Senior Contributing Editors:
Jesus Diaz
| AIM | Twitter
Mark Wilson, Reviews
| AIM | Twitter
Contributing Editors:
Matt Buchanan | AIM | Twitter
Adam Frucci | Twitter
Sean Fallon | Twitter
Jack Loftus | Twitter
John Herrman | Twitter
Dan Nosowitz
Chris Mascari
Kat Hannaford | Twitter
Rosa Golijan | Twitter
Chris Jacob
I see no harm to Google in this whatsoever. Android Apps are to Google what iTunes are to Apple - a means to an end. Google retains very little, if any, of the revenue derived from the sale of an app (that other 30% is to keep the carriers happy) and most apps are free anyway.
In fact, third party storefronts could save Google a little bit of cash. As long as their plans don't include eventual global domination of app distribution, they shouldn't be a bit concerned about Moto's retail outlet.
The problem I found with the ADC was that a lot of the apps that I really ended up liking aren't still in the store.
For example andrometer sounds interesting, can't find it.
My favorite was still this social based augmented reality graffiti program where you would "spray" a wall and other users would walk by and see your art. Can't find it either :(
@tande04: Man, you're right. I just tried to look up a really interesting one, Tasker...at least according to androlib.com, it's not in the list. Here's hoping they make it in eventually? It would be nice if at least some of the finalists got a fast-track into the Market.
@Ioncloud9: I horde the apps but I still kind of agree with you.
At the same time though I've often found that things I might download for just the 'wow' factor of showing the phone off actually become quite useful in the end.
@clak: LOL just because there aren't fart apps in there doesn't make it all that bad.
Seriously though I don't know if anyone has ever said that Android apps are necessarily "better" than iPhone apps. What I have heard lots of people say is that for every useful iPhone app there is an android parallel and that its a lot easier to find decent apps because you don't have the glut of the iTunes app store.
@tande04: the other part is that the Android SDK will let you do way more stuff than the iPhone SDK due to background services.
For example, take that winner (SweetDreams), you can't do an app like that on the iPhone, you just can't the SDK would not let you run scheduled/background services.
So, Android Apps are not better than iPhone Apps, but you can do way more with the Android SDK.
@denisnossevitch: Uh how about public domain ebooks then? Glut of those on the app store. Don't think I've seen one on the market.
Regardless its the get rich quick glut of the app store that just gets me. Fart app #1 came out and was popular. Then there were thousands of spin-offs. Yeah variety is the spice of life and all and I'm sure there are people who have been looking all their life for one specific fart in one fart app that came later but come on...
@tande04: searching the App Store for "fart" yields a few results, and some of them are for sound effect collections. I think you don't know what you are talking about.
@tande04: Sorry "fart app". "Fart" yields even more sounboards, though. Are they somehow affecting the other apps in the store? Or do you go searching for fart apps regularly? I have dozens of apps, and I've never seen a "fart app" while browsing or reading review sites.
It's a rhetorical question, I'm just calling you on your dumbass argument.
That the app store and fart apps became synonymous long ago?
That its indicative of the general get rich quick mentality that permeates the app store anymore?
That the app store has been suffering under its own glut of whatever app of the week is in vogue at the time and that quality apps of any sort are often buried in the trash that comes along?
Where was the dumbassness in all of that? Or did you just get to fart and couldn't stop giggling?
@tande04: I run a business greatly assisted by my iPhone (a GSM Android phone with a few more apps could probably do the same). I regret to inform you I don't own any fart apps.
The app store might be synonymous with fart apps for the first few weeks the App Store was launched, or right now for the purposes of making your facetious argument. What percentage of apps are fart apps now? You are making the argument so you go work it out.
And what are you going to say when the first fart app shows up on Android? Will it somehow diminish all the other apps in the Android marketplace? Of course not.
Come join us in 2009. Maybe the kids at high school are playing with your precious fart apps, but the adults aren't (or shouldn't be?) particularly concerned. Grow up?
@mmmiles: You really do get to fart and stop reading don't you?
Fart apps are always going to be synonymous with the app store until the bubble bursts on the app store and the app of the week phenomena dies out.
It doesn't actually have anything to do with fart apps. You can put anything in there that is quickly done with the sole purpose of turning a quick buck. Flashlights, public domain ebooks, to do lists, any app that was quickly made once and turned a buck so now everyone else had to jump on.
Its indicative of the whole problem with what the app store became. Its wading through the spam folder in your e-mail just to find the one that got put in there by mistake. Decent devs get lost and even the ones that do stand out are often in turn frustrated by their own glut of copy cat spin-offs.
