The challenge to port Google’s Android OS to Hewlett-Packard’s now-defunct TouchPad has been met, with a developer demonstrating an alpha version of the OS working on the tablet.
In a demonstration on Youtube, a customized version of Android is demonstrated booting up on the TouchPad. The version is in its early stages with capabilities such as touch not working.
The customized Android version was developed by a team for a group called Cyanogen. The group’s goal is to “create a ‘multiboot’ solution where the end user will be able to boot into WebOS, Cyanogenmod, and/or other OSes,” according to a note accompanying the video. Cyanogen creates customized versions of Android for smartphones, and this version, CM7, has been tweaked for tablets, the group said.
News about the successful Android port to TouchPad originally appeared on blog site Rootzwiki.
A bounty has been on offer for a developer who can port Android to the TouchPad, with the reward reaching US$2,300 on Monday.
Builds for the customized Android version are not yet available for download, the group said.
HP and retailers sold out TouchPads in a fire sale under which the tablets were priced starting at $99. The fire sale came after HP earlier this month said it was looking to sell or spin off its Personal Systems Group, and that it would discontinuing development and sale of tablets and smartphones.
HP’s sudden announcement sparked concern about whether the company would continue to support webOS, the current default OS on the tablet. HP has maintained it will continue to develop and support webOS.