Archos 5 Android and IMT receive hack to run Maemo
The Archos product line currently seems like it is in a state of transition, with the imminent release of the value-aimed Archos 7 HT and the long-running Archos 5 Android holding the fort until the planned release of the next-generation Archos Gen 8 tablets this summer. While the A5A is by no means perfect, running the older Android 1.6 and attracting varying levels of enthusiasm from different owners, there still is a dedicated community behind the device providing support such as the unofficial hack to access Android Market. The latest modification to the device by the community is perhaps the most drastic yet.
A group of hackers over at ArchosFans has managed to install and run the Linux-based Maemo OS on not only the Archos 5 Android, but also the original Archos 5 IMT! Using the Mer version of Maemo, the implementation is not perfect and is very much a work in progress. Issues with WiFi connectivity are yet to be resolved, meaning you currently can't go online and use the excellent Mozilla-based browser, but otherwise the OS is said to be functional with impressive performance, particularly on the A5A. The project is only beginning so hopefully this and other problems will be ironed out to get an Archos 5 running Maemo properly.
For the adventurous readers out there with an Archos 5 Android or IMT lying around, the full instructions with images for how to install Maemo yourself can be found at the ArchosFans forum. For the rest of us, we can marvel at the current state of progress in the videos below! Would you be interested in replacing Android with Maemo on your Archos 5?
[SlashGear | Liliputing]
