Caanoo / WIZ Android On Caanoo?

[plfx]

Is there any way to run the Android OS on the Caanoo? I'm not eager to wipe out the operating system of the wonderful little thing, but I'm interested in Android, and there are plenty of awesome apps (and games!) that I would like to test out on the caanoo.

In fact, I rather think the next GP2X should run Android by default, but for now I'd like to hear about anybody's experiences pursuing this. If nobody's done it, perhaps I'll try it myself.

 

[SolarLune]

I'm not sure how you would implement it - is Android based off of linux? How would you load it onto the Caanoo?

 

[plfx]

I'm not sure how you would implement it - is Android based off of linux? How would you load it onto the Caanoo?

Yes, android is based on linux, but that's not at issue. The existing operating system would have to be overwritten by flashing the firmware. In theory, the caanoo should be able to run any ARM-targeted operating system, just not necessarily very well.

 

[joyrider]

technically android can run on any(/most) pmp's, but it's not as easy to port it like say a game or application. You'd have to port a bootmanager, you'll have to write drivers if they are not availible and make everything work. I don't see this happening on any of our devices, but all of them can technically run it, heck if someone wanted to it could even run windows CE or whatever

 

[plfx]

it could even run windows CE

eeeew.

I guess the question is: how typical is the hardware layout in the caanoo? Android has a great many drivers already in existence (for things like generic joypads and mouse/touchscreen support), so there's a chance many of the caanoo's more important devices would already be covered. Also, though there are a number of differences between android and generic linux, I imagine porting the existing drivers to android wouldn't be soooo hard.

What variety of linux does the caanoo run, anyway? is it a mainstream embedded variety like uclinux, or something special?

 

[SolarLune]

Flashing the firmware sounds a tad harsh and difficult for most users - would it be possible to implement via the SD Card?

 

[plfx]

Flashing the firmware sounds a tad harsh and difficult for most users - would it be possible to implement via the SD Card?

That is... a possibility? The thing does seem to have the ability to boot from SD card, basically, as this is (I think) what it does when you go through flash the procedure: an image booted from an SD card. A dev can correct me if I'm wrong; it could also just have a built-in flash routine where it looks for a new firmware on the card.

 

[SolarLune]

I just ask because it seems like it would be difficult to do, especially when if you don't like it afterwards, you'll have to re-flash it with the official firmware.

 

[monstercameron]

I just ask because it seems like it would be difficult to do, especially when if you don't like it afterwards, you'll have to re-flash it with the official firmware.

i doubt flashing the firmware is really difficult, dont we actually flash teh firmware when we updated to 1.5

 

[difuno]

First of all I need to state that I am not a technical person.
I've seen on some Chinese PMP devices (or what they call as MID device) dual/mutil systems, they have one system installed in the NAND memory and the other on the external storage such as an SD card.
On Dingoo A320 we have both the native firmware and Dingux, don't we?

 

[joyrider]

First of all I need to state that I am not a technical person.
I've seen on some Chinese PMP devices (or what they call as MID device) dual/mutil systems, they have one system installed in the NAND memory and the other on the external storage such as an SD card.
On Dingoo A320 we have both the native firmware and Dingux, don't we?

yup and dingux (linux) runs from sd, although a modified SPL and i think bootloader as well, is flashed to the nand to allow dual booting (holding select) for the rest it all runs from the sd card. Dingoo can even run windows CE, the ingenics people have the basic layout for the windows CE stuff on their ftp, and dingoo uses the ingenics chips. Heck dingux is as far as i know based on the linux stuff availible on their ftp, they had made most drivers already and al the things needed for it... just browse their ftp

Dingux can run from the nand as well but you'll lose the original (ucos2 based) os most probably.

I think any nand flash enabled device with bootloaders not hardcoded in a rom chip (if that even exists) will run anything you like as long as you make drivers, bootloaders etc...

The point on doing this however and finding someone with the knowledge, time and motivation to do it will probably be a daunting task to begin with

because in general most people wouldn't even bother trying it, let alone be able to, most of the people can't even write the 2 little commands to get the dingux spl flashed on it, let along do some research if something fails. So no point in doing so, except if you'd like to have all the availible software for the android on the caanoo, pandora , whatever. But technically it's all possible

 

[difuno]

So it's possible but not much likely to happen, huh

 

[joyrider]

So it's possible but not much likely to happen, huh

thats what i mean yes

 

[kayuz]

hi GUYS, no hope to see Android on CAANOO?
will save the console future and also GPH?
try to contact GOOGLE if they can port this on the caanoo?
i try, i love it

 

[Blackcurtain]

hi GUYS, no hope to see Android on CAANOO?
will save the console future and also GPH?
try to contact GOOGLE if they can port this on the caanoo?
i try, i love it

Not to destroy your hope, but why would they? There's no money in it for them.

 

[rodolforg]

Even it would be done, you couldn't use Android Market (only authorized devices can).

 

[kayuz]

ops, so you can also down apk from the web and later install it on the android

 

[Remy803]

Even it would be done, you couldn't use Android Market (only authorized devices can).

I'm not too sure about that - what's an "authorized" device? I've owned a couple of Chinese tablets that have no problem with market - even after custom firmware upgrades to newer Android versions. I even switched an old HTC Raphael (which runs Windows Mobile 5) over to Android and had no issues (other than it being rather slow).

Of course, being that the Caanoo is a gaming device, I suppose one of the things that people would want to see is Android games. Unfortunately, gaming on Android is hardware intensive, since most of the Market is populated by games that require things like OpenGL 2.0, and the Caanoo just isn't up for it.

As a comparison, I picked up a tablet around the time the Caanoo was launched that has similar specs. That tablet now is upgraded to Android 2.0, which is as high as it can support, and doesn't do much more than act as a decent e-reader and web browser. I suppose web browsing would be nice on the Caanoo, but I'm not sure a whole new OS is the answer.

 

[rodolforg]

Even it would be done, you couldn't use Android Market (only authorized devices can).

I'm not too sure about that - what's an "authorized" device? I've owned a couple of Chinese tablets that have no problem with market - even after custom firmware upgrades to newer Android versions.

I got that info when I was wondering about Android on a PC. http://www.android-x86.org

It was written on that page, but I can't find it right now. But here someone says that: http://groups.google.com/group/android-x86/browse_thread/thread/4db7055a70e7aae and here http://groups.google.com/group/android-x86/browse_thread/thread/d94d40c31dabea1f/e3004924e77de12c.

But I now read this http://groups.google.com/group/android-x86/msg/cf8412eebac23ee5 who gives the impression that if the plataform pretends to ben another one authorized, it can use it fully. But I'm not sure.

 

[kayuz]

a new os for caanoo based on android?
well, it will fantastic! so, the console can live 10x time longer then now