Android, the Future of Programming?

Mobile are becoming small computers and developing an application to them can bring as much and often more than conventional computers.
Apple claims 20 000 applications for the iPhone and they can generate millions of dollars.

Webmasters and programmer should look at the platform as a possible major audience in the future. The Nexus One video shows they have nothing to envy to graphics of computers.

Android

Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google said at the Mobile World Congress that 60 000 android phones are sold per day (Nexus One or other products).
The operating system of Google is the main challenger of the iPhone and its release leads to the ire of Steve Jobs.

Based on the same type of touch interface it makes use of a mobile quick and intruitive . The number of applications will not long to reach that of the iPhone, which is encouraged by the contests organized by Google.

Programming to Android

Several ways are possible:

• Creating a Web application. It will run on the mobile with a browser as well as on an ordinary computer.
• Create a specific application using the SDK and an emulator for mobile that runs on the desktop.
  View the site projects for Google Android, which provides tutorials and a virtualization tool to download.
• Create a widget with an SDK universal and portable.
  See the post Programs for all mobiles.

Nexus One

The cell phone running Google’s Android operating system has been officially announced January 5, 2010. This is the first hardware sold by Google, but it will be followed by others, including an electronic tablet, currently in development.

Initially it was distributed to Google employees, prior to come to public sale and Google has put this video on Youtube.

The selling price will is at around 500 US dollars  with a promotional price  possible in association with the T-Mobile telephone provider for 80 US$ per month.

Specifications

• Snapdragon 1 Mhz processor.
• 3.7-inch screen.
• Resolution 800 × 480 pixels.
• Memory 512 MB.
• Extended memory 4GB on microSD card,  expandable to 32 GB.
• Proximity sensor, luminosity sensor and accelerometer.
• Camera with fast shoot and 5 megapixels. LED flash.
• Voice recognition.
• Android 2.1 operating system.

It is a very thin and lightweight device, manufactured by HTC, which already produces an Android mobile.

Nexus One vs. iPhone

Both devices have similar characteristics. iPhone starts with 8GB memory  while Nexus has a bigger screen and better camera. The two mobiles supports 3G through the operator, T-Mobile for the USA.
You can use voice to fill each fields with Nexus One.

See this price comparison.

Microsoft criticizes Google’s strategy

Microsoft, which sells hardware, actually the XBox game console, but that does not compete with products using its software, said that Google’s strategy is wrong.

Robbie Bach, president of the entertainment and devices division, said that other manufacturers will be reluctant to use the Android platform for fear that Google takes less into account their interests.

Doing what they do, selling both software and hardware is very, very difficult. Google sends a signal about where they will put their future engagement.

The fact is that Motorola, preparing to launch a range of mobile Android, said that the announcement of the Nexus One let to lose all interest in their own ad.
But Vodafone, and this is not negligible, is about to be the first manufacturer to sell an Android mobile in UK.

Microsoft also sells since 2006 a digital music player to rival iPod, the Zune, which can connect to the Internet via a Wi-Fi connection and can watch videos. The operating system is derived from Windows CE.

The Google Phone will it interfere with Android?

The fact that Google sells its own mobile will it disappoint other manufacturers and encourage them not to use the Android operating system?
It seems that on the contrary, according to the latest statistics available, it is the opposite effect that occurs. For example, shares of Motorola  Droid rose from 1% to 13% in December.

The total number of smartphone buyers who intend to use Android in December rose from 6% to 21%.
In retrospect, in February 2010, we see that more and more manufacturers have announced models of mobiles under Android, so it seems that Google while offering its own, has shown that we can compete with users of its software successfully (for the software).

• See the statistics.

Patent war

Apple sued HTC, saying that his phones violate patents it has filed. This is seen by all analysts as an attack against Android. A first step before tackling other Android users or Google itself.

Jonathan Swchartz (former CEO of Sun) relates that when Apple or Microsoft companies threatened a lawsuit, he always found in the portfolio of Sun patents that their competitors had also violated and that was enough to end the dispute.

• Microsoft: We have patents that cover your free OpenOffice suite. But if you pay us royalties on every copy sold, we'll not sue you.
• Sun: We’ve looked at .NET, and you’re trampling all over a huge number of Java patents, but if you pay us royalties on every copy of Windows sold, we'll not sue you.

The post of Jonathan Swchwartz.

More

• The Nexus One website. Description and sales.
• Photos and overview. By NexusOneBlog, before the official event January 5, 2010.
• Comparison.
• Leaving the iPhone. A comparison by a user often cited in the seo section.