Android Yes/No (Split from Some more of my ideas thread)

[ekianjo]

^ There are quite bit of good games on Android, and that is only growing. Especially with the growing number of Android consoles.  

Can you please give some examples? 

 

[vcoleiro1]

^ Shadowgun, Riptide , Ashphalt 8 Airborne, Dead Trigger 2 , Grand Theft Auto, Nova 3 , AVP Evolution etc are all good.  I particularly like Nova 3

 

[pmprog]

You want Android for GAMES? DId I read correctly? Apart from a couple of worthy titles, the Android catalog is shite, honestly. What games do you really want to play ?  

Actually I was rather expecting you to say you want Android for Skype and applications we dont have on Linux ARM.

Why do you have to be so patronising every time somebody says they want to do something you don't?
Skype would be good, then I have Greed Corp, which is a game I very much like. SpaceChem and World of Goo are the other Android games that spring to mind from HumBuns.

Hell, if a GPS is attached, then something like NavFree (or whatever it's called these days) would also be good.

 

[comradekingu]

You can run android binaries on linux|Gnu. Problem solved?

 

[_wb_]

The hardware will probably be more than capable enough to run Android. Installing Android could be as simple as using PNDManager to download some kind of "Android Install Wizard" PND, run the PND, select whether you want to install it on a fresh SD card, overwrite internal storage, or set up a dual boot, and voila.

I'm sure that either someone will make such a PND, or the Android fans can raise funding themselves to pay someone to make such a PND.

Meanwhile, those who are tech-savvy enough don't need such a PND to install Android themselves, or any other OS that runs on the hardware.

So I'm not saying Android is something to be avoided at all cost. I'm just saying that ED should not split his limited time and resources between two official OS'es, pay MS to avoid lawsuits, and in the end make everyone pay for software that only part of the community actually wants. He can of course still advertize that the device can run Android and that version XX of Android mod YY can be installed with minimal effort by the most nooby noobs, thanks to some community-maintained install wizard program.

Something completely different: would it be feasible to make the device (splash) water proof and more robust (better able to survive being dropped), at least when the lid is closed?

 

[Askarus]

^ I said Id like Exo's input on the memory requirements etc, so I don't know why you said that.

As for Android, to me it adds a dimension that's needed on a P2.  Having another Linux & Emulation device is not enough reason, for me anyway, to shell out $600 .  You would just stick to the P1 since it runs most emu's fine anyway.  Having Android opens up the obvious gaming platform Android is becoming. It will allow you to play the most kick ass power hungry games that will come out on Android .

 Having it on a P2 will give you the best of all worlds, A great Linux Emu device, a great Linux handheld, and a device that will allow you to play Android games that is beginning to be the future  gaming platform .  

Ie the best device for past and future gaming as well as being a kickass Linux handheld

I totally dislike Android.

BUT

You're totally right.

I want to play some advanced Android Games as well.

It's a must have in my opinion.

Not having Android support would be bad advertising.

 

[pmprog]

You can run android binaries on linux|Gnu. Problem solved?

Really? How? And why would we need something like apkenv if Linux could just run them?

 

[BAFelton]

Android can not be put away i think. No matter if it's dual boot or pnd but many gamers would like to play new generation games on a device with great controls like the pandora.


Nvidia Shield is a sort of clamshell, android is no problem on it.

 

[ekianjo]

Nvidia Shield is a sort of clamshell, android is no problem on it.

Android is a touch based system. Using physical controls with it is just a hack. It was never made or designed to be used this way.

Not having Android support would be bad advertising.

We're not talking about not having Android support, we're talking about not having it included right in the box. If it's available as a PND, is that a big issue?

 

[rohezal]

Max Payne is on Android too. I think making an option during buying would be fine. All Pandoras are tested anyway, so inserting an SD card which installs Android would be an option, if a user wants it. 

Maybe some options would be fine (like the "choose your Pandora Model"):

Linux and Android preinstalled (499$)

Linux preinstalled(489$) 

So people who don't like Android and giving money to MS can avoid it. And noobs who can't use the PND Manager can have all setup for them (for a small charge maybe). 

Maybe even make the default option "Linux and Android preinstalled". 

EDIT: Maybe make a seperate (own url) android board, so we have less "it must work out of the box or it is trash" people around here.

 

[comradekingu]

Just like bundling android is bad advertising, it turns a lot of potential sales away.

Edit: Before we get to the point of flashing different images on demand, do you really want legal trouble? And who is maintaining this android port? Android is cool when you can make it run, but to keep it running is kind of hard to get exited about in lieu of it only being android.

