Android Software - Beyond Smartphones and Tablets

Beyond Smartphones and Tablets

The open and customizable nature of Android allows it to be used on other electronics, including laptops and netbooks, smartbooks smart TVs (Google TV) and cameras (Nikon Coolpix S800c and Galaxy Camera). In addition, the Android operating system has seen applications on smart glasses (Google Glass), wristwatches, headphones, car CD and DVD players, mirrors, portable media players and landlines and Voice over IP phones. Ouya, a video game console running Android, became one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns, crowdfunding US$8.5m for its development, and was later followed by other Android-based video games consoles such as Project Shield from Nvidia.

In 2011, Google demonstrated "Android@Home", a new home automaton technology which uses Android to control a range of household devices including light switches, power sockets and thermostats. Prototype light bulbs were announced that could be controlled from an Android phone or tablet, but Android head Andy Rubin was cautious to note that "turning a lightbulb on and off is nothing new," pointing to numerous failed home automation services. Google, he said, was thinking more ambitiously and the intention was to use their position as a cloud services provider to bring Google products into customers' homes.