I could go on to talk about all of the nuances in Android, what I have seen and why I think it’s better than the iPhone, but I feel that would be an exercise in futility. Those in the iPhone camp will think what they want about the user interface (UI) and features no matter what. That goes the same for people in the Android camp. However, there is one very important thing Google did that Apple did not. They made Android completely and unconditionally Open Source (OS). What does this mean for the consumer? Well before I get to that, I want to talk about what it means for the developer.
As a developer, I really like ease of use and writing an application for the iPhone is anything but. I have to apply to the iPhone Developer’s program. I have to download a pretty hefty program (called a Software Development Kit or SDK) in order for me to write an application. And there are limitations as to what I can access on the iPhone to write my app. Then if I want to submit it to the iTunes App Store (the only place I am allowed to distribute my app), I have to pay the iPhone Developers fee. They will also take 30% of my asking price. Oh and by the way, I can only do all of this if I have a Mac. Then I have to hope Apple lets me keep my app in the store. While this is likely, there have been a few incidences where apps have been taken out of the app store with no reason given. My point is this: Apple holds a pretty tight leash on the entire development process. This is in stark contrast to developing for Android.
I was up and running in literally minutes with Android’s SDK. Download the fairly lightweight program, follow the direction on the Android SDK’s site, and moments later, I had the sample program running. I can write an app to do whatever I want; even replace the dial screen, address book, or anything. When the G1 debuts, developers will be able to add their app to the Android Marketplace at no cost. However, if you want to distribute your app via some other avenue, that’s fine too. The point: it’s all up to the developer. So back to the original question- what does this mean for the consumer?
There is more incentive to release free apps. iPhone developers face a higher financial risk because it’s costing them money right off the bat. Why should they write an app for free? With Android, there is no risk. The only cost to the developer is time. Plus, there are virtually no restrictions on developing for Android. I can write an app on any computer (PC or Mac), to do whatever I want, and distribute however I want. That’s convenient for the developer and therefore convenient for the consumer.
My bottom line is this- Android gives developers the power to do whatever it is they want to do with Android. That means the world’s first phone that can be tailored precisely to your liking. I think it was Morgan Freedman who said it best- “My my, isn’t that something?”
*This was originally published on Oct. 2nd in my school’s student run newspaper, The Aquinas.
Update: The G1 is out today! And, Google has released Android’s Source Code
posted on October 22nd, 2008 in Computer Stuff, Design, General, Site News, Software, Tech, Thoughts| No Comments »
I feel like most people thought this would come earlier, but I’ve been busy and usually my friends will take the brunt of my ’soapbox sessions’. But there have been some things that have really been bothering me lately.
- First of all, Joe the Plumber. To MSNBC: Your rating are so shitty because no one cares if Joe the Plumber is really named Joe, or is really a plumber, or anything about his character. He was used to personify concerns and you and people like Bill Mahr are crucifying him.
- Similarly, Rush Limbaugh and anyone else who says Colin Powell endorsed Obama because of race is an asshole. That is a statement made out of ignorance and is completely out of line. It’s not needed. Besides, if Obama wins, Powell in the cabinet will be one plus.
- There is a video on YouTube claiming Obama isn’t a US citizen, with some lawyer from Philly leading t he charge. Thank God for this one guy who has seemingly no credibility. You’d think some news station would pick it up, but they probably waited for the story to break on YouTube first.
- Palin appeared on SNL and it was awesome. People wonder if it helped or hurt her and the campaign. Honestly, if people are turning to SNL to help them make their decision, there is a problem (though kudos for them outing George Soros and the Sandlers a couple weeks ago during the start of our economic crisis).
I’m getting pretty tired of the smear from both sides and the high powered partisanship coming from so-called news reporters. I really can’t wait until this election is over.
posted on October 21st, 2008 in News, Politics, Thoughts| No Comments »
It’s that wonderful time in America that comes around every four year: Presidential Election Season. This year, however, is very different from presidential elections of yore. While blogs changed the face of national elections in 2004, social networks are doing the same thing in 2008 (though they are being more bipartisan). Here is a brief list of some big online players helping with election coverage.
