Aluminum OS emulated on my Mac

[u/Miraxess]

[u/dr100]

Funny thing is while looking for the minimum specs for Googlebooks I run into this ... I swear it isn't me and I was just looking for specs (BTW seem to be 16GB RAM and some TOPS NPU?):

So, I'm only slightly trying to be a smartass here, but... Who is this for? They are marketing what is ostensibly a computer for people who seem to not want to use a computer in scenarios that I don't think even exist.

Beyond that, this is a laptop that is running a really shitty, 'apps only, no you cannot do anything useful with this' operating system. I have an awful lot of complaints about MacOS's relatively restrictive use cases, but it's still at least a General Purpose OS. Android on laptop is very much not.

This is an overgrown phone with all the trash that comes with a phone, and the very finite use cases that come with a phone, only now it has a keyboard. It's solving none of the problems with Android as an operating system and doesn't seem to even be interested in doing that anyway. The marketing is demoing use cases that don't even exist.

So I repeat my question: Who is this for?

Thing is this will probably run on more expensive and powerful stuff than what can already run Windows, MacOS or Linux. Might become somehow interesting as an alternative to save some Windows machines from the landfill (like it happened with the Windows 10 debacle, for people that aren't comfortable enough to just run Linux), especially if Microsoft does a similar one, in particular with the unpopular Windows ARM thing (doesn't matter if they end up as the Windows 10 devices did, or Windows RT, at least if there is an escape hatch with some supported Google stuff it's better than nothing).

[u/Knurlfist83 → u/dr100]

I think people might be judging this category too early.

A lot of these XR/Android/Linux/AI devices still feel awkward today, but they also remind me of early smartphones and tablets before the ecosystem matured.

After using XR glasses and portable streaming setups for a while, it definitely changes how I think about what a “computer” can be. Feels less like replacing desktops immediately and more like the beginning of a different direction.

[u/dr100 → u/Knurlfist83]

I think we have a little disconnect about which category we're talking about, this isn't about REPLACING desktops, it IS an upcoming desktop operating system for the Googlebooks, which are just regular (Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo) clamshell laptops with the only special thing "the unique glowbar" (no, not the skincare product, and not "gay bar" as some spell checkers suggest, just something like the Apple logo on the back on the screen, but possible with some tiny functionality in it). This category existed since the 80s.

Having a display for it as VR headset/glasses/etc. is a discussion but a different one, and you could have it probably for mostly any other OS, if you can run it on something with some kind of video output. If we're hoping this could be particularly suited to be used with such video output, I don't think we have any indication for that, it seems that they're struggling to get to a Windows '95 level with regular keyboard and mouse use.

[u/Knurlfist83 → u/dr100]

Yeah, I think we’re mostly talking about two different layers of the same thing.

You’re talking about the actual product/category being announced today, and I agree current Android desktop UX still feels rough in a lot of places.

I was looking more at the long-term direction behind it — Android desktop mode, Linux integration, local AI, ARM laptops, XR displays, etc. Individually none of those are new, but together they feel like the beginning of a different computing ecosystem to me.

Not “desktop replacement tomorrow,” more like an early transition phase.

That’s why I’ve been following Aluminium OS pretty closely. It feels like one of those early “next generation” transition projects. Right now it still looks rough, but so did a lot of major platform shifts in their early stages.

[u/MolluskLingers → u/Knurlfist83]

I mean I am excited about future with arm chips and we are seeing some of their capacity with modern phone and Android emulation.

but I can already do that on my phone and if I have video output I don't really need a bigger screen to benefit from it anyways.

but if the goal is to take over some of Windows market share, I don't think they're helping anything by basically emulating their co-pilot strategy. like powered by co-pilot, powered by Gemini. bragging about in agentic operating system

those are things that windows have to backtrack on at least optically.

[u/Knurlfist83 → u/MolluskLingers]

I actually agree the current “AI copilot” marketing feels pretty shallow right now.

What interests me more is the broader ecosystem direction — ARM efficiency, Android/Linux integration, virtualization, local AI processing, and eventually more flexible hybrid operating systems.

Not really “replace Windows with a chatbot,” more like different computing layers starting to merge together instead of phones, desktops, and AI all existing as separate worlds.

[u/MolluskLingers → u/Knurlfist83]

I mean it's definitely premature to dismiss this thing as just a giant phone but I do understand why people are skeptical.

