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Developers using Google’s Android have created a simple way to install the operating system on to Nokia’s N810 open-source handheld devices.

The development is more of interest to people who want to build applications for Android rather than general users. So what exactly is the advantage of this development?

Well, for developers, the discovery is pretty exciting. “Testing on a physical device is way different than testing in an emulator,” said Mike Rowehl, a mobile developer who has loaded Android on his N810.

“This is an important move that indicates the success of the open-source model. By virtue of building on open-source platforms already well-represented in terms of active projects, developers have been able to get Android up and running on physical hardware,” he added.

The N810 devices run on Maemo Linux, and Android is based on Linux. Since most phones come with closed operating systems, users typically can’t simply remove and replace operating systems, as the developers were able to do. Because Android isn’t yet complete, no phones actually running the software are available.

In April, developers also posted installation information on the eLinux.org Web site about loading Android onto the Nokia tablets. However, the process was pretty complicated. The new installer makes it much easier for people to load the software onto the devices.

The N810 has a larger form factor than a cell phone but is much smaller than a laptop. The initial release of the line of Internet tablets, the N770, by Nokia raised some eyebrows because the devices don’t include cellular connectivity. They have Wi-Fi, however, and users can connect a cell phone to the N810 via Bluetooth for mobile access.