Project Chameleon for Android Tablets

Now and again I come across things on the web that truly amaze me. Well this is one of those times. Teknision are the company behind the Blackberry Playbook interface, which is a nice well thought out launcher. They have come up with a prototype launcher for Android tablets and not just your normal launcher this really looks like it could be useful. They even have a video of it being used on a device. As to whether this ever becomes a reality is another question or whether it will become an oem only product. It would be nice if you could buy this like SPB Shell which gives the Android UI a bit of an overhaul.

I quite often hear people complaining about manufacturers skinning Android and ruining the experience. Well I for one wouldn’t complain about this. It also sounds like it will support multiple users as well which will be great for families.

So check out the marketing blurb and the video below. At the very end are some links to the Teknision website also.

Chameleon will change how you use your Tablet.

The tablet has become a disruptive force in consumer electronics. Much like the smartphone before it, the tablet market is growing at an incredible pace.

The tablet experience, however, has seen very little in the way of innovation. As tablets are gaining ground where laptops used to tread, the user experience is still firmly rooted in the world of the mobile phone. The two main tablet interfaces, iOS and Android are little more than expansions of the mobile experience. Tablets are far more than a smartphone with a bigger screen. The recent success of tablets such as the Barnes and Noble Nook and the Kindle Fire shows that the market is primed for a change.
Project Chameleon is a research and development initiative to create a working prototype of where we believe the tablet OS should move towards.
Chameleon is based on three goals: Personalization, Contextualization and Differentiation.

Personalization – The First Point of Reference

Chameleon personalization goes beyond a surface level change of imagery – Chameleon adapts it’s interface proactively to the person using it. The first step to this is understanding the user as an individual. Chameleon uses advanced face recognition technology combined with simple creation and management of multiple user profiles to dynamically understand who is currently using the device. This not only enables very granular security and permissions, it also paves the way for proactive and intelligent information display based on combining cloud based user information with the context of time and location.

Contextualization – The Game Changer

Chameleon is based on the belief that a tablet operating system should do more than simply present applications and notifications. Chameleon has done away with the under utilized idea of home screens and replaced them with the concept of contextual dashboards that dynamically provide functionality and display information based on the context of time and location. As the user brings their tablet with them through the environments of home, travel and work, Chameleon changes it’s interface to present the most appropriate dashboard.
Chameleon is always relevant, always responsive.

Differentiation – Stand Out From the Crowd

Chameleon is built on Android. There are many advantages to using the Android platform, however the wide adoption of Android does pose some serious strategic brand challenges. Most devices have similar form factors and consumers are increasingly placing less importance on hardware specifications, the result is very little differentiation between products.

Moreover, with a multi-touch device, the user experience is the main embodiment of a brand. Settling for the stock implementation of Android effectively puts the brand experience in the hands of the Android team. Chameleon is designed for original equipment manufacturers who require a signature UI experience to help gain market differentiation.

A glimpse at the future of smart agents.

Chameleon features a pioneering concept that replaces standard notification systems with a Smart Agent that will proactively suggest actions, tasks and send reminders based on an understanding of the data and intentions of the user. For example, a business traveller whose flight may change will no longer just receive a notification about the change. Instead, Chameleon will notify the user of the change and ask permission to update schedules, send notices and book alternate arrangements based on the impact caused by the flight change.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWZ7guxro2g’]

So after that massive information overload. What do you think? Would you install this? Would you pay for it? Do you prefer plain old Android?

Source – Teknision – Chameleon