Running Google Android On iPhone Clones

wooby writes "With the release of Android's source code, we may see iPhone and Nokia clone phones of Chinese origin capable of running Google Android. These phones, often available for less than $200 without a contract, are available on DealExtreme and elsewhere. But the software running on them is universally awful. Is the clone phone market a vast, nascent install-base for Android, and part of Google's end game? According to Google's Dave Bort, 'One of our goals would be, just to get Android all over the place' [YouTube link]."

Comments

welcome

[internerdj]

I for one welcome our new cheap, Google-powered, android overlords.

Re:welcome

[James_Duncan8181]

I for one welcome the return of the 80s standardisation of the PC market via Windows compatibility demands but in a different market. All of China's clone manufacturers can dump 90% of their software development costs and have something that isn't insanely buggy for free that they occasionally do a bit of custom GUI stuff for. Of course that will happen.

Re:welcome

[gEvil (beta)]

Thank you sir, may I have another? Gee this Google whip feels the same as the Microsoft one.

But it's not evil! That means it should feel good.

Re:welcome

[PitaBred]

It's like the 80's except better since the software is open-source and you aren't locked into the whims of the supplier!

Everybody wins! Yay!!!

Re:welcome

[Dogtanian]

It's like the 80's except better since the software is open-source and you aren't locked into the whims of the supplier!

And also that Tiffany isn't at #1.

Sure. Why not?

[morgan_greywolf]

It worked for MS-DOS. Just ask Microsoft. ;)

Shameless plug?

[Anonymous Coward]

1) Submit "story" to Slashdot with affiliate sales link cleverly embedded inside.
2) Profit!

Re:Shameless plug?

[wooby]

Actually I put in my reseller code as an afterthought: why not? DealExtreme really is the best online clone phone retailer, with pictures and comments on most of the common clone models. And, I happen to have a referral code with them. So what, I'm a starving IT student! 3) Ramen

Re:Ballad of Android

[morgan_greywolf]

Errmmmm...and where, exactly, do you think Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, etc., all make their phones?

Also available under Windows Mobile

[derek_farn]

Where is the news? Android is also available on the commercially available phones running Windows Mobile, eg HTC Kaiser.

Consumer Electronics

[Ohio Calvinist]

I think Google is unfortunately in a precarious position with Android if it's primary niche becomes crapware-filled knockoff phones or installed on very uninspired and underpowered hardware. They are in the same boat as MS, where a large majority of criticism of the platform from the average consumer is due to OEM modification, pre-loading, and crappy hardware support (via 3rd party drivers).

Linux thrived in a hobbist environment eventually to the point of corprate adoption, which takes both time, a community, and a willingness to run at a loss for a long time. The real key to success is developers whose goal was a OS that was secure, stable and efficent on legacy hardware, and somewhat "peer reviewed". For Android, the average developer is going to produce $3-$5 applets on their own for consumers who have no sense of style or consistency (UI standard). I cringe; personally when I see applications for my iPhone that have no forethought and look like bastard stepchildren compared to my other apps who follow the UI standards. For a consumer good, it needs to be "excellent" (or "better" than the competition) and not only that, downright "sexy" before it hits the masses or it is going be DOA or lackluster at best.

I fear the same methodology that made Linux "proper" great, will make Andriod a cheap OS for cheap phones developed on by bad developers for companies trying to squeeze every last cent of profit out of a "consumer good" like a toaster or DVR. That being said, I hope I am wrong.

Re:Ballad of Android

[girlintraining]

Mount doom.

This could just cut out the big phone brands.

[Dr. Spork]

Basically, you're saying that with Android, a manufacturer wouldn't really even need the support of a big brand of cellphones - since the big brands use China for fabrication, but then pocket some of the money.

So Chinese fabs could just hire a couple of engineers to quickly make clones of devices designed by experts, and there would be a ready-made, free software for those devices. I like it! But it must be a scary thought for companies like Nokia, Motorola, RIM and Apple. Maybe it will drive some hesitation about the use of Android, because everyone will know that knockoffs will work pretty much identically to an Android phone.

Potentially, the big winners here could be the carriers, who could just brand the cheaper hardware.

What's with the embedded affiliate link?

[Dzimas]

For what it's worth, the DealExtreme link in the summary includes an embedded affiliate code. I appreciate informative links as much as the next guy, but this looks like an attempt to cash in on a /. post.

Re:What's with the embedded affiliate link?

