Cramming a desktop environment onto a smartphone is a fun project that promises very little actual usefulness. Smartphone screens are too small for desktop OSes, and connecting a keyboard and mouse is usually out of the question. But now Canonical’s Ubuntu for Android takes a different approach, surfacing the desktop OS only when it actually makes sense.
Canonical announced today that it will seamlessly integrate Android with the Linux-based Ubuntu distribution. A device running Ubuntu for Android loads Android during typical smartphone use cases, then switches to Ubuntu once it’s been slid into a dock that connects to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. The installation basically gives you two devices in one: an Android phone while on the go, and a Ubuntu desktop when plugged in.
There’s no word on who’s manufacturing compatible docks, and what they will cost.
A phone that’s also a desktop computer isn’t new. The Motorola Atrix already does this via Motorola’s “Webtop” OS and hardware Lapdock. But in terms of actual usefulness, Ubuntu’s large installed base and open-source origins might make it a better choice for this type of application.
The system reportedly lets you share your smartphone’s contacts, media, and apps among both Android and Ubuntu. The Ubuntu environment also supports MMS/SMS and phones calls: a pop-up window appears when you receive a call, and you can simply mouse over and click to answer.
Using virtualization tools like Citrix and VMWare, Canonical says that IT departments could issue a single device that covers both the desktop and mobile needs of employees. The company also points to the lower latency of 4G as a good match for Google Doc use. Of course, non-stop 4G usage could lead to data-plan binging — and then data throttling — depending on which carrier you use.
Don’t go searching for an install just yet. Canonical says that Ubuntu for Android will be loaded onto phones by manufacturers, and phones will have to include USB and HDMI hardware support in order to utilize the OS. These devices aren’t yet available, but can be expected to land in late 2012. Canonical was mum on any partnerships with manufacturers they may already have.
