I think Android is seen as offering the most benefits when it has a net connection and a cellular modem is the best way to ensure that it's portable and has the connection, and once you have that putting voice on is a very common request, and once you've done that, well, you've got a 'phone. Things like Google Maps, Email, the Browser, Social Network apps, etc., etc., are all heavily dependant on a connection to the net, so skipping the cellular modem means you'd lose a chunk of functionality (and appeal) the moment you stepped out of the door of somewhere with a Wi-Fi hotspot.
If you look for less functionality then, well, OEMs may as well go with a Linux core and a custom UI because the way the 2.x tree seems to be run they've go no guarantees that they won't end up with users demanding an update to the latest version of Android which they initially can't get access to the source for, and when they do they may have a chunk of work to do to update drivers and interfaces into DSPs, GPS chips, etc., etc. I've seen at least one report that the native Archos media player (which is basically a Linux application running alongside the Android framework) uses far less battery than the built-in Android media player. Whether this is because Archos didn't make full use of the hardware when the ported Android to their device I can't say, but the reported figures were around 75% battery drop using the Android media player for 1.5 hours, and a 25% drop to do the same and more using the native app. So if you combine the need for net to make the best of the OS, and longer battery life offered by using non-Android native apps coded for specific hardware, I can see why we're not seeing a rush of other products. Al. -- * Looking for Android Apps? - Try http://andappstore.com/ * ====== Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the company number 6741909. The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's subsidiaries. On 5 Feb 2010, at 06:56, String wrote: > On Feb 3, 9:57 pm, Robert Nekic <[email protected]> wrote: > >> It seems we get a new Android phone announcement every day and there >> are quite a few actually out in the wild...but where are the PMPs and >> tablets? > > I agree completely. One of the best things about Android is that it's > a great general-purpose small-device OS, yet there's been virtually no > commercialization of it outside the smartphone space. It seems a great > opportunity that's currently being missed... I'd like to see Android > running PMPs, tablets, dedicated GPS receivers, cameras, ... > > All of these cases would open up new and interesting opportunities for > app developers as well. It seems to me that each of them has the > opportunity for one or more "killer apps" - apps which might be OK on > a smartphone, but would really shine on other classes of device. For > example: > > PMP -> improved media player / management > Tablet -> world-class e-reader with e-bookstore integration > GPS recever-> offline maps & navigation > camera -> photo editing & management, integrated with online services > (Flickr/Picasa/etc) > > As a software developer, I can see these opportunities, but I'd need a > hardware developer to step up to the plate before I could take > advantage of any. Are there no hardware companies out there with the > vision to see that this could be a great new direction? > > String > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Android Discuss" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en.
