Re: [android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
It is number of unique devices. It wouldn't be a count of each connection. That would be... stupid. On Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 10:47 PM, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.comwrote: So then does the dashboard count each MEID/IMEI connecting within the given time period only once, regardless of how many times it connects and reconnects to the Market? If not, then no, it is not pretty much the exact data they want, because it is skewed by how often devices connect and disconnect, or by how many apps they download. The vague language used on the dashboard, saying evasive-sounding things like relative number of access devices and based on the number of Android devices that have accessed do NOT answer this question, they leave a LOT of room for doubt. On Jul 9, 5:48 pm, Dianne Hackborn hack...@android.com wrote: On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 2:25 PM, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: Why, even the figure Google likes to use, the source for my 45% using 1.5 or 1.6, is far from ideal: but it is almost certainly a better measure of the number of phones out there with given version# than downloads of even a wildly popular app. The Google numbers are based on the total count of all devices running Market... which, for people publishing apps to Market, is pretty much the exact data they want. -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.comandroid-developers%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
Then we can certainly agree that the dashboard figures are a much better measure of how many 1.5 and 1.6 devices are out there than the downloads of any one popular app. And yes, that other count would have been stupid; but I have seen even more stupid things hidden under such vague language as relative number of access devices and based on the number of Android devices that have accessed. So if you agree that that would be stupid, then you should also agree that such vague language is also stupid. Please see what you can do to get it changed. On Jul 10, 11:03 pm, Dianne Hackborn hack...@android.com wrote: It is number of unique devices. It wouldn't be a count of each connection. That would be... stupid. On Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 10:47 PM, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.comwrote: So then does the dashboard count each MEID/IMEI connecting within the given time period only once, regardless of how many times it connects and reconnects to the Market? If not, then no, it is not pretty much the exact data they want, because it is skewed by how often devices connect and disconnect, or by how many apps they download. The vague language used on the dashboard, saying evasive-sounding things like relative number of access devices and based on the number of Android devices that have accessed do NOT answer this question, they leave a LOT of room for doubt. On Jul 9, 5:48 pm, Dianne Hackborn hack...@android.com wrote: On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 2:25 PM, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: Why, even the figure Google likes to use, the source for my 45% using 1.5 or 1.6, is far from ideal: but it is almost certainly a better measure of the number of phones out there with given version# than downloads of even a wildly popular app. The Google numbers are based on the total count of all devices running Market... which, for people publishing apps to Market, is pretty much the exact data they want. -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.comandroid-developers%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
Can I suggest calling an end to the thread? We're now way off topic from what the OP wants, and most posts to it seem to end up as troll food. Al. On Jul 11, 7:03 am, Dianne Hackborn hack...@android.com wrote: It is number of unique devices. It wouldn't be a count of each connection. That would be... stupid. On Sat, Jul 10, 2010 at 10:47 PM, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.comwrote: So then does the dashboard count each MEID/IMEI connecting within the given time period only once, regardless of how many times it connects and reconnects to the Market? If not, then no, it is not pretty much the exact data they want, because it is skewed by how often devices connect and disconnect, or by how many apps they download. The vague language used on the dashboard, saying evasive-sounding things like relative number of access devices and based on the number of Android devices that have accessed do NOT answer this question, they leave a LOT of room for doubt. On Jul 9, 5:48 pm, Dianne Hackborn hack...@android.com wrote: On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 2:25 PM, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: Why, even the figure Google likes to use, the source for my 45% using 1.5 or 1.6, is far from ideal: but it is almost certainly a better measure of the number of phones out there with given version# than downloads of even a wildly popular app. The Google numbers are based on the total count of all devices running Market... which, for people publishing apps to Market, is pretty much the exact data they want. -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.comandroid-developers%2Bunsubs cr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