Splash resistance is very hard to do. There are some tweaks that could be done, but without major concern it turns into "hope for the best" rather than "resistant to watersplashes"

 

[vcoleiro1]

As has been discussed before , android has support for physical game controls built in. A number of games including most of the games I previously listed include controls support. This number is only growing as the support base of android game consoles also grows.


As for having Android already there, obviously from a buyers perspective, it would be better if it's already there and supported. Having it supported by the grace of the community is never ideal. I remember a while back a lengthy thread where people were adamant and made a point of wanting Android to be there and importantly supported by the manufacturer.


At this stage we don't know much about what EDs plans are, we don't even know who he is getting to design the PCB, it's not MWeston. All we should be doing at this stage (and I thought was the point of this thread), is to let him know our wants for him to then determine what HE can and can't do.

 

[BAFelton]

Nvidia Shield is a sort of clamshell, android is no problem on it.

Android is a touch based system. Using physical controls with it is just a hack. It was never made or designed to be used this way.

But as said before, many games and emulators come with physical controls option, so it's no big deal.

 

[ekianjo]

As for having Android already there, obviously from a buyers perspective, it would be better if it's already there and supported. Having it supported by the grace of the community is never ideal. I remember a while back a lengthy thread where people were adamant and made a point of wanting Android to be there and importantly supported by the manufacturer.

So who's going to support it exactly ? I don't feel like notaz wants to sink any time into that. If nobody's dedicated to supporting it, you won't have it bundled with the successor at launch; it's as simple as that.

At this stage we don't know much about what EDs plans are, we don't even know who he is getting to design the PCB, it's not MWeston. All we should be doing at this stage (and I thought was the point of this thread), is to let him know our wants for him to then determine what HE can and can't do.

That's what we are doing here. Showing there are people who also don't want Android bundled right from the start, too. I assume you don't want our voices to be shut down either?

 

[comradekingu]

Friendly reminder that sony got into a lot of trouble when it was advertised at launch that ps3 could run linux and they later removed it.

 

[ekianjo]

Just like bundling android is bad advertising, it turns a lot of potential sales away.

Exactly. Plus, bundling Android is like taking a stance, philosophically speaking. It's saying "Linux is great, but it's not good enough so we bundled Android as well". I'd rather see more people focusing on how to make Linux a better mobile platform than supporting a Google-owned system.

And think about the consequences for Linux software. Next time someone is asking for a port to Linux, you will get the obligatory comments "oh, just boot Android and use X, whats the big deal?".

We need to further support Linux software, and putting Android right from the start is going to achieve the exact opposite of that.

The Android supporters here just seem to care about games, but the debate here is way more important than just a bunch of games you could play.

 

[FaeMinx]

I personally dont mind installing Android myself, but I *do* believe that the p2 needs to have a large enough nand to support a full Linux distro AND a recent version of Android, with a good hunk of space left over afterwards.

To not have Android support and a very easy way to install it would be incredibly short sighted IMHO.

And quite frankly, those who don't want it I'm sure would have no problems deleting it from nand to free up space and have their pure linux experience.

If Android isn't included in the box, then it needs to as simple as selecting an option to download and install it automatically while setting up your device.

Honestly, I feel this is quite an important concideration.

 

[vcoleiro1]

Your welcome to your opinion ekianjo, as are the majority who decided they wanted Android. You know majority rules and democracy and all that.


As for who would support it, my point is let ED look into it rather than making fear mongering comments like no-one will support it.

 

[ekianjo]

^ Your welcome to your opinion, as are the majority who decided they wanted Android. You know majority rules and democracy and all that.

Design has nothing to do with democracy. If you asked people if they wanted an iPhone in 2006 they wouldn't even have a clue what to say. You don't make products for existing costumers, you make products for what you think the market will want 2 to 5 years down the road. That's why "democratic product design" is bullshit. You need vision.

ANd let me repeat that a poll where 30 people answer don't even remotely represent a community of 4000+ people, and the way the question was asked was completely biased and uninformed, so PLEASE.

 

[ekianjo]

And quite frankly, those who don't want it I'm sure would have no problems deleting it from nand to free up space and have their pure linux experience.

It's not just about "what you can do".

The kind of people you will attract with Android, and the impact on the Linux software scene for the Pandora will be significant. You just dont see the whole picture.

If Android isn't included in the box, then it needs to as simple as selecting an option to download and install it automatically while setting up your device.

I have no problem with that option. Very reasonable.