Shock! Teclast X98 Air 3G Dual-System Android/Windows 8.1

Today is the day Teclast launched all the missiles!

One of them is a video of the Teclast X98 Air 3G running Android and Windows 8.1 without reboot.

What?!

The Weibo communiqué:

The locked forum post states (use Chrome or Bing Translator):

Win8 / Andriod dual system X98 Air 3G is running win8 system based on the original model on Andrews, the first time a dual-system hot key to switch. Since the first edition of the dual system is to facilitate business use, and in order to maintain the stability of the machine, so we have temporarily closed the win8 the 3D rendering capabilities and camera features, it may not run smoothly 3D games and play HD video in win8 under. But all business applications (office office software) perfectly smooth operation.

To make that clearer:

Switching between Android and Windows 8.1 is accomplished by simply pressing a hardware button. There are limitations on the Windows side — the camera will not work and 3D graphics have been turned off. This is not a tablet for people who want to play Windows games or who intend to use the camera when running Windows. Also, HD video will not play well on Windows. But the tablet is otherwise fully functional on the Windows side for business applications.

And here is the current availability limitation:

100 X98 Air 3G dual-system model of the machine is only based on the price of the sale Andrews, built genuine win8 system + office office software, is the additional premium features.

X98 Air 3G dual system of machine to enjoy this offering National Warranty Services, users can enjoy a normal purchase refunds services in conformity with the provisions of National Warranty. The event is supported by the typhoon in order to repay the old and new products for Taipower only provide 100 machines in the forum, and any other channels can not buy this type of dual system machine! Given the number of applicants may exceed the number of machines, we advance Description: Registration will definitely not get the machine, please understand!

There are just one hundred of these special tablets. And they’re being offered to members of the Teclast forum.

Apparently this is a test of the viability of this concoction to see if people find it useful and to shake out any bugs.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’d go for a tablet like this. It’d give me the chance to directly compare using Google Books PDF on Android versus Windows in one go. Also, I’d find such a dual system to be more productive than a strictly Android or Windows tablet.

Screensnaps from the demo video follow.

It looks like one of the Volume buttons is being pressed …

… and BAM! The Windows Desktop appears instantly:

Windows System Information:

And this is a fraction of a second after the button has been pressed to switch to Android; see how the Desktop is shrinking …

… shrinking and fading to Android …

… and it’s not a trick …

… because the Android icons are swiped through:

Now the video (ripped from Youku to YouTube):

Dual-booting tablets are supposed to be dead. Both Google and Microsoft have objected to them. How has Teclast been able to do this? Did Microsoft finally relent? They must have — because Microsoft stands to gain more from this than Google. Microsoft needs people to experience Windows on a tablet. That gives them the chance of people upgrading and sticking with Windows. Google has nothing to gain. Android already has a huge installed base.

Also note, this is the original X98 Air 3G. Will Teclast being offering this for the new Teclast X98 Air II, with its faster CPU? [correction: the Air II brings the X98 Air on par with the X98 Air 3G; both now have the same CPU].

This post will be updated today if more information becomes available.

Same-day update: IMP3Net has an article [Google Translate].

Previously here:

More Teclast X98 Air 3G Updates
Teclast X98 Air 3G: Windows Firmware Beta Release
Teclast X98 Air 3G: Windows Firmware Soon
Teclast X98 Air 3G: More Praise?
Teclast X98 Air 3G: iambillbil Praises
Teclast X98 Air 3G: iambillbil Evaluation Begins
Teclast X98 Air 3G Gets A Review
Teclast X98 Air 3G: iambillbil Evaluation Coming
Teclast X98 Air 3G In User Hands
Teclast X98 Air 3G: Full Details
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Teclast Admits Existence Of X98 Air 3G
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