So then does the dashboard count each MEID/IMEI connecting within the given time period only once, regardless of how many times it connects and reconnects to the Market? If not, then no, it is not pretty much the exact data they want, because it is skewed by how often devices connect and disconnect, or by how many apps they download. The vague language used on the dashboard, saying evasive-sounding things like relative number of access devices and based on the number of Android devices that have accessed do NOT answer this question, they leave a LOT of room for doubt. On Jul 9, 5:48 pm, Dianne Hackborn hack...@android.com wrote: On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 2:25 PM, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.comwrote: Why, even the figure Google likes to use, the source for my 45% using 1.5 or 1.6, is far from ideal: but it is almost certainly a better measure of the number of phones out there with given version# than downloads of even a wildly popular app. The Google numbers are based on the total count of all devices running Market... which, for people publishing apps to Market, is pretty much the exact data they want. -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
Only 20 years? I have you beat there. But more importantly, your review of key points is still seriously deficient in logic. Your conclusions still do not follow. Repeating conclusions that do not follow IS a mark of being uneducated, no matter how much experience you have. The G1 is not yet obsolete, nor would the OP be forced to either leave the OP limited to Android 1.6 and below, or [be left] with an experience as painful as the experience they had with the emulator on the Laptop which caused them to look at getting a device in the first place, by choosing the G1 as his hardware platform. Furthermore, you are forgetting one of the OP's considerations: cost. You cannot find a phone originally released with 2.0 or 2.1 for as low a cost as he can find a G1. I don't know how you reached the conclusion a T-Mobile Pulse could be bought for the same price as a G1: I see eBay prices of $273 for the pulse, but I got my G1 on Craigslist for $80. On Jul 8, 10:44 pm, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: I've only been developing software for 20 years, but if you want to consider me uneducated, then I guess that's your call. To me if you can't buy a device for the purpose you want to use it, the devices firmware hasn't officially been updated for a few revision of the OS it's running, and all the signs indicate it won't be, then it's an obsolete device. Lets review a couple of key points; 1) You can't buy the ADP1 (i.e. the shipped as unlocked G1) through Google any more. All you can buy is the ADP2. Yes, T-Mobile USA are still selling the G1, but carriers will usually sell anything until demand is almost non-existant. 2) There is no *official* support for anything beyond 1.6, and it seems unlikely it ever will see an *official* update (seehttp://androinica.com/2010/06/29/will-the-g1-get-froyo-yes-no-maybe/ for the reasoning). 3) As you've said, even if you do get a 3rd party Android 2.x ROM it is pig slow running it, making developing/testing any 2.x code with it an unpleasant experience (and the OP originally said he wanted a device because debugging on the emulator was too slow and painful). 4) eBay prices for a T-Mobile pulse (an Android 2.1 HVGA device) are about the same if not cheaper than the eBay price for a G1. At no point did I suggest writing apps to block their use on a G1, all I've done is point out that the G1 isn't the best fit for the OPs situation, and in terms of being a phone for developers it's no longer available for purchase as one, and using it for developing will either leave the OP limited to Android 1.6 and below, or with an experience as painful as the experience they had with the emulator on the Laptop which caused them to look at getting a device in the first place. Al. On Jul 9, 12:20 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: Lack of an official 2.1 update makes it 'obsolete'? Not in my book. Nor in the book of any educated software engineer. It takes a LOT more than that to make it 'obsolete', especially when Google ENCOURAGES third parties to release their own ROMs, and Cyanogen has already ported 2.1 to the G1 (http://androidspin.com/2010/04/29/cyanogen-ports- android-2-1-rom-in-g1-and-mytouch-3g/). Of course, it is pig slow when running Cyanogen's 2.1 (compared to new 2.1 phones), and it lacks the hardware features for much of 2.1. But people are running 2.1 on the G1 already, and more want to do it. The G1 is nowhere near the bleeding edge: but it is still a good phone for testing new software against, since yet again, if it runs on the G1, and accommodates small screens correctly, then it will run almsot anywhere. This gets closer than JME ever got to the promise of write once, run anywhere. So don't write-off the G1 yet. You will risk locking your apps out of 1/5 the market if you do. On Jul 8, 5:03 am, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: It's highly unlikely the G1 will ever see an official update to Android 2.x or higher, so it is obsolete. In the OPs shoes I personally would put the money towards a better computer as it'll most likely make the whole development process more pleasant. Al. On Jul 8, 7:32 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: G1 obsolete? Well, almost. But take a look at the famous Platform Version 'dashboard' athttp://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html. It shows that as many as 21.3% of phones connecting to the market are still on 1.5. 45% are running 1.6 or 1.5. So by that standard the G1 is not obsolete, since it is already on 1.6. Now sure, the hardware is slow and the runtime memory limited compared to the hot new phones running 2.1 and accounting for 53% of the market. But it would be a mistake to design your app -- or test your app -- on only the latest and greatest (unless, of course, your app relies on features only available on the latest
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
