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Now this is REALLY interesting!
Remember that Mobile OS called Android? Remember how we’ve seen a number of Mobile devices running it? Funny that! But now a company has taken Android beyond the Mobile device, and in to the living room! MIPS is making a slew of announcements regarding the company’s Android platform. MIPS is the first company to have ported Android on to processor cores for home entertainment systems.
They’ve got various streams of PR coming out around the CES show:
- MIPS ANDROID @ CES: MIPS will bring Android ‘home’ at CES by demoing the world’s first Android set-top boxes, Android running on a MIPS-based netbook and the world’s first social media center for Android-based embedded platforms. MIPS will be at the Hilton Hotel, Suite 28-128. Suite hours will be from 10am – 6pm from Thursday (1/7) to Saturday (1/9).
- Adobe: MIPS has partnered with Adobe and joined the Open Screen Project to collaborate and optimize Adobe Flash Player 10.1 for the MIPS architecture. The partnership shows MIPS’ commitment to supporting key platforms that will enable the next-generation of connected multimedia devices, and Adobe Flash Player is an essential element of the rich web experience in these products.
- Ecosystem: MIPS is working with key semiconductor IP firms like Chips & Media, Discretix, Tensilica, Vivante Corp. and others to help customers meet cost/performance targets with solutions that optimize performance for devices based on the Android platform.
- MStar: The company has licensed MIPS’ multi-threaded processor for next generation devices, including DTV ICs.
- ViXS: Has partnered with MIPS to enable advanced set-top box, connect TV, Blu-ray disc and video network processor applications using the MIPS 74k and 1004k platforms.
Each of these announcements might not mean that much, but put together, you can see that MIPS has addressed a number of areas which all need to be supported properly, in order to make a success of a product – or as is often termed, ‘an end-to-end approach’. That should mean their Android offering is particularly strong, and could be picked up by CE vendors, as a quick route to a lightweight platform that can natively and easily run internet services.
It’s good to see Android stretching it’s legs and making a dash for other consumer electronics than just the Mobile – in the short to medium term I guess we’ll see what the adoption of it as home entertainment platform is like.
About The Author
Ben Robinson
Ben is a 10+ year veteran of the Mobile industry – starting his career when SMS was a still a relatively new concept for most people (!), he has now consulted on everything from bleeding-edge Mobile content, to the next-gen accessories you might view it on. As a result he has a broad and deep knowledge in numerous areas of Mobile – from network operators to device vendors, to infrastructure and middleware vendors (not to mention content delivery) – and has worked for companies in all of these areas! He is based in the UK, a hotbed of activity for mobile, and recently became a father for the second time – as oppose to in his younger years when he was happy spend time tweaking all manner of mobile devices to 'nth' degree, he now looks for services and hardware that provide the most efficient, compact, and reliable improvements to his already manic life! It’s his opinion that Mobile solutions should be there to help to make your life better – if a particular solution (be it service or device) isn’t doing this, he believes you need to ask the very important question of why you continue to use it... His focus at IntoMobile is mainly on Mobile content, services, and infrastructure, particularly as regards the UK market – and with the occasional look at devices. Additionally, using his extensive experience in the industry, he will provide commentary on the industry at large, with regular (and hopefully thought-provoking) articles.
