Why Is Android Good?


ashdjones

o_O
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
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The only reason I ask is because of the iPhone port. I plan to dual-boot it on my iPod touch when that particular version is finished.

I really don't know much about Android though. What advantages would it give me over a jailbroken iPhone OS? Are there any good apps?
 
It's open source
Does flash for a complete internet experience
Just drag and drop music onto an sd card
Multiple notifications from a multitude of apps all the time
The personalization is unlimited with it's widget filled desktops
Easier installations from a less restrictive open app store
Can power all the connectivity devices off and on
No carrier lock-ins
 
ashdjones said:
The only reason I ask is because of the iPhone port. I plan to dual-boot it on my iPod touch when that particular version is finished.

I really don't know much about Android though. What advantages would it give me over a jailbroken iPhone OS? Are there any good apps?
I'm thinking of doing the same. What generation of iPod Touch do you have?
 
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I DIDN'T know iPh/od had android now! ;) ;)

This is new to me. Luckily I still my old 3G iPhone on my table. I was about to sell it, actually (Have bought an N900).

Does anyone have a good link to think dual boot Android?

Is it using Open-iBoot (Same setup as the old iPhone linux project)?


Edit: Nevermind.... It's only on 2G at this point.. I have a spare 3G on my bedside table acting as an alarm clock. :(
 
As for original topic: Android is not that good.. It just has ALOT of apps..

I personally do enjoy MAEMO(5) and I also think it is a hell of a lot better than iPhone OS and Android..

It has no real restrictions and it's got a pretty good setup!
 
ashdjones said:
I really don't know much about Android though. What advantages would it give me over a jailbroken iPhone OS? Are there any good apps?
iPhone has more apps, but Android devices are a lot cheaper (starting from £79 compared to £400 Off-contract).

Android isn't locked down. If you want to install non-market apps, just go into settings and tick "Allow install of non-market applications".

Debugging is far easier. Instead of having to pay a yearly fee to join the apple developer center, having to use a Mac to develope applications, and having upload a digital certificate to your i-Device every 3 months, you can just go into settings, tick "USB Debugging" and use a PC running Linux or Windows.

However, I don't see the need for installing Android on a i-Device, unless you are really fedup with all the Apple crap (in which case, sell your i-Device to some Apple fan boy and buy a native Android device instead)
 
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Going by what Squidge said:

Android devices are cheap - Anyone have one to sell? I would like something with decent power, GSM (Sim Card) slot [some are cdma/similar], unlocked.

If you want an iPhone - I can swap ;) I have an iPhone 3G 8GB, used, boxed, unlocked, JailBroken, no headphones.
 
Sphinxter said:
I'm getting one of these;
http://www.androidspin.com/2010/04/23/archos-7-home-tablet-hits-amazon-available-for-pre-order/

Forewarning about such things, it doesn't come with the google android market, and all the other google stuff maps youtube etc etc.

You can hack it in, but untill google blesses off on MIDs such things are out of luck unless it's a phone.

One thing you could do is get an android phone and download the apps, back them up, then install them on the archos. 90% of the best apps on android are currently unprotected even if you have to pay for them first.
 
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jb0yx said:
Forewarning about such things, it doesn't come with the google android market, and all the other google stuff maps youtube etc etc.
WHY?
 
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i can't find the thread where I was explaining it, but part of Google's mobile strategy is to focus is to control the internet in your pocket. If you don't have that ability naturally Google won't bless off on your device, in such, not allowing their proprietary software to run on your device.

One thing google guarantees when they allow the market on your phone is that all apps written and distributed within their market fall within their sdk's guidelines, so you know for a fact, whatever app you get from the market will run on any device that is able to download that app. It has the appropriate network connections and hardware (accelerometer, haptic feedback etc) and control button scheme so everything will work the same, version compliance etc etc. It's a guarantee to devs and phone makers, and carriers.

It's half claws in your device, half unification. Still didn't stop fragmentation, but that part was the manufacturers fault not google's

this article is a good place to start and briefly explains stuff and the workaround
http://www.liliputing.com/2010/04/archos-5-internet-tablet-now-with-paid-apps-from-the-android-market.html
 
jb0yx said:
i can't find the thread where I was explaining it, but part of Google's mobile strategy is to focus is to control the internet in your pocket. If you don't have that ability naturally Google won't bless off on your device, in such, not allowing their proprietary software to run on your device.

But this thing has Wifi, right?
 
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quote said:
jb0yx said:
i can't find the thread where I was explaining it, but part of Google's mobile strategy is to focus is to control the internet in your pocket. If you don't have that ability naturally Google won't bless off on your device, in such, not allowing their proprietary software to run on your device.

But this thing has Wifi, right?
yep, but don't ask me why they will not accept it without a 3g modem and phone, they just don't from what I hear.

Same article quoted the PM of android saying that they will be looking into fully supporting MIDs in the future, but android is still being looked at by google as a beta. Biggest beta ever...
 
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quote said:
(naw)mcx said:
£100 will get you Android 2.1, with no contract :_

WHERE?

Well, the T-Mobile Pulse I'm using has 2.1 running on it, a few weeks until the full release.

It's £150 but goes on sale for £90 a fair bit.

There is also this http://recombu.com/news/t-mobile-pulse-mini-its-a-mini-adventure_M11442.html but it looks pretty shit.
 
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The Pulse Mini is smaller, cheaper, already runs 2.1, but looks crap. The Pulse (standard) looks much better, but only runs 1.5, which is very out of date now. They could at least have brought out a 1.6 update!

The only real viable Android devices therefore at the moment are the HTC range, unless you just want one to hack on.

I don't know about jb0yx, but I have bought a Android based Netbook-like portable PC from China. Then again, maybe they don't care about Google rules, as they also sell things that look like iPad's, with "Designed by Apple" on the back! The device looks identical, but the software is complete garbage.
 
Squidge said:
The Pulse Mini is smaller, cheaper, already runs 2.1, but looks crap. The Pulse (standard) looks much better, but only runs 1.5, which is very out of date now. They could at least have brought out a 1.6 update!

The only real viable Android devices therefore at the moment are the HTC range, unless you just want one to hack on.

I don't know about jb0yx, but I have bought a Android based Netbook-like portable PC from China. Then again, maybe they don't care about Google rules, as they also sell things that look like iPad's, with "Designed by Apple" on the back! The device looks identical, but the software is complete garbage.

I assure you the Pulse is running 2.1. It's official launch is in a week or so.

Christ have a look at my pulse running 2.1, if you don't believe me!
4vfokm.jpg
 

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Squidge said:
I don't know about jb0yx, but I have bought a Android based Netbook-like portable PC from China. Then again, maybe they don't care about Google rules, as they also sell things that look like iPad's, with "Designed by Apple" on the back! The device looks identical, but the software is complete garbage.

It's not impossible to get that proprietary software running on your device, I've done it with the Odroid and it more or less works, has it's bugs though.

1)it's not legal to sell with that software, if you're big enough to ping on google's radar, they will rain fire on you
2)it is hacky and any change on google's end could kill your workaround, 1.0-1.6 wasn't hard 2.0+ is more advanced method of market communication. (Google talk service)
3)protected apps are extremely hard to hack in because of whatever is being sent to Google for purchase

Even talking about porting those bits are considered a gray area because of google's past history of cease and desist letters sent to android custom rom developers that already had those bits pre-installed on the device to begin with.

My feeling is the Asian community doesn't give a crap about patent laws in the US, I've gotten a fair amount of support from the odroid dev's in korea in my efforts until I quit caring about the project. Support for that device seems to have fallen at the waist because of poor outside support.
 
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