What is your source for this 88% figure? If it is correct, then how do you explain the fact that the dashboard shows 45% of phones connecting to the Market are not even running 2.x yet? 45+88100, after all. On Jul 8, 6:01 pm, Maps.Huge.Info (Maps API Guru) cor...@gmail.com wrote: I suppose you're still using that 8086 with the fancy 10 meg hard drive? While the G1 may be a nostalgic look at what Android was (2% of devices), the reality of the situation is that most users have a Droid, Hero, Evo, Incredible, Moment, Magic or Eris (88% of devices). -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
I'm going to skip the personal insults aimed at me (which will make this a short reply). The dictionary.com definition of obsolete says; of a discarded or outmoded type; out of date, which, as the G1 is no longer on sale as an unlocked developer 'phone and has no officially supported firmware which provide any of the last 3 versions of Android, seems to fit pretty well to me. As for prices; I didn't realise T-Mo US were hammering the price up that much. In the UK you can get the new Pulse for around US$150 which is within 30% of what G1s go for on eBay (and is cheaper than some eBayers Buy It Now G1 prices). I guess we're not going to agree, and nothing you've said has swayed me to recommending the G1 as a 'phone for new developers, so I'll guess we'll agree to disagree and let the OP choose which of our personal opinions he finds more useful. Al. On Jul 9, 9:49 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: Only 20 years? I have you beat there. But more importantly, your review of key points is still seriously deficient in logic. Your conclusions still do not follow. Repeating conclusions that do not follow IS a mark of being uneducated, no matter how much experience you have. The G1 is not yet obsolete, nor would the OP be forced to either leave the OP limited to Android 1.6 and below, or [be left] with an experience as painful as the experience they had with the emulator on the Laptop which caused them to look at getting a device in the first place, by choosing the G1 as his hardware platform. Furthermore, you are forgetting one of the OP's considerations: cost. You cannot find a phone originally released with 2.0 or 2.1 for as low a cost as he can find a G1. I don't know how you reached the conclusion a T-Mobile Pulse could be bought for the same price as a G1: I see eBay prices of $273 for the pulse, but I got my G1 on Craigslist for $80. On Jul 8, 10:44 pm, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: I've only been developing software for 20 years, but if you want to consider me uneducated, then I guess that's your call. To me if you can't buy a device for the purpose you want to use it, the devices firmware hasn't officially been updated for a few revision of the OS it's running, and all the signs indicate it won't be, then it's an obsolete device. Lets review a couple of key points; 1) You can't buy the ADP1 (i.e. the shipped as unlocked G1) through Google any more. All you can buy is the ADP2. Yes, T-Mobile USA are still selling the G1, but carriers will usually sell anything until demand is almost non-existant. 2) There is no *official* support for anything beyond 1.6, and it seems unlikely it ever will see an *official* update (seehttp://androinica.com/2010/06/29/will-the-g1-get-froyo-yes-no-maybe/ for the reasoning). 3) As you've said, even if you do get a 3rd party Android 2.x ROM it is pig slow running it, making developing/testing any 2.x code with it an unpleasant experience (and the OP originally said he wanted a device because debugging on the emulator was too slow and painful). 4) eBay prices for a T-Mobile pulse (an Android 2.1 HVGA device) are about the same if not cheaper than the eBay price for a G1. At no point did I suggest writing apps to block their use on a G1, all I've done is point out that the G1 isn't the best fit for the OPs situation, and in terms of being a phone for developers it's no longer available for purchase as one, and using it for developing will either leave the OP limited to Android 1.6 and below, or with an experience as painful as the experience they had with the emulator on the Laptop which caused them to look at getting a device in the first place. Al. On Jul 9, 12:20 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: Lack of an official 2.1 update makes it 'obsolete'? Not in my book. Nor in the book of any educated software engineer. It takes a LOT more than that to make it 'obsolete', especially when Google ENCOURAGES third parties to release their own ROMs, and Cyanogen has already ported 2.1 to the G1 (http://androidspin.com/2010/04/29/cyanogen-ports- android-2-1-rom-in-g1-and-mytouch-3g/). Of course, it is pig slow when running Cyanogen's 2.1 (compared to new 2.1 phones), and it lacks the hardware features for much of 2.1. But people are running 2.1 on the G1 already, and more want to do it. The G1 is nowhere near the bleeding edge: but it is still a good phone for testing new software against, since yet again, if it runs on the G1, and accommodates small screens correctly, then it will run almsot anywhere. This gets closer than JME ever got to the promise of write once, run anywhere. So don't write-off the G1 yet. You will risk locking your apps out of 1/5 the market if you do. On Jul 8, 5:03 am, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: It's highly unlikely the G1 will ever see an official update to
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
