Unknown Android Products
Whenever someone thinks of Android, they think of phones like the Samsung Galaxy or the HTC One. Not many people realize that Android has products specifically for cars, or to wear as a watch. This article will spend some time discussing some of the more obscure Android devices, and whether or not you should actually buy them. Me personally, I’ll just stick to the good ol’ fashioned Android Phone.
Let’s talk about Android Auto first. The aim of this telematics product is to allow partial control of your car via a phone, and to allow use of the phone in the car without any contact. So with this, your phone will have access to GPS, steering wheel controls, sound system, wheel speed and car data. You can do all of this with voice commands (that is, if the phone decides to listen to you!) What seems to be more interesting to me is the fact that your phone can control the steering wheel.
But what is pretty worrying to me, is, what if someone snatches the phone out from the dashboard… If you want to try this out in your car, it only works if your device runs Android Lollipop and you have a car that can support Android Auto (like Alfa Romeo’s or Audi’s). I don’t really see the appeal of this, I already own a hands-free handset for my car, and I have my hands and feet for driving, so what’s the need?
One of the coolest Android products comes from their range of Android Wear. It’s pretty much what it says on the tin, the Android OS installed onto smartwatches. And they look pretty sleek too! What’s cool about these is that you can download watch faces to really personalise your watch. The battery life of these watches is also quite impressive, so you’ll never find yourself with a dead piece of technology strapped to your wrist.
They’re incredibly functional too, you might be waiting at a bus stop, and the phone can intelligently and quickly tell you exactly which stops you’ll be passing, how long it will take, and if there’s a faster route. Or if you have you hands full, you can quickly ask the watch what the football score is, and you’ll be gifted with a swift response. The price can be just as expensive as a phone, so if you’re willing to try something new, give it a go! I can really see these taking off once the technology has been perfected. It’s only a matter of time before all our normal, boring watches are replaced with ones we can go on the internet with!
Lastly, there’s Android TV. Android TV creates an interactive 10 foot user interface (don’t be misled, the screen size isn’t 10 feet, it just means you can comfortably view things from 10 feet away). You’ll be able to install Android TV into TV’s and standalone set-top boxes. When installed, you’ll have access to the Google Play store, Netflix, Hulu and certain Android games. I personally don’t see a use for Android TV (which might explain why it hasn’t been selling fantastically). Just get a tablet and you’ll get everything Android TV has, at a cheaper price. Plus, you can carry tablets around. We have TV’s for viewing please, and mobile phones for apps, so where does Android TV fit in?
Overall, although there’s quite a few Android products out there, there’s a reason why the phones are the most popular. The watches are definitely something to keep your eye on, but that’s just about it. If you have spare cash laying around and are willing to splash out on Android Auto or TV, then go ahead, let us know the results!
This article was written by a guest blogger, Talat Kazim, the Account Executive for 7ThingsMedia. Kazim also happens to be one of our avid readers, who felt to share his views on tech developments with regards to Android products. The Innov8tiv team extends our gratitude for being an active and avid reader.