http://code.google.com/android/
incase anyones not familiar with android, check that site out.
im not sure why there isnt more development or developers that are going after this in terms of getting it working on all devices? im currently using it on my vogue and its amazing. definately better UI in terms of EVERYTHING. its open source, so i think developers should be all over this! has so much potential its kind of ridiculous
vogue thread
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=382265
its working about 80% now thanks to amazing developer martin.
the browser and everything (overall UI) are so much better and smoother than windows mobile! and being that its open source with google ENCOURAGING development of apps and themes and skins and whatnot, i think this is the next best thing to happen to ppc's.
THIS is the actual iphone killer.
just some samples
on a vogue (very smooth)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0z9bWiAT44
just a demo of the browser (mine is actually a little smoother than this)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2FpDDEVWtk
the reason im posting this here is because i was the first one to post in this section with manilla2d (when udk first released it), asking whether we can get this on other devices, and look what happened with that. if we can get the amazing developers from here to work on this like they worked on m2d, then wow this will be amazing!
Yeah, even I'm suprised at the low level of excitement of porting this to all devices. Hoping for some real development . Btw, those videos are pretty impressive.
Akshay
Yeah... I'm a little surprised too.
I have a Vogue now, so I'm OK, but I'd love to see somebody pick this project up for the Touch Pro. It seems to be very similar to the G1, so the porting would be a lot more complete than the porting to the Vogue.
Hopefully somebody with the skills (read: not me) will undertake this.
it'll pick up. i say in 6 months to a year people will snap out of the apple app dev craze. but from a dev point of view, apple is where its at right now. the amount of money you could make is a driver by all means.
htc will also be a key part in this. when they start to release better looking hardware, perhaps something on par with the diamond....you'll see a user increase. and user increase translate into dev interest. so just hang in there....i think you'll get what you want soon.
A ppc that works only on 80 Percent ? And no additional Software, no outlook syncronisation? Thats at the moment somthing for freaks or people with a second device
If there would be a 100 Percent Android i would install it, believe me, because i´m not very happy with windows anymore.
So i think we must wait and hope.
My next Device in half a year will be hopefully the Touch HD with Android rolleyes
because it makes no sense to port androud to a phone that is not 3G with GPS.
the only advantage of the g phone that I saw was the service. 3G and free GPS! i'm like, how much for the puppy in the window?
I honestly think that porting it to my wizard would be senseless.
without the service the gphone is just a phone wothout service.
S.V.I said:
because it makes no sense to port androud to a phone that is not 3G with GPS.
the only advantage of the g phone that I saw was the service. 3G and free GPS! i'm like, how much for the puppy in the window?
I honestly think that porting it to my wizard would be senseless.
without the service the gphone is just a phone wothout service.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course it is always pointless. We do it because we can (and because we don't want to do anything while at work)
(and much like bluemetal, we are all tired of the same old look and functionality in our WM devices). Then again, it can always be worse....
we could all have iphones
Anyways, I am looking forward to someone porting this to the Blue Angel.
The bigest stumbling block for me is lack of Exchange support. GPS isn't really necessary with the cell tower triangulation available. The accuracy is getting better. It will never be as tight as GPS but close is good enough for me. I can do with out 3G (I wish I had it) I don't enjoy the experience with the little screen. It's like looking at the ocean through a porthole. A 5 inch screen with much better resolution would be great. I use it for quick info but surfing is not fun.
I do like the idea of going linux on the phone. It would be that much closer to having a truely mobile desktop. We wouldn't have to install resource hogging shells that ride on top of an already bloated today screen to get better customization.
I think the biggest problem overall though is the hardware needed will put a lot of older equipment like my little wizard out to pasture. I don't have the funds to rush out an purchase a new phone. And yes I think all the bugs will need to be shaken out for a while before I take the plunge. Maybe by the 2nd or third generation of Android things will be a little less "bleeding edge". It all looks great now but I rely on my phone too much to gamble on an untried system.
To be completely honest, I too am suprised by the lack of progress.
This is a complete replacement for Windows Mobile: something we've all only dreamed about up until now. It will have a wicked Dev community around it soon enough.
There were a hell of a lot of efforts to get the Beta running. But now... nothing?
*so confused
The worst part is, it'd be gorgeous on my LG KS20, but I doubt we'll see it anytime soon: no one loves us KS20 owners. Guess you were all just jealous of our drivers.
bluemetalaxe said:
A ppc that works only on 80 Percent ? And no additional Software, no outlook syncronisation? Thats at the moment somthing for freaks or people with a second device
If there would be a 100 Percent Android i would install it, believe me, because i´m not very happy with windows anymore.