[ryanvm]

So what? The guy is pointing you towards something you're interested in. What does it matter if he makes a little scratch from it?

Now if it were a Slashdot editor's affiliate link, that would be a different story.

Re:What's with the embedded affiliate link?

[pwnies]

So what? You still get the same information from the story with or without the affiliate code. The article provided me with an insightful look at Chinese knock offs, and having a small referral link doesn't change that.
This is an 'everybody wins' situation. You get a story, slashdot gets content, DealExtreme gets traffic, and the author of the story gets a small kickback for bringing that traffic. Is that such a bad thing?

uhh

[LockeOnLogic]

...then why the hell did you buy one? iPhone isn't made for people who want to tinker, its made for my mom and dad. This is like buying a minivan and then bemoaning that you can't start supercharge it to 400hp.

Re:uhh

[Synn]

Well, I bought one because it was(arguably still is) the best smart phone on the market.

But that doesn't mean I like Apple and the iPhone OS. It's stupid silly how they have it locked down and I'm tired of the iTunes tie in.

I'll be trading my iPhone out for a G1 soon probably, but I don't at all regret having bought the iPhone back in January. It was the best device around at the time and it's served me well over the last year.

Actually I don't really like the G1 all that much either. I think the hardware isn't as nice as the iPhone hardware. I'm really hoping for an iPhone ripoff with the Android software on it.

But like the iPhone was over the last year, the G1 is probably the best device for me at the current time. So I'll buy one and when something better comes out, I'll move to that.

Re:uhh

[pcolaman]

Considering Motorola has already stated they are going to make a series of devices with Android, and I'm certain that other equipment makers will probably jump on board at least with a handful of devices, I don't think you will have to wait too long for a more elegant android device.

That being said, I think the criticisms on the hardware of the G1 are necessarily fair. I mean, yeah, it doesn't shine, but I like function over form personally and the hardware buttons and the qwerty keyboard suit me more than just having the touch screen.

I respect that that's not good enough for some, but I don't think the G1 was developed as an iPhone killer like some believe and like the gadget media keeps trying to indicate. I think it's aimed more at the audience of people who want a smartphone but want a more open platform than what they are being served by most providers. For instance, I'm a programmer myself and the idea that I can sit down and easily develop applications for my own use for the G1 really drew me towards the Android platform in general. Yeah, you can do that on the iPhone, but not nearly as easily or conveniently as you can on the G1. Not to mention that the SDK was available even before the first device was out and google has already laid out a roadmap for improvements to the platform and SDK. A far cry from what you get from Apple. It's as if Steve Jobs begrudgingly allowed the SDK to be more widely available but really didn't want that to happen.

Re:uhh

[pcolaman]

Nothing in Apple's history should've given anyone any indication that any decent amount of tinkering would be allowed by Apple.

Re:uhh

[stephentyrone]

Is McDonalds the best food on the market?

keyboard?

[Nate Fox]

the problem with an iphone clone is there's no keyboard. and theres no software keyboard in android yet. once thats added, I'm sure this will happen

They're cheap for a reason

[Anonymous Coward]

Most of these phones have a 30 - 60Mhz ARM core with 4-8megs of RAM. No Nucleus based phone is going to run Android anytime soon. The ones that run Windows Mobile might, but they're far from what I'd call cheap.

Re:How about just better software?

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Trouble is, it isn't that the phone makers are morons, it is that the American phone distributors, who are almost always the telcoms, have no interest in you having that feature. Dual SIM support starts down a dangerous slippery slope: First consumers want to consolidate their work and personal numbers on one phone. Allowable, though they really should be paying a monthly fee for some sort of forwarding service(remember, when you own the network, intelligence at the edges is the enemy). Before you know it, though, they've gotten uppity, and are using cheap prepaid SIMs from other companies in order to save money. Can't have that.

Forcing the Airwaves Open

[Doc Ruby]

I hope that Google's "end game" (really just a beginning, natch) is to force open access to wireless carrier networks. "Roaming" charges and other lockins that bundle the physical network with the data, its servers, and (in the US) even the client HW are entirely against the openness of networks that has made them extremely valuable for everyone. Until networks were opened and unbundled, they were not so much engines for growth as they were accessories. Telcos and other network operators long ago stopped innovating in any area other than lobbying, lawsuits and restrictive licensing. All the growth in value comes from people competing to offer services on open networks.

Google is one of those innovative competitors. I hope they can force Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile and the few other wireless carriers to join the 21st Century's openness and growth.