John has a very popular app which he keeps stats on. Last I hear he was about to break the half million download mark and was clocking up around 5,000 downloads a day. Some of the devices he lists in his 88% figure run versions of Android prior to 2.0 in some countries, but updates to Android 2.x are reported as confirmed in the press (Hero Magic). Al. On Jul 9, 9:53 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: What is your source for this 88% figure? If it is correct, then how do you explain the fact that the dashboard shows 45% of phones connecting to the Market are not even running 2.x yet? 45+88100, after all. On Jul 8, 6:01 pm, Maps.Huge.Info (Maps API Guru) cor...@gmail.com wrote: I suppose you're still using that 8086 with the fancy 10 meg hard drive? While the G1 may be a nostalgic look at what Android was (2% of devices), the reality of the situation is that most users have a Droid, Hero, Evo, Incredible, Moment, Magic or Eris (88% of devices). -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 8:11 AM, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: John has a very popular app which he keeps stats on. Last I hear he was about to break the half million download mark and was clocking up around 5,000 downloads a day. Bear in mind, though, that his app will be much more popular in the US (AFAIK, Radar Now only shows radar images for the US). If you click on his usage map, he only shows usage in the US. His stats will not completely line up with those from the Android Market, simply because they are polling different sets of users. That being said, I generally agree with the just say no position regarding the G1 as a test device. I do not recommend that you use devices that have not passed the CTS as your one-and-only test device unless you are specifically writing for that device. That would include: -- devices that never had the Market (e.g., ARCHOS 5 Android tablet) -- devices running modded ROMs that have not demonstrated that the mods pass the CTS (and I have no idea which modders do this analysis, let alone the results) -- rooted devices that were not intended as having user-installable applications (e.g., nook) Using such devices as a personal device is fine, and using one as a device in a larger fleet of test devices is fine. And having such a device because that is your specific target (e.g., apps compatible with the nook's dual-screen setup) is fine. Which device is the best to use will vary by country, based on the availability of new and pre-owned devices, and so it is difficult to say conclusively what is best globally (see the US vs. UK pricing differences cited earlier in this thread). However, even if the G1 is substantially less expensive than a 2.x-capable model, the G1's relevance with official ROMs is fading fast, forcing the developer to then have to buy a *second* device to stay current on CTS-compliant devices. If there are 2.x G1 ROMs that are demonstrably CTS-compliant, then my concerns would tend to fall away. A JIT-enabled 2.2 G1 ROM that was CTS-compliant might truly be the best answer -- lower price plus possibly-acceptable speed. But CTS compliance is pretty damn important, IMHO. -- Mark Murphy (a Commons Guy) http://commonsware.com | http://github.com/commonsguy http://commonsware.com/blog | http://twitter.com/commonsguy _The Busy Coder's Guide to Android Development_ Version 3.1 Available! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
Mark is correct, my stats are for US only. I should have clarified that when I stated device stats. I believe they are more or less relevant in regard to the G1 vs. all the other devices though, so for the average developer looking for a representative device, something other than the original G1 would be the best bet. Radar Now! is closing on the 600,000 download mark and should hit that in about two or three days, depending on the weather. -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
unsubscribe On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 2:19 PM, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.comwrote: Only 20 years? I have you beat there. But more importantly, your review of key points is still seriously deficient in logic. Your conclusions still do not follow. Repeating conclusions that do not follow IS a mark of being uneducated, no matter how much experience you have. The G1 is not yet obsolete, nor would the OP be forced to either leave the OP limited to Android 1.6 and below, or [be left] with an experience as painful as the experience they had with the emulator on the Laptop which caused them to look at getting a device in the first place, by choosing the G1 as his hardware platform. Furthermore, you are forgetting one of the OP's considerations: cost. You cannot find a phone originally released with 2.0 or 2.1 for as low a cost as he can find a G1. I don't know how you reached the conclusion a T-Mobile Pulse could be bought for the same price as a G1: I see eBay prices of $273 for the pulse, but I got my G1 on Craigslist for $80. On Jul 8, 10:44 pm, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: I've only been developing software for 20 years, but if you want to consider me uneducated, then I guess that's your call. To me if you can't buy a device for the purpose you want to use it, the devices firmware hasn't officially been updated for a few revision of the OS it's running, and all the signs indicate it won't be, then it's an obsolete device. Lets review a couple of key points; 1) You can't buy the ADP1 (i.e. the shipped as unlocked G1) through Google any more. All you can buy is the ADP2. Yes, T-Mobile USA are still selling the G1, but carriers will usually sell anything until demand is almost non-existant. 2) There is no *official* support for anything beyond 1.6, and it seems unlikely it ever will see an *official* update (seehttp:// androinica.com/2010/06/29/will-the-g1-get-froyo-yes-no-maybe/ for the reasoning). 