So i think we must wait and hope.
My next Device in half a year will be hopefully the Touch HD with Android rolleyes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i don't know if you read my whole post, but i never said "hey everyone lets run something 80% finished on our ppcs."
waiting and hoping isnt going to do anything, thats why i started this thread. to get more attention instead of sitting and waiting for something we arent sure is going to ever happen.
im glad a lot of other people are on the same page as me, wondering why there is barely any development for this. thanks for the support guys
lets get some devs in here to weigh in on this!
Well, there's a number of quite simple reasons...
- Porting Android to another device isn't as simple as "Hey, it's Open Source, you just have to compile and install". First of all, you'd need to find a working cross compiler for ARM in the first place (one using Windows' API, like those used for PPC apps isn't much help). Then you'd need to write drivers for usually undocumented hardware with this cross compiler or in ARM assembler (reusing existing WM drivers, like in cooked ROMs, wouldn't work in Linux). Finally, you need to find a way to flash that system to your PPC (that's a bit more work than a patched/cooked variation of an already existing WM ROM), and so on. That's work for the kind of freaks who would do their taxes binary in mind...
- Writing apps for a system almost nobody own so far isn't that attractive. It's even less attractive if the potential developer doesn't own one - the real experience is always a bit different to an emulator, and usually would like some use for himself, too (what good is an mobile app for you if you'd need a laptop with emulator to use it? ). So far, there's only one official Android device out there, and aside from the fact it's still a bit "first try, for developers only" (no Outlook sync, ugly design, ...), you only get it in very few parts of the world or in overpriced eBay auctions. Inofficial ports with reduced functionality and maybe buggy or slow "beta" drivers aren't that great, too...
- While the Android API is quite close to common Java style, it's still something completely new, which requires some time to get into the framework's basic style, the available functions, the loopholes and small tricks, etc. With WM, the gap to common Windows (desktop) programming is way smaller, and I guess it's similar with the iPhone and Mac programming.
Or, in other words: Give Andoid some time to grow up. IMHO, G1 and the few existing ports are a playground for hackers and early adopters, so they can get startet with fixing (security holes, missing functionality, ...). Then, in some months, more devices with a "hacker improved" Android will be published, and when developers buy those, they also will start writing apps if they are missing something.
you'd think more people would be starting to port.. because god is that g1 terrible, you have to have sharpened pencils for fingers to type on that flush keyboard)
Mort said:
Well, there's a number of quite simple reasons...
- Porting Android to another device isn't as simple as "Hey, it's Open Source, you just have to compile and install". First of all, you'd need to find a working cross compiler for ARM in the first place (one using Windows' API, like those used for PPC apps isn't much help). Then you'd need to write drivers for usually undocumented hardware with this cross compiler or in ARM assembler (reusing existing WM drivers, like in cooked ROMs, wouldn't work in Linux). Finally, you need to find a way to flash that system to your PPC (that's a bit more work than a patched/cooked variation of an already existing WM ROM), and so on. That's work for the kind of freaks who would do their taxes binary in mind...
- Writing apps for a system almost nobody own so far isn't that attractive. It's even less attractive if the potential developer doesn't own one - the real experience is always a bit different to an emulator, and usually would like some use for himself, too (what good is an mobile app for you if you'd need a laptop with emulator to use it? ). So far, there's only one official Android device out there, and aside from the fact it's still a bit "first try, for developers only" (no Outlook sync, ugly design, ...), you only get it in very few parts of the world or in overpriced eBay auctions. Inofficial ports with reduced functionality and maybe buggy or slow "beta" drivers aren't that great, too...
- While the Android API is quite close to common Java style, it's still something completely new, which requires some time to get into the framework's basic style, the available functions, the loopholes and small tricks, etc. With WM, the gap to common Windows (desktop) programming is way smaller, and I guess it's similar with the iPhone and Mac programming.
