The use of Android in devices other than cell phones may soon receive a big boost courtesy of MIPS Technologies.  MIPS, which deals in processor architectures and cores, is making the source code of its Android port publicly available.

Art Swift, the vice president of marketing at MIPS, explained in a statement, “Android presents a compelling value proposition in bringing internet connectivity and a broad range of applications to MIPS-based digital home devices.  We are working closely with customers and partners to ensure that critical technologies are available for developers to take advantage of Android for consumer electronics.”

And since MIPS has previously worked with Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, Linksys, Pioneer, Microchip Technology, Motorola, and Sony, that could mean that some very exciting and polished stuff is being lined up.

Indeed, digital TVs, home media players, mobile Internet devices, set-top boxes, and VoIP systems were all mentioned in the MIPS press release (although nothing resembling a concrete release date was shared).

So Android fans may not need to keep their fingers crossed much longer.  It looks like it’s becoming just a matter of time until the operating system is found in a lot more products than mobile phones.
source:http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/08/05/processor-specialist-promotes-android