Google’s Android migrates to set-top box

Motorola is building a set-top box for Japanese ISP KDDI that will run Google’s Android operating system. Google is hoping that the deal will inspire other manufacturers to put Android on devices such as netbooks, upsetting Microsoft’s dominance of the operating system market. PC maker HP recently admitted it is testing Android on several of its forthcoming low-end laptops.

The set-top box, named the ?au Box’, is expected to be the first non-phone device to run using Android. The box will be able to play CDs and DVDs, transfer content to mobile devices, and surf the web using Google’s Chrome browser. The box is still in development with no release date as yet, and it is unclear whether Motorola or KDDI will launch the device outside of Japan.

Google introduced Android in 2007. It is based on Linux and, like Linux, is open source. Most commentators originally saw Android as merely a smartphone operating system, but with the emergence of the netbook, analysts are now starting to see Android as viable competitor to Microsoft.

Aside from being free, the advantage of Android is that it requires little computing power. This makes it suitable for cheap, stripped-down machines with limited resources. This category of laptop is bucking the trend for declining consumer demand and continuing to grow, making it an important battleground for software makers.