Dumb Q: Install android on any device

[NewB2]

Hi!,

This might sound really naive and stupid but I had a question about installing the Android OS on any device.

Can I install Android on any device, just like i would install any prepackaged OS, or do i need to tailor specific parts of Android for the specific device so it can work on it. (What i mean is the way Windows has drivers for a lot of commonly used hardware components, does Android also have some basic drivers that will make it work instantly on most commonly used phones, tablets, netbooks, PC's etc).

Say for example, I have an old PDA, can i somehow install android on it and get it to work.

Thanks in advance
NB

 

[NewB2]

I'm sorry, I did not realize I was posting this in the Introductions forum.

 

[chawski]

nope, not even close. theres experienced developers that spend months porting now os updates. Too many different factors...hardware, screen size/resolution....the list goes on

 

[EarlyMon]

What he said ^^^

plus maybe...

The things against this ability are more logistical than anything -

First - limited memory means that you can't have a large library of drivers an then just auto-sense what to use and when.

Second - this is first and foremost a real-time phone operating system - so that's where customization by specific radio chipsets for specific carriers really get to be a nightmare.

Good question, tho!

That said - Android a version of Linux, so, it's only a matter of will and time for Android to support legacy devices. You just never know.

Cheers and welcome to the forums!

 

[lordofthereef]

I iwsh it were this way, but sadly not (yet). What we need to have, I think, is some sort of universal hardware standard. It seems that there isn't enough of one (or really anything at all) currently.

 

[NewB2]

Thanks a lot

As its a Linux based system i'm sure with time Android will move to small devices other than phone (or Google will see that never happens thanks to Chromium OS), but it would be nice to have such a OS for small devices, where uses can develop small apps easily to meet their personal needs (like i was planing to use the PDA with a custom built survey tool)

It would be really nice to see a universal hardware standard, however, i doubt that would ever happen, things change too often in that arena

 

[chawski]

It would be really nice to see a universal hardware standard, however, i doubt that would ever happen, things change too often in that arena

it would be great to see that, but thats what gives one brand the leg up against the competition. Even if theres a standard, brand X will develop a version that will only work on their device that is superior to brand y