Ex-Google engineers reveal the Remix tablet - a Microsoft Surface look-alike running a forked version of Android

Not a Microsoft Surface: The $349 Remix Tablet

Three former Google engineers responsible for products such as Maps and Search have recently announced the result of a new project they started after leaving Google. It is called Remix.

The Remix tablet, dubbed the world’s first ultra-tablet, is unapologetically a clone of the Microsoft Surface. It has a kickstand (which supports 40º and 80º angles), interchangeable keyboard covers and even a shell that mimics Microsoft’s design.

Inside, the Remix tablet is running a modified version of Android called Remix OS and it is apparently a blend of the best things from current devices. On the company’s website they say “We can't stand the drawbacks of the tablets and laptops on the market today and we wanted to do something about it.”

Remix OS looks like what Windows 8 would have looked like if it was made by Google. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Windows Mail app has clearly been ripped off here, they haven’t even bothered changing the blue background colour. However, there is something neater and cleaner about the apps on Remix OS compared to Windows 8 which makes this tablet very desirable.

File manager on Remix OS

Apps can be downloaded onto the Remix tablet via the Google Play store and there is a ‘phone mode’ so the apps run like they would if they were on a smartphone. This means that multiple apps can be open at once utilising all the space on the 11-inch touchscreen.

To switch between apps there is a task manager at the bottom which looks like it has also been lifted straight from Window and the file manager too look like what the Windows 8 file manager should have been. The file manager on Remix OS is intuitive, powerful, and a delight to use with a touchscreen – unlike the one on Windows 8 which is made primarily for mouse and keyboard use.

Spot the different: The e-mail client on Remix OS Vs the e-mail client on Windows 8

Here are some of the specifications:
· NVIDIA 4+1 processor
· 2GB of RAM
· 5MP rear and front-facing cameras
· 11.6" 1080p IPS display
· microSD card slot
· Headphone jack
· Stereo speakers

There is also a microUSB port with an included OTG adaptor so you have a full sized USB port.

The makers of the Remix tablet hope that it will launch in the US later this year at $349 for the 16GB model however it’s likely that Microsoft will soon slap them with a copyright lawsuit which will stop them in their tracks.