Android making the jump to general consumer electronics in 2009?

While the world waits to see the first Android cellphone revealed in New York later today, others are hard at work extending the reach of the open-source OS beyond just handsets. John Bruggeman, chief marketing officer at Wind River Systems says, "We're starting to see Android get designed in on devices that extend way beyond the phone--things that might go in the automobile or things that might go in the home." Bruggeman then collects his wits and adds, "I don't want to pre-announce any design wins, I think you'll see them in 2009. I would be shocked if you didn't." Indeed. After all, Intel and Wind River (both Android Open Handset Alliance members) have been working on an open, Linux-based car-computing platform since at least May of this year -- so a switch to Android would be an over-simplified snap. It certainly makes sense for the hardware independent -- thanks to Java-based Dalvik virtual machine -- OS, middleware, and apps to spread throughout a consumer electronics industry lacking a common development platform. Whether this occurs by Google's design or just a happy by-product of Android's momentum remains to be seen.

[The Kaptain @ Sep 23rd 2008 7:49AM]

...and changing it's name to SkyNet.

[Taylor @ Sep 23rd 2008 7:57AM]

Of all the companies I know, Google would be the one I'm LEAST concerned about if they took over my life.

Also, I saw the page with no comments. Whether I get first is another thing altogether...

[Saad Rabia @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:01AM]

But, you are not first... Now what?

[Jack Storm @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:06AM]

You should be concerned and you're NOT first.

[tadghostal @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:33AM]

Jack Storm - lol. Saw you at Dewey Beach. What an ass :)

[Volker @ Sep 23rd 2008 7:59AM]

Google is on the right track, now time to see Microsoft stumble its way up the stairs to catch up. I'm pumped for Android!

[Ike Turner @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:00AM]

People never heard about Windows CE (in Windows Mobile, GPS devices, In Car computing,etc etc...) I guess...

[TareX @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:04AM]

Yeah I'm sure that was what all the hype was about: Android refrigerators and microwaves.

Get video and stereo Bluetooth on your CELLPHONES first, and pay the manufacturer enough design money this time. Cheapass Google.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:32AM]

See for your self:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FJHYqE0RDg

[Podaman @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:54AM]

Kick the baby!

[Rollins @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:26AM]

Does the Android mascot remind anyone else of the Zero Punctuation monster that Yahtzee uses in his reviews?

[JerkfacedFed @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:53AM]

yup haha. and java..ugh..

[patsy @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:39AM]

> Intel and Wind River [...] have been working on an open, Linux-based car-computing platform [...] so a switch to Android would be an over-simplified snap.

Says a writer on a technology blog who in theory SHOULD know better than that, but apparently doesn't. Android isn't so much an OS as a Java framework, and it could theoretically run on top of any modern OS--Windows, MacOS, and yes, Linux. Just download the SDK and poke around a bit and you'll see that you write entirely to a Java sandbox, the only difference being that this one provides a lot of hardware-specific APIs that you don't typically get on a desktop: phone, GPS, accelerometers, etc. If Intel and WR have been working on a binary Linux API, switching to Android would indeed be anything but a snap.

[Charbax @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:41AM]

Put Android on $100 Laptops. Based on ARM processors, with a good Chrome browser ported to Android, the Android laptops will run as smooth as any X86 based netbook.

[JayMonster @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:39AM]

Stop it, before you give Palm another lame idea for yet another failed Foleo.

[dvsbstrd @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:55AM]

That picture made me go AWWWWWW

[John Heylin @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:31PM]

I can't wait for people to start modifying the OS.