risen, it makes more and more sense for the operating system to run alongside Windows and various flavors of Linux. After all, Linux resides on many dual-OS systems, and Android is Linux-based.

In the case of Chrome OS, due later this year, it has the unusual approach of requiring users to work exclusively in the cloud with their data. That could be a limitation to some users, who may appreciate having access to local applications and data via a secondary operating system. There are more and more reasons to believe that both of Google's operating systems have futures accompanying other platforms.