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Heads up - Android is coming to PPC

Jessica Lares

Jessica Lares

macrumors G3
Original poster
Oct 31, 2009
9,612
1,062
Near Dallas, Texas, USA
After I successfully got Android to boot on my MBP (in debug mode, but it still ran :p), got in touch with the guy who made the build. We are now in the process of getting a G3 for him and will start recompiling Android for PPC. I've already suggested for him to go as low as the lowend iBook Clamshells and we'll be testing on G3s, G4s, and G5s.

So keep an eye out for it, should be looking good!
 
Jessica Lares said:
After I successfully got Android to boot on my MBP (in debug mode, but it still ran :p), got in touch with the guy who made the build. We are now in the process of getting a G3 for him and will start recompiling Android for PPC. I've already suggested for him to go as low as the lowend iBook Clamshells and we'll be testing on G3s, G4s, and G5s.

So keep an eye out for it, should be looking good!
Click to expand...

Sounds like a cool project although I suspect that hardware support is going to take the most effort to work out. Especially if you want to get it working across a range of PPC machines. It can be difficult to get PPC compiled linux distros up and running on some PPC machines.

Anyway, good luck and keep us posted.
 
Not really seeing the advantage of wasting time putting effort into this dead architecture. The number of usesrs using PPC is grossing smaller and smaller.
 
Mmm, maybe so, but if you can get Ubuntu to run, why not Android?

Yes, there will be some hardware issues, but I think we'll be okay. The basic drivers would be Wi-Fi, displays, and sound. Debian and some of the other PPC based Linux have that handled, it's just finding out how to implement - Like auto detect which processor it is and what drivers it needs at install.

Or at least that's what *I* want to think...
 
DoFoT9 said:
Well good luck anyway :D be sure to post a video if you get it running!
Click to expand...

We will! Probably will put out some alphas and betas too.

I'm so excited! I think it would be A LOT better than a full fledged Linux distro.

We've also talked about tweaking the PC build so it's more compatible on Intel Macs, like I said, I only got it to run in debug mode. I suggested we figure out what's up with that build, and once we work out those quirks, to start on the PPC build. Because if it's not working 100% at this point, it won't work backwards.
 
Jessica Lares said:
After I successfully got Android to boot on my MBP (in debug mode, but it still ran :p), got in touch with the guy who made the build. We are now in the process of getting a G3 for him and will start recompiling Android for PPC. I've already suggested for him to go as low as the lowend iBook Clamshells and we'll be testing on G3s, G4s, and G5s.

So keep an eye out for it, should be looking good!
Click to expand...
Sounds like an interesting project.

Good luck! :)
 
DoFoT9 said:
Not really seeing the advantage of wasting time putting effort into this dead architecture. The number of usesrs using PPC is grossing smaller and smaller.
Click to expand...

thats not quiet true , apparently there are some new kids on the block


http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/113199866/MID_iE7F_freescale_processor_7inch.jpg


and the mobile gt from freescale is a power architecture based processor
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=MPC5125

they offer other things too which i love already
sensible priced computers with Apple inspired design , always wanted a iMac with smaller display and white again ,and best of all AMD processors turion neo x2 18.5 inch display , all i did want from Apple
thanks lime pc
http://www.limepc.com/infoTech.shtml
 
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Android on PowerPC could be troublesome. The NDK only outputs Android apps in Intel and ARM versions. To get PowerPC to fly, you'd have to get developers to compile native PowerPC versions if they touch the NDK (which happens a lot with games and high performance apps.)

Dalvik would also take a lot of work to get working properly on the PowerPC. A lot a lot.
 
2009-10-27
Freescale Semiconductor says it is now accepting orders for a hardware/software platform for developing Android applications on Power Architecture PowerQUICC and QorIQ processors. The initial MPC8536E-ADK Android platform, which combines an Android runtime developed by Mentor Graphics and a board based on the PowerQUICC III MPC8536E, appears to be the first Android port to the PowerPC.

here read the whole article
http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/Freescale-Mentor-Graphics-MPC8536EADK/
and it seems to me the company behind Limepc THTF is a multibillion public traded company since 1997
and they are behind Limeroid which is Android for ppc processors from freescale

thats why the limepc tablet with a freescale processor based on the Power architecture in my last post runs Android in 2011 btw their netbook is running iOS , their NAS runs MacOS? i guess they mean OSX

so it seems Android does run on some Powerpc processors from freescale , just not on all PPC processors , but it should be possible to make it happen that one day android will run on all PPC Mac's too , as that would make our trusty PPC ready for the next decade to come
maybe its time to talk with THTF in China ? After all they have choosen a architecture most call dead already for their Android tablet
How many PPC Mac's are still in use worldwide? that might convince them to help a bit ..i mean people pay £20.99 to get Lion , and i payed € 110 to get MorphOS ..so a price in between should be interesting for a big company and a couple millions of PPC Mac's on earth that are still functioning , but collecting dust because there is apart from some enthusiasts no support any more
 
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MacHamster68 said:
thats why the limepc tablet with a freescale processor based on the Power architecture in my last post runs Android in 2011
Click to expand...