Or, in other words: Give Andoid some time to grow up. IMHO, G1 and the few existing ports are a playground for hackers and early adopters, so they can get startet with fixing (security holes, missing functionality, ...). Then, in some months, more devices with a "hacker improved" Android will be published, and when developers buy those, they also will start writing apps if they are missing something.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok now these reasons make a lot of sense. im just surprised that not as many people are trying to get it started so they can get started on fixing, like you said. but ok, all of your other reasons make complete sense. im sure the future releases of android will only get better.
android just seems like exactly what many of us have been looking for in wm devices, basically, a complete UI replacement endorsed/created by a large company (other than microsoft lol).
jakub_w said:
im just surprised that not as many people are trying to get it started so they can get started on fixing, like you said.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who knows? AFAIK, the order numbers aren't that bad, and all those reviewers give some feedback, too. I mean, it's only a week since the G1 is available at all, and, as said, it's not very attractive so far. Not everybody wants to spend hundreds of dollars just to provide Google with requests and code changes and T-Mobile and HTC with money...
android just seems like exactly what many of us have been looking for in wm devices, basically, a complete UI replacement endorsed/created by a large company (other than microsoft lol).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think the UI is the really big thing about Android. You can even replace it completely, and I don't know (yet) where the limits / design guides are for applications. I just hope it doesn't get as confusing as Linux on the desktop, where even a Gnome or KDE desktop can be modified so far that it's almost as hard to switch distros as switching from Windows to MacOS...
The important things about Android are more in the basic technology, imho, like
- A stable, timeless system core (*nix is older than me, so "modern" is not quite correct - that goes for MacOS X, too, btw...)
- Seamless integration of connection management and phone functions (opposed to WM, where it still acts like a makeshift patchwork, and with every update less APIs are working...)
- Portable application framework (Java, lots of system APIs)
- Simple application installation (no "is this EXE a PC setup or the PPC executable?", "How the hell do I install a CAB file?", ...)
However, I still wonder how/if Andoid will support direct PC synchronization (for shared files, contacts, appointments, music, ...) and how fast and memory consumptive the required Java VM is... (Well, at least none of the G1 reviews I read complained about that, so it seems to be faster than .NET on WM...)
i was just playing around with android and in the dev tools or api demos theres a section called opengl es. i have a vogue and i tried these, they ran extremely smoothly. isnt this something that everyone has been saying is impossible? (specifically for getting tf3d to run on the vogue) i think this proves that software driven 3d is more than capable of handling tf3d. just a thought.
jakub_w said:
i was just playing around with android and in the dev tools or api demos theres a section called opengl es. i have a vogue and i tried these, they ran extremely smoothly. isnt this something that everyone has been saying is impossible? (specifically for getting tf3d to run on the vogue) i think this proves that software driven 3d is more than capable of handling tf3d. just a thought.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I definitely agree with you on that. Thing is though is that this is a completely different environment with a different set of drivers (and rules) which makes (for example) modifying their parameters to allow for keys normally used for certain functions in WM to be used for something completely different. Also OpenGL (ES) is all that is used on *nix OSes whether or not they run on full or embedded hardware. All that's needed is the driver for the graphics chip. Microsoft wants you to use their proprietary D3D not OpenGL (ES) hence why it was impossible to have OpenGL (ES) before. Also TF3D uses DirectX and not OpenGL ES AFAIK.
Android is great. Only thing I need is a way to get the SDcard image working and a HTC Touch Pro to port Android, Angstrom and/or OpenMoko to, I'd be set.
why would you develop software for an operating system that isn't even fully ported yet?
joel2009 said:
why would you develop software for an operating system that isn't even fully ported yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weeell....
- It's Linux and Open Source (some people wouldn't touch a closed system with a stick...)
- It's nice to be prepared when you get the running system
- There is a device with that OS
- The documentation is way better than Microsoft's
- There's a good chance the API will remain compatible, so it doesn't hurt to start early (opposed to WM, where some basic features can/could only be done with device dependant or inofficial APIs, which were dropped in newer updates...)
just cause i'm interested, is it possible to port WP7 to legend or other android devices?
It's not really possible.
Porting an operating system to a new hardware platform when you have the full source is doable (depending on how much you know about the hardware involved, of course).
The Windows OS is proprietary, with no source available, and I doubt you'd even be able to dig up documentation on how the kernel talks to the hardware. Porting something like that is akin to finding a needle in a haystack full of needles, at midnight, while wearing a blindfold.
Actually, it probably isn't. The haystack thing sounds much easier.
WP7 requires Cortex or Snapdragon processors, so it will never be possible to port this OS to the Legend.
Just curious ?!?
What is so good in WM7 you do not have on android that it makes you thinking on porting WM7 to the legend ?
I my selves was delighted to discover the android system, and i do not miss any part of windows.
k.mooijman said:
Just curious ?!?
What is so good in WM7 you do not have on android that it makes you thinking on porting WM7 to the legend ?
