Ceton Echo Getting Android (ICS)
With retail availability just a few days away it turns out that Ceton still has a few tricks up their sleeves – with an announcement going out tonight that they will be adding the Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) rev of Android to the Echo. Not much is known about what that means exactly with queries around Play access gleaning nothing useful (I’m hoping that we’ll get Netflix at the very least). Either way it sounds good.
Adding Android Support
Speaking of new features, one of the big projects we’ve been working on is adding the Android platform to Echo! As you might imagine, having Android will give us lots of opportunity to extend the Echo in interesting new ways with more capabilities and apps. Android is not included in this week’s update but we’re working hard to get it out as a Christmas present 🙂 Since you’re probably wondering … it’s the Ice Cream Sandwich version.
welll….could get
welll….could get interesting your hoping Netflix I am hoping plex lol. The addition of bit streaming audio is interesting as well. I’m just hoping it doesn’t require a droid phone to get the benefits of google play and such (not sure how that platform works since I have never used it.)
If they get WMC working
If they get WMC working right* Plex won’t be necessary.
* this is primarily an issue with MF container support (or lack thereof).
I didn’t see an external IR
I didn’t see an external IR receiver with the unit. Can anyone here tell me if the unit picks up a signal well enough when it is mounted on to the back of the TV?
As far as the Android solution I wonder how they are going to boot that, dual boot os or does it run in some sort of Virtual machine. If this functionaility can mimic the XBOX apps liek Netflix, Hulu and HBO Go then it would make the price a little easier to accept.
My goal is to get a thin panel mounted on the wall and mount the Echo with double sided tape to the back of the TV.
And if the echo is powered by USB can we use this to power it? http://www.cableorganizer.com/leviton/tamper-resistant-usb-receptacle/ or
http://www.hammacher.com/Product/82627?cm_cat=ProductSEM&cm_pla=AdWordsPLA&source=PRODSEM
PAPutzback wrote:
I didn’t
[quote=PAPutzback]
I didn’t see an external IR receiver with the unit. Can anyone here tell me if the unit picks up a signal well enough when it is mounted on to the back of the TV?
[/quote]
Definitely not, it’s IR
Working on the review right
Working on the review right now. Should answer some questions.
As far as USB power goes, you need 5W. If the receptacle can deliver that, it should work.
I didn’t see an external IR
I dont know about that, but its able to use an WMC USB receiver plugged into it, so it can do external it you need it to.
Some people were reporting sucess doing that but Ceton doesnt recommend it and suggests using the AC adapter if your having any problems. It requires a bit more power than standard USB allows for.