First Look at Google's Android Mobile Platform

[mtthab]

Dear God

I used travesty in quotes because I was using it in your improper context...it was a joke...hence the quotes.

The iPhone is not that expensive in comparison to other high end cell phones. Look at the top phone in the Nokia lineup, that is ludicrous, one hundred dollars more then an iPod for a device that also acts as a phone is not that bad. The iPhone is not an inexpensive phone but its price is not ludicrous in my opinion. You can't copy and paste on the iPhone, you're right. If you really think though, its a cell phone. What on earth could you be writing that is so long that you would copy and paste rather then just type it again? There is no practical reason to type anything longer then a text message or a short note. Apple charges for ringtones...so does everyone else and I'm sure the music companies have something to do with that.

The android phone that works with tactile buttons does not work like the iPhone, you are correct in saying that. That phone is, in my eyes at least, archaic to use when things like the prada and the iPhone exist. Tiny tactile buttons that do not change to suit different applications and a small screen are problems that other companies, Apple, LG, whoever, have found ways around. Why android would use a phone that has these problems in their demo...I can't say. The phone that is shown to work with the touch interface works like the iPhone. I am not going to argue that point because it is absurd to say that it does not. I have not downloaded the SDK because truthfully I would have no idea what to do with it. I am not a programmer, I pay attention and respect to design because that is what I know. This design is similar to that of the iPhone. I don't care if the designs that android shares with the iPhone were invented by Apple, Microsoft, they can be invented by cavemen for all I care, I am just saying that they are similar, too similar for me to be impressed with android as a new product.

Heres another dictionary passage that you may want to take reference of

pretentious |priˈten ch əs|
adjective
attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed : a pretentious literary device.

 

[leigh.roy]

Actually the full screen touch version works exactly the same way as the small screen. Scrolling dock, you can touch the menu items instead of using the d-pad, contextual menues. If anything its more of a WM6 rip off.

No other mobile phone forces you to pay for music you already own so that you can use it as a ring tone.

 

[michaelvoigt]

The world is a better place with the iPhone, it brought the mobile internet to the masses. It was scrutinized by an electron microscope and stood up. It filled the void of innovation between the carrier and the phone; it bridged the network to the phone and back again.

You either love it or you hate it, but you know about it.

Every flaw has been broadcasted and discussed till no end, yet they sold enough to make Google care.

The Google clone phones are on the way, are people going to even care? By that time won’t that just be the norm? … ‘oh yeah, Google phone… cool, my iPhone does that’

 

[leigh.roy]

yet they sold enough to make Google care.

This has nothing to do with Apple. Google don't give a crap about the iPhone. They only care about making the mobile platform open. Google purchased Android over 2 years ago, long before iPhone was announced.

 

[MacGuffin]

Yes!

Come to me, inexpensive ad-supported iPhone replacement. Just in time for the crushing recession next year.

 

[jokarak]

Well, at least most people do seem to agree that competition is good. If nothing else, this will push Apple to really get that SDK out the door next year, and hopefully improve their mobile OS to bring it more up to par with modern smartphones when 2.0 rolls along.

PS Did I mention that Santos Dumont flew first

 

[dicklacara]

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

Bingo!

 

[dicklacara]

What If...

First. I agree/disagree with all the prior posts (especially mine).

Step back and think: What if the gPhone & SDK had been announced/released based upon OS X instead of linux... and the iPhone/iPod Touch instead of SudoPhone?

mmmmm......

 

[John Musbach]

With such an open architecture the flood gates are open for all kinds of unique applications. Should there be a good array of utilities for the Android platform (such as IRC and SSH clients) you can definitely count me in for devices powered by the Android platform.

 

[reviewspin]

Some people are saying this is just a copy cat of the iPhone, but exactly why? The iPhone does not have a dock (unless you consider the "phone" "ipod" a dock, but still...it's purpose is different then what Android uses it for). And in this case, I would say it's more of a copy cat of OS X (for computers), because both have an application dock.

Then that cover flow thing I see, too, but then again -- the iPhone does not have web history, and as far as we know this is the only place where "cover flow" is used.....and it's not the first browser to do this type of thing, either.

But thats where the similarity ends. The GUI looks different then the iPhone -- the iPhone apps are all at the home page, lined up in rows. The Android (so far) is in a dock. The iPhone is dark, as in black....the Android is still dark, but it's more of a navy blue then, well, black...(that is the GUI).

And with all that said, this has been the GUI for about 6 months (we assume)....that means I doubt Google has had any time with developing what the GUI will look like. Notice how all these videos are on another site, for developers...not on the site where the "official" information is (aka the first announcement).

I am in the boat that it's too early to be this critical. This is not releasing until fall of 08, right? And yet a full year b4 OS X Leopard was release, when we saw it...it looked nothing like what we have today. yet you guys are judging this when it's 6 months into testing (considering that dude had it for 6 months, i assume it's been ready for 6 months to start testing)....why? Because people like bashing things before companies have time to finish them. This is more of Google's fault then ours, but still...give them credit where credit is due.

 

[steviem]

I think this shows google's admiration of Apple's GUI design. Anyone remember GoogleX? where they made a web based version of the dock with the magnification effect.

I think Android seems very powerful, and I like how they integrate XMPP into it, IM could kill SMS if android and iPhone (with iChat) become widespread for non techie phones.

The Emulator shows some very nice features, and might convince me to try and learn some Java

The only thing I wouldn't be a fan of is if they impose advertising in the notification bar. Now that would suck...

 

[Pierremaison]

Yah and the iPhone looks similar to the LG KE850 that came out first. What's your point?




