Google’s Android is one of its most used and renowned projects. Thanks to its community-based approach and open-source nature, it has received unprecedented adoption from manufacturers, designers, and OEM companies across various electronic technology verticals.
Android’s entry into the home-entertainment space is only natural and inevitable. Android media players brings the possibility of making smart home entertainment solutions accessible to a wider spectrum of new users and buyers. Let’s see what are the current options available in the marketplace.
Popularly known as Kodi boxes, these boxes include a host of connectivity and interfacing options such as USB Slots, USB-OTG, HDMI Output, 4K support, Ethernet support, keyboard and mouse support, WiFi, Bluetooth, DLNA and Miracast technologies. Models such as the Tronsmart Vega S95 Telos even have support for SATA interface, giving you access your entire hard disk drive. In a nutshell, it’s smart box for your TV or your display solution. They run Android with custom mods and installs such as Kodi (previously xBMC), a popular open-source home theater software and multimedia content discovery platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify to name a few.
Android TV Sticks
These Android media player sticks are capable of taking over your casting needs by offering wireless functionality. They are small, compact, and offer features such as microSD Card Slot, USB, Micro USB/OTG, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, DLNA, Miracast, HDMI output and even 4K Support now. They are an on-the-go and cost-effective version of Android TV boxes.
Android-Based VR Headsets
Google’s Google Cardboard project helped propel virtual reality (VR) into the mainstream and on a spree of user-based innovation. This wearable technology interfaces with your smartphone and creates an interactive user-experience. Currently, plenty of DIY and ready-to-use headsets are readily available. Imagine how immersive viewing through VR headset and sound routed to your home theater system would be. Facebook’s 2104 acquisition of the innovator in this segment Oculus can only give you a preview of the future of this technology.
Android All-in-One System
Still in their nascent stages of development, these devices promise to offer both entertainment as well as computing based on custom versions of the Android OS. The idea behind this is to make Android your go-to OS by providing seamless integration with your other Android devices. Startups like Jide with their Remix OS are continuously trying to push innovation in this segment. All-in-one Android media players and computing devices are going to be the next big wave in entertainment solutions.
The integration of Android media players into Home Theaters Systems has exciting possibilities. With current consumption trends moving towards streaming, Android-based media players seem to be a viable solution for smart, engaging, and addictively entertaining; do look out for them.
