The Tronsmart MK908 is an Android TV stick with a Rockchip RK3188 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage. You can plug it into any TV with an HDMI port and hook it up to your WiFi network to stream internet video, play games, surf the web, or run other Android apps on your TV.
It sells for about $86, and it’s one of the fastest devices of its type that I’ve tested. Right now the MK908 ships with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean pre-loaded. But if you want to install Android 4.2, there’s an official software update. You can find download links and instructions at the Geekbuying blog.
Among other things, the new release resolves problems some users have had with audio and Netflix performance. The update should also let you use the RkRemoteControl app to turn your Android phone or tablet into a wireless remote control for the MK908.
If you want a little more control over your device, there’s also already a custom ROM based on the official Android 4.2 firmware.
Developer Finless from FreakTab has built Finless ROM 1.5 for the MK908. It comes pre-rooted, removes some of the pre-loaded apps to free up space, and includes a tweak so that even apps Google things aren’t compatible with the device will show up in the Play Store.
MK908 has wifi issues. Can’t seem to connect for more than 5mins at a time. Essentially making it not workable.
These are so awesome.
“…and includes a tweak so that even apps Google things aren’t compatible with the device will show up in the Play Store.”
And what does this mean exactly?
you can download unsupported apps
wonder if this will replace computers in the furture! like real cheap and competitive.
Yes, I bought the MK908 over a month ago. I had several major problems with it; it could not be used. Core apps like Chrome and Gmail would crash often and take a minute or more to do basic operations. The audio does not output properly and the display blanks frequently. Additionally, I haven’t found a way to update this device without Windows! I see developer comments about RockChip’s unwillingness to cooperate with them and that the hardware doesn’t work well with at least one piece of intriguing software, like the USB Audio Recorder Pro, that allows recording from external USB sound devices, including multi channel sources. Very cool stuff, that I wish to try but not with the MK908; the developer says Rockchip devices tend not to work with his software.
Rather than some sort of “TV box” I want to use Android as a desktop replacement for Windows. None of these ARM widgets really cut it though, so I’m working on a move to Android x86 on a thin PC that mounts to the back of a TV using the VESA holes there. Cleaner, more powerful, better WiFi plus Ethernet, more video port options, the list goes on and on.
I’ve “cried Uncle” on these little ARM things.
Between tools like PlayOn/PlayLater and Twonky Beam my Roku is now all of the “TV box” I need as I “cut the cable.”
Hi Brad, Just wanted to ask does the 4.2 fix the performance issues that you mentioned in your review for 4.1 when using XBMC or are those issues still their.