Android Mini PC: The Next Tech Revolution?

After a Christmas delay, I’m back with another article! Thanks for reading my previous article on The Gingerbread Problem.

With streaming devices like the Roku, Apple TV, and Google TV set top boxes highly available, it seems that consumers have a lot of choice when it comes to consuming media. These devices allow users to stream and rent video from many different services but have very limited app selection, can be expensive, and each have their own drawbacks and limitations.

But what if I told you that was about to change? That there is a growing market in the tech industry just around the corner that can very well shape the landscape the way tablets did?

A device that has all the internals that a Android tablet has but with no screen. What it does have is a HDMI output that allows it to connect to your existing HD television. All while running on the latest version of Android with a dual core processor and smaller than any set top box on the market.

The asking price?

A mere $60 USD.

This is an Android Mini PC. A device that makes your dumb HDTV into a Smart HDTV. A device capable of vast media playback and support for over 700,000 Android applications. An Android device without the screen.

A device filled with endless possibilities.

Now this article isn’t meant to say who had the idea first or to be an exact retelling of history. It is meant to be an outline of the product that is an Android mini PC.

Android Mini PCs are a relatively new product. The concept is simple. A small device with good internal specifications, running the latest Android, and an HDMI output for the screen. This allows a user to have access to the best Android has to offer on their big screen television. Imagine checking your E-mail, using over 700,000 apps in the Google Play Store, watching videos, listening to music, or browsing the web all from the comfort of your couch.

In order to interact with the device, since there is no touch screen, you need a USB keyboard for text input and a USB mouse for touch input. There are Air Mouse controllers that can duplicate a touch like input with a built in keyboard as well as the standard keyboard and trackpad combos. These input devices work rather well and most certainly make up for the lack of a touch screen.

But where did these devices come from? How well do they work? And which one is best?

The answer is not so simple.