One year after the introduction of the T-Mobile G1, three of the top-four carriers in the United States are offering Google Android handsets. And with each model bringing something new and unique to the market, everything is rosy, right? Not so fast. While differentiation is one of the key benefits behind Android, it's leading to fragmentation. Thus, one of the biggest benefits is becoming a drawback.
At the time of this writing, there are three versions of Android on the market. On Verizon Wireless, the recently released Motorola Droid has Android 2.0, while the carrier's HTC Droid Eris is running Android 1.5 under the Sense UI. The phones were released on the same day yet they are on polar opposites in terms of Android.
What's more, there are four other handsets running Android 1.5: Sprint's HTC Hero and Samsung Moment, and T-Mobile's Samsung Behold II and Motorola Cliq. And what about the first two Android phones, the G1 and MyTouch 3G? Both handset have Android 1.6 under the hood. Confused yet?
The differences stem from the desire handset manufacturers have to differentiate themselves. Rather than go for the stock Android experience, companies are opting to add their own flavors to help stand out. The problem is that Android's updates come from the handset maker and not Google. As we're learning, it could be months before HTC or Motorola catch their handsets up with 1.6, let alone 2.0.
By then it's not unrealistic to think that Google will be ready to push its next build (Flan) out to handsets. And remember that much anticipated Sony Ericsson Xperia X10? Though it's not expected until February, it too is slated to have 1.5 unless the company can get 1.6 or 2.0 loaded before it heads out the door.
This is becoming confusing and discouraging to current and potential customers. Normally, the newer the phone, the more advanced the operating system. But with Android, the two oldest phones have more software capability than the six that followed. Imagine the frustration of saving up a couple hundred dollars to get the latest and greatest handset only to find that older phones have more potential. Google recently made its Google Maps Navigation available to Android 1.6 devices. Sadly, this still leaves over half of all Android phones without the feature.
It doesn't get any easier for developers. Many are practically pulling their hair out over minor updates and bug fixes. With each new handset comes a different camera video tweak or extra line of code to address video drivers. Differentiation in hardware is just as big of a headache. It might not be a bad idea for Google to step up and set some standards or recommend specific hardware. The sooner all of these things are addressed, the better.
Android 1.5 on Google's brand-new 'Ion.'
(Credit: CNET/Photo by Stephen Shankland)To encourage gifted developers to give iPhone programming a rest, most mobile platforms have built app stores that lure with the promise of a cash-positive distribution. But not Google. It baits with cash.
Sure, Google installs and sells Android applications through its on-board Market, but a mobile platform with such a slim slice of the pie needs an infusion of fresh and original apps if it's to stay in the bake sale. Google's answer: the second Android Developer Challenge, or ADC2, as it's nicknamed.
This time, submissions will vie for popularity and 'wow factor' on the Android 1.5 operating system known as Cupcake. Announced Wednesday at Google I/O, the company's second annual developer-focused conference held in San Francisco, ADC2 will award three top prizes to applications in ten categories. The categories include gaming, social networking, media, and productivity. Google will also award an additional purse to the top three programs that cross-cut all categories. That's $250,000 for the one lucky development team considered the best in show, with second and third places for the best all-around app bringing its developers $150,000 and $125,000, respectively. First place in each category receives a cool $100,000 to pocket.
The twist in this year's competition is one right out of "American Idol." Anyone with an Android 1.5 device will be able to download, test, and rate every application in two rounds of judging. How will Google keep this contest from becoming one big geeky popularity row? By limiting users' voice to 45 percent of the vote and weighing in the opinion of official Google-chosen judges at a slight 55 percent majority.
Don't expect to see the winners, or even the apps, very soon. Google specs six months from the time the challenge begins until its November completion. This is quite a change from just two weeks ago, when Forbes said its Google contacts pronounced Google's ADC2 competition "still on hold" in response to user complaints about the contest's delay.
Google hasn't confirmed hard dates yet, but according to the fuzzy timeline, judging for the first round will begin in late August, with the polls closing in mid October. In mid-November, final judging ends and 30 teams will walk away, their virtual pockets stuffed with very real dollar bills.
See Google's announcement for more details on awards, categories, and eligibility.
Care for a Dell Cupcake? We knew you would. Credit to Dell for not only listening to reader suggestions, but for doing their own video hacking. At their own labs (hey, those kinda look like ours), they demonstrate the newest Android update, "Cupcake," on a Mini 10v, being quick to announce that "they have no plans" to announce such a thing...but that it "runs really nicely." So says Doug Anson, a technology strategist who works at the office of the CTO, who demonstrates.
