Slashdot Mirror
Google Revs Android, FCC Approves First Phone
Cycon writes "Google has announced, 'We're releasing a beta SDK. You can read about the new Android 0.9 SDK beta at the Android Developers' Site, or if you want to get straight to the bits, you can visit the download page.' A new Development Roadmap has also been released to help developers understand the direction the software is taking (as this is still only a Beta release). In addition, the FCC has approved the HTC Dream, and it is believed Google and T-Mobile will launch the phone in the US on November 10, since a confidentiality request attached to the application asks the FCC to keep details secret until that date."
I suppose you just want everyone to use the same brand of everything, that way technology will surely advance because of the lack of competition
Choice is often overrated. A team of professional interface designers should make the choice for me instead of giving me tons of options to figure out.
Quite right. And with Linux, all you have to do is pick one of the major Linux desktop distributions and you get a consistent and fully integrated desktop with a complete set of desktop applications.
In contrast, most people buying a Mac end up having to fiddle around for hours choosing and installing the applications they need. And many people end up buying and installing one little Macintosh hack after another to work around the limitations and annoyances of the Mac interface.
So, if you want a no-hassles, consistent user interface that just works, go with a major Linux distribution, don't waste your time on the Mac.
Although the emotional slashdot crowd will mod me down i have karma to burn so here goes rational arguments:
1. Comparing Android and Linux as successful open source models is not correct. Linux runs on CURRENT hardware. It is NOT an emulator on Windows or Mac OS X. Android does NOT run on current hardware. I have two phones: LG Viewty KU990: Flash driven OS, and a Motorola V3 Razr (not the itunes crap). Can i use the PC-connect cables to flash the current OS on both phones to run Android? NO...Can i dual-boot? NO...
2. Apple's iPhone is current and has millions of customers. Android is virtual==zero customers. Developers want to see their code run on phones, not on emulators. iPhone is present, and to sound the proverb: A bird in hand is worth two in the bush...
3. Does not have support of carriers who fear open source more than Google. Remember that Apple has a kill switch for every iPhone App, so that if the carrier complains Apple can pull the switch. Android is open source and no single kill switch. No carrier would allow random apps to take down their network (even if its not practicable). This is similar to why Linux is not yet mainstream in large organisations.
Yes, you guys can say it is an emulator and mimics calls to the "real" OS of the phone. The last thing a carrier wants is the phone receiver being overridden by some crude game written by a 13-year old who thinks it is "Hot". Corporates just don't think that way.
Android will always remain the esoteric maverick OS for phones which if actually installed on the phone would make your provider disconnect your phone from network.
"Doing what i can, with what i have." ~ Burt Gummer
Have the balls to comment with your own profile. The AC posts are pointless.