I my selves was delighted to discover the android system, and i do not miss any part of windows.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Access to the sharepoint services, but regular users never use Sharepoint.
Games will be better on WM7.
adding codecs to the system to view other formats
I miss reverse tethering only.
So I've read and heard several people talk about how easy it would be to port over the QNX kernel to Android. So I was wondering, if it's so easy why isn't someone doing it? I mean if you think Google should do this it would make a great proof of concept and could maybe sway Google a bit. Now that's not to say that I myself think Google should do it, I don't really know much about kernels, but I'd be interested in trying it, if nothing else to see if benefits do exist.
The fact that QNX is a proprietary OS might be one of the reasons.
it became closed source when RIM bought it.
You mean porting entire Android software stack to run on top of QNX kernel ? (in order to run it natively). That is not that straightforward and Google would never do it anyway. You can't just "switch" to QNX kernel, it has completely different architecture.
Android is based on old fashioned monolithic Linux kernel, with all the stability, security and performance issues that come with it. QNX has a fantastic real-time microkernel. If Android was QNX-based, that would be a dream come true.
Hello,
I've searched around the forum and haven't seen anything related to this, so I thought I'd create a thread and ask in case anyone knew.
I was interested in purchasing the Geeksphone Revolution and was wondering if a Firefox 2.0 build existed for it? I see there is a a 2.0 build for the Peak and Keon, but those are not available for purchase. So would I be stuck on 1.3 if I got the Geeksphone or would someone have a build that could be loaded onto the Geeksphone Revolution?
Thanks in advance for any info
TheEternalAbyss said:
Hello,
I've searched around the forum and haven't seen anything related to this, so I thought I'd create a thread and ask in case anyone knew.
I was interested in purchasing the Geeksphone Revolution and was wondering if a Firefox 2.0 build existed for it? I see there is a a 2.0 build for the Peak and Keon, but those are not available for purchase. So would I be stuck on 1.3 if I got the Geeksphone or would someone have a build that could be loaded onto the Geeksphone Revolution?
Thanks in advance for any info
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
to be honestly - I hate the developers of the Geeksphone. For several reasons:
1. The Android Project is just ****ed up - no USB drivers for PC / MAC (really, you have to put out the SD to copy data!)
2. in the beginning the battery had huge drainage - it just held not even a day (after some updates it's okay and useable!)
3. There are no updates since more than a month. In the beginning there were plenty updates for both systems - every week for android! Now I think they stopped the support.. don't know why
4. Firefox OS has plenty bugs, too - that's why no one uses it. No apps is not a bug - but the hardware keys always shine (that's a battery drainer without purpose - I mean under Android they go off after not touching them. Under FFOS they always stress me). Also other smaller bugs..
5. The most interesting feature - Dual boot - there is no actual dual boot (and never will be) - you can only use and flash 1 OS. Android or FireFox os.. or other os. =>
6. Other OS ? There are no other os! I am really sad that I bought a phone with the ability to flash other OS and there are no! You simply can use 2 buggy OS, none of them are really special or work perfectly.
7. The screen resolution of the phone isn't really nice and bright. I can't understand how they did this. Not even 720p. You can count the pixels in nearly every app..
8. No new updates any more ?! Mhh, don't know but no support from Hackers, no support from Geeksphone themselves - no Android, no FFOS updates (okay they said they would release FFOS 2.0 - but I believe there are still like no APPS in the store, probably other bugs, too but didn't test it).. and no OTHER OS! Okay, you have the ability but if no one releases one - that's a pity!
9. No accessories - you can get a pouch for this phone, but no better batteries, no other things.. I didn't even found replacement screen or something (don't need one, just in case)..
To be honestly - simply get another phone. Maybe Jollaphone, or Fairphone (which may get open webos support or firefox or others as well), or wait for Neo900 (Nokia N900 case with better hardware) or something else.
If you are fine with all those problems and bugs - then go ahead and buy one.
I'm just an honest user.. currently I use my HP Pre 3, Huawei Mate, Galaxy Camera as everyday devices, the Geeksphone more or less for spair and for music outside or something..
Greetz from Germany!
hackint0sh said:
Hi,
to be honestly - I hate the developers of the Geeksphone. For several reasons:
1. The Android Project is just ****ed up - no USB drivers for PC / MAC (really, you have to put out the SD to copy data!)
2. in the beginning the battery had huge drainage - it just held not even a day (after some updates it's okay and useable!)
