[CES 2012] Want Android on your TV? Well, the folks over at Always Innovating have come up with a solution called the HDMI Dongle, which is essentially Android on a stick. All you have to do is plug it into the HDMI port of your TV and you’re good to go. The dongle features an onboard processor: a TI dual-core OMAP 4 to be specific, 256-1GB of RAM, support for a MicroSD card for storage, WiFi, and Bluetooth – basically a mini computer that runs Android (yes, it runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich).The HDMI Dongle is controlled by a “disruptive remote control” which features nine buttons for easy navigation, an accelerometer for playing games, voice recognition, and NFC support. With this remote control, you can run all your favorite Android apps, browse the web, and so on. However, the HDMI Dongle won’t be sold to regular consumers – instead, it will be licensed out to other companies to rebrand and sell them as their own. The first licensed HDMI Dongle is expected to go on sale summer 2012.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen this kind of device – back in November 2011 we saw FXI’s Cotton Candy USB/HDMI stick but that hasn’t gone on sale either. This “Android on a stick” market is certainly shaping up to be pretty interesting. Stay tuned for more details.