We see no sign of it running nicely on the video--in fact, all we see is a semi-squished clock and some icons. But if Dell is already playing with Android, wouldn't that mean Cupcake...er...Android Netbooks in the very near future? (Of course, we already knew that, though, didn't we?)
Despite all the grumblings about Android being less than ideal for Netbooks, if Google were to release an Android-upgraded Google Office suite, we'd sit up and pant just a little bit.
Also demoed (or briefly shown, should we say) is a Dell Mini 10v running Ubuntu Netbook Remix...a far less exciting reveal.
So, the 10v runs a myriad of operating systems, and is a friendly development platform. Note to all OS makers out there: Dell wants to catch your eye. After all, says Anson, they've got a nice "notebook...er...Netbook."
(Credit:
Corinne Schulze/CNET)
If you're a T-Mobile G1 owner who has been patiently waiting for your Android 1.5 update, we hate to be the ones to tell you that you're going to be waiting just a bit longer.
T-Mobile USA announced on Monday that it's still finalizing the build to "ensure optimal functionality and smooth delivery" so it has delayed pushing out the over-the-air update by one week. The carrier said it expects all G1 owners to have the Cupcake update by early June.
You can check out T-Mobile's official statement here.
(Source: Phonescoop)
As part of a series of blog posts, Google has released more information this week about some of the goodies we can expect out of version 1.5 of the Android operating system, which has been going by the code name Cupcake, and which wireless carrier T-Mobile is expected to push out to U.S. customers at the end of next week. High on the list of upgrades is the ability to record videos and upload them to Google-owned YouTube.
Take the video. Share it through YouTube.
(Credit: Google)Based on what we can ascertain from Google's introductory video, shooting a video on the Android 1.5 platform will be nearly as straightforward as taking a photo--except that after framing the picture, you'll need to turn the recorder on and off. After taking the video, you'll be able to share it via e-mail or MMS, or as a YouTube upload. You'll have the chance to type in a title and a caption, and set the viewing access as public or private before sending your recording on its way.
For the time being, YouTube will support one login per person, and you'll need an account before you'll be able to upload video. Those wishing to manage video on a separate account will need to access YouTube from the browser of T-Mobile's G1 phone for now.
Add a title, description, and privacy settings.
(Credit: Google)We also learned more about what's in store in Android 1.5. Following the phone-to-Web upload theme, G1 owners will be able to more easily push photos from the Android device to Google's Picasa Web Albums online. In much the same way you'll upload videos to YouTube, shooting photos to Picasa will be an option you encounter after taking a photo and pressing Share.
In addition, Android's Gmail will gain some batch editing capabilities similar to what's available in Gmail from the desktop browser. Instead of managing messages one at a time on the phone, as is the current mode of operation, you'll be able to select multiple e-mail threads to archive, delete, label, and mute at once.
You can watch more in Google's Cupcake walk-though video, and lick your chops in anticipation of the greater Android computing power that's imminent for T-Mobile's U.S. customers.
Rogers Wireless plans to release two Android phones, starting June 2.
(Credit: Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)Updated at 7:21 a.m. PDT with comment from Rogers.
Dominant Canadian carrier Rogers Wireless announced plans to release two phones in June built by Taiwanese manufacturer HTC and powered by Google's Android open-source operating system.
The HTC Dream, sold in the United States as the T-Mobile G1, was the first Android phone to go on sale last year, but now the newer HTC Magic, which lacks the G1's flip-out keyboard and uses a touch-screen software keyboard instead, has begun arriving in parts of the world. Rogers will sell both in June, the company said Thursday.
The HTC Magic phone, in this case sold through Vodafone, is coming to Canada via Rogers Wireless.
(Credit: Vodafone)"Both devices offer outstanding wireless Internet search capabilities and a full suite of applications that run two times faster on Canada's fastest mobile network," John Boynton, Rogers Wireless' chief marketing officer, boasted in a statement Thursday.
The Rogers Wireless Android phone Web site said the debut date is June 2, but the company offered no information about prices or subscription plans.
"Regarding pricing, it will be released soon, but in the meantime, I can confirm that customers who activate or upgrade to a HTC Dream or HTC Magic smartphone will be able to take advantage of Rogers Wireless' in-market pricing," spokeswoman Elizabeth Hamilton said. "And I can also confirm that customers can choose from contract or no-contract pricing."
Rogers' 3.5G network reaches 75 percent of Canada's population, she added.
... Read more
(Credit:
Screenshot by Bonnie Cha/CNET)
Finally, the moment all T-Mobile G1 owners have been waiting for! T-Mobile announced on Wednesday that it will start rolling out the official Android 1.5 (aka "Cupcake") update to G1 users starting at the end of next week. The update will be delivered over the air in random batches over the next several weeks, and T-Mobile expects to reach all G1 customers by the end of May.