Web development != real development tools and you dang well know that. Its a piss poor solution by Apple at best. They have backpedaled FAST on this though because its one of if not THE biggest complaint about the iCrap. However AFAIK they have yet to announce that they would be putting out real development tools for the iCrap. When that happens, and ONLY when that happens can someone claim that tools are on the horizon. Until then its vaporware.

Why Icrap? You seem to be angry about something?

 

[Pierremaison]

This is a far more exciting development than the travesty called the iPhone.
Why do you feel the Iphone is a travesty? Because Apple are protecting their investment by not making it open?

 

[leigh.roy]

This is a far more exciting development than the travesty called the iPhone.
Why do you feel the Iphone is a travesty? Because Apple are protecting their investment by not making it open?

Because it's something that could have been fantastic. It could have been perfect.

I have been waiting for a device like the iPhone for Years and when I saw the iPhone introduction I wept because my dreams were coming to fruition. OK that's an exaggeration, but there was a definite moment of "About ****ing time!". This wasn't because it was an Apple phone, or had a pretty interface or any of that crap, it was because it was a full touch screen device. No other input other than the screen which is the way ALL hand held devices should be.

Then it was revealed that it would be a closed device, and the ******** that was spouted to explain that cock-up was just immense! It takes the most wonderous device in the world and makes it common. It says "you will do things our way and like it!" All the flexibility of a fully customisable touch interface is thrown away. It's no longer smart, it's no longer mine.

And that crap about protecting their investment? Come on! You don't really believe that do you? Is Apple really that fragile? No other handset manufacturer has that problem. I could go on and on, but it has already been discussed to death elsewhere.

With Android I see the possibility of a fully touch based device done right, and if it's not done right then it can at least be fixed. Now that is exciting.

To summarise I'm just pissed at the Huge arrogance that seems to be pouring out of Apple recently. The iPhone is the nexus if this arrogance

 

[Pierremaison]

Because it's something that could have been fantastic. It could have been perfect.

I have been waiting for a device like the iPhone for Years and when I saw the iPhone introduction I wept because my dreams were coming to fruition. OK that's an exaggeration, but there was a definite moment of "About ****ing time!". This wasn't because it was an Apple phone, or had a pretty interface or any of that crap, it was because it was a full touch screen device. No other input other than the screen which is the way ALL hand held devices should be.

Then it was revealed that it would be a closed device, and the ******** that was spouted to explain that cock-up was just immense! It takes the most wonderous device in the world and makes it common. It says "you will do things our way and like it!" All the flexibility of a fully customisable touch interface is thrown away. It's no longer smart, it's no longer mine.

And that crap about protecting their investment? Come on! You don't really believe that do you? Is Apple really that fragile? No other handset manufacturer has that problem. I could go on and on, but it has already been discussed to death elsewhere.

With Android I see the possibility of a fully touch based device done right, and if it's not done right then it can at least be fixed. Now that is exciting.

To summarise I'm just pissed at the Huge arrogance that seems to be pouring out of Apple recently. The iPhone is the nexus if this arrogance

I can see why someone with your level of computer expertise is annoyed about the iPhone currently being locked down. However I feel the iPhone is not really aimed at you, or even the majority of the people on this discussu
ion group, it is a phone for the general public to use. Can you imagine the support issues and bad publicity, if they had allowed everyone to fiddle around with the inner workings of this phone. From Apples point of view it would have been a disaster and they would have quickly lost any ground they have recently made in this market, which is very new to them. And that is what I meant by protecting their investment, this is the first step for them and I look forward to seeing what is around the corner.

 

[Bakey]

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

FFS!! How many times does this story have to be re-told??

Do yourself a favour and do some research and get your facts right...

 

[Stella]

That is exactly how I feel about the iPhone. It could have been great except they made a lot of bad decisions ( in my opinion ) to artificially cripple the phone.

The excuses that Apple came up with made it even worse - 'we don't want the entire cell network come crashing down'.. what utter BS. No smartphone has ever done that - and the iPhone isn't that special to change this.

However, I do think there is hope yet with the forthcoming SDK.

IMO, at this moment in time, Android looks like its going to have better potential than iPhone for market penetration and 3rd party developer support.

Because it's something that could have been fantastic. It could have been perfect.

I have been waiting for a device like the iPhone for Years and when I saw the iPhone introduction I wept because my dreams were coming to fruition. OK that's an exaggeration, but there was a definite moment of "About ****ing time!". This wasn't because it was an Apple phone, or had a pretty interface or any of that crap, it was because it was a full touch screen device. No other input other than the screen which is the way ALL hand held devices should be.

Then it was revealed that it would be a closed device, and the ******** that was spouted to explain that cock-up was just immense! It takes the most wonderous device in the world and makes it common. It says "you will do things our way and like it!" All the flexibility of a fully customisable touch interface is thrown away. It's no longer smart, it's no longer mine.

And that crap about protecting their investment? Come on! You don't really believe that do you? Is Apple really that fragile? No other handset manufacturer has that problem. I could go on and on, but it has already been discussed to death elsewhere.

With Android I see the possibility of a fully touch based device done right, and if it's not done right then it can at least be fixed. Now that is exciting.

To summarise I'm just pissed at the Huge arrogance that seems to be pouring out of Apple recently. The iPhone is the nexus if this arrogance

 

[Pathfinder55]

Does any one know what phone he is using in the first picture? And when do you think they will release this?

 

[Intarweb]

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

his has to be the most ridiculous post I have ever read on these forums. The scary thing is, you actually believe what your wrote/drew up.