The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is just days away and, while there are sure to be all manner of exciting gadgets and gizmos revealed, one of the most eagerly anticipated devices is the so-called PC Plus. This new breed of computers will be capable of running not only Windows 8.1, but also Android apps. There are no specific details at the moment, but rumors suggest that a number of manufacturers are set to reveal such devices at the trade show.
According to analyst Patrick Moorhead what we will see in the coming month may not be a raft of dual-boot devices, but Windows laptops that will be able to run Android apps by some method of emulation. To some extent this is already possible with one of several emulation and virtualization tools, but this looks like being a more tightly integration range of computers.
We have already seen something similar in the form of the ASUS Transformer Book Trio which operates as an Android tablet or a laptop running Windows and Android. But it is looking as though the marrying of Android and Windows could be the next big thing in tech.
Whether this will mean a case which essentially includes two computers that share a screen, or if the hardware and software is shared in such a way that files and apps can be accessed by both operating systems remains to be seen. With Android faring incredibly well at the moment, and Windows 8 and 8.1 enjoying less than mindblowing sales, this could be the push that Microsoft needs to give Windows a serious boost.
How do you feel about the idea of Android and Windows on the same device? Love it or hate it? The idea could work, but equally it could simply lead to hardware manufacturers confusing users and irritating Microsoft and Google.
