Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sat 24th Dec 2011 13:00 UTC
"Earlier today, Samsung revealed that it won't update the Galaxy S, its most successful smartphone to date, to the latest version of Android. You might shrug and dismiss that as just more evidence of Android's inherent fragmentation or the need for buyers to beware, but I take grave issue with it. This is a decision based not on technical constraints, as Samsung would have you believe, but on hubris." This. A gazillion million thousand times this. Also: "It's simple: make a large high-end device, a smaller value device, and a QWERTY device. Maybe one or two other specialty form factors, tops. That's it. Update them once a year, and keep the names the same." It would make updating a hell of a lot easier. We don't need the Samsung Galaxy SII Epic 4G Touch Sensation.
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RE: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting
by WorknMan on Sat 24th Dec 2011 17:46
in reply to "It's obvious why Android is fragmenting"
Member since:2005-11-13
When Android devices first started hitting the mainstream, I vowed never to purchase any model accept the "pure" Nexus phones.
This. I can sum up the Android phone buying advice like this: Either get the one that says 'Nexus' on it, or buy an iPhone, or Windows phone. Now, that wasn't so complicated, was it?
RE[2]: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting
by nzgreen on Sat 24th Dec 2011 20:14
in reply to "RE: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting"
Member since:2008-01-07
RE[2]: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting
by Fergy on Sun 25th Dec 2011 09:25
in reply to "RE: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting"
Member since:2006-04-10
RE[2]: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting
by dragos.pop on Sun 25th Dec 2011 22:39
in reply to "RE: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting"
Member since:2010-01-08
This. I can sum up the Android phone buying advice like this: Either get the one that says 'Nexus' on it, or buy an iPhone, or Windows phone. Now, that wasn't so complicated, was it?
Most Windows phones will hit the same problem. Unless microsoft will:
1) Have a small number of conponents suported, so that they will provide the OTA update with all drivers
or:
2) Drivers will be forward compatible, so a new Windows version will not influence OEMs.
RE[2]: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting
by AnythingButVista on Mon 26th Dec 2011 23:07
in reply to "RE: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting"
Member since:2008-08-27
"When Android devices first started hitting the mainstream, I vowed never to purchase any model accept the "pure" Nexus phones.
This. I can sum up the Android phone buying advice like this: Either get the one that says 'Nexus' on it, or buy an iPhone, or Windows phone. Now, that wasn't so complicated, was it? "
What if I want a phone with a hardware keyboard? I'm telling you, if Apple comes with an iSlide (phone with a sliding QWERTY), Android would be dead for all I care. Android is destined to become the featurephone-replacement OS, the one for users who don't care about software updates.
RE[2]: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting
by zima on Sat 31st Dec 2011 19:03
in reply to "RE: It's obvious why Android is fragmenting"
Member since:2005-07-06
I can sum up the Android phone buying advice like this: Either get the one that says 'Nexus' on it, or buy an iPhone, or Windows phone. Now, that wasn't so complicated, was it?
I don't know, that mostly brings up: will you ever stop promoting Nexus phones ad nauseam?
Really, that's way too simplistic (even fallacious and misrepresenting what the mobile market is), they aren't anywhere near the optimal choice for many. "Superiority" of Nexus has a hefty price tag (iOS or Win devices, similarly) - for vast majority of people it's most likely better to get ~3x less expensive handset and replace it maybe only slightly sooner than a Nexus would dictate (anyway, I suspect that an average Nexus owner is among the "often upgrading" half)
Edited 2011-12-31 19:06 UTC
Features
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/13/13 14:35 UTC
The third and final WWDC product I want to talk about is - of course - OS X 10.9 Mavericks. While iOS 7 was clearly the focus of this year's WWDC, its venerable desktop counterpart certainly wasn't left behind. Apple announced OS X 10.9 Mavericks, the first OS X release not to carry the name of a big cat.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/11/13 17:07 UTC
We already talked about iOS 7 yesterday (after a night of sleep, it's only looking worse and worse - look at this, for Fiona's sake!), so now it's time to talk about the downright stunning and belly flutters-inducing new Mac Pro. As former owner and huge, huge, huge fan of the PowerMac G4 Cube - I haven't been this excited about an Apple product since, well, I would say the iMac G4. This is the Apple I used to love.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/10/13 23:13 UTC
Apple held its big keynote event thing at WWDC earlier this evening, but since I was away with friends I've had to read up on it later in the evening. The company announced iOS 7, OS X 10.9 Mavericks, and they gave a preview of the new Mac Pro. Especially the Mac Pro impressed me, and while iOS 7's new Holo/Metro-inspired theme looks messy and garish to me, I do commend Apple for finally breaking the mold. This news item will focus on iOS 7 - I'll dive into the Mac Pro and OS X 10.9 tomorrow (it's late here now).
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/08/13 14:57 UTC
And yes, the PRISM scandal is far, far from over. More and more information keeps leaking out, and the more gets out, the worse it gets. The companies involved have sent out official statements - often by mouth of their CEOs - and what's interesting is that not only are these official statements eerily similar to each other, using the same terms clearly designed by lawyers, they also directly contradict new reports from The New York Times. So, who is lying?
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/07/13 11:40 UTC
This story is getting bigger and bigger. Even though most Americans probably already knew, it is now official: the United States government, through its National Security Agency, is collecting the communications and data of all American citizens, and of non-Americans using American services, through a wide collaboration with the large companies in technology, like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and so on. Interestingly enough, the NSA itself, as well as the US government, have repeatedly and firmly denied this massive spying on Americans and non-Americans took place at all.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 06/04/13 12:45 UTC
Ah, patents - the never-ending scourge of the technology industry. Whether wielded by companies who don't actually make any products, or large corporations who abuse them because they can't compete in the market place or because they're simply jerks, they do the industry a huge disservice and are simply plain dangerous. According to The Wall Street Journal (circumvention link), president Obama is about to take several executive actions to address patent trolls - which may seem like a good idea, but I am very worried that all this will do is strengthen the positions of notorious patent system abusers such as Apple and Microsoft.
Linked by nfeske on 05/31/13 10:12 UTC
With version 13.05, the developers of the Genode OS Framework take measures to ensure that Genode continues to scale well with a growing number of users and the steadily broadening platform coverage. Further highlights are the improved SoC support for Exynos 5, OMAP4, Raspberry Pi, i.MX, and new components for realizing headless systems.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/29/13 16:59 UTC
At the D11 conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook once again took the stage to be interviewed by Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher. While most of the interview can be replicated by picking and reading 10 random Apple fanblog stories - there were still a number of very interesting things that warrant some closer scrutiny.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/24/13 17:26 UTC
So, the Xbox One disaster continues. Microsoft's policy for dealing with the used games market has reportedly leaked - and it's a clear and direct attack to destroy the used games market. Prices for used games will be set at the retail value of a new game, and retailers have to hook into Microsoft's computer systems and comply with Microsoft's terms and conditions.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/21/13 21:38 UTC
At an event earlier today, Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox - the third model, but confusingly named Xbox One. The big focus was TV, integrated Kinect, and all the other stuff we all expected to be forced down our throats. I think it took them 25 minutes to actually come to what should be the core of the story: gaming. Nothing groundbreaking in the gaming department, except for how Microsoft intends to handle the used games market and borrowing games from friends: pay up, buddy!More Features »
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Member since:
2006-07-16
When Android devices first started hitting the mainstream, I vowed never to purchase any model accept the "pure" Nexus phones. These are the only ones, as far as I can tell, with unadulterated versions of Android (which by the way is all anyone needs.) The rest of them are loaded to the gills with bloatware and custom skins. Why? It's a matter of control on the part of the carriers. It's clear to me why the carriers are reluctant to update their phones. Why update an older phone when you can get a gullible consumer to buy a shiny new phone? This is really the fault of consumers who are only too willing to exclaim "No update? Oh, okey dokey, show me a model with the latest version..." Then they whip out a credit card and goodbye old phone, hello new model.
As the proud owner of a now abandoned HTC Nexus One, I have always anticipated and expected the very latest and greatest version of Android for my device. I have been receiving the latest versions of Android OTA within weeks (usually) of their release by Google. Sadly, this time, Google has decided that my Nexus One isn't quite capable of running ICS. This in spite of numerous videos exhibiting early builds of ICS running just fine on the N1. So, for the very first time, I am anxiously awaiting the release of CyanogenMod 9 which will be based on Android 4 ICS and will happily bring the latest Android to anyone willing to spend a few moments rooting their device. I intend to hang onto my beloved Nexus One and enjoy Android 4 ICS in full rooted glory. It's my device and I'll decide if it's capable of running Android 4.0 or not.
Edited 2011-12-24 14:20 UTC