First Look at Google's Android Mobile Platform

[Padraig]

OK, good use of selective quotation. From the same article on engadget: "Tuutti (spokesperson for Nokia) then went on to say that "We should never close any doors." Of course, that's still a long way from actually jumping on board, which seems to remain a fairly unlikely proposition, "open doors" aside."

And from an article linked to your article, also on engadget: "The Symbian folks stated the obvious: "If Google was not involved the industry would have just yawned and rolled over."

Your serve.

I simply quoted the article's headline and linked to the entire story. Perhaps the issue should be your selective emphasis, I noticed you underlined the engadget writers opinion, rather than what nokia's spokesperson said.

I have no idea what your point is with the second paragraph.

 

[Protoplasm]

I think it's a good thing that Google has developed Android as I think competition can only be good for the end user.

However, I am not at all excited by the announcement. How good it will be in practice will entirely depend on how it ties in with the hardware and the applications it runs, of which we currently know next to nothing.

People love the iPhone because it offers such a wonderful user experience. Reading its technical specifications wouldn't give you much reason to want one but the devil is in the details and that's where Apple excel.

Right now, it is my opinion that Android is to the iPhone as Linux is to OSX [or a Mac, even]. That is not a bad thing in itself. Not a bad thing at all. However, it leaves me feeling sceptical of anyone creating a phone running Android that is a joy to use, and I think that was the untapped market the iPhone snagged. I think it's also an incredible plus for Apple that, just as with their computers, they are designing an operating system for specific hardware in a symbiotic manner.

Symbian, Windows Mobile and other solutions already offer a fully acceptable user experience, but people want more than acceptable and that's what Android [and the hardware running it] needs to offer in order to excite me and to be seen as any real threat to the iPhone.

Let's hope Google's $10m bounty brings that.

 

[Stella]

Any hardware you see are mock ups or prototypes and may not necessarily represent the final hardware designs.

No applications yet? Of course not - its just been unveiled. This is the reason why its been unveiled and an SDK released so developers can begin work. Hardware can be worked on too.

It will be many months until you see final hardware and by that time there will be applications.

Some people have a lack of understanding of how these things work.

p.s., I doubt you'd be writing large documents or video / photo ( apart from basic ) on your iPhone either. People would be using a PC to do those tasks.

I mean how much can you really do with a tiny screen and miniature keyboard? It's too small to watch movies, a few minutes of news broadcast or Youtube maybe.

No video or photo editing is realistically possible. You can't do massive hundred page documents on it, only short notes or emails. You can check your appointments or view a small map.

In other words it's an appliance. A grand platform is nothing to write home about in this case because there's only 10 or so practical apps for such a device anyway (excluding many varieties of game).

 

[rhpenguin]

Also, to Leigh.roy and rhpenguin,

When you say Apple "makes (blank) pretty" you don't realize that making something "pretty" is actually a ton of work for designers, people who make a living off of making things intuitive and presentable, or "pretty" as the less embarrassing among us call it.

Oh i know making stuff pretty is a lot of work. Having just finished doing my own UI for MythTV, I know its a lot of work to make stuff functional and good looking. But the the thing is, if you want to do it, ANYONE can make a pretty UI that is functional. This is not just limited to Apple.

Google seems to be on the right track here. Its making users scared.

 

[goosnarrggh]

Windows Mobile, Prada, HTC Touch - join the iPhone copy crowd....

???...
How can you possibly say that with a straight face?

The most recent release of Windows Mobile was announced before the first official acknowledgement of the iPhone. And it clearly bears the marks of its heritage as an evolutionary step from previous releases that date back to years before the iPhone's existence. By definition it cannot possibly constitute a "copy".

 

[kirk26]

Awesome. In a year's time, if the iPhone isn't sufficiently open and ahead of the curve, there's another place I can go.

That very fact will likely be just what is needed to keep the iPhone open and ahead of the curve.

The iPhone has a very long way before it can pass the Curve.

 

[Stella]

Its also quite a claim that LG's PRADA is also an iPhone copy when it was announced around the same time - less than two weeks later. The iPhone and Prada were developed simultaneously, presumely without knowledge of each other.

???...
How can you possibly say that with a straight face?

The most recent release of Windows Mobile was announced before the first official acknowledgement of the iPhone. And it clearly bears the marks of its heritage as an evolutionary step from previous releases that date back to years before the iPhone's existence. By definition it cannot possibly constitute a "copy".

 

[jokarak]

Its also quite a claim that LG's PRADA is also an iPhone copy when it was announced around the same time - less than two weeks later. The iPhone and Prada were developed simultaneously, presumely without knowledge of each other.

Hm...actually, the LG phone was announced back in 2006, waaaay before the iPhone. It even won a design awards (Red Dot and IFD - these two being basically the gold standard of design awards...some Apple products also won these awards, I believe) prior to the release of the iPhone. LG was making a stink about how the iPhone ripped off the look of their device, but didn't sue.

