In terms of aesthetics, the Andromium looks like a simple dock for charging a user's smartphone. While it might seem that the Andromium brings limited functionality to the table, the device's core feature other than charging an Android handset is its capability of mapping the entire Android screen on an external display. To make this possible, the smartphone owner only needs to attach one end of a cable to the dock and the other end to a monitor with an HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) port. According to the creator of Andromium, the entire process of placing the Android device on the dock and plugging it to a display is completely effortless.
Gordon Zheng is the pioneer behind the Andromium. Zheng resigned from his position as a senior engineer — whose employer was none other than Google — in order to pursue his own desire of creating a device after witnessing how the globe is expeditiously adopting smartphones, HDMI displays and cloud computing.
After coming up with the concept for Andromium, Zheng approached the executives at Google, who dismissed the idea, stating that they "weren't interested in pursuing this form factor." After coming up with a capable team, Zheng decided to continue his dream.
The interface present in Andromium is similar to the Windows operating system. In addition, Andromium's operating system also features its own browser, along with productivity apps, media players, and a filing system that takes productivity on an Android mobile device to a whole new level.
Unfortunately, there are similar limitations to using the Andromium. Since smartphones possess different chassis forms, the dock is currently designed to accommodate the Galaxy SIII, Galaxy S4, Note II, Note 3 and the Galaxy Note 4. Zheng has stated that he will be working on two new docks that will be compatible with HTC and LG devices.
Smartphone owners who are interested in securing for themselves an Andromium dock can pre-order the device and the software for $29, after which they will receive the entire bundle in February. For HTC and LG smartphones however, the pre-order price tag goes up to $35 and will not be shipped to consumers until July.
