@EBone: Nobody knows. Cyanogen is currently working on getting it to those with rooted phones but Qualcomm apparently hasn't released the drivers for it. But nobody knows if Google will do so officially.
@MarcusMaximus: This is what worries me about Android. While many complain about the closed Apple system, since Apple controls the hardware and software, even the older handsets get the new OS (minus a few hardware dependent features like compass).
With so many different hardware-specific tweaked versions of Android, you have to rely on the manufacturer to re-tailor the latest OS to their hardware. What if they decide they just don't want to? For instance, the Motorola Cliq would require a pretty refined upgrade for their custom software overlay. And if the Cliq didn't meet Moto's sales goals, they probably won't bother.
I guess only a *true* Google-branded phone would get all the upgrades. But then again, wasn't the G1 a Google branded phone?
@EBone: The G1 is a Google branded phone. There's also no word yet on just when or if it might get 2.0. I'm not exactly sure why, but for some reason the Droid get early dibs on Eclair. The source code didn't even drop until after the Droid was released.
Earlier this year, Google said there'd be at least 2 new updates this year. For what that's worth, and for whoever that's referring to, we may never know. T-Mobile/HTC haven't said anything for certain about the G1 not getting Eclair, so it may happen yet.
I will say this, though, as annoying as it is that each carrier has to modify it for their own handsets, they at least have the motivation of an lively group of early adopter nipping at their heels. ;-)
Hopefully each manufacturer will take the same approach HTC is and make a single UI for each of their phones, so they don't have to keep retweaking Android for each handset.
Question, what's the compatibility like with iPhone apps and iPod apps. I mean say I loaded Catpaint on to my iPod Touch could I use it with photos in memory?
I'm getting a Touch next Thursday so I'm curious how some apps work without the iPhones extra features.
Really I don't see the iPhone or Android as suitable platforms for commercial development. It's too high volume, low cost, competitive and open to every Tom, Dick and Harry with an SDK. It's fine for big companies to devote some resources to releasing their product on the platform as even if it's unsuccessful they'd be largely unaffected.
For small companies or individuals focusing on iPhone/Android development solely though I don't think it's a wise move. They have limited resources and have to rely on their application staying afloat in an ever expanding ocean. The worst thing is that a lot of the time other developers can just come along and release an app that's similar (and maybe even better) for a lower cost or possibly for free.
My view is that the app market is in a position where if you want to dip your feet in you shouldn't quit your day job to do so. It's just too volatile to risk your livelihood on it.
I feel it. I have a number of applications on the Android Market, and even on the apps that I get good feedback on that I'm charging as little as 99 cents on, I'm not making nearly enough to pay for my time. I love Android and will keep Android as my primary phone platform, but I am thinking of abandoning any hope of ever making a profit on it... meaning that I'll just keep on maintaining what I have but not release anything new.
I do blame Google for not having a for-pay application framework in place at launch. If they did, all app developers would be doing much better right now.
i really wish app developers would stop bitching, its really getting old honestly. I understand some parts are not fun, but then go develope for symbian like you where for many years!?! why do you have to complain about the app store and android, personally i am glad you are leaving.
i am glad they are leaving because those people leaving don't seem to have what it takes to wait?! to make some money, Symbian doesnt even have a real "sdk" and just making an app is horrible!
Point being, i feel as the people complaining seem to be the people who just wanted to get a quick buck and realized it wasnt so easy, as far as the major devs getting pissed off. GAMELOFT SUCKS. all they did was poorly port apps to android, and they are slow, sluggish, and never updated, and mostly don't work, i bought one of there apps on android, and would never by another, and people seem to agree based on there reviews.
Part Duex? Prolly meant "Part Deux", I'm guessing.
Anyhow, the gist of this story is that Android doesn't have the large number of phone users to sell to, unlike Apple. I think we need to just give it time... time for a GSM Droid phone like Milestone to come to T-Mo (or so I hope).
@ninjagin: I think another big issue is what Android has been on so far.
Recently I tried out the moto Droid and it's a great phone. I'm not totally sold on it but it's really the first Android phone that impressed me (the G1 just seemed like a clunker to me. A friend of mine had it and he wasn't too happy with it).
But many times it just seemed that Andriod was on meh devices.
But that is changing. There are a few other Android devices that look pretty cool, but they aren't available here in the US of A.
I think now that Android is appearing on better phones, it will improve a lot. It wasn't necessarily Android itself but the hardware it was on (though they should have multi-touch by now).
@snoop_dizzle: Aye. I got about ten minutes with a Droid phone last week and it was pretty sharp stuff. The display is amazing. I don't want to change carriers, though. The GSM variant of Droid, sold in the UK as "Milestone", is what I'm waiting for.
a) It showcases massive improvements from not only IE7 to IE8, but to a development build of IE9 - a product that probably won't ship for a year.
b) You see a 3rd last place showing. I see near parity with Firefox 3.6. Performance parity + IE's current market share = ???
"I know you guys didn't use to like IE because it was way slower than the others. But now, it's almost not slower than the others!
