LCD touch panels - is android useful?

[Jamman960]

Hi All,

 

I'm currently assessing options for replacing our aging Promethean IWB's with LCD touch screen's, many are coming with Android built in to some degree, they all tend to be limited to Jelly Bean(as the vast majority of non branded tabs and mobes are - anyone know why?) and most appear to be limited to selected apps unless you sideload etc.

 

Does anyone consider having android to be a must have? I worry that its going to be stuck on V4 Jellybean(for the next 8-10 years) along with any vulnerabilities that pop up, we'll end up with staff expecting to be able to do more than it allows - we already have nursery staff complaining that they can't use iplayer/youtube via our clever touches without using the PC. At the same time they're using the android side to let the kids draw things and then complain they can't print/save it to the network.

 

I'm thinking we're better off not having the android built in but ensure that the desktop software is suitable - I'm currently preferring Oktopus

 

James

[Clevertouch_Rob]

All clevertouch models in the last year have been sold with 4.4 Kitkat and we're will soon be launching the 5.1 Versions.

 

I suspect you have the older models that unfortunately are on 4.2.1 Jellybean.

 

YouTube works on the 4.4 and upwards screens.

[jon_nais]

We are struggling to find a proper use for the Android function. On the V4 Promethean panels you can do mirroring from any device which is handy, and you can install any app from the Google Play Store, but in the majority of cases we are using the PC through the panel.

This is also a future issue too, if the android is not upgradable (the promethean one at least is a physical device, not sure of the other brands) then are you left with a feature that is no longer properly usable?

Avocor do Windows 10 in-built but the spec of that is not the best in the world, especially if you want to try and run the screen 4K or install lots of apps.

 

is it just a gimmick, i'm just not sure.

[Joanne]

We have it on a handful of our boards and it never gets used. If anything it's a nuisance!

[BenQ_Royce]

you'll see a lot more practical uses for the android OS coming out that are more than for apps alone. BenQ showed at BETT a few of these including; OTA firmware updates, wireless display and broadcast, RFID sensors for user login and pen colour change, as well as proximity sensors, signage software, webcams, media playing... all this needs the android system to run on.

[Alis_Klar]

The Android module needs to be replaceable or else people will be stuck with old hardware. The life of the screen will outlive any Android or even windows builtin board.

 

Perhaps just strap a NUC on or a Intel Compute stick. With HDMI signal switching the Panel should select the correct input thus acting like a builtin device.

 

Same goes for Smart TV's the panel will outlive the smart hardware.