Pandora Should Move To Android
- Thread starter craigix
- Start date
there are thousands of android devices out there. how does being the thousand-and-first give you any advantages?
craig, i think you've got a niche there, so try to build up on that. don't spread yourselves thin over me-too concepts.
of course, if you could miraculously get android on the pandora without actually spending much resources in the process - sure, why not. it'd be yet another option on the pandora. but let's stay out of fairytale land.
craig, i think you've got a niche there, so try to build up on that. don't spread yourselves thin over me-too concepts.
of course, if you could miraculously get android on the pandora without actually spending much resources in the process - sure, why not. it'd be yet another option on the pandora. but let's stay out of fairytale land.
kuru
Laptop und Trachtenjanker
Well, from the seller's POV it's quite obvious what's easier. Apart from that, who made this console for who? Don't forget the "enthusiast device" aspect. Also don't go over the top (or rather step down a little bit as it's Craig) with your expectations.
That having said: maemo/meego > android
Also, fuck virtual machines
That having said: maemo/meego > android
Also, fuck virtual machines
Com64 said:
Or they expand the company, but that risks the whole thing imploding.
The way they are currently doing it, we won't end up with a huge installation base... but on the other hand, Ed gets to keep his house, have less nightmares and the company is still about. The question is if they ever make enough money to develop anything else.
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Not being a owner, not having a pre-order, and having every intent never to buy one, i can say Android for the Panda, would sure be a asset. If only implemented as a virtual machine, fine, if set up as a multi-boot device with mini menu, full Ångström, and Android options, now thats the real thing. But as always. Space. Namely storage space. And you really need to consider that the current buyers actually want the Linux bit. Be it for the total geek factor of having a very small "laptop" running Linux, or any other purpose, but making it an android device... Well, thats just not geek enough.
Most importantly tho. You cant go with the multi-boot idea, and make one of the boot concepts half assed. What ever options gets picked has to be supported 100%, and made to work perfectly every step of the way.
Personally i think Android is a fuckt up idea. I'm seeing this from a performance, and enthusiast perspective. You'd sacrifice optimization in return for a large software library. On a device expected to run emulators that it just barely will be able to, to start with, forget making it happen with a Android OS as the foundation. No way. But, I'm not making and trying to sell the device. In the search to make the money back, and preferably make a small profit, (heck, a big one if possible) you need lots of buyers. Focus on making the current OS work properly, and fix the SDK so that everything is 100%. Support developers, and they support you. Add an option, Android or Linux, later. Sell pre-configured units, Linux & Android versions. Both identical, 1 flash away from either version, and the buyer has all the options at his or her fingertips. That should take care of the nand space issue. Of course. Make bloody sure the Android version is up to speed b4 adding it as a pre-configured option. Or buyers will bitch about it not working, while *brand X* phones does.
Just my hot air.
B!
Most importantly tho. You cant go with the multi-boot idea, and make one of the boot concepts half assed. What ever options gets picked has to be supported 100%, and made to work perfectly every step of the way.
Personally i think Android is a fuckt up idea. I'm seeing this from a performance, and enthusiast perspective. You'd sacrifice optimization in return for a large software library. On a device expected to run emulators that it just barely will be able to, to start with, forget making it happen with a Android OS as the foundation. No way. But, I'm not making and trying to sell the device. In the search to make the money back, and preferably make a small profit, (heck, a big one if possible) you need lots of buyers. Focus on making the current OS work properly, and fix the SDK so that everything is 100%. Support developers, and they support you. Add an option, Android or Linux, later. Sell pre-configured units, Linux & Android versions. Both identical, 1 flash away from either version, and the buyer has all the options at his or her fingertips. That should take care of the nand space issue. Of course. Make bloody sure the Android version is up to speed b4 adding it as a pre-configured option. Or buyers will bitch about it not working, while *brand X* phones does.
Just my hot air.
B!
mindlord
Notices Two Things
If the Pandora team is thinking of dropping Angstrom for anything it should be a more feature complete Linux like Debian ARM or Ubuntu ARM.
Android is terrible as a desktop. My wife's netbook dual boots Android and without constart 3G connectivity or Phone features - the software library becomes significantly reducded - nay - pathetically reduced.
Android is terrible as a desktop. My wife's netbook dual boots Android and without constart 3G connectivity or Phone features - the software library becomes significantly reducded - nay - pathetically reduced.
gruso
thunderbox
Also, have a look at all the products out there that are running Android. Phones running it tend to be pretty good quality, but most other gadgets running it are flimsy PMPs/tablets/netbooks, pumped out for fifty bucks a piece to ride on the coat tails of a popular OS. I know there are exceptions to this, but I'd hate to see Pandora perceived in the same way.
I for myself would never switch to Android.
Tried it on my SmartQ and hated it.
I want to keep my shell with SSH, proper programs like Claws-Mail (just needed to copy my .claws-mail-dir from my Main PC to set up all my accounts), VNC, etc.
Dualboot would be okay... or optionally, either run it from SD or Android from NAND and Angström from SD.
Tried it on my SmartQ and hated it.
I want to keep my shell with SSH, proper programs like Claws-Mail (just needed to copy my .claws-mail-dir from my Main PC to set up all my accounts
), VNC, etc.Dualboot would be okay... or optionally, either run it from SD or Android from NAND and Angström from SD.
