Android on Intel Baytrail Windows tablets? (Linx, Lamina, Cube iWork..)

In theory these cheap Intel Baytrail based tablets (Linx, Lamina, many others) should be able to run the X86 version of Android. The Baytrail platform has been used on native Android products and there are Chinese tablets that even offer a dual-boot in between the two operating systems. There are at least couple of ways to potentially achieve this:

Android-x86
http://www.android-x86.org/

The Android-x86 is an open source project to port Android to the x86 platform. You can use it to run Android on regular PC hardware. I have tried it on some old Thinkpad laptops and the experience has been surprisingly good. There is even a spin-off project Remix OS which aims to modify the user interface to be better suited on traditional PC hardware.

The Linux hardware support of Baytrail-based tablets is unfortunately quite poor for some reason. I tested Android-x86 on my Linx 7 / Lamina 7 and the boot halts at an early phase.

What you need to do in order to try this:

  • Download Android-x86 EFI image
  • Flash the image to a USB-stick
  • Disable secure boot in Linx 7 UEFI/BIOS settings
  • Boot the Linx from the USB

It goes to the bootloader and you need a physical USB keyboard for the boot menu, but freezes shortly after that. Most likely an issue of missing driver(s). Now my question is - is anyone aware of Android-x86 modified builds to boot on Linx / Lamina 7?

Dual boot using a Cube iWork firmware

It appears that the Cube branded cheap tablets are based on the same board as the Linx and Lamina, and they offer Android 4.4 / Windows 8.1 dual boot models. Their firmware has leaked to the Internet for anyone to download and it can be used to dual boot a Linx tablet as well.

I need to dig deeper into this topic before posting any guides etc. Note that it is risky business with a serious risk of bricking your device.

I’m hopefully getting a “Power + OTG at the same time” kinda usb 2.0 hub. I’ll likely do some linux (porteus?) experimenting, and I’ll look into the x86 android too.

I have clean installed my Linx 7 several times, and I have never needed a powered USB hub. Obviously it never hurts though, but at least my tablet has been able to supply the power for a USB-stick and wireless Microsoft keyboard and mouse.

Nonono… It’s not “powered” as in “power for the usb devices”, but rather supplying power to the linx itself, so that I can use it in conjunction with a hdmi cable, keyboard and a mouse as a very, very cheap, low-power desktop - since there is no dedicated charging port.

It’s not easy at all to find one of these hubs that work for this purpose (charging+otg at the same time)- even the Y-cables aren’t really available here and I don’t feel like making one myself.

Do you know what will happen if you connect a USB charger to a regular hub with a male-male USB cable? I’ve never tried that.

I have no idea but I wondered about it as well. But somehow I doubt it’s a good idea.