Android Explosion: 6 New Android Products That Aren't Smartphones
That little Android
mascot must be struggling to catch his breath.
Every time we finish talking about the ridiculous growth of Google's Android operating system, new stats emerge showing even more
mind-boggling expansion. It was just over a month ago, after all, that Google's
Andy Rubin revealed that 160,000 Android devices were being activated every day.
Now, Rubin says that number has surged to 200,000 -- 200,000 new Android phones coming online
every single day. That amounts to 1.4 million new Android handsets being
activated each week, or roughly 6.2 million per month. Or, to put it in highly
technical terms, a lot of freakin' phones.
Back in June, some readers balked when I declared that Apple had fallen and couldn't get up in terms of its relative
mobile market share. Google's sales data aside, two separate
reports released this week show just how quickly Android is making gains. As
time wears on, the reality of the shifting market becomes increasingly
difficult to deny.
But Android isn't only about smartphones -- not for long,
anyway. Google's mobile operating system is set to make its way onto all sorts
of high-tech stuff, ranging from the mundane and to the just plain strange.
Let's hope that little green robot's taking his vitamins.
Android Product #1: The Android TV
Watch out, TiVo -- Android has its eye on the boob tube. Google's
recently announced Google TV concept will bring Android into your living room
with a series of manufacturer-made devices.
Google TV will combine standard television-watching with
an Android-infused Internet experience. That means you'll be able to use
Google-powered search to find TV channels, upcoming shows, and movies -- or to
find photos, videos, and other content online. It'll be one giant entertainment
soup, all mixed together without distinction.
What really stands to set Google TV apart, though, is its
integration with the Android Market. Like Android-based smartphones, Google TV
devices will connect to an open app store that'll offer an array of
applications to help personalize your experience and expand the product's
possibilities.
Google TV will run on TV sets, Blu-ray players, and standalone
boxes. The first of those products are expected to go on sale this fall.
Android Product #2: The Android Tablet (this is now available here)
An army of Android
tablets is on its way into the world. While Dell's soon-to-launch Streak may be more of a smartphone than a slate, other
Android-powered technology more true to the tablet nature is not far behind it.
Among the Android tablets expected to debut in the coming
months are an Android-powered Asus Eee Pad; a superthin as-of-yet unnamed
Android slate by LG; and a 7-inch iPad-like tablet from Samsung.
You can get a sneak peek at these and other upcoming
Android tablets in this PCWorld slideshow.
Android Product #3: The Android Home Phone System
Numerous
manufacturers are hoping to strike a chord with Android-powered phone systems for at-home use. These devices
are no old-school gadgets, either: While they do connect to standard landlines,
most of the models also feature a slew of high-tech functions, including full
Internet access and support for Android Market applications.
Android Product #4: The Android
Home Command
Center
Taking the home phone system a step further, some
companies are working on all-out home control gadgets. The gadgets range from souped-up
multimedia remotes -- complete with in-device Internet access, of course -- to
fully powered home command centers. The latter will let you do everything from
flipping on and off lights to locking doors and even adjusting the A/C. Being
lazy has never been easier.
Android Products #5 & 6: The Android Appliances
Those first four are
just the start -- and, suffice it to say, we've saved the best (or at least the
most amusing) for last.
There's the Android-powered washer/dryer -- yes, seriously -- and then my personal favorite: the
Android-powered microwave. I kid you not.
If you actually buy one of these things, I think you can
officially call yourself a full-fledged Android fanboy.
JR Raphael is a PCWorld contributing editor and the
author of the Android Power
blog. He's on both Twitter
and Facebook;
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