"See, the competition has only been making small performance gains because they were all busy adding features and improving rendering. But we spent all this energy not on adding features, but on makng the old features run almost as fast as the competition's old features! Try us today! It's the browser of yesterday, almost as fast as the browser of today!"
Also worth noting: In the linked article, they bragged that the browser can now get a whopping 32 on the Acid3 test. My browser just got a 93 and I wasn't even trying.
If everything is going to be 'cloud' and ran off of 'servers' at other locations, who is paying the bills on those servers? Who is keeping them up and managing the content? How do you justify a free OS with this type of built in legacy costs?
Oh, I know how. Ads. Your computer will not have to have an adblocker. Your computer will boot up and shut down the latest deals from Foot Locker. In the middle of writing a paper? A pop up will remind you to get a new McCafe since you have been working really hard.
I see people saying someone wants to own their own media, I think there are people who like owning their own software, so to speak.
I was so in favor of the Chrome OS till I read the news and drew my own conclusions. Back to Ubunt-land I go.
11/23/09
11/23/09
11/23/09
11/23/09
With so many different hardware-specific tweaked versions of Android, you have to rely on the manufacturer to re-tailor the latest OS to their hardware. What if they decide they just don't want to? For instance, the Motorola Cliq would require a pretty refined upgrade for their custom software overlay. And if the Cliq didn't meet Moto's sales goals, they probably won't bother.
I guess only a *true* Google-branded phone would get all the upgrades. But then again, wasn't the G1 a Google branded phone?
11/23/09
Earlier this year, Google said there'd be at least 2 new updates this year. For what that's worth, and for whoever that's referring to, we may never know. T-Mobile/HTC haven't said anything for certain about the G1 not getting Eclair, so it may happen yet.
I will say this, though, as annoying as it is that each carrier has to modify it for their own handsets, they at least have the motivation of an lively group of early adopter nipping at their heels. ;-)
Hopefully each manufacturer will take the same approach HTC is and make a single UI for each of their phones, so they don't have to keep retweaking Android for each handset.
11/23/09
I'm getting a Touch next Thursday so I'm curious how some apps work without the iPhones extra features.
11/23/09
For small companies or individuals focusing on iPhone/Android development solely though I don't think it's a wise move. They have limited resources and have to rely on their application staying afloat in an ever expanding ocean. The worst thing is that a lot of the time other developers can just come along and release an app that's similar (and maybe even better) for a lower cost or possibly for free.
My view is that the app market is in a position where if you want to dip your feet in you shouldn't quit your day job to do so. It's just too volatile to risk your livelihood on it.
11/21/09
I do blame Google for not having a for-pay application framework in place at launch. If they did, all app developers would be doing much better right now.
11/20/09
i am glad they are leaving because those people leaving don't seem to have what it takes to wait?! to make some money, Symbian doesnt even have a real "sdk" and just making an app is horrible!
Point being, i feel as the people complaining seem to be the people who just wanted to get a quick buck and realized it wasnt so easy, as far as the major devs getting pissed off. GAMELOFT SUCKS. all they did was poorly port apps to android, and they are slow, sluggish, and never updated, and mostly don't work, i bought one of there apps on android, and would never by another, and people seem to agree based on there reviews.
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
Anyhow, the gist of this story is that Android doesn't have the large number of phone users to sell to, unlike Apple. I think we need to just give it time... time for a GSM Droid phone like Milestone to come to T-Mo (or so I hope).
11/20/09
Recently I tried out the moto Droid and it's a great phone. I'm not totally sold on it but it's really the first Android phone that impressed me (the G1 just seemed like a clunker to me. A friend of mine had it and he wasn't too happy with it).
But many times it just seemed that Andriod was on meh devices.
But that is changing. There are a few other Android devices that look pretty cool, but they aren't available here in the US of A.
I think now that Android is appearing on better phones, it will improve a lot. It wasn't necessarily Android itself but the hardware it was on (though they should have multi-touch by now).
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
b) You see a 3rd last place showing. I see near parity with Firefox 3.6. Performance parity + IE's current market share = ???
11/20/09
11/20/09
More clearly stated, in other words our browser is slower.
11/20/09
11/20/09
"See, the competition has only been making small performance gains because they were all busy adding features and improving rendering. But we spent all this energy not on adding features, but on makng the old features run almost as fast as the competition's old features! Try us today! It's the browser of yesterday, almost as fast as the browser of today!"
Also worth noting: In the linked article, they bragged that the browser can now get a whopping 32 on the Acid3 test. My browser just got a 93 and I wasn't even trying.
11/20/09
I can seriously see Ballmer explaining that to investors next year.
11/20/09
What amuses me is they post their 32/100 in ACID3...
11/19/09
11/19/09
Oh, I know how. Ads. Your computer will not have to have an adblocker. Your computer will boot up and shut down the latest deals from Foot Locker. In the middle of writing a paper? A pop up will remind you to get a new McCafe since you have been working really hard.
I see people saying someone wants to own their own media, I think there are people who like owning their own software, so to speak.
I was so in favor of the Chrome OS till I read the news and drew my own conclusions. Back to Ubunt-land I go.