Right, but it still doesn't get around that Android's NDK tools don't put out PowerPC code. Anything that touches the NDK (which could be quite a few things) simply won't run. The NDK only outputs applications that support x86 or ARM.

And this is all in Google's specs/documentation.

What I'm reading about Freescale's PowerPC Android work is it's meant for embedded systems, not general application use by end users. It's for situations in which you're only running specific custom applications, at which point you'd just make sure you didn't write applications that touched the NDK.
 
i guess you are right , that would at least explain why they push forward more on their linux based LimeOS
i just tumbled over that company because of their 18.5" All In One PC called LimePC T18G based on the AMD turion neo x2 @2ghz

i just try to get one, for me its a dream come true ,ok i wished it from Apple , but they are so intel focused one might askt the question if Apple is not controlled by intel by now
 
IMO, Android on a Mac would be fun to play with for a few days, but never be an alternative to OS X. It lacks the productivity and versatility a modern desktop OS has. I don't understand why people and the tech industry these days try to kill off the workhorse computer in favor of these underpowered tablets and dinky little OS's. Don't get me wrong, I love my iPad, and it has it's own uses, but all of the people that say that tablets will replace laptops and desktops in the near future are crazy. Multitouch interfaces are good for some applications, but not a productivity machine. Until I can get a tablet with a strong OS and incredible power, I'm sticking with my Macs, even if they're all PPC. :)
 
Linux distro: Yellow Dog Linux

Hello,

Does someone have any idea how I can get my wireless card in my G5 to work under YDL? Its a great OS.. fans are quiet upon boot up and no problems just that Apple's default airport hardware does not want to be recognized under YDL. Has anyone ever figured out how to get sound enabled on the G5 Quad under YDL? Thats another problem as well.
 
adcx64 said:
IMO, Android on a Mac would be fun to play with for a few days, but never be an alternative to OS X. It lacks the productivity and versatility a modern desktop OS has. I don't understand why people and the tech industry these days try to kill off the workhorse computer in favor of these underpowered tablets and dinky little OS's. Don't get me wrong, I love my iPad, and it has it's own uses, but all of the people that say that tablets will replace laptops and desktops in the near future are crazy. Multitouch interfaces are good for some applications, but not a productivity machine. Until I can get a tablet with a strong OS and incredible power, I'm sticking with my Macs, even if they're all PPC. :)
Click to expand...

You dont know why ? its simple ....Cloud computing ,means technically the processing is done in the cloud and not on your computing device , that will only show results , its the easiest and Perfect way to get total control over what people do on their computing devices
 
DoFoT9 said:
Not really seeing the advantage of wasting time putting effort into this dead architecture. The number of usesrs using PPC is grossing smaller and smaller.
Click to expand...

Although you are right there are less and less people using PPC it is not dead yet, there are still plenty of people using it, I have a Powerbook G4 and it runs well, for many people that's all they need.

Android on a Laptop/PPC, for what, that's a touch based OS isn't it?
So, why even bother when there is OS X and Linux for PPC?

But go ahead, like to see what you make out of it.
 
justperry said:
Although you are right there are less and less people using PPC it is not dead yet, there are still plenty of people using it, I have a Powerbook G4 and it runs well, for many people that's all they need.

Android on a Laptop/PPC, for what, that's a touch based OS isn't it?
So, why even bother when there is OS X and Linux for PPC?

But go ahead, like to see what you make out of it.
Click to expand...

Well the asus transformer with the dock uses a trackpad.
I think this is a good idea it would help old devices like mine play videos ect.
 
I will be watching this thread.
I am an android user, and I think that if we had something like "chrome os" operative system android based for our pcs it could be awesome.
For example, having tapatalk running on a computer could do wonders for forum browsing =)
 
MacHamster68 said:
thats not quiet true , apparently there are some new kids on the block


http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/113199866/MID_iE7F_freescale_processor_7inch.jpg


and the mobile gt from freescale is a power architecture based processor
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=MPC5125

they offer other things too which i love already
sensible priced computers with Apple inspired design , always wanted a iMac with smaller display and white again ,and best of all AMD processors turion neo x2 18.5 inch display , all i did want from Apple
thanks lime pc
http://www.limepc.com/infoTech.shtml
Click to expand...

Those all in one LimePC's look awesome! I cannot for the life of me fin out how to buy one or how much they cost though. Great company by the looks of what I've just seen though :D

And yeah, the thread's nearly 18 months old, don't get your hopes up dude...
 
Jessica Lares said:
After I successfully got Android to boot on my MBP (in debug mode, but it still ran :p), got in touch with the guy who made the build. We are now in the process of getting a G3 for him and will start recompiling Android for PPC. I've already suggested for him to go as low as the lowend iBook Clamshells and we'll be testing on G3s, G4s, and G5s.

So keep an eye out for it, should be looking good!
Click to expand...

wait.... so can i get the .img file thet you booted? i need it so i can test one of my apps that i wrote as the emulator is okay for that but id rather test it on an actual android! btw i am also figuring out how to run android on an ipod touch!
 
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