NordOS

NordOS is an operating system developed by the Salerian technology company Nordtec to run seamlessly on personal computers, smartphones and tablet computers. It was initially available on smartphones starting with the Nordphone 2 in 2017, then it was later expanded to personal computers and tablet computers in 2019.

History
The development of NordOS dates back around the release of the Nordphone 1 in 2015 when Nordtec's founder Alfonso Jönsson told Techradar that the company would plan to create an operating system that would work seamlessly across PCs, smartphones and tablets under the codename "Project Galdhøpiggen." He stated that the operating system will be designed from scratch, but it will support Android applications and games.

The operating system was unveiled to the public for the first time at the 2017 Mobile World Congress. Nordtec stated that the OS would later arrive on personal computers and tablets in 2019.

The first version of NordOS was released on 23 October 2017 for the Nordphone 2. According to some initial reviews, the operating system had a rocky start due to power management-related issues, as well as performance-related issues when running Android applications. These issues were later fixed in a software update.

NordOS 2, a successor to the first version of NordOS, was announced to the public at the 2019 Mobile World Congress. The operating system will include new features and performance improvements, as well as improved compatibility for Android applications, support for PCs and tablets, and a new and improved user interface. Additionally, NordOS Free Edition, a free version of the operating system, was also announced at the event.

Although it was initially released on Nordtec's smartphones, the operating system became a success for Nordtec and it is well-received by many users and tech enthusiasts. This led some game developers (particularly a mix of mobile and PC/console developers), such as Epic Games, Feral Interactive, Take-Two Interactive, Tencent, and Ubisoft, to port and release their games to the operating system. The success was also the same when NordOS was released for x86-based personal computers.

The third version of NordOS was announced in a YouTube livestream on 2 April 2021 and was released on 15 May 2021.

Applications
Applications for NordOS are developed using the NordOS Software Development Kit. Most of the applications that are made for this operating system are developed in C/C++ or Java.

Applications for the operating system can be obtained and install either through the NordOS Market or through the Internet as an .npkg file.

Built-in applications
While there are a lot of built-in applications that NordOS has, only some of them will be included in this section.


 * NordOS Chat - An instant messaging software that is similar to iMessage.
 * NordOS File Manager
 * NordOS Mail
 * NordOS Maps
 * NordOS Market
 * NordOS Meet - A videoconferencing software that is similar to Zoom.
 * KiLyme Browser - A Blink-based web browser that has the same features as Google Chrome, but includes ad-blocking, parental controls, support for extensions, themes and playback of DRM-protected content at resolutions higher than 720p.
 * NordOS Media Player - Also known as the Diamond Media Player (due to the icon being shaped like a diamond), the media player is capable of playing various audio and video formats, such as H.264, HEVC, FLAC, VP9, and AV1.
 * Nordtec Office - A fork of LibreOffice, which it was originally based on OpenOffice and Star Office.

User interface
NordOS uses a custom-made user interface called NordUI. The user interface features a clean-looking, flat design. It is largely influenced from Windows 10, macOS Mojave, Android 8 Oreo, and iOS 10.

The status bar, which includes the signal of the WiFi or data connection, the speaker icon (which indicates the volume level), the Bluetooth icon, the battery icon, the current time, and the menu icon, are located at the upper right of the screen. On smartphones and tablets, the Wi-Fi/data signal and the carrier's name are located on the upper left of the screen, while the battery icon and the current time are located upper right of the screen.

On personal computers and tablet computers, the taskbar is centered in the way that's similar to Chrome OS and Windows 11. However, on mobile phones, a favorites bar is used instead, while the Apps menu icon (the logo of Nordtec in color white) can still be seen.

The Start Menu (or the Apps Menu on smartphones and tablet computers) is similar to the Start Menu in older versions of Chrome OS and in Windows 11.

The user interface can be scaled accordingly, depending on the device and the screen's resolution and orientation.

Desktops
Most modern PCs can run NordOS without problems, as long as it follows the system requirements. For more information, see the "System Requirements" section in the article.

Laptops

 * Nordbook One
 * Nordbook 2

Smartphones

 * Nordphone 2
 * Nordphone 3
 * Nordphone Lite
 * Nordphone Lite 2
 * Nordphone Go
 * Nordphone 4
 * Nordphone Go 5G

Tablets

 * Nordpad One
 * Nordpad 2

Minimum

 * Processor: A 64-bit dual-core processor (either Intel or AMD) with hyperthreading
 * RAM: 8GB of system memory
 * Storage: At least 8GB of hard disk storage
 * Graphics Card: A minimum of 1GB video memory with OpenGL hardware acceleration
 * An internet connection is required for some features and services. A Nordtec account is needed for purchasing/downloading applications and games from the Nordtec Store. Additional features or services might require different accounts.

Recommended

 * Processor: A 64-bit quad-core processor (either Intel or AMD) with hyperthreading
 * RAM: 8GB of system memory
 * Storage: At least 16GB of hard disk storage
 * Graphics Card: A minimum of 2GB video memory with OpenGL or Vulkan hardware acceleration
 * An internet connection is required for some features and services. A Nordtec account is needed for purchasing/downloading applications and games from the Nordtec Store. Additional features or services might require different accounts.

Version history

 * NordOS 1 (2017)
 * NordOS 2 (2019)
 * NordOS 3 (2021)