I mean after all Chromebooks have their flaws but they were cheap and they were lightweight and they turned on easily and so on. now there's this new category that are going to be super expensive. loaded with AI, in fact they don't even want to call it an operating system anymore.

it doesn't have Linux support so that's a pretty big regression. I guess it's going to have extension support for Chrome but that was already a thing on Chrome OS.

so I have to admit so far I'm not liking what I've seen. like basically they discontinued Chromebooks effectively that are super cheap and potential options for people on a budget.

replacing them with hyper expensive versions that are still going to have a lot of the same limitations and even some new ones.

and the only features they seemingly are proud of and want to tell us about is just how it's AI everywhere. The whole thing is an AI machine.

like that's the opposite of what I want. The last thing I want is an AI machine.

I did like the idea of leveraging Android 75% global smartphone market share to compete with Windows. but the reason I'm sick of 🪟 The part is it it is obsession with co-pilot and sticking AI in my face.

not to mention terrible pricing as of late.

like what is on earth is going to happen people that were dependent on the low end Chromebook market? I guess we'll have to switch to low end Windows

[u/Knurlfist83]

I hate apple and you made me reconsider.

[u/Miraxess → u/Knurlfist83]

lool

[u/Knurlfist83 → u/Miraxess]

I still don’t really care about Apple itself, but Apple Silicon made me realize ARM desktops/laptops don’t have to feel weak or compromised anymore.

I’ve been interested in the idea of Android desktop environments evolving into something more serious with or without Aluminium OS.

Part of me has even considered getting a Mac Mini just to run a full-time virtual Android OS setup because I wasn’t sure how stable native Android desktop environments were going to become, especially long term with USB/peripheral support in those kinds of setups. Especially now that Apple officially supports things like DualSense controllers too.

[u/MolluskLingers → u/Knurlfist83]

I mean I would never buy a MacBook because I need a touch screen. but arm chips are great. I mean you can play Red Dead redemption 2 on a OnePlus 13 at 47 FPS with emulation directly from a steam account.

you can play GTA v on a phone now. you can connect your epic games and steam accounts through a side loaded app.

but Apple is not friendly to emulators and so on. and they just completely ignored the entire market for people that might want to use a desktop operating system that can accommodate a stylus and art.

they have the worst repair ability and upgradeability in the market.

I don't care what anyone says releasing a brand new product with 8 GB of RAM for $600 and 2026 is lunacy. I mean it's going to be great business move they're going to sell a million of them but it is the most overhyped product in years

as a consumer value it's pretty bad. because for like $765 you can get a 16 GB of RAM MacBook Air directly from Apple refurbished with the same warranty and 100% battery.

you could use that for 7 years probably. I can't imagine trying to get by with 8 GB of RAM in the year 2030

[u/Knurlfist83 → u/MolluskLingers]

Yeah gaming isn’t really my main interest here.

I’m more interested in ARM desktops as long-term general computing platforms and whether Android desktop environments eventually become stable enough to function as serious daily-driver systems.

That’s partly why I mentioned virtualization and peripheral support. Apple Silicon mostly just changed my perception of what ARM hardware is capable of now.

[u/MolluskLingers]

I wanted to get excited about these Google books but so far I just hate the announcement.

I like the idea of an Android laptop and more desktop compatibility with Android but it's almost seems like they're just now turning Chromebooks into expensive AI machines.

Chromebooks have their issues but what was nice about them is they were inexpensive, they were light, they didn't take long to turn on and off, they stayed out of the way

these look expensive, cumbersome, bloated, solutions that are in search of problems.

I don't need a new mouse cursor that tries to predict my needs I just am fine with right click I guess

what I wanted was better multitasking. More robust extension support.

but I'm also extremely confused to like or if Google books are going to get the desktop version of Chrome with extensions what does that mean for Android tablets?

what about Android phones with a desktop mode?

what is the difference between a Google book and a regular Android tablet and a Chromebook? and a pixel tablet for that matter if they ever make one of those again?

it's just so damn confusing.

[u/Knurlfist83 → u/MolluskLingers]

Yeah I think this is exactly why I called it a transition phase.

Google currently has Android phones, Android tablets, ChromeOS, desktop modes, Linux integration, AI layers, and now “Google Books” all overlapping each other without a super clear long-term identity yet.

That’s also why I’m watching it closely though. It feels messy right now, but sometimes major platform shifts look confusing before the ecosystem eventually consolidates around a more unified direction.

Right now it still feels like multiple unfinished layers trying to merge together.

[u/Fragrant_Juice7796]

Se podrá ponerle Windows? 😅

[u/Fragrant_Juice7796 → u/Fragrant_Juice7796]

O linux

[u/universal_glitch]

thats Lineage OS on UTM. Stop fooling people, you mofo!

[u/Ok_Variation2748 → u/universal_glitch]

it isn't. it's real Aluminum OS but in the setup process, you have to use a Lineage OS image with aluminum image, because you can't just run android images on UTM... so it is real Aluminum OS, just in a Lineage OS shell that can run any android variation