While Android is the most popular mobile operating system, it's always had a hard time crossing over to the more than 1 billion desktop machines. Console OS is hoping its Kickstarter campaign will provide the funding necessary to create an OS that will bridge the gap between Windows and Android.
Console OS envisions a future in which users will have the freedom to switch seamlessly between productivity tasks on Windows and playing their favorite Android games on a wide range of devices. This includes laptops, desktops, tablets, and 2-in-1 hybrid devices.
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Console OS Pro is a dual-boot Android OS that will work with Windows in order to give Google's software a home on desktops. Console OS launched its 60-day Kickstarter campaign on June 13th and is already over halfway to meeting its $50,000 goal. Console OS Pro touts features such as true side-by-side multitasking, Android/Windows 8.1 dual booting, ARM and x86 compatibility. Open GL 4 graphics integration is apparently coming in 2015.
Once released, Console OS Pro will be priced at $20 a year, but backers who donate $10 or more will be eligible for a free lifetime subscription that includes all future updates. Higher reward tiers includes t-shirts, additional OS licenses and even your own app bundled with Console OS for top tier donations of $10,000 or more.
There are some issues potential backers should keep in mind. Since each version of Android must be tailored to specific hardware, there are currently only 25 supported devices for Console OS Pro. (The list thus far includes the ASUS Transformer Book T100 and Lenovo Miix 2.) To help address this limitation, backers will be able to vote for their devices so the development team can create versions of Console OS for the most popular devices.
Console Pro OS is scheduled for release in September, or 30 days after the end of the Kickstarter campaign if the backing period ends early. You can learn more about Console OS on its Kickstarter page.