@tande04: With all the developers you have interviewed as part of this study you did quitting and being frustrated, it's amazing any apps got made at all!
I must have gotten lucky. Or, you know, read Gizmodo's reviews now and then. Or used Google. Or even the Top 25/50. Or the iTunes customer reviews. Or.... [trails off]
Tethering is a sore spot on most carriers, which sucks because it's the best way to get the most out of the data plan they shoved down your throat in the first place.
I myself am putting together the stuff I need to tether my i910 Omnia.
It's incredibly unfair considering WE are the ones PAYING FOR THIS!!!!
12/12/09
In fact, third party storefronts could save Google a little bit of cash. As long as their plans don't include eventual global domination of app distribution, they shouldn't be a bit concerned about Moto's retail outlet.
12/12/09
12/13/09
12/13/09
12/01/09
12/01/09
12/01/09
oh wait...
Damn you crackberry.
12/01/09
12/01/09
12/01/09
11/30/09
For example andrometer sounds interesting, can't find it.
My favorite was still this social based augmented reality graffiti program where you would "spray" a wall and other users would walk by and see your art. Can't find it either :(
12/01/09
11/30/09
11/30/09
At the same time though I've often found that things I might download for just the 'wow' factor of showing the phone off actually become quite useful in the end.
12/01/09
12/01/09
11/30/09
11/30/09
Seriously though I don't know if anyone has ever said that Android apps are necessarily "better" than iPhone apps. What I have heard lots of people say is that for every useful iPhone app there is an android parallel and that its a lot easier to find decent apps because you don't have the glut of the iTunes app store.
12/01/09
12/01/09
For example, take that winner (SweetDreams), you can't do an app like that on the iPhone, you just can't the SDK would not let you run scheduled/background services.
So, Android Apps are not better than iPhone Apps, but you can do way more with the Android SDK.
12/01/09
@denisnossevitch: Uh how about public domain ebooks then? Glut of those on the app store. Don't think I've seen one on the market.
Regardless its the get rich quick glut of the app store that just gets me. Fart app #1 came out and was popular. Then there were thousands of spin-offs. Yeah variety is the spice of life and all and I'm sure there are people who have been looking all their life for one specific fart in one fart app that came later but come on...
12/01/09
Oh, and that baby shaking application. That one was awesome.
12/01/09
12/01/09
12/01/09
It's a rhetorical question, I'm just calling you on your dumbass argument.
12/01/09
That the app store and fart apps became synonymous long ago?
That its indicative of the general get rich quick mentality that permeates the app store anymore?
That the app store has been suffering under its own glut of whatever app of the week is in vogue at the time and that quality apps of any sort are often buried in the trash that comes along?
Where was the dumbassness in all of that? Or did you just get to fart and couldn't stop giggling?
12/01/09
The app store might be synonymous with fart apps for the first few weeks the App Store was launched, or right now for the purposes of making your facetious argument. What percentage of apps are fart apps now? You are making the argument so you go work it out.
And what are you going to say when the first fart app shows up on Android? Will it somehow diminish all the other apps in the Android marketplace? Of course not.
Come join us in 2009. Maybe the kids at high school are playing with your precious fart apps, but the adults aren't (or shouldn't be?) particularly concerned. Grow up?
12/01/09
Fart apps are always going to be synonymous with the app store until the bubble bursts on the app store and the app of the week phenomena dies out.
It doesn't actually have anything to do with fart apps. You can put anything in there that is quickly done with the sole purpose of turning a quick buck. Flashlights, public domain ebooks, to do lists, any app that was quickly made once and turned a buck so now everyone else had to jump on.
Its indicative of the whole problem with what the app store became. Its wading through the spam folder in your e-mail just to find the one that got put in there by mistake. Decent devs get lost and even the ones that do stand out are often in turn frustrated by their own glut of copy cat spin-offs.
12/01/09
I must have gotten lucky. Or, you know, read Gizmodo's reviews now and then. Or used Google. Or even the Top 25/50. Or the iTunes customer reviews. Or.... [trails off]
03/31/09
03/31/09
03/31/09
It's Karma.
03/31/09
03/31/09
So far all I've had to do is think up a task for my Winmo phone, look up the application and install it.
Aside from my GPS being locked down it's actually pretty damn COOL!
03/31/09
I myself am putting together the stuff I need to tether my i910 Omnia.
It's incredibly unfair considering WE are the ones PAYING FOR THIS!!!!
02/23/09
02/23/09
02/23/09
02/23/09