Jump to content
The Inquirer-Home

Google's Android is just another mobile Linux

Symbian isn't that bothered
Tuesday, 6 November 2007, 17:59

ASKED FOR a reaction to yesterday's announcement of Android by Google along with Google's association with the Open Handset Alliance – mobile OS specialist, Symbian, didn't sound that bothered.

The company pointed out that it "has lived through many announcements around new platforms and new alliances." It claims the primary impact of this announcement will not be on Symbian or even Microsoft but more on the various other mobile Linux bodies that already exist.

The outfit rather cheekily suggested that new Linux bodies come and go on a regular basis which demonstrates how fragmented the whole area is. Especially since many of the same players in the Open Handset alliance have collaborated on similar ventures previously.

Talking of which what exactly is Intel doing in the Open Handset Alliance? Last time we looked, Intel had sold its handset business to Marvell. So perhaps, Intel is in there for another reason entirely. Like trying to influence the Alliance towards incorporating Wimax into the Alliance's specs.

What a disaster for battery life that would be.

Curiously, Google/Android is promising to release an SDK in just a few weeks' time. Which is strange because Apple already has a product in existence – the Iphone – but the SDK is way off. Yet Google – which can't give you an Open Alliance phone until Q3 2008, is going to have an SDK any time now. Has does that work, then? µ

Share this:

Comments
Goonix

Linux based mobile. Is a full blown Linux flavor for the PC in the future? Goonix here we come.

posted by : Pete, 06 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Hackin_Google

The obvious answer is that Google expects SDK groupies to hack the iPhone and install Google's software on it.

This will either cause Apple to move up the date of their own SDK release, or Jobs will throw a chair, a la Ballmer (Steve, meet...oh, yes, I see you two have met.)

posted by : Shun, 06 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Build Custom SW First

If Google and the Open "whatever" Alliance is doing what I think...they have been working on this for a while (we all know) but intend to avoid the iPhone fiasco and have a bunch of repositories out there ready for the new handset once it launches. I would equate it to loading Ubuntu and have all the Linux SW out there to choose from....

posted by : lozeerose, 06 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Open?

Behind the marketing spin of many phones described as running linux is that it is far from open. There may be proprietary device drivers, locked flashing, restricted applications and often insufficient information to rebuild the kernel. Flagrant GPL violation is all too common. Oh and hardware specs NDAed to hell an back.

If this time it is really open it would be a huge step forward.

posted by : Steve, 07 November 2007 Complain about this comment
This is going to be fun

I sincerely hope that this suddenly can run on my PPC6700 out of the box. If it runs on th Mogul, as i've heard, it could/should install on mine. I'd be happy to have the Sprint PPC6700 binary install just waiting on sprint .com for an update fee. The hardware is nice, but winmobile runs it like a dog. I could actually use an SSH and database command access on the road, as crazy as that sounds. We have an export command where I could actually run a query as an export to XML document or spreadsheet and simply pipe it to an email with the attachment. Yes, that would be very powerful on the go. Right now, the ssh i have on windows mobile isn't the best.

posted by : Arsene Rupan III, 07 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Intel MID

<Talking of which what exactly is Intel doing in the Open Handset Alliance? Last time we looked, Intel had sold its handset business to Marvell. So perhaps, Intel is in there for another reason entirely. Like trying to influence the Alliance towards incorporating Wimax into the Alliance's specs.>

Say hi to menlow/Mooretown

posted by : tpg, 07 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Here's Open

Steve, see http://www.openmoko.com/ for an open phone--hardware and software--and without any preference for Google apps. (The only non-open parts cannot legally be made open.)

posted by : Mike, 08 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Run from the Ads !

Why is no one complaining about this ?!! How many ads are you dodging on your cellie now ?! NONE, that's how many. And how many will you clicking through when Google, the King of Ads, gets its hooks into your phone ? I need to hear more screaming about this !

posted by : Eludium-Q36, 08 November 2007 Complain about this comment
Advertisement
Subscribe to the INQ Newsletter
Sign-up for the INQBot weekly newsletter
Click here to sign up Existing user
Advertisement
INQ Poll

Windows 7 impressions

How is windows 7 working out for you?