Bring window support to Android with Remix OS, available for free on January 12

Remix OS, the Android based operating system aimed at improving the productivity of its users, is set to be made free to everyone by its developers at Jide. Starting January 12, anyone who wants to try out the Alpha of the unique OS, will be able to do so without being charged a penny.

The Remix OS is designed to offer an alternative to traditional OS users. Anyone with Intel or AMD based systems can download and try out the operating system, which is based on Android KitKat – though it will soon be upgraded to Marshmallow.

It is in an alpha, state so not everything will be working right, and there are features still to be implemented. But for the most part Remix OS is a fully functioning system. It gives full access to all of the apps in the Google Play Store, and if you link up your Google account you can even download apps that you’ve previously purchased on Android smartphones or tablets.

Unlike more familiar Android platforms, Remix also offers the ability to work in a traditional windowed app interface. It’s lightweight and portable, letting you take your system with you on a USB stick, offering what Jide describes as a “portable, private workspace.”

The idea behind the operating system is to make computing less tethered than it is now. With a powerful, desktop experience and added Android functionality, users can carry their mainstream PC with them wherever they go, without relying on desktops or laptops.

However, Jide is also pushing its own hardware as part of this announcement. The recommendation is the Remix mini with the Remix OS pre-installed. It comes packing a quad-core cortex A53 CPU, along with up to 2GB of RAM and 16GB of flash storage space in a unique casing.

While the OS is free, the Remix mini is not, even if it is very affordable, at just $70.

On top of the OS announcement, Jide has also partnered with African mobile phone brand Tecno, in order to bring more Android tablet options to the continent. Jide hopes to offer a more productivity driven system in an affordable package than is currently available with existing brands.