3) As you've said, even if you do get a 3rd party Android 2.x ROM it is pig slow running it, making developing/testing any 2.x code with it an unpleasant experience (and the OP originally said he wanted a device because debugging on the emulator was too slow and painful). 4) eBay prices for a T-Mobile pulse (an Android 2.1 HVGA device) are about the same if not cheaper than the eBay price for a G1. At no point did I suggest writing apps to block their use on a G1, all I've done is point out that the G1 isn't the best fit for the OPs situation, and in terms of being a phone for developers it's no longer available for purchase as one, and using it for developing will either leave the OP limited to Android 1.6 and below, or with an experience as painful as the experience they had with the emulator on the Laptop which caused them to look at getting a device in the first place. Al. On Jul 9, 12:20 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: Lack of an official 2.1 update makes it 'obsolete'? Not in my book. Nor in the book of any educated software engineer. It takes a LOT more than that to make it 'obsolete', especially when Google ENCOURAGES third parties to release their own ROMs, and Cyanogen has already ported 2.1 to the G1 ( http://androidspin.com/2010/04/29/cyanogen-ports- android-2-1-rom-in-g1-and-mytouch-3g/). Of course, it is pig slow when running Cyanogen's 2.1 (compared to new 2.1 phones), and it lacks the hardware features for much of 2.1. But people are running 2.1 on the G1 already, and more want to do it. The G1 is nowhere near the bleeding edge: but it is still a good phone for testing new software against, since yet again, if it runs on the G1, and accommodates small screens correctly, then it will run almsot anywhere. This gets closer than JME ever got to the promise of write once, run anywhere. So don't write-off the G1 yet. You will risk locking your apps out of 1/5 the market if you do. On Jul 8, 5:03 am, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: It's highly unlikely the G1 will ever see an official update to Android 2.x or higher, so it is obsolete. In the OPs shoes I personally would put the money towards a better computer as it'll most likely make the whole development process more pleasant. Al. On Jul 8, 7:32 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: G1 obsolete? Well, almost. But take a look at the famous Platform Version 'dashboard' athttp:// developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html. It shows that as many as 21.3% of phones connecting to the market are still on 1.5. 45% are running 1.6 or 1.5. So by that standard the G1 is not obsolete, since it is already on 1.6. Now sure, the hardware is slow and the runtime memory limited compared to the hot new phones running 2.1 and accounting for 53% of the
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
Very good points mentioned so far. In November 2009, I decided to get a G1 for cheap from craigslist when I was just starting. At the time, that was the right choice. The G1 has two advantages: 1. It's likely to be the slowest real hardware, which is good to see how your app performs. However, now, I am trying to acquire a Nexus One, for these reasons: 1. Like John said, more people in the US have these larger screens, 2.x android versions. 2. Multitouch doesn't work on 1x devices, and it doesn't work on the emulator. So far, I haven't done anything with multitouch, even though it would benefit the users, because I won't be able to tell how it works without hardware. There could be other examples of things that won't work on G1 that you will need hardware to test. 3. I can't adequately see the full user experience for people using the emulator. 4. G1 is unlikely to ever get an official 2.x update. For me, there are good reasons to have official ROMs - this choice may vary for you. Nexus One is the first to get 2.2, and has a better chance than others, including the Droid, to get anything beyond 2.2. 5. I don't have a Verizon plan, nor any plan, but I do have a TMobile prepaid SIM and wifi, so I could use it for my phone. For me, having hardware that I can use as a phone helps me get into the customer's world a little better, and may help me come up with more ideas. On Jul 9, 6:03 am, Mark Murphy mmur...@commonsware.com wrote: -- devices that never had the Market (e.g., ARCHOS 5 Android tablet) Mark, I have a person with an Archos 5 who has bought my product (one of the few). He told me around May 30th that he could see the Market, though it was fairly new for him. His name showed up in Google Checkout, so a I assume he can see paid apps too. I don't know how many Archos people can see the Market as of today. Nathan -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
There's a hack to get Market on an Archos device, but it's not sanctioned by Google, not supported by Google or Archos, and relies on users willing to apply the hack knowing they won't get any support, and so is probably not widespread. Archoses devices tend to fall short of Googles requirements for the compatibility test (most noticeably due to their lack of an inbuilt camera) and thus don't get the Google apps, so they don't make good development device candidates due to the missing bits of functionality. Al. On Jul 9, 7:06 pm, Nathan nathan.d.mel...@gmail.com wrote: Very good points mentioned so far. In November 2009, I decided to get a G1 for cheap from craigslist when I was just starting. At the time, that was the right choice. The G1 has two advantages: 1. It's likely to be the slowest real hardware, which is good to see how your app performs. However, now, I am trying to acquire a Nexus One, for these reasons: 1. Like John said, more people in the US have these larger screens, 2.x android versions. 