Surprise! These gadgets run Android

Android is beautiful! Of course, we may be biased, but the explosive impact of Google’s operating system on the technology industry is undeniable. It powers some of the best phones and keeps billions of people connected, informed and entertained. Still, Android isn’t just for phones, tablets, smartwatches, and smart Google TVs. Android’s openness and flexibility enable product diversity. From ingenious and practical to quirky and downright weird, these gadgets run Android surprisingly well.

These digital cameras

A mirrorless Android camera? Imagine the possibilities!

Dedicated digital cameras still reign supreme when it comes to raw image quality. However, it is quite difficult to move your photos to a computer, run them in Lightroom, and then upload them to your preferred social media or cloud storage platform.

Samsung tried to solve the problem by releasing the Samsung Galaxy Camera in 2012. It was a 16 MP digital camera with a 21x zoom lens, a 4.8-inch touchscreen and Android 4.1 operating system, giving you access to all social media. Android photo editing apps you can use it. A year later, Samsung announced the Galaxy NX, which featured a larger image sensor and interchangeable lenses, placing it firmly in the pro user realm. Galaxy Camera 2 was released in 2014 with minor technical improvements over the previous model.

Android-powered digital cameras have never been popular, but the concept lives on with the Yongnuo YN455, a $700 mirrorless camera with Android 10 and Micro Four Thirds optics. It’s far from perfect, as you can tell after watching this review video, but it deserves points for keeping the dream alive.

Fun fact: Android was intended to be an advanced operating system for digital cameras. The idea was proposed in 2004, three years before the first iPhone was announced.

This 3D printer

Revolutionizing manufacturing

It is no coincidence that the control module of Snapmaker 2.0 3D printers reminds us of an Android phone from 10 years ago. Beneath the custom software skin lies an old but functional Android OS build that allows for essential features like Wi-Fi connectivity, removable storage, and CANBus communication to control the machine’s mechanical modules. You can’t install apps, although there’s very little you’ll want to run on the 1.1GHz Cortex-A7 processor. But for 3D printing, engraving and laser engraving, this is a lot of processing power.

This is real printer

Green robot helps you get things done

Printers are universally despised for their poor reliability. A potential solution came from Samsung in 2013 with the company’s Smart MultiXpress printer-scanner combinations. Yes, they ran Android.

This may seem like an over-engineering solution, but having a suitable operating system allowed printers to print without computers. They can also scan and email documents independently. Thanks to built-in NFC, printers allowed quick pairing with phones when, for example, you wanted to print a photo from your gallery. An NFC-based authentication system was also available to limit access to all documents and data accessible on the device.

This is Samsung refrigerator

Everything is more delicious with a little Android

If you have a 2013 Samsung Zipel T9000, “Sent from my Samsung Android smart refrigerator” might be your email signature. But seriously, having a 10.1-inch touchscreen and Android on your refrigerator can be useful for searching and updating recipes. your grocery shopping lists or putting on a YouTube video while you cook. Today’s Samsung Family Hub refrigerators have larger touchscreens with a diagonal of up to 32 inches, but they’ve switched to Samsung’s Tizen operating system.

This digital photo frame

And yes it works pretty well

I was skeptical when I received one of these Frameo digital picture frames as a gift. But surprisingly it serves its purpose reliably. That’s probably because its maker chose to put Android instead of an obscure, half-baked alternative. The touchscreen works, the software updates, and the Wi-Fi connection allows photos to be transferred wirelessly from the phone to the frame. It’s too bad that app installation is not allowed in stock firmware.

This smart mirror

Mirror or phone screen?

Many people take their phones to the toilet, so the idea of ​​an Android smart mirror is not as far-fetched as it seems. Placing a large touchscreen and tablet interior behind the bathroom mirror lets you watch videos, play music, or check the weather while getting ready for work. The difficult part is that Android smart mirrors are difficult to find and purchase, and the prices are not low considering the hardware features.

This is Sony projector

Ahead of its time and beyond everyone’s budget

Sony Xperia Touch was an innovative hybrid of Android tablet and smartphone. short throw projector. Yes, the type of projector you use to display movies on the wall. Even though it didn’t have a touch screen, it detected touch input in the projected image; This means you can play the 23-inch Fruit Ninja on a table by pointing the projector downwards.

Although it looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, the Xperia Touch had major drawbacks: Battery life was short at two hours, touch input didn’t always work well, and the image was faded and low-resolution. But critically, the $1,699 price made it prohibitively expensive. For context, we can say that the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus is available for $850, while the Galaxy Tab S3 is available for $600.

This is landline

We’ve come full circle

Landline phones with Android and built-in touchscreens are one thing, but who needs them is a bit of a mystery. Office workers? Tech websites that compile lists of stupid gadgets? We really don’t know.

We know that these strange contraptions usually come with SIM card slots for wireless 4G connectivity. Most models do not connect to landline networks, but some do, judging by their features. Speaking of specs, these are things you’d find on an older tablet; so good luck launching anything beyond your address book or calculator app.

This Android game console

Can’t beat the convenience of physical buttons

In contrast, dedicated Android game consoles have a very clear target market and have taken a very long time to reach. One of the best-made examples is the Ayaneo Pocket Air, pictured above. It’s not cheap at $300. Still, the many features it offers make it ideal for playing modern Android games and emulating old classics. It has high-quality physical buttons, a massive battery, and a vibrant 5.5-inch OLED touchscreen. Are you tempted? You may want to read our article Ayaneo Pocket Air review or check out our list best Android gaming handhelds to learn more.

This e-book reader

It’s like a Kindle on steroids

ONYX BOOX Go 10.3 draws attention with its high-resolution E Ink Carta Plus (Carta 1200) black and white screen, which is ideal for reading books. Because it runs Android, this tablet can do more than the best Kindle, while the included stylus lets you take handwritten notes. Of course you wouldn’t play games or watch movies on one of these, but if you’ve ever I wanted an e-reader This could be your dream device, at least allowing you to play music or check your emails.

This space satellite

Androids in space!

It’s easy to assume that space satellites need cutting-edge processing power. But it turns out that a phone is powerful enough to do the job. STRaND-1 nanosatellite project It was released in 2013 and paired the Nexus One with a traditional satellite computer. The project failed due to a problem with the traditional PC, leaving the Nexus One with no chance to shine. Two months later, NASA placed its smartphone-powered satellites into orbit and became operational. The names Alexander, Graham and Bell were given in honor of the inventor of the telephone.

Android in everything!

Android is known for its open structure and freedom of customization, and the existence of the above-mentioned gadgets is an indication of this. It’s amazing what can be achieved and how much effort can be saved when we have access to a flexible and powerful platform like Android. But we must admit that Android is not perfect and has its ups and downs. At work Android versions we think are particularly disappointing.