Intel will not support Linux on its Clover Trail processors

"Last week, Intel announced that it had added x86 optimizations to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, but the text of the announcement and included quotes were vague and a bit contradictory given the open nature of Android development. After discussing the topic with Intel we've compiled a laundry list of the company's work in Gingerbread and ICS thus far, and offered a few of our own thoughts on what to expect in 2012 as far as x86-powered smartphones and tablets are concerned.

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Source
http://mobile.osnews.com/story.php/25344/Intels-x86-Android-Smartphone-Tablet-Plans-Exposed

Oh dear.

That is atrocious.

Of course, with just a little time the story becomes a bit clearer and seems that Intel will be supporting Linux and Android

Intel's new Clover Trail chip will support Android & Linux | ZDNet

One guy says not supported, other says it is... Page-filling articles.

So what is it then? Anyway it's not that important unless it's not mentioned when you buy such a device and you format when you shouldn't. I wouldn't replace Win8 with Linux on such a device. There are plenty of other devices intended for those specific operating systems.

Intel's new Clover Trail chip will support Android & Linux

In an e-mail from an Intel spokesperson, Intel said, "Intel has plans for another version of this platform directed at Linux/Android; however we are not commenting on the platform specifics or market segments at this time. Stay tuned.”

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Source

Another version...

A Guy

A Guy said:

Intel's new Clover Trail chip will support Android & Linux

In an e-mail from an Intel spokesperson, Intel said, "Intel has plans for another version of this platform directed at Linux/Android; however we are not commenting on the platform specifics or market segments at this time. Stay tuned.”

Click to expand...

Source

Another version...

A Guy

Click to expand...

It will support Linux?

So it seems

A Guy

Clover Trail will get Linux and Android support after all. "Intel has plans for another version of this platform directed at Linux/Android; however we are not commenting on the platform specifics or market segments at this time. Stay tuned," Intel told ZDBet.

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Here are the two keywords - another version, which means if you get a Windows 8 tablet, you won't be able to run Android or Linux on it and you will have to buy another hardware piece altogether, "optimized" for these OS's.

Hi there
maybe I've mis-understood the post - but surely an OS is essentially a piece of SOFTWARE. True at the kernel level code writers can use essential hardware features from the cpu processor instruction set and that's still true of whatever Linux system you want.

I could write say "Micky Mouse" Os on any processor if I knew the chip specifications --not that in my case it would be any good - because I don't do this type of development - but for people who do it wouldn't be tricky at all.

To say that "Linux" isn't supported by Intel is a bit mis-leading - it implies that Linux won't run on these processors - which is totally absurd.

Intel might mean that they won't support developers in upgrading Linux kernels to use any new processor features -- and that is totally different to the "Implied meaning" that Linux won't even RUN on the processor.

Similarly hardware makers saying they won't write or develop an OS to work on their hardware just means that the hardware will come installed with another OS -- it doesn't mean that you CAN'T run your OS on their hardware.

For instance there's loads of ways of actually running Android on a normal Windows PC using keyboard and mouse instead of touch. With decent processors and hardware on the windows platform modern virtualisation techniques make this essentially a trivial operation.

Using the latest virtualisation methods such as HYPER-V or ESXI for example you can also get considerable Native hardware access via "pass thru" for your VM and it can often run at speeds of 95% of the Native OS.

Cheers
jimbo