OStatic

It was only back in March when I wrote this post, Why is Android Stalled? In it, I wondered why there weren't any new smartphones running on the Linux-based operating system, or any other notable news to speak of. It's amazing how quickly that has changed. There are approximately 30 new Android handsets coming from top manufacturers this year, several companies are putting Android on netbooks (a hot hardware category), and there are even new strains of Android appearing. Here are just a few of the notable Android developments from the past few days.

Recently, we've covered several new opportunities, including non-phone platforms such as netbooks, e-ink devices, and set-top boxes, for Google's open source Android operating system. Today, GigaOm and Information Week are discussing confirmation of what is likely to be the first fully-realized, non-phone hardware implementation of Android: a set-top box from Motorola called au Box. It's being made by Motorola for Japanese Internet service provider KDDI, and, according to Information Week, it will be capable of playing DVDs and CDs, transferring music and video to a mobile device, and ripping and storing files. That sounds a lot like full-blown computer, and there is another way the au Box will be a lot like a computer. Here are more details.