As for the whole "cover flow" web history, it existed in Nokia phones as far back as 2006 (my Nokia E61 which I bought then has it). So again, we all know that Apple makes great products, innovative design, etc, but they did not everything under the sun, and just because Apple uses something, it does not mean that they created it.

As a final point, Santos Dumont flew first, not the Wright Brothers. OK, I kid, this is a whole different can of worms

 

[ChrisK018]

If the Googly-Phone is on Verizon I will be very happy. I can't wait five years for the iPhone. I am not a fan of my Treo's Windows OS. I suppose it's apples and oranges (no pun intended) but I really like Google's gmail; I hope they can get a similar level of functionality with their phone platform.

All of the who copied who stuff is silly.

 

[michaelvoigt]

A lot of hype and prototype video

The main question is battery life on these 'prototype' google phones? The iPhone did not go 3G because the battery life would be half of what it is. When I see a 3G smartphone with a decent battery life then there will be something for the iPhone to worry about....

They are desperate to get this out, this was half-baked and not ready... but they need traction now, I mean yesterday. The iPhone has gained a large foothold and is not going anywhere. This was such a shameless copy of the iPhone I found it hard to watch, iPhone clone #1 is in production. The CEO of google was having trouble looking sincere, I found him not convincing and dodgy.

I think it is too little, too late ... Apple showed a video that was 90% the same as this when they debuted the iPhone, and the phone was ready to be purchased shortly afterwards. There is not even a date when a google phone would be available? … maybe a year from now?

The game part was cool, that type of stuff is coming to the iPhone soon, the iPhone shipped with openGL too

 

[yg17]

Ok sorry for the confusion. I meant these. Now I know some symbols are just unavoidable, but come on??? The volume and the mute at least are total Apple rip off. Once again, I'm not saying Apple hasn't ever copied, but come on, seriously lol......

P.S. these are not just place holders for other apps because this IS the phone app that Google wrote and includes (I know everything is customizable, but still). And I know my image lines suck lol

Um....NO. Those aren't Apple icons. They're internationally recognized, standard symbols for functions that anyone, regardless of the language they speak, will know what they mean. And they've been around for much longer than the iPhone.

You're really trying to say that Apple created the Add (+) symbol? I'm pretty sure I remember using it in 1st grade back in the early 90s. And I'm sure my parents, and my grandparents, and their parents used it long before I did.

(watches "android" videos - snoozes)

Sorry, guys, just like the Wright Brothers and Thomas Edison - if you're not the first, you're just one of many....

Windows Mobile, Prada, HTC Touch - join the iPhone copy crowd....

Windows Mobile has been around for years. How did they copy something that didn't exist?
The LG Prada was shown about a week after the iPhone was announced. Do you really think they were able to copy the iPhone and build a new phone from scratch in a week? I don't.
The HTC Touch was based off the HTC Elf prototype which was shown about 2 months before the iPhone was announced. How did they copy something that didn't exist?

 

[840quadra]

I love Apple, but I am really excited about this new ecosystem that Android will make available.

I may stop my habit of buying burners (cheap phones) and actually get my first "smart phone". I love my iPod Touch, and could see myself getting an iPhone if they were not locked to their provider. I just don't have any interest in having to VOID a warranty on a device I love in order to keep it away from AT&T.

If all providers end up with a phone that supports Android, it is great thing for all of us!

 

[Stella]

What does it matter about the battery life on a prototype phone? A device that customers will never use ( and in many cases, never see ). Judge the battery life upon the final product(s).

They estimate second half of next year. Phones and software take time to develop. Android will go further improvements.
http://www.gearlog.com/2007/11/say_goodbye_to_the_google_phon.php

Just for interest: OpenGL or indeed hardware accelerated GPUs in phones is nothing new. iPhone was not the first. Other phones have had hardware accelerated GPU for over 12 months, and openGL for much longer.

Never is too late to enter a market, if the product is good enough.

The main question is battery life on these 'prototype' google phones? The iPhone did not go 3G because the battery life would be half of what it is. When I see a 3G smartphone with a decent battery life then there will be something for the iPhone to worry about....

I think it is too little, too late ... Apple showed a video that was 90% the same as this when they debuted the iPhone, and the phone was ready to be purchased shortly afterwards. There is not even a date when a google phone would be available? … maybe a year from now?

The game part was cool, that type of stuff is coming to the iPhone soon, the iPhone shipped with openGL too

 

[MacFly123]

This is a far more exciting development than the travesty called the iPhone.

So how about we get up off our knees and stop pretending that they are the only ones who revolutionise the IT world. We really don't want to see Apple get a monopoly on IT.