2. Multitouch doesn't work on 1x devices, and it doesn't work on the emulator. So far, I haven't done anything with multitouch, even though it would benefit the users, because I won't be able to tell how it works without hardware. There could be other examples of things that won't work on G1 that you will need hardware to test. 3. I can't adequately see the full user experience for people using the emulator. 4. G1 is unlikely to ever get an official 2.x update. For me, there are good reasons to have official ROMs - this choice may vary for you. Nexus One is the first to get 2.2, and has a better chance than others, including the Droid, to get anything beyond 2.2. 5. I don't have a Verizon plan, nor any plan, but I do have a TMobile prepaid SIM and wifi, so I could use it for my phone. For me, having hardware that I can use as a phone helps me get into the customer's world a little better, and may help me come up with more ideas. On Jul 9, 6:03 am, Mark Murphy mmur...@commonsware.com wrote: -- devices that never had the Market (e.g., ARCHOS 5 Android tablet) Mark, I have a person with an Archos 5 who has bought my product (one of the few). He told me around May 30th that he could see the Market, though it was fairly new for him. His name showed up in Google Checkout, so a I assume he can see paid apps too. I don't know how many Archos people can see the Market as of today. Nathan -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
It may seem to you to fit, but that is only because, as I said, you are not interpreting basic English logically. That is the point I have been trying to explain to you all this time. Yet you miss it every time, preferring to see insult instead. Perhaps you will get it from an example of a truly obsolete phone: my old Panasonic that was only good for US-TDMA, which was discontinued when ATT Wireless finally bit the bullet and switched over to GSM (http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/articles-resources/tdma- notification.jsp). The G1 is not such an example. It would be better described as trailing edge (in contrast to bleeding edge). And despite claims made earlier in this thread, there still are a lot of them being used out there. Again, see the dashboard http://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html (of course, I don't know that all the 1.5 phones are G1, but many of them are). But thanks for the interesting info on how much cheaper a British T- Mobile Pulse phone is. If the OP is in Britain, he should certainly consider the Pulse instead of the G1. But then unless he buys an old one, he will have no hardware to test his apps for making sure they will run correctly on the 45% of all phones that still run 1.6 or 1.5. He will have to rely on the emulator, which he already finds painfully slow. Then again, perhaps this is the problem he should really solve: I find neither the G1 nor the emulator painfully slow for development. Is he calling the emulator painfully slow because of the long time it takes to boot? Or is it because even when running an Application, it is slow? I have only the former experience, not the latter, while running on a modestly fast processor (1.66G dual core) with 3G of RAM. It was somewhat slower when I had only 1G of RAM. Perhaps what he really needs is a RAM upgrade. Finally, from the spec page, I see no mention of a hardware keyboard for the Pulse. The G1 has one. If, like many of us, the OP finds entering text on a soft keyboard a nuisance, he will want the keyboard of the G1. On Jul 9, 5:05 am, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: I'm going to skip the personal insults aimed at me (which will make this a short reply). The dictionary.com definition of obsolete says; of a discarded or outmoded type; out of date, which, as the G1 is no longer on sale as an unlocked developer 'phone and has no officially supported firmware which provide any of the last 3 versions of Android, seems to fit pretty well to me. As for prices; I didn't realise T-Mo US were hammering the price up that much. In the UK you can get the new Pulse for around US$150 which is within 30% of what G1s go for on eBay (and is cheaper than some eBayers Buy It Now G1 prices). I guess we're not going to agree, and nothing you've said has swayed me to recommending the G1 as a 'phone for new developers, so I'll guess we'll agree to disagree and let the OP choose which of our personal opinions he finds more useful. Al. On Jul 9, 9:49 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: Only 20 years? I have you beat there. But more importantly, your review of key points is still seriously deficient in logic. Your conclusions still do not follow. Repeating conclusions that do not follow IS a mark of being uneducated, no matter how much experience you have. The G1 is not yet obsolete, nor would the OP be forced to either leave the OP limited to Android 1.6 and below, or [be left] with an experience as painful as the experience they had with the emulator on the Laptop which caused them to look at getting a device in the first place, by choosing the G1 as his hardware platform. Furthermore, you are forgetting one of the OP's considerations: cost. You cannot find a phone originally released with 2.0 or 2.1 for as low a cost as he can find a G1. I don't know how you reached the conclusion a T-Mobile Pulse could be bought for the same price as a G1: I see eBay prices of $273 for the pulse, but I got my G1 on Craigslist for $80. On Jul 8, 10:44 pm, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: I've only been developing software for 20 years, but if you want to consider me uneducated, then I guess that's your call. To me if you can't buy a device for the purpose you want to use it, the devices firmware hasn't officially been updated for a few revision of the OS it's running, and all the signs indicate it won't be, then it's an obsolete device. Lets review a couple of key points; 1) You can't buy the ADP1 (i.e. the shipped as unlocked G1) through Google any more. All you can buy is the ADP2. Yes, T-Mobile USA are still selling the G1, but carriers will usually sell anything until demand is almost non-existant. 2) There is no *official* support for anything beyond 1.6, and it seems unlikely it ever will see an *official* update (seehttp://androinica.com/2010/06/29/will-the-g1-get-froyo-yes-no-maybe/
