Ubuntu for Android is a project from Canonical that brings the popular Linux system to Android smartphones.

It sounded like a feature-packed version of the sort of thing Motorola has going with WebTop, which piqued our interest. A video highlight some of the system's capabilities was filmed at the Fórum Internacional Software Livre in Brazil last week, giving us an up-to-date look at the progress the project has been making.

Shortly after putting this Motorola Atrix in its dock, Ubuntu is up and ready to go on an attached HDMI monitor. That means access to full versions of popular apps, including everything from web browsers to office productivity software.

Similar to WebTop, the phone's primary Android interface is still controllable in a sub-window, allowing you keep using your smartphone apps alongside these Linux programs. It's impressive just how much functionality is retained in this mode, with even phone hardware like its camera operating properly.

In spite of that tiny delay when moving in and out of Ubuntu, the phone seems to be running quite smoothly. Considering all that must be going on behind the scenes to have everything working like this, it's still pretty darn impressive.

The video is in Portuguese, so it's a little hard to follow. But judging solely by what we can see onscreen, we're pretty excited to hear more about Ubuntu for Android, specifically when and it how it can be installed on phones.

This article originally published at Pocketnow here