Android gets BugBase

But this is not the last recession. Engineers are not at the front of the unemployment lines. Construction workers are.

But BugLabs' agreement to support Android on the latest version of its hardware is still telling. It means Android is reaching out beyond the OEM and carrier communities.

For another thing this brings TI OMAP development to the Android.

BugLabs is building what we old-timers would call a HeathKit business model on the BugBase. You get hardware, you get software, you get support forums, and you get the chance to invent your own future.

It's a great learning environment that also lets you invent something useful for yourself, which you can then build for others.

Early in the last decade, at the bottom of the last recession, I was very much interested in this kind of device. Something that always runs, that supports WiFi, would let applications live in the air, for home automation, security, inventory, and for medical applications.

This won't have a big market impact right away, but perhaps someone will do something great with it. And when they do it will likely be based on Android.

What would you do with it?