Google's Android Open Handset Alliance Project made news yesterday with its debut on T-Mobile's G1 phone -- and it was the opening salvo in the search-engine giant's strategy to dominate the emerging mobile-computing Internet advertising market the way it has with the PC. Android also could be making its way into the car as soon as next year, and not just as a part of a Bluetooth-connected phone, judging from comments by a representative of Wind River, which is part of the Android Open Source Alliance.
"We're starting to see Android get designed in on devices that extend way beyond the phone -- things that might go in the automobile," John Bruggeman, chief marketing officer of Wind River, told CNET earlier this week. "I don't want to pre-announce any design wins," he added. "I think you'll see them in 2009. I would be shocked if you didn't."
Wind River has already set its sights on the lucrative auto infotainment market by partnering with Intel, which is also a member of the Android OSA.
Earlier this year Wind River, which specializes in device software optimization, announced a partnership with the dominant chip maker to develop a Linux-based open-source telematics system.
This comes at a time when Microsoft is strengthening its proprietary applications and position in the mushrooming auto infotainment market, and Apple has a virtual lock on dedicated portable media player integration among automakers due to the phenomenal popularity of its iPod.
But with BMW "bucking Microsoft" and "more than just interested" in developing systems around the Wind River/Intel open-source platform, and with the announcement last week that the German automaker is adding Google Maps search capability to its BMW Assist telematics service, could Android on-board -- and an open-source dashboard -- be far behind?
redliner says:
02:06 PM, 09/24/08
I absolutly refuse to buy a a car that has ads in it. My car is my temple, stay away advertisers!
dougnewcomb says:
04:34 PM, 09/24/08
Well, let's hope you can at least opt out ... without having to pay for it: http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/05/directions-to-w.html#more.
firstwagon says:
07:09 PM, 09/24/08
And people complain that cell phones are distracting. How long before this nonsense gets banned.
ateixeira says:
09:00 AM, 09/25/08
It's either that or you pay by the megabyte. I'm OK with paying, just saying...someone has to pay for it.
I met with our T-Mobile rep yesterday to talk about this new phone. It looks pretty cool. I also saw a few video demos.
A few concerns:
* unlike BlackBerry fees, international use is not flat-fee, it's pay as you go, by the MB
* at launch it will not support Lotus Domino e-mail, so no corporate e-mail at least at first
They said it would cost under $200 with a 2 year contract, not bad in terms of price. The camera is 3 MP and I think they said it has 2 Gigs of memory, both good.
They screen is big and they managed to squeeze in a keyboard in a nice size, too.
I like it, but I hope they sort out corporate e-mail with Lotus and re-consider offering flat-fee pricing for international users.
The GPS is supposed to be pretty good, accurate enough to know what road you're on, if not the exact lane you're in.
dougnewcomb says:
05:43 PM, 09/25/08
Maybe it will finally spur release of a turn-by-turn nav app for the iPhone, which is supposedly coming soon: http://www.appletell.com/apple/comment/telenav-bringing-gps-navigation-to-iphone-3g/.
And too bad the G1 (like the iPhone) doesn't have BT A2DP, since more cars seem to be offering the feature.