So I'm sure you called the iPod a travesty too lol. And I do not worship Apple. I love Apple, but there are lots of things I would change if I were the C.E.O.

 

[michaelvoigt]

My point exactly, people with techincal knowledge understand the power consumption of 3G and the lack of a magical battery that is going to give iPhone like battery life in the same form-factor. Google has focused on what is considered the major flaw of the iPhone, the lack of 3G. Yet, google is not focusing on how to make a 3G phone with a decent battery life, it will be very interesting to see the solution. Plus with the amount of time we get to wait to see it, we should see it implemented in the iPhone 3G first....

come on man, this phone is so iPHone like ... don'tcha think?

What does it matter about the battery life on a prototype phone? A device that customers will never use ( and in many cases, never see ). Judge the battery life upon the final product(s).

They estimate second half of next year. Phones and software take time to develop. Android will go further improvements.
http://www.gearlog.com/2007/11/say_goodbye_to_the_google_phon.php

Just for interest: OpenGL or indeed hardware accelerated GPUs in phones is nothing new. iPhone was not the first. Other phones have had hardware accelerated GPU for over 12 months, and openGL for much longer.

Never is too late to enter a market, if the product is good enough.

 

[mtthab]

This is a far more exciting development than the travesty called the iPhone.

So how about we get up off our knees and stop pretending that they are the only ones who revolutionise the IT world. We really don't want to see Apple get a monopoly on IT.

This is far more exciting then the "travesty" called the iPhone? First of all travesty does not even work correctly in that sentence, a travesty is a false or distorted representation of something. More importantly, while your point is arguable I guess, the iPhone works now. I can go buy an iPhone and play movies and use google maps and go on the most realistic mobile version of the internet now. Android is software that is in the shaky hand of a man with poor speaking skills. Android reacts poorly to the touch and works on a screen so small (on that particular phone used in the video) that half of the apps used on the iPhone, whether 3rd part or not, would not even be useful. If the iPhone were open to third part development, which it soon will be, it probably wouldn't be such a "travesty." You can not seriously say that Android, a shadow of a system that you for some reason can't admit looks and works almost exactly like the iPhone software, regardless of who invented what, is exciting while the iPhone that is out now and works and is about to be opened up to 3rd party development is a "travesty"...and not just becuase that would not be proper english.

And the truth of the matter is that this is an Apple website and Apple does do a great deal of todays revolutionizing, I wish you and the others would stop acting so hard to impress, it comes off very poorly. If you are all such genius programmers and idea men then go make something.

 

[Stella]

?!!!

The hardware isn't complete!! What you saw was a *demo* - its *not* the final product. Google are doing the software, not the hardware. I don't understand why its so difficult to comprehend this simple fact!

I bet in its infancy, the iPhone was just as bad!

Android reacts poorly to the touch and works on a screen so small (on that particular phone used in the video) that half of the apps used on the iPhone, whether 3rd part or not, would not even be useful. If the iPhone were open to third part development, which it soon will be, it probably wouldn't be such a "travesty."

 

[yg17]

The hardware isn't complete!! What you saw was a *demo* - its *not* the final product. Google are doing the software, not the hardware. I don't understand why its so difficult to comprehend this simple fact!

Rational thought in a thread about an iJoke competitor? That's unpossible!

 

[Stella]

Rational thought in a thread about an iJoke competitor? That's unpossible!

You mean impossible?

 

[FX120]

Apple showed prototypes of the Mac to Microsoft and they stole it. Now Google is doing the same with the iPhone. Back stabbers.

What a tool you are..

 

[michaelvoigt]

My point exactly ..... we didn't see the iPhone in its infancy!! I consider this a classy move, and very well calculated. We were introduced to the iPhone, not prototype noise and hacked demo software and promise that falls halfway on to the shoulders of the open source community and third party hardware developers.

I find this google release of a product in its infancy a sign of desperation and hype. They picked the largest 'flaws' of the iPhone and completely focus on that. I love the other posts that have commented on just how unpolished this video is and how bad the acting is, is suppose to excite us? Google has 15,200 employees, can a brother get a decent video produced?

Google will have a handful of iPhone clones produced in a year; the question is whether Apple can stay ahead of the curve... just like they always have to.

?!!!

The hardware isn't complete!! What you saw was a *demo* - its *not* the final product. Google are doing the software, not the hardware. I don't understand why its so difficult to comprehend this simple fact!

I bet in its infancy, the iPhone was just as bad!

 

[happydude]

competition

as someone eagerly looking to get into the iphone/smartphone market i'm excited by google's entry into the industry - be it software/hardware/both. it can only mean apple will have to open up to 3rd party more as well as push itself on improvements. nothing wrong with a little healthy competition! and by then apple will still have a significant hold on the market with 10 million plus ipods out there already and by then they'll be in 3G, bigger HD's, etc. the future looks bright!!!

