Al, at the risk of deviating from my own topic...is that how/why the Archos 5 IT supports protected WMA when no other devices do? Because their media player app isn't even an "Android app" at all? I realize Android doesn't support the codec yet plenty of devices have added it but none seem to support DRMed WMA except Archos. That has perplexed me for a while.
On Feb 5, 2:31 am, Al Sutton <[email protected]> wrote: > 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? - Tryhttp://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 > > athttp://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.