3. There are no updates since more than a month. In the beginning there were plenty updates for both systems - every week for android! Now I think they stopped the support.. don't know why
4. Firefox OS has plenty bugs, too - that's why no one uses it. No apps is not a bug - but the hardware keys always shine (that's a battery drainer without purpose - I mean under Android they go off after not touching them. Under FFOS they always stress me). Also other smaller bugs..
5. The most interesting feature - Dual boot - there is no actual dual boot (and never will be) - you can only use and flash 1 OS. Android or FireFox os.. or other os. =>
6. Other OS ? There are no other os! I am really sad that I bought a phone with the ability to flash other OS and there are no! You simply can use 2 buggy OS, none of them are really special or work perfectly.
7. The screen resolution of the phone isn't really nice and bright. I can't understand how they did this. Not even 720p. You can count the pixels in nearly every app..
8. No new updates any more ?! Mhh, don't know but no support from Hackers, no support from Geeksphone themselves - no Android, no FFOS updates (okay they said they would release FFOS 2.0 - but I believe there are still like no APPS in the store, probably other bugs, too but didn't test it).. and no OTHER OS! Okay, you have the ability but if no one releases one - that's a pity!
9. No accessories - you can get a pouch for this phone, but no better batteries, no other things.. I didn't even found replacement screen or something (don't need one, just in case)..
To be honestly - simply get another phone. Maybe Jollaphone, or Fairphone (which may get open webos support or firefox or others as well), or wait for Neo900 (Nokia N900 case with better hardware) or something else.
If you are fine with all those problems and bugs - then go ahead and buy one.
I'm just an honest user.. currently I use my HP Pre 3, Huawei Mate, Galaxy Camera as everyday devices, the Geeksphone more or less for spair and for music outside or something..
Greetz from Germany!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Greetz from USA
Wow, everything that you said is quite interesting. I honestly don't care too much if there are bugs since Android has always had issues (and I'm talking official releases. That's why there are so many updates and each device can't guarantee it works because between Android changes, and hardware manufacturers customizations...it's a giant mess). I currently have a Open ZTE with a prerelease of FFOS 1.3 so like I said, a few bugs isn't a big deal.
No usb drivers is just plain silly though. Seriously that's pretty dumb :\
Thanks for the suggestions though, I'll check them out
I hadn't heard of Sailfish OS either. looks very interesting. I really am interested in FireFox OS though and I'd love to keep using it and watch it mature It really has great potential. That's why I thought it woul dbe nice to have something that allows me to switch between OS. I'm happy to consider other alternatives, so please anyone, keep the suggestions coming
hackint0sh said:
Hi,
1. The Android Project is just ****ed up - no USB drivers for PC / MAC (really, you have to put out the SD to copy data!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's why i use Linux
Geeksphone forum is start 18 August.
Morning guys. Android One is spreading here in India. Since it's built for low spec mobiles, I was wondering if any devs in here are trying to port One for our Defy.
motorola
chandujram said:
Morning guys. Android One is spreading here in India. Since it's built for low spec mobiles, I was wondering if any devs in here are trying to port One for our Defy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the motorla defy y don't know if support android one , or we don't have the kernel .:good:
Oh.. but since our device already supports kernel 3, is it possible??
Android One is not a version of Android, it's just the name Google has given to the standard it has set for the low spec devices. See for yourself, they're all running KitKat.
Android One = a project of Google setting standards for low end devices so that people don't have to use Android on terrible devices and be disappointed by Android. It's a set of standards that manufacturers have to meet. This is all AFAIK, but I'm pretty sure I understood it right. And I'm completely sure those devices are running KitKat.
Yes I understand that it is Kitkat. But then, I thought One was Kitkat optimized for low end devices, you know like it is a lighter version of Android so the chips don't need to pump up beyond their capacity. My bad then.
niksy+ said:
It's a set of standards that manufacturers have to meet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't quite understand that. Tell me more about it.
chandujram said:
I didn't quite understand that. Tell me more about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look at it this way - a set of standards = a list of minimum hardware requirements
Have you noticed that all Android One devices have a 4-core CPU, for example? To be completely precise, all the current One devices have completely the same hardware specifications, but that's just because they're all using the cheapest available hardware that meets the requirements, I guess.
Anyway, those devices may be very low-spec and cheap hardware today, but they are still a lot more powerful than the old DEFY. And the OS they're running is plain KitKat, so it's of no use to the DEFY. That's all
Oh okay. I get it now. Thanks.