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It's official: Google announces open-source mobile phone OS, Android (ars technica)It's official: Google announces open-source mobile phone OS, Android (ars technica)Posted Nov 6, 2007 10:46 UTC (Tue) by i3839 (subscriber, #31386)In reply to: It's official: Google announces open-source mobile phone OS, Android (ars technica) by drag Parent article: It's official: Google announces open-source mobile phone OS, Android (ars technica)
I guess my original point was that it is a good start and that the idea of an open phone stack is great, but because it can be locked up, it doesn't mean that the companies supporting Android als support the openess. Otherwise the list would be highly impressive, now it doesn't say much at all.
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It's official: Google announces open-source mobile phone OS, Android (ars technica) Posted Nov 6, 2007 14:26 UTC (Tue) by drag (subscriber, #31333) [Link] Well your defiantely right with that. What I like is the fact that Google is being open about the OS. The carriers in the USA like to lock down phones and such, but I suspect that the actual phone manufacturers do not. This means that as long as the Linux kernel folks are able to impress on the hardware makers that closed source drivers are unacceptable then that means as long as I avoid buying the carrier-subsidized phones then I can run whatever software I'd like on it. AGain the importance of Android hinges on the ability for consumers to be able to find and purchase unlocked phones and wheither or not the drivers for the phone are open or not. If we end up with nothing but closed source video drivers and closed source kernel modules for controlling the hardware on these phones then Android is a complete bust and worthless. (that being said.. I am eagerly waiting the final hardware revision of the Neo1973 to be put to market. Now I'll have 3 operating systems to run on it.. OpenMoko, Qtopia, and Android )
It's official: Google announces open-source mobile phone OS, Android (ars technica) Posted Nov 6, 2007 14:33 UTC (Tue) by drag (subscriber, #31333) [Link] Another thing to keep in mind is that a huge barrier to totally open phones like the Neo1973 is the lack of support for the end user. Sure there is going to be good GTK and QT software for the Neo1973, but normal functionality and applications that consumers are used to on their regular handsets are going to be totally missing on the Neo197. If Google's Android has the ability to provide for a common unified platform for mobile handsets then the ability for regular folk to migrate from a nasty locked-down carrier phone to a completely open phone will be much increased. All the creature comforts of one phone should work just fine on another. If then consumer demand is for openness and the ability to use their fancy unlocked phones then you'll see the gradual minimization of the current proprietary horror that is the cell phone industry.
It's official: Google announces open-source mobile phone OS, Android (ars technica) Posted Nov 6, 2007 19:48 UTC (Tue) by robilad (guest, #27163) [Link] The whole point of Android is to be open ... enough for the proprietary vendors, so that they can close it off again, in order to differentiate themselves. And with differentiation come applications that only run on one phone, but not on the other. It's funny to see Google repeat the story of Java ME, though, with all the beaming, good intentions, hooray for proprietary software built on open source/standards, and all that.
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