- Election.Twitter: Twitter has created this site to showcase the election buzz on Twitter, what the candidates are saying and the current trends. Great to see what people are saying about the most recent election news!
- You Choose ‘08: YouTube’s election channel. See the latest videos from the candidates, as well as user questions and some local candidates answering them, plus much more!
- Google In Quotes: Search key words and get quotes by or stories about the candidates. I love this one.
- Facebook Vote’08: Facebook released an app that helps users register to vote.
This isn’t by any means exhaustive, but these are some resources that help me stay afloat this election season. What are you using?
UPDATE: Reader Simon pointed out Debate Hub by C-SPAN, which gives full, up-to-the-minute updates of each debate. More on Gizmodo. Also, Google Maps has a neat way to help you register to vote. Deadline is quickly approaching, so if you haven’t done that, get on it!
posted on October 1st, 2008 in Computer Stuff, News, Politics, Websites| No Comments »
Yesterday I beat The Force Unleashed for Xbox 360. This was a game I had been looking forward to as a Star Wars fan and as a programmer. A few months ago I saw the type of work they were doing to make this world seem more realistic- better physics engines, smarter AI, etc.- and got pretty excited to see how well it worked. After playing the game through, I wasn’t disappointed.
First I’d like to point out that the story line at times seemed to have better continuity than the prequels. The Force Unleashed takes place between Episodes III and IV, and is about a secret apprentice that Darth Vader takes on to kill any remaining Jedi. The story progressed in true cinematic fashion and had some pretty great twists/surprises in it. It little sappy, but the fact that you can see why some things in the original trilogy happened is really cool.
Now, onto the game play. I’ve read and been told by a few people that they think the game gets repetitive. While that is true, I still think it is awesome. In my mind, there is nothing better than force gripping a storm trooper and throwing him into a wall or whatever fatal structures there are in the level. I held one in front of a beam and waited for it to fire, incinerating the trooper. Also, shocking a jawa is fun. It’s a little RPG-ish in the fact that you pick and choose which skills, abilities, and force powers you want to hone, and it definitely effects game play; my friend and I played it at the same time and had different trouble points due to the skills we each chose.
The game is also a little buggy. While it did cause me to restart twice, I’m willing to overlook that due to the sheer power of the physics engine it uses. The events in this game are truly non-deterministic, meaning you can do the same thing over and over again and get completely different results based on probably hundreds of different variables. The AI in enemies is smart enough that they try and grab onto things as you throw them.
There is very seldom a game that I will beat and then go back and play levels just for the sake of playing them and I find myself doing that with The Force Unleashed. It’s a lot of fun, well thought out, and a must for any Star Wars or gaming fan (but especially Star Wars fans).
posted on September 28th, 2008 in Gaming, General, Reviews, Software| No Comments »
Over the last few months I’ve been using Twitter a lot more to get updates from people and fill others in on stuff I’m working on. The best possible thing I think Twitter did was open up the API for others to integrate it. Here are a few things that have made my life easier because they use Twitter.
- woot: woot.com is a website that offers you a deal a day. By following it on Twitter I don’t have to worry about checking the site daily- I’ll get the update as soon as the post it. Since following woot, I got an 8GB USB Drive for $20 (!) and a pretty sweet pen set for $5.
- amazonmp3: A few weeks ago, I wrote about how great Amazon Mp3 is. By following it on Twitter, you can get their Daily Deals, which can save you a ton of money on great music. I’ve gotten Patton Oswalt, Dragonforce, and Rod Stewart for $2.99, just to name a few.
- cnnbrk: Follow cnnbrk, get breaking news to your phone. I find their updates just right, where Fox News’s twitter service updates way too much.
- rtm: My favorite tasks application Remember The Milk has Twitter integration that allows you to tweet tasks to RTM and get reminder tweets.
- twanslate: twanslate allows you to send a language and a phrase you want translated into that language. How cool is that?
Twitter has literally hundreds of other websites integrating it, other apps to use it, and plenty of hacks if you’re creative. It helps you stay updated and stay productive- wherever you are. So what do you use Twitter for?
posted on September 20th, 2008 in Productivity, Software, Websites|