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
Well, congratulations to John on the success of his app. But you seem to be implying that that is where he is getting his 88% figure from, and if you ever took even just one semester of statistics in college, you should know what an unreliable sample downloads of his app are. Why, even the figure Google likes to use, the source for my 45% using 1.5 or 1.6, is far from ideal: but it is almost certainly a better measure of the number of phones out there with given version# than downloads of even a wildly popular app. On Jul 9, 5:11 am, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: John has a very popular app which he keeps stats on. Last I hear he was about to break the half million download mark and was clocking up around 5,000 downloads a day. Some of the devices he lists in his 88% figure run versions of Android prior to 2.0 in some countries, but updates to Android 2.x are reported as confirmed in the press (Hero Magic). Al. On Jul 9, 9:53 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: What is your source for this 88% figure? If it is correct, then how do you explain the fact that the dashboard shows 45% of phones connecting to the Market are not even running 2.x yet? 45+88100, after all. On Jul 8, 6:01 pm, Maps.Huge.Info (Maps API Guru) cor...@gmail.com wrote: I suppose you're still using that 8086 with the fancy 10 meg hard drive? While the G1 may be a nostalgic look at what Android was (2% of devices), the reality of the situation is that most users have a Droid, Hero, Evo, Incredible, Moment, Magic or Eris (88% of devices). -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
On Fri, Jul 9, 2010 at 2:25 PM, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.comwrote: Why, even the figure Google likes to use, the source for my 45% using 1.5 or 1.6, is far from ideal: but it is almost certainly a better measure of the number of phones out there with given version# than downloads of even a wildly popular app. The Google numbers are based on the total count of all devices running Market... which, for people publishing apps to Market, is pretty much the exact data they want. -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
G1 obsolete? Well, almost. But take a look at the famous Platform Version 'dashboard' at http://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html. It shows that as many as 21.3% of phones connecting to the market are still on 1.5. 45% are running 1.6 or 1.5. So by that standard the G1 is not obsolete, since it is already on 1.6. Now sure, the hardware is slow and the runtime memory limited compared to the hot new phones running 2.1 and accounting for 53% of the market. But it would be a mistake to design your app -- or test your app -- on only the latest and greatest (unless, of course, your app relies on features only available on the latest hardware). Especially when 45% of the market is still running 1.6 or earlier. When you are looking for development hardware, and are limited in budget, there is really no point in buying the most popular one. You need a more general test platform than that. The G1 meets that description since an application that runs correctly on the G1 will run correctly on many other platforms as well. One cannot say the same for the Droid. On Jul 7, 3:28 pm, Maps.Huge.Info (Maps API Guru) cor...@gmail.com wrote: My personal opinion here... Don't get a G1 - they are obsolete, hardly any of them exist in the real world and they are stuck on Android 1.6. If you want to get a good device that is the most popular one, get a Motorola Droid, the one with the keyboard. There are more of these in the wild than any other device. If you app runs on this one, then you are pretty much good to go. The Droid should get an update to Froyo starting on the 15th of this month, if the rumors can be believed, right now it's on 2.1-update1. You can get a used Droid on eBay for about $200 or so. It doesn't run on ATT but so what? ATT will be offering the Samsung Galaxy S line at some point, you might want to wait for that one to be released. The only downside is ATT will offer a crippled version that can't accept non-market apps. ATT sucks, what else can you say? The bottom line is for app development, pretty much any device will do. You don't need a development device, but you absolutely will need a real one to debug your app. The emulator is nice for quick checks but it isn't much use in finding out if your app will really work, or for figuring out why it doesn't. The sensors on the emulator leave a lot to be desired as well, obviously, shaking your computer isn't going to do much. -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
