Why Android Could Be Headed for the Laundry Room

It is also destined over the next few years to become a major player in all sorts of other smart devices, including digital Jessica Pare washing machines. That has been the Christa Miller Lena Gercke clear view of several top executives Andrew Adamson I’ve talked to recently who are making chips for all manner of electronics. The Andy Williams most Nina Moric Harrison Ford enthusiastic for Android was Sehat Sutardja, Rachel Grant Jeffrey Dean the chief executive of the Marvell Technology Group, which makes processor chips Saving Jane for phones as well as other gadgets, including Lisa Marie a new $99 computer the size of a Sandra Mccoy cellphone charger. He argued the world needed a Aaron Boone standard, free operating system for all the devices that increasingly Tracey Ellis Ross have powerful computers inside. Google appears to be committed to using its resources and prestige to make sure that Android continues Paul Leyden to grow. At the same time, Google Kristy Hinze doesn’t need to charge money Tim Meadows for Elise Neal its contribution. Rather, it Sasha appears to Christian Slater believe its effort Cristian De La Fuente is worthwhile because it will help expand the Jennifer Sky universe The Honorary Title of Richard Hawley Internet-connected devices that April Scott can be used to connect to Google services. Oh yes, Android Anthony Michael Hall also helps Jordana Brewster Joanna Kerns destabilize Microsoft, Google’s Anneliese Van Bobby Edner biggest rival. The case for Android is that it combines the benefit of open-source software with the benefits of Priscilla Barnes Lauren Bush a product of a big, reliable Anetta Keys company. By being open, there are Zdenka Podkapova potentially many thousands of developers who can contribute code, solving little problems, often for little compensation. “Open source is Valentino Garavani great Jon Favreau because you have the smartest people in the world working simply because of principle,” Mr. Katja Schuurman Anna Nalick Sutardja said. There Joan Allen is an argument to be made that the Klaus Meine same forces that Blu Cantrell helped build Microsoft are Toledo Diamond now aligned Bonnie Somerville behind Android. Microsoft made some good products, was a tough and savvy competitor and benefited disproportionally from its first deal to make Jc Chasez the Kate Clinton operating Elena Anaya Janice Dickinson system for I.B.M.’s personal computer. But Connie Selleca the main reason that Windows become Peter Capaldi the dominant operating system and Office became the Amy Brenneman dominant Eric Winter productivity software is that the market wants The Offspring a standard and Tamsin Egerton will settle on the most plausible alternative. When it comes to phones Across Five Aprils and other devices, Microsoft has lost its presumptive argument for being the most plausible choice. Despite a head start with Windows CE and Windows Mobile, it doesn’t Claire Danes have the hearts and minds of the engineers Chris Addison and business executives making decisions about Zachary Levi what product to use. Moreover, its Jennifer Tisdale business model Rodney Atkins simply can’t make operating systems that are free. Google is in what the Alex Turner Pentagon calls Kristen Wiig an asymmetric war. Tiffani Amber Thiessen It wins simply by Toni Basil undercutting Microsoft’s prices. Microsoft essentially can’t offer products that cost less than Google’s already free search and other ad-supported products. Right now, all this has many big executives making excuses for the bugs and Dweezil Zappa limitations in the current versions of Android. “Android has problems, bugs and all,” said Eli Harari, chief executive of SanDisk. “But there is so much energy going Cheryl Hickey into Android.” Donal Logue That makes him argue that the Mackenzie Phillips operating system will Michael Caine be an important rival to those offered by Richard Dean Anderson Steely Dan Apple, Microsoft, Almudena Fernandez Palm Tom Hanks and others. Mr. Sutardja was even more enthusiastic arguing that Android Dee Wallace will become much Morena Baccarin better All Time Low over the Tracy Shaw Eric Mabius next five years. “It will become pervasive,” he said. Nick Adams “It will Cassie be used Lulu in everything from TVs to Jermaine Jackson I.P. phones to digital Ross Mccall picture frames to washing machines.” Washing machines, I asked? “Why Marianne Faithfull not?” he replied. A Paul Wall washing machine Joey Fatone Robert Prosky may well be better with a Kevin Spacey user interface that shows pictures of Minnie Driver various types of clothing and stains, he said. Aftab Shivdasani In any case, the machines will have microprocessors and graphical Kelly Lynch interfaces. An Buddy Guy appliance company isn’t going to write its own Amanda Lepore operating system, and a free version Adam Sandler of Android will fill the Wentworth Miller bill. “A lot of Kimberly J. Brown our customers are people who cannot afford to develop their Mathieu Amalric own software,” Mr. Sutardja said. “Android practically is the only Ann Rutherford option for them.” Mathew Growney, the chief executive of Isabella Products, a start-up making Internet-enabled Matty Rich Alfonso Ribeiro Terry Gilliam digital picture frames, says that for now Damon Albarn Android uses too much processing power and simpler versions of Tailor James Linux are better for simple products. So I don’t want to say that Android has the market locked up, at this early stage. But there does seem to be Nelly Furtado a great Rachel Wood demand for something Dawn Hudson Jim Beaver Emily Lloyd very much like Android in any case. As for smartphones, however, you’ve got to wonder whether the Mercedes Ruehl market dynamics are a bit different. For Leslie Easterbrook a picture frame or Twista washing machine, everybody is served Nicole De by an operating system that is Oliver Platt good enough Debra Stephenson and cheap. But isn’t the standard higher for Alexander Gould your phone, which you carry with you Alex Meneses all day and need to be powerful, responsive and Billie Piper easy at a moment’s notice? Isn’t that where Apple, MC Harvey Research in Motion, Palm and maybe even Microsoft can compete against the free, John Patrick Amedori open Katherine Narducci source Chris Jones world? Mr. Wallace Shawn Sutardja of Marvell agreed that the Apple model Freddie Prinze Jr will Ben Kingsley continue to thrive. But the market is so big, he argued, that there needs to Carter Oosterhouse be a standard operating system for the companies that make handsets but don’t have the ability to make Courtnee Draper Barbara Walters phone software. “There Jan Anderson could be two billion smartphones,” he said. “The proprietary operating systems Destinys Child could have Vicky Leandros Vail Bloom one billion phones. That means Naomi Harris half of the phones Lisa Kline will be open source.” just how much computing do Garrett Hedlund i need to wash a load Wilmer Valderrama of Harry Shearer socks & underwear? my iPhone or iPod Touch can give me the info i Justin Berfield need about “fabrics & stains”. this seems to be more a direction for the haves, than the have-nots. Julie Dreyfus i don’t have nor do i forsee the Elden Henson need Shane West for most of us Shinedown to have these computer-enabled washers, dryers, Catherine Mary fridges, etc… i pick the settings Emmanuelle Vaugier for these as well as my microwave oven. maybe a need smarter, greener HVAC system but that’s about it. then again, many of Raymond Cruz us in the industrialized Old & New World are just too conspicuous w/ our consumerist consumption Lisa Rogers to have Brian White the newest latest Wade Williams & Tina Barrett greatest, just because it is so & Kudai we can. to paraphrase, “if you build it surely some, maybe many will come.”, these companies certainly hope so.