Looks like Android has been ported to the Beagleboard, so it probably wouldn't be too difficult to adapt to the Pandora were some enterprising individual so inclined. I'm personally for having a vast choice of distros available for the Pandora, though Angstrom looks good enough for a start.
http://elinux.org/BeagleBoard#Android
http://elinux.org/BeagleBoard#Android
I agree with several of the points made so far.
Some questions come to mind about Android on Pandora.
1) Can everything that the OPT wants on the Pandora be made compatible with Android -- specifically, game emulators and games?
2) Can Android on Pandora take advantage of [a] Android Marketplace; Google Experience apps; [c] other features associated with Android (see below)?
3) A dual OS Panda seems like a fine idea. But, is it realistic for the OPT to work on its own distro as well as on an Android OS? Or, is the idea that the OPT will shift Pandora's OS to Android?
4) Is the effort needed to get an Android OS working offset by the advantages it brings, or is the Pandora going to get potentially left behind spec-wise compared to other Android devices over the next few years?
I have never personally used an Android device. However, I think the increasing presence of Android means that people will be more generally interested in and less intimidated by an Android Pandora.
Although Pandora is not a phone with GPS, Android is moving over to tablets and other non-phone devices. I can see how it could get wifi positional data and work well with things like Google services integration, voice commands, local data search, etc. If all of those things could work, Android seems like it would definitely be advantageous. If everything that the OPT wants the Pandora to do can be done on Android, I think it would be worthwhile from a mass market perspective.
Some questions come to mind about Android on Pandora.
1) Can everything that the OPT wants on the Pandora be made compatible with Android -- specifically, game emulators and games?
2) Can Android on Pandora take advantage of [a] Android Marketplace; Google Experience apps; [c] other features associated with Android (see below)?
3) A dual OS Panda seems like a fine idea. But, is it realistic for the OPT to work on its own distro as well as on an Android OS? Or, is the idea that the OPT will shift Pandora's OS to Android?
4) Is the effort needed to get an Android OS working offset by the advantages it brings, or is the Pandora going to get potentially left behind spec-wise compared to other Android devices over the next few years?
I have never personally used an Android device. However, I think the increasing presence of Android means that people will be more generally interested in and less intimidated by an Android Pandora.
Although Pandora is not a phone with GPS, Android is moving over to tablets and other non-phone devices. I can see how it could get wifi positional data and work well with things like Google services integration, voice commands, local data search, etc. If all of those things could work, Android seems like it would definitely be advantageous. If everything that the OPT wants the Pandora to do can be done on Android, I think it would be worthwhile from a mass market perspective.
tsh
Active Member
Today, most of the android apps seem pretty immature - so I'm not sure where the gain is. They also often rely on being connected. Other than 'because it's there', why? Which apps?
mindlord
Notices Two Things
II'm sorry.but most of the so-called commercial apps for android are merely watered down reinterpretations of tools already widely available for free in a mature Linux distro. I see no real advantage to even doing a complete port when jjust the VM is enough to get the creme de la creme of the Andriod market place.
VRAndy
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2008
- Messages
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It may be fun to dual boot. ...And even to advertise the dual boot. (After all a lot of people seem to be trying to sell android tablets. Why not a console/netbook? )
... But I think if you de-emphasize linux in favor of Android you're not going to make many friends among your existing customer base. You'd want to be very careful not to even give that impression.
... But I think if you de-emphasize linux in favor of Android you're not going to make many friends among your existing customer base. You'd want to be very careful not to even give that impression.
Orion4874
Mega GP Mania
I agree with most people here. As an optional OS, yes, as Android only,no. I have an Android phone and am very happy with it. It may not have the app selections of the iPhone etc.. but it'll get better. A dual boot option would be ok.
Sphinxter
Says What?
Android native could be win, win, win. Don't like Java hey no problem, just use the NDK, (native dev kit), instead of the Java SDK. Already several emulators working great. SlideMe appstore games for Odroid-S is pretty rich. I could see a project to port the entire app store to pandora just like it has.
VRAndy
Well-Known Member
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- Sep 23, 2008
- Messages
- 1,127
I want to emphasize what I said up there :
When we buy a Pandora we're not just buying the device we're buying into the whole promise of community and support. To suddenly change the focus of all that while you still have first-batch pre-orders in the queue will feel sort of like a betrayal. (Not to mention it'll feel a bit ... short attention span.)
When we buy a Pandora we're not just buying the device we're buying into the whole promise of community and support. To suddenly change the focus of all that while you still have first-batch pre-orders in the queue will feel sort of like a betrayal. (Not to mention it'll feel a bit ... short attention span.)
dnlgreenwood
I'LL END YOU!!!
The purpose of the Pandora is not to create another commercial gaming handheld to compete with anything else that exists, its to create an open-source multi-purpose gaming handheld that is unparalleled in capability. i think...
Com64 said:
The capability will still be the same as before. Besides, capability is only worth having if it is realised.
I want to know how the firmware devs feel about this. Are they supposedly doing the porting? Who would be doing the porting?
Can someone name me a killer app or a decent game for Android? I'm not too familiar with it.
No matter what happens, everything is open source... the community can carry on with the Linux firmware. Are they up to the challenge?
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