Carry just the phone, and connect it to any monitor to get a full Ubuntu desktop with all the native apps you want, running on the same device at the same time as Android. Magic. Everything important is shared across the desktop and the phone in real time.

Ubuntu TV is integrated into Ubuntu for Android so when you connect it to a TV, you don't get the Ubuntu desktop interface but the Ubuntu TV interface. And it's not just a computer,so when you connect it to a TV, you don't get the Ubuntu desktop interface but the Ubuntu TV interface.

Ubuntu for Android will use Unity, along with applications (or web apps) you're already familiar with, like: Chromium, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Thunderbird, Gwibber, VLC, PiTiVi, "Ubuntu Music Player" (looks like Rhythmbox) or Ubuntu Photo Gallery (Shotwell). This is possible because Ubuntu and Android will share the same kernel.



Contacts, photos, music etc., will be available on both the phone and the desktop interface.

Ubuntu for Android will work on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) or newer and will require the following hardware:

Dual-core 1GHz CPU

Video acceleration: shared kernel driver with associated X driver; Open GL, ES/EGL

torage: 2GB for OS disk image

HDMI: video out with secondary frame buffer device

USB host mode

512 MB RAM

Mark Shuttleworth also says that this isn't the Ubuntu Phone (which is still in the pipeline).





Ubuntu for Android will be demoed at the Mobile World Congress next week. For more information, see Mark's post and the official Ubuntu for Android page.

screenshots via Ubuntu for Android and Extremetech

Ubuntu for Android is a phone but also your own portable computer that you can plug in to any monitor to get a fully featured desktop: