Linux/Java has topped CEO Ed Zander’s list things to look for from Motorola as it attempts a financial turnaround. At a New York press conference this morning, Zander introduced Linux-based ‘Rokr’ and ‘Razr2’ [photos|video] models, along with new top-level executives. Native SDKs won’t be available.
It’s a closed system! We need apps on it, we can’t just rely on what MOTO will be giving us!
(heavy sarcasem)
Are they pulling a Tivo or are they just not providing packaged dev tools (i.e. use the gnu toolchain available tools)?
No tools to write native apps. Only the J2ME SDK will be available for Java apps.
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No tools to write native apps. Only the J2ME SDK will be available for Java apps
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And I think we all know how Eugenia feels about that! 😉
I’m glad I don’t care about cell phones because the situation looks positively dismal.
Edited 2007-05-15 23:46
Exactly.
Your unfortunate plight is that you care. An affliction of the young!!! 😉
My reply was for your first sentence, not the second one. You updated your post and added a second sentence while I had already replied.
And yes, I like gadgets. The future is even more gadgets. Just like once desktop computers were the kings, and now laptop sales overcame desktops.
Yeah, I’m bad about that.
You are right about gadgets. Targeted appliances are the future. It’s just that the limited scope of gadgets doesn’t excite me. Smaller and smaller PCs do, as long as they have the flexibility of a real PC. I’ve had more *advanced* handhelds. But *nothing* has ever excited me any more than my old HP 200LX running DOS. The keyboard was quite usable, and DOS apps ran nicely on its 320×200 screen.
It wasn’t a gadget, but a small PC.
I have a test that I employ which may sound a bit weird to some, but it doesn’t to me.
If I use a handheld device for a day, and I don’t have a queasy, nauseous feeling while doing it, then it is a PC. Otherwise it is a gadget. I’m speaking about literal, physical queasiness and nausea.
I used to love messing with my HP48SX and HP48GX. But I always ended up with a vaguely nauseous feeling after an extended session. Gadgets.
It never happened with my 200LX. PC.
Probably more than you wanted to know, but hey! 😉
-Steve
Solution: lock post edits after replies?
“We truly appreciate your indentured servitude on behalf of our narrow commercial interests, with nothing given back to the community…”
And them not giving anything back (assuming it’s true, I don’t know) has harmed the linux community how exactly?
The Linux community is probably put in exactly zero effort to help out Motorola. The linux community does what it does and if people like it and what to use then, hey that’s great. Stick to the license and we’re all happy.
Edited 2007-05-16 11:04
And them not giving anything back (assuming it’s true, I don’t know) has harmed the linux community how exactly?
So, why not simply use a BSD-style license, if you’re not concerned about harm to the Linux community?
Because they want people who make changes to the kernel to give those changes back.
If you are happy with the kernel the way it is and don’t make any changes then you have no obligations. The sentiment among some free software people seem to be that if you use the Linux kernel you should open your entire API and make your entire platform open for everybody to develop on.
One of the fact that prevents linux phones form large sales is lack of native software. Java ones don’t compete with native application in Symbian and Windows.
If motorola wants to raise their market share, it shall definitely open its native SDK.
I’ve noticed lot’s of these Linux devices lately.. but none seem to be distributing the modified kernel sources.
Isn’t that supposedly part of the GPL licence?
Motorola has a dev site where the kernel changes are free to download. But they use a licensed version of Qt for GUI, so they don’t have to distribute those. Hence, there is no way to write native apps either.
it’s the carriers, not the phone developers, that limit apps.
linux sucks for phone apps anyway, and the balkanization of linux phone distros is only making matters worse.
What I want is the ability to flash my old RAZR with the new Linux-based system. Anyone have any idea if this might be possible, kinda like a firmware upgrade? I figure my old phone still has a lot of life in it and deserves the ability to upgraded.
I think this new phone may use motorola’s new Linux kernel, that is single processor for baseband and application, so most likely it will ship with an arm11 based processor other than arm9, which is seen on previous products.
In other words, the binary may not be compatible.
Edited 2007-05-16 14:23
The fact that it’s a closed system makes its use of Linux completely irrelevant.
I’d be interested in a Linux phone only if it was as hackable and customizable as a Linux desktop.