 

[Stella]

The iPhone that was demoed at SF last year was not the final product, it was still work in progress, and as we know was not feature complete. It wasn't a phone ready for consumers.

Google want to attract third party developers so will release the SDK well in advance. Google need to do this well ahead of time. This wasn't desperation - why would it? Google have already got a load of carriers and manufacturers on board who can now start developing phones.

Google has to announce early, Apple didn't because it didn't need the 3rd party software or the 3rd party phones that would run mobile osx.

There is nothing unusual about Google revealing its phone OS at this time.

It amuses me when people slam companies for copying Apple but ignore when Apple copies others.

My point exactly ..... we didn't see the iPhone in its infancy!! I consider this a classy move, and very well calculated. We were introduced to the iPhone, not prototype noise and hacked demo software and promise that falls halfway on to the shoulders of the open source community and third party hardware developers.

I find this google release of a product in its infancy a sign of desperation and hype. They picked the largest 'flaws' of the iPhone and completely focus on that. I love the other posts that have commented on just how unpolished this video is and how bad the acting is, is suppose to excite us? Google has 15,200 employees, can a brother get a decent video produced?

Google will have a handful of iPhone clones produced in a year; the question is whether Apple can stay ahead of the curve... just like they always have to.

 

[michaelvoigt]

hmmm......

I think creating a iPhone clone is lame and that is what I see. I really don't see anything but how much of a shamelss copy-cat it is. Maybe I focus to much on that , but I'm a Apple fan.

Soon the iPhone will be open with a SDK too, so let the battle begin!

Go for it google.... palm, windows CE, Windows mobile,linux and now google.

The iPhone that was demoed at SF last year was not the final product, it was still work in progress, and as we know was not feature complete. It wasn't a phone ready for consumers.

Google want to attract third party developers so will release the SDK well in advance. Google need to do this well ahead of time. This wasn't desperation - why would it? Google have already got a load of carriers and manufacturers on board who can now start developing phones.

Google has to announce early, Apple didn't because it didn't need the 3rd party software or the 3rd party phones that would run mobile osx.

There is nothing unusual about Google revealing its phone OS at this time.

It amuses me when people slam companies for copying Apple but ignore when Apple copies others.

 

[leigh.roy]

This is far more exciting then the "travesty" called the iPhone? First of all travesty does not even work correctly in that sentence, a travesty is a false or distorted representation of something. More importantly, while your point is arguable I guess, the iPhone works now. I can go buy an iPhone and play movies and use google maps and go on the most realistic mobile version of the internet now. Android is software that is in the shaky hand of a man with poor speaking skills. Android reacts poorly to the touch and works on a screen so small (on that particular phone used in the video) that half of the apps used on the iPhone, whether 3rd part or not, would not even be useful. If the iPhone were open to third part development, which it soon will be, it probably wouldn't be such a "travesty." You can not seriously say that Android, a shadow of a system that you for some reason can't admit looks and works almost exactly like the iPhone software, regardless of who invented what, is exciting while the iPhone that is out now and works and is about to be opened up to 3rd party development is a "travesty"...and not just becuase that would not be proper english.

And the truth of the matter is that this is an Apple website and Apple does do a great deal of todays revolutionizing, I wish you and the others would stop acting so hard to impress, it comes off very poorly. If you are all such genius programmers and idea men then go make something.

Congratulations, you can read a dictionary! Travesty, verb: any grotesque or debased likeness or imitation: a travesty of justice.

So now that we have the dictionary definitions out of the way you go on to say

If the iPhone were open to third part development, which it soon will be, it probably wouldn't be such a "travesty."

How can you Possibly... wait hang on, I'm confused. Did you just switch sides? OK, I'll take it, but if you want to add some arguments to you post just remember to add how ludicrously expensive it it, the missing basic functionality like copy/paste, mms etc. Charging for ringtones proving that Apple really are just shills for the music industry. Don't get me wrong or anything, iPhone is very pretty, and probably so easy my grandmother could use one (and she is dead) but it's not a smartphone.

So next argument! The non-existent iPhone interface rip-off

What basis do you say this looks and works like the iPhone? I have actually downloaded the SDK and started playing with it. Have you? OK I'll play devil's advocate and try and see this from your point of view. Most of the interface is driven by the d-pad. I guess the iPhone could also use its d-pad. Oh no wait! It can't, because it doesn't have a d-pad! OK so ignore that one.

I guess there is the way Android puts its application functions into a contextual menu, iPhone could do that. No wait, iPhone doesn't have any contextual menus.

There is that side scrolling dock thingy on the Android. Nope, no side scrolling crap on iPhone either.

So that leaves, the icons I guess. They do look a bit glassy and shiny I suppose. But we all know Apple stole that from the crystal KDE theme.