Streaming Media On The Way to Android via Orb, FIVE

User’s on our forum tipped us off about an interesting post on the Orb Forums. User’s on the forum started a thread about Orb and Android, questioning whether or not an Android App was (or would be) under production. Luckily a certain “yohan” – a member of the Orb team – confirmed the current production of an Android Browser-based Orb media streaming service that’s supposed to be here sometime this week. And, if that wasn’t enough, the rep said that Orb is working on a native Android application to make streaming even better, although no time frame was given. Although no press-release was posted on Orb.com, we’ll take this as a good indicator of what’s to come.

The introduction of an online Orb streaming service, and later a native application, could prove to be a significant step in furthering the multimedia capabilities of the G1 and Android altogether. We at Phandroid and AndroidForums.com will be sure to give Orb an up-close-and-personal review of this exciting new announcement.

Orb is a mutlimedia streaming service that uses your home computer’s (hopefully large) library of media and allows mobile devices such as the iPhone to stream it directly to the device. Television, Movies, Music, Radio, etc…. you name it… ORB can bring all your content directly to your mobile phone. Here is a great “overview” of what Orb does for those who aren’t familiar with it:

But ORB isn’t the only service that hopes to bring Streaming Media to the Android masses. We’ve been in close contact with Josh Guilfoyle, the developer of FIVE, an independent Android Developer who has been pouring his time into FIVE since the first Android SDK was launched.

Five is an upcoming alternative to Orb integrating with the Last.fm social network and open to third party developers. A couple points of differentiation (noted by Guilfoyle) of which you should probably be aware:

• Orb’s system sends your media through their own intermediary servers, potentially putting the company and its users at the mercy of the RIAA.  FIVE on the other hand, connects the user DIRECTLY to their computer’s media.
• Guilfoyle also noted that he hoped to make FIVE more flexible than Orb in terms of serving people with various operating systems and types of media files.

FIVE will also make extensive use of the Last.FM API and “Scrobbling” to bring progressive features to the Android Application. We also want to point out that its developers like Josh – one guy with a great idea and a lot of dedication – who we hope to see flourish in the Android community. Sure, applications from big, established companies are great… but its often more fun to root for the underdog.

One of the coolest features of FIVE is that it will automatically “learn” which artists you like and – based on Android’s inherent Geo-Locating capabilities – will find concerts in your current area that you’ll probably want to know about… AWESOME!

The important thing to note here is that Streaming Media IS coming to Android and SOONER rather than LATER. Both Orb and Five seem to be working on great solutions that are just around the corner… so stay tuned and we’ll let you know when you can download the goods.