volkspc News - CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

May 4, 2017 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

VolksPC OS Runs Android and Debian Simultaneously on ODROID-C2 Board

Most development boards and some TV boxes offer a dual boot image with Android and a Linux distribution. To run an Android app, you need to boot to Android OS, and if you decided you need to run Linux, you then need to reboot to the Linux OS, and you can’t simply use Alt+Tab to easily and quickly switch between Android and Linux apps. But VolksPC offers just that: the ability to run Android and Debian side-by-side, and I tested their MicroXWin unified distributions with MK808B TV stick powered by Rockchip RK3066 processor a few years ago. It was early stage at the time (July 2014), and there was some stability issues.The company has kept working on their solution, but focused on more powerful hardware, and they have now released VOLKSPC OS for ODROID-C2 with Debian XFCE and Android Marshmallow, which will run both Android and Debian applications at the […]

August 2, 2014 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 14 Comments

Dual Core VolksPC Android and Debian Mini PC Gets Crowdfunded

Last months, I tested VolksPC’s Android/Debian unified distribution on MK808 mini PC, which runs both operating systems at the same time, and allows you to switch instantaneously and seamlessly between the two. I was impressed by the performance and stability of the system, although there were still a few software bugs, as well as issues related to MK808 hardware (Wi-Fi disconnection), and possibly its 5V/1A power supply (system reboot when inserting SD card reader or flash drive). The company has now started a crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo to manufacture dual core Android TV box with their unified distribution. VolksPC specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3066 dual core ARM Cortex-A9 processor @ 1.4Ghz with Mali-400MP4 GPU System Memory – 1GB DDR3 Storage – 8 GB NAND Flash (for Android), 8GB MicroSD card (Debian Wheezy) Video Output – HDMI 1.3, AV jack Audio Output, HDMI, AV jack, and optical S/PDIF Connectivity – 10/100M […]

July 27, 2014July 27, 2014 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 7 Comments

Testing VolksPC’s MicroXwin Android & Debian Distribution in MK808 mini PC

Earlier this week, I wrote about VolksPC mini PC running Debian and Android simultaneously, and the developers decided to send me a unit for testing. The hardware I received is the popular MK808 mini PC based on Rockchip RK3066 with 1Gb RAM, and 8 GB RAM, but loaded with MicroXwin unified distribution. MicroXwin is an implementation of Windows X that’s not using a client/server protocol, for instead communicates directly with the drivers for better performance, especially on low-end hardware. I connected MK808 to my HDMI TV, added a USB hub to connect a USB keyboard as well as Mele Air Mouse, and powered up the device. The boot to Debian takes about 30 seconds, and 50 seconds for Android. As you boot it will enter in Debian with XFCE desktop environment, and you’ll notice two files, namely the Quick Start Guide and Release Notes that explain how to get started […]

July 20, 2014 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 14 Comments

VolksPC mini PC runs Debian and Android Simultaneously Thanks to MicroXwin Framework

It’s been possible to run Linux or Android on ARM based board and producs for a while, with some firmware providing dual boot support, or even simultaneous use running a chroot with a VNC server and client combination. Some developers have come up MicroXwin, a X-windows implementation using a custom Xlib library that communicate directly with the graphics drivers, and not using a client/server implement. This provides much faster performance compare to X11, as shown on Raspberry Pi and Cubieboard2 development boards, and it has given them the ability to run Debian LXDE and Android Jelly Bean simultaneously on their upcoming VolksPC, a mini PC based on Rockchip RK3066 with 16GB flash. The first VolksPC will have the following specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3066 dual core ARM Cortex A9 CPU @ 1.4Ghz with Mali-400MP4 GPU System Memory – 1 GB DDR3 Storage – 16 GB NAND flash + SD/MMC/MS card […]