Android 1.5 will bring a number of user interface improvements, better performance, as well as new features, such as an onscreen full QWERTY keyboard, video recording and playback, and stereo Bluetooth support. For a full list of features and an FAQ, check out T-Mobile's forum page.
We're anxiously awaiting our own Cupcake, and we'll update our full review of the T-Mobile G1 soon after. G1 owners, once you receive your Android 1.5 update, we'd also love to hear about your experiences as well. In the meantime, feel free to share your thoughts about the news below.
Video recording on the HTC Magic
(Credit: ZDNet UK)After months of drought, we're finally seeing the Google Android news trickle in--the debut of the Samsung I7500, the upcoming Android 1.5 (aka Cupcake) release, and the launch of the HTC Magic. Unfortunately, for us here in the States, all the action has been overseas, but we can only hope that we're not far behind in getting in on the Android love.
To tide you over, we thought we'd point you to a photo gallery posted by our friends over at ZDNet UK who got a hands-on look at the Vodafone HTC Magic. The hardware is actually a bit different from what we saw at GSMA 2009, and the smartphone is also running Android 1.5, so you can check out pictures of the landscape keyboard, video recording capabilities, and other new features.
See it all here in the HTC Magic and Android 1.5 photo gallery.
Samsung I7500
(Credit: Samsung)On Monday, Samsung introduced its first Google Android device, the Samsung I7500. While many were disappointed to hear that Samsung had initially delayed its Android devices till the second half of the year, the I7500 will be available in major European markets starting in June. Unfortunately, plans for a U.S. release are still unclear.
There is, however, potentially good news for us here in the States. The Samsung I7500 is a tri-band HSDPA device, supporting the 900/1700/2100MHz bands, which makes it compatible with the T-Mobile's 3G network. We talked to Samsung's public relations company this morning to get more information about U.S. availability and a representative said the agency has a conference call planned with Samsung tonight where they hope to get some kind of confirmation about a Stateside release, so stay tuned.
In the meantime, we can share some of the Samsung I7500's impressive specs, including its 3.2-inch HVGA AMOLED touch screen, 8GB of internal memory, and microSD expansion slot (supports up to 32GB), and a 5-megapixel camera. The quad-band world phone also offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, GPS, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Of course, as an Android device, the I7500 supports Google's various services, such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Maps with support for Google Latitude, Street View, and more.
The I7500 is more similar in design to the HTC Magic, rather than the T-Mobile G1, in that it features a candy bar-style form factor and doesn't include a physical keyboard. The Samsung I7500 measures 4.5 inches tall by 2.2 inches wide by 0.4 inch thick. It appears that Russian site Mobile-review.com got some hands-on photos of the smartphone, which you can check out here.
In other Android news, it looks like G1 owners in Germany will be the first to get the Android 1.5 software update (aka Cupcake). According to Android Guys and T-Mobile Germany, the update will be available in May, bringing such enhancements as video recording, stereo Bluetooth, an onscreen keyboard, and more.
Once again, we have no word on when the update might be pushed out to other G1 owners around the world, but the fact it's ready for release in Germany is good news. Hopefully, the States won't be too far behind.
Updated: April 24, 2009, at 1:10 p.m. PT with a comment from Google.
Last week Google tantalized Android developers with an early version of its software developer kit for Android 1.5, the upcoming version of its mobile operating system. Included with it is a laundry list of new features coming out, many of them suspiciously familiar to those Apple's iPhone already has. But here's one, highlighted on Friday, that the iPhone doesn't have: Live Folders.
(Credit:
Google)
Loosely lumped into the category of "more home screen widgets," Live Folders are essentially shortcut views into a folder on the phone where you'll be able to view all the contents of your e-books, e-mails, RSS feeds, and playlists for example, without launching the application itself. Live Folders will also include real-time updating, so if a new e-mail comes in while you're viewing the in-box from your home screen, you'll see it appear.
The Live Folders feature could potentially be available on any third-party app you download from the Marketplace, though it seems to lend itself best to social, informational, and entertainment content--I'm thinking your Netflix queue, Facebook status updates, video playlist, and so on.
It's not entirely clear from the Android team's blog post how exactly the feature will display on the home screen, but Google tells us that Live Folders will live on the home screen like a shortcut icon; developers can choose to make them read-only or to give them the ability to launch the app from within a list view. For example, selecting a "favorite" contact from that folder would open their record in the phone book.
Live Features will include a few basic Live Folders to get you started when Google Android 1.5 phones ship, like a view into your contact list. The rest will be up to developers.
