The Android Invasion Cometh; Is Resistance Futile? 410
DeviceGuru writes "Last month, we learned from Gartner that Android will probably be the number-two worldwide mobile OS this year, and may lead the pack by 2014. With Android's growing use as the OS embedded in phones, in tablets, in set-top boxes, and in LCD HDTVs, it seems like the Linux-based OS could end up dominating the entire non-PC consumer device operating system space. What do Slashdot readers think: Is resistance futile?"
Re:Hopefully not (Score:3, Informative)
You can also use other languages for the Dalvik, like Scala [assembla.com].
... if Android focuses on the user experience (Score:4, Informative)
Most people don't care about Flash, HD video or dual-core phones. People want phones that can do well the basic stuff one wants to do on a smart phone (email, news, maps. weather, calls (!)). And the iPhone is terribly good at that.
I've had an iPhone for 2 years. Now that it's renewal time, I looked at all sorts of Android devices since I want to move away from the walled garden of Eden^H^H^H^H Jobs. The answer was simply that there is no match for the iPhone out there.
My advice to Google: focus on the Android user experience. That's the only way you'll ever beat Apple (and I hope you do).
No Market on Archos Internet tablets (Score:3, Informative)
"the" android market is still by far the largest one, and is accessible from pretty much every android handset.
It's not accessible from any Android device made by Archos. In fact, it doesn't appear to be accessible from any available Android device without a cellular radio. (Samsung Galaxy Player 50 isn't out yet.)
Re:There is still long way to go (Score:3, Informative)
Then you should stop exporting all your grain to England, as it was in Ireland, and feed your population.
Re:There is still long way to go (Score:3, Informative)
What about those of us geeks that LIKE WebOS? I mean, I can do everything that an Android user can do and MORE with WebOS, and WebOS makes it easier to do.
Tell me you Android users, can you patch your Android device with a kernel that allows for multiple types of adaptive overclocking? No? funny, I can with my Gen1 Sprint Pre using WebOS 1.4.5.
Even funnier, It's not a feature i'd use.
In fact, I've been doing it for at least 3 point releases of WebOS.
Wait. Your Android device isn't getting an OTA update from your carrier? You can't even GET an OTA update because your only 6 month old device isn't compatible with Froyo? And you have to be even MORE of a carrier bitch and pay out more money just to get Froyo, but you can only get a gimped version with features missing?
REALLY?
Bought my nexus one without a contract, installed a modded os (Cyangoen) and installed a great deal of useful apps.
I just don't see how you people think Android is "open" when it looks like only the CARRIERS have any real access to the phone without a complex hack that is only really possible for Alpha Geeks and is as lkely to BRICK your phone or cause the carrier to drop your contract as it is to unlock it.
Documentation on how to flash your device so it doesn't end up bricked can easily be found and it's instructions are very clear. It does not take an an overly technical person to do this. I don't think it has a higher rate of being bricked than any other hardware being flashed.
Other than having a metric crap load of apps (about 99% garbage apps too.) you Android users appear to be getting LESS for your money than us WebOS users. Yeah, I have a device that's over a year old. At least my software is up to date, and uniform across all carriers and devices. Having a brand new Android device that's completely locked down and using a gimped old version of Android is like owning a Ferrari that has a Yugo engine and needs champagne as fuel. Flashy, expensive to use crap.
No thanks, I'll stick with WebOS.
Apps are what you make of them. The applications I find useful I install and keep. Even if we use your somewhat "99% percent garbage apps too" estimate that still leaves me with 1% of apps that might be of value. I'm not sure why I'm replying to your post other than to say it seems like you really don't like the android platform. I can't help but wonder did you by chance brick one of your android phones? :-)
Re:No Market on Archos Internet tablets (Score:3, Informative)
The Market app can operate over any network connection.
Say I have an Archos 43 and a working Wi-Fi connection. But Archos 43 doesn't come with the Market app. So now how do I use the Market?
Re:Hopefully not (Score:3, Informative)
Userspace graphics drivers like those used for PowerVR and Qualcomm's chipsets aren't compatible with X11
Good thing nobody told my N900 that...
If Android is unstoppable I'll still look forward to using Meego as the "DD-WRT of phones," it'll be way better than running a rooted Android build. Maybe the community can even work on switching it back to apt-based package management.
Re:I still don't see that much android in NYC (Score:3, Informative)
Battery life is one of the few things that the iPhone 4 has bested every other touchscreen smartphone I've seen in. I can stream music or play the iPod for both of my drives to and from work (about 2 hours total), text all day, make occasional short phone calls, surf web pages for about an hour at lunch; assuming it's a Friday night, go out, play music again in the car, snap some pics and or video, catch up on social networking, get home at 3AM and still have 20% battery remaining as I plug it into the charger and go to bed.