As part of my recent Zen-ifying and simplifying of life, maximizing the amount of productive time in my day, I have downgraded.
I traded in my MDA for a basic Samsung candybar phone. Why would a techie downgrade? Time wasted because smartphones are not good enough for either of their fucntions today. I couldn’t justify using my phone to access the Internet in most situations because my laptop — or a text message to Google — was faster, and when it came to doing normal phone operations, my phone took too long to access a number or dial.
For me, the current gen of smartphones won’t satisfy…then along comes Android. Check out a quick features breakdown.
Major wireless providers haven’t put a great deal of resources into improving the mobile Internet/multi-tasking phone operation. That lack of interest has left the door open for Google to bring their “open” platform.
“The fundamental problem that most phones people have today is that they don’t have fully powered Web browsers,” explained Schmidt, noting that Google so far has to create specially tailored versions of popular applications like search and gmail for mobile devices. Android will encompass a browser that delivers an end-user experience more similar to surfing the PC-based Internet. via MediaPost
Google also has OpenSocial, their newly announced initiative to develop applications for social networks. With a platform like Android built with the same principles, Google might create the same buzz applications that have made Helio and Boost mobile somewhat of a success — bridging the gap between social networks and real life. Speculated applications and leaks have already generated some buzz for the initiative, and with Google’s knowledge of how to make a killer app (Gmail, Google Maps, Google Reader, etc.), they can certainly weed through to find the best of the litter.
I think Google saw what Apple was trying to do with the iPhone and thought to themselves that they could do a better job making an “open” version of that — especially with all the complaints and hacking tools out there. Even though Microsoft may not think that much of the project, Android could revolutionize the way we use our phones and what we demand from a phone OS. Carriers may just have to open everything up instead of locking up our electronics tight.
But they agreed that Google’s new open mobile platform Android would help accelerate expansion of the mobile Internet and pose a serious challenge to carriers’ “walled garden” strategy of tightly controlling content on their phone menus.
While the full implications of the deal are not yet clear, it will make Google a powerful player in the mobile realm as well as in the PC-based Internet world, they say.
“This opens the door for Google to be the network for the operating system the way Microsoft adCenter powers MSN,” says Jeff Janer, former CMO of mobile ad platform Third Screen Media. “So I think the impact will be major.” via MediaPost
