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Why the Kill Switch Makes Sense For Android
Technologizer writes "It came out this week that Google's Android phone OS, like the iPhone, has a kill switch that lets Android Market applications be disabled remotely. But it's a mistake to lump Google's implementation and Apple's together — the Google version is a smart, pro-consumer move that avoids all the things that make Apple's version a bad idea."
For the new era of Malware that will soon find their way onto these phones.
Why does one have to be good and the other bad?
Perhaps the kill switches are there for the same reason.
Apple has not killed any apps remotely, even the one that violated AT&T's terms of service. They just stopped more people from buying them.
Android explicitly reserves the right to delete apps you already bought.
So I can't see how Google's is more pro-consumer.
I do agree Apple's random barring of apps from the store is annoying and counterproductive.
http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/8/20/95
I do not think that a kill switch is good for anything -- regardless of whether or not it is only for official-market-regulated products.
People see kill switch as bad because it violates the freedom to install anything on their phone. It is right in Apple case, because Apple's App Store is the only source for app on iPhone. But it is different in Google case, as you can install programs from another sources other than Google one. So if you want some app, just find a source for it. Google kill switch only work for app that come from Googles App store, and that will make sure Google don't spread malware or anything bad. Have you ever thought of upgrading windows and then your computer is infested with malware and bugs? Well, there are bugs, but not not malware.
I see Google doing the same thing that MS did way back when, which clearly created some advantages, but did not create the milk and honey world so many predicted. MS did provide a cheap OS for the emerging cheap PC. It was still as single source as IBM or Apple, but it was cheaper. In those days, the PC market had not become 100% based on commodity parts, so the computers were still pretty single sourced as well. Over time, MS pushed it advantage to attack customers(threatening copyright violation on customers that did not pay for all MS services for every machine), limit innovation of the PC by forcing OEM to only include MS products, and risking world commerce by purposefully borking common communications between OSes. We can see that while google will play nice while it is still cementing it dominant status, assuming that it will continue to play by those rules are naive.
To end lets look at two common passages in the license the use provides Apple for Mobile me and Google for Docs. While the user grants both license to do what is necessary with the data to organize and transmit the data across all appropriate network, Apple explicitly states this is, at least theoretically, a limited situation. Both allow content to be uploaded, sometimes sensitive content
Said license will terminate within a commercially reasonable time after you or Apple remove such Content from the public area.
Google contains no such limitations. Google does however contain this section
You agree that this licence includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services..
I am sure some people will spin this, just like the kill switch, into a situation where Google is only doing this to help the consumer, and would never expose sensitive data for financial gain. Such a spin would of course be ludicrous.
A google phone is just another smart phone. It is a good choice for people who want to use Google to store personal data, or people who think having the most apps makes them a winner in life. The iPhone is a good phone for those who .mac for the storage of personal data, or iTunes for music, or has apple kit. The Blackberry has obviously developed a good set of solutions for enterprise. I am not sure what MS phones are good for. But all these phones exist to generate a profit for the company by locking the customers into certain other services. All these phones run on networks controlled by private companies that are very protective of their networks and can exert some control over what kit is used. I do not see how the G1 has changed the features or services of T-Mobile. I do not yet see the App for the G1 that will unlock it, or set it up as independent WiFi device that does not need a cell contract, as it will just up VOIP. Maybe that will come, and when it does then Google has done something other that generate a profit for itself.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
Let me ask a question of both services: What apps can each company remove with their respective kill switches?
Google:
Nobody seems to notice that the terms of service dictate exactly what apps Google can remove with the kill switch: ones that violate the terms of service. They even stipulate that they will try to refund you your money (since some of the money goes into the author's pocket; if the author goes missing or whatnot, it's kind of hard to get a refund from them).
Now Apple's turn. What apps can / will they terminate? I haven't heard any Apple fanboys coming up and answering this question. What about a refund? Will they even try to go to bat for you?
Seriously, all they need to do is collectively start ignoring the hell out of everyone who says "nigger". Just ignore them! It's that easy! They'll try harder, shout louder, or whatever, but just ignore them harder. All you have to do is ignore harder than they shout. People say nigger because it gets a rise out of you. It's taboo, it's bad, and so on. By reacting to it you give them exactly what they want - The power to make you react at their whim. Stop giving them that power! If everyone does this, the word no longer has any power and it will die out. (For a good example of how this comes to be, look at homosexuals and their new crusade against the word "gay". It wasn't offensive to them until someone told them it was supposed to be offensive. Now that they are reacting to it and getting offended by it, usage of the word as a slur has skyrocketed. The original meaning is all but completely forgotten.)
Racial equality doesn't happen when everyone is too scared to say anything for fear of getting sued or beaten. Racial equality happens when nobody cares who is what race anymore.
So stop caring!
Installing software which is listed as warranty voiding and then attempting to deny it is fraud.
Software can break hardware. Improper register setup can run components with out of spec speeds or voltages, for example, though there are many other ways to do damage.
Its not a lie if you don't tell Apple. Just restore the phone before you return it for warranty and don't say anything one way or the other about whether you have used unauthorized software on the phone.
What part of "covering your tracks" was unclear in the GP? Please remember that fraud is a felony. I just wish that more people who engaged in the practice were caught and punished, maybe then people in our society wouldn't feel that it is OK to lie.
-Geoskd
I wish I had a good sig, but all the good ones are copyrighted
It is a lie. It is illegal to void a warranty for any reason other than actual damage being done.
To put it more simply: if you jailbreak your phone, and jailbreaking breaks the phone, then you have voided your warranty. If you jailbreak your phone and this does not break the warranty, then your warranty is still in full effect.
Your position is the exact same kind of bullshit that PC manufacturers have tried to use to deny, for example, replacing broken LCD screens because a laptop has Linux installed. That is illegal and just because companies try to get away with it doesn't change that fact.
If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.