It's highly unlikely the G1 will ever see an official update to Android 2.x or higher, so it is obsolete. In the OPs shoes I personally would put the money towards a better computer as it'll most likely make the whole development process more pleasant. Al. On Jul 8, 7:32 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: G1 obsolete? Well, almost. But take a look at the famous Platform Version 'dashboard' athttp://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html. It shows that as many as 21.3% of phones connecting to the market are still on 1.5. 45% are running 1.6 or 1.5. So by that standard the G1 is not obsolete, since it is already on 1.6. Now sure, the hardware is slow and the runtime memory limited compared to the hot new phones running 2.1 and accounting for 53% of the market. But it would be a mistake to design your app -- or test your app -- on only the latest and greatest (unless, of course, your app relies on features only available on the latest hardware). Especially when 45% of the market is still running 1.6 or earlier. When you are looking for development hardware, and are limited in budget, there is really no point in buying the most popular one. You need a more general test platform than that. The G1 meets that description since an application that runs correctly on the G1 will run correctly on many other platforms as well. One cannot say the same for the Droid. On Jul 7, 3:28 pm, Maps.Huge.Info (Maps API Guru) cor...@gmail.com wrote: My personal opinion here... Don't get a G1 - they are obsolete, hardly any of them exist in the real world and they are stuck on Android 1.6. If you want to get a good device that is the most popular one, get a Motorola Droid, the one with the keyboard. There are more of these in the wild than any other device. If you app runs on this one, then you are pretty much good to go. The Droid should get an update to Froyo starting on the 15th of this month, if the rumors can be believed, right now it's on 2.1-update1. You can get a used Droid on eBay for about $200 or so. It doesn't run on ATT but so what? ATT will be offering the Samsung Galaxy S line at some point, you might want to wait for that one to be released. The only downside is ATT will offer a crippled version that can't accept non-market apps. ATT sucks, what else can you say? The bottom line is for app development, pretty much any device will do. You don't need a development device, but you absolutely will need a real one to debug your app. The emulator is nice for quick checks but it isn't much use in finding out if your app will really work, or for figuring out why it doesn't. The sensors on the emulator leave a lot to be desired as well, obviously, shaking your computer isn't going to do much. -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
Not just ATT all major carriers in US are getting the GalaxyS counterparts .. http://innovator.samsungmobile.com/bbs/stars.ThreadBoard.do?starMbrId=SteveHaviewType=rssmessageId=87666 -Dan On Thu, Jul 8, 2010 at 5:03 AM, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: It's highly unlikely the G1 will ever see an official update to Android 2.x or higher, so it is obsolete. In the OPs shoes I personally would put the money towards a better computer as it'll most likely make the whole development process more pleasant. Al. On Jul 8, 7:32 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: G1 obsolete? Well, almost. But take a look at the famous Platform Version 'dashboard' athttp:// developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html. It shows that as many as 21.3% of phones connecting to the market are still on 1.5. 45% are running 1.6 or 1.5. So by that standard the G1 is not obsolete, since it is already on 1.6. Now sure, the hardware is slow and the runtime memory limited compared to the hot new phones running 2.1 and accounting for 53% of the market. But it would be a mistake to design your app -- or test your app -- on only the latest and greatest (unless, of course, your app relies on features only available on the latest hardware). Especially when 45% of the market is still running 1.6 or earlier. When you are looking for development hardware, and are limited in budget, there is really no point in buying the most popular one. You need a more general test platform than that. The G1 meets that description since an application that runs correctly on the G1 will run correctly on many other platforms as well. One cannot say the same for the Droid. On Jul 7, 3:28 pm, Maps.Huge.Info (Maps API Guru) cor...@gmail.com wrote: My personal opinion here... Don't get a G1 - they are obsolete, hardly any of them exist in the real world and they are stuck on Android 1.6. If you want to get a good device that is the most popular one, get a Motorola Droid, the one with the keyboard. There are more of these in the wild than any other device. If you app runs on this one, then you are pretty much good to go. The Droid should get an update to Froyo starting on the 15th of this month, if the rumors can be believed, right now it's on 2.1-update1. You can get a used Droid on eBay for about $200 or so. It doesn't run on ATT but so what? ATT will be offering the Samsung Galaxy S line at some point, you might want to wait for that one to be released. The only downside is ATT will offer a crippled version that can't accept non-market apps. ATT sucks, what else can you say? The bottom line is for app development, pretty much any device will do. You don't need a development device, but you absolutely will need a real one to debug your app. The emulator is nice for quick checks but it isn't much use in finding out if your app will really work, or for figuring out why it doesn't. The sensors on the emulator leave a lot to be desired as well, obviously, shaking your computer isn't going to do much. -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.comandroid-developers%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
I suppose you're still using that 8086 with the fancy 10 meg hard drive? While the G1 may be a nostalgic look at what Android was (2% of devices), the reality of the situation is that most users have a Droid, Hero, Evo, Incredible, Moment, Magic or Eris (88% of devices). -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
The G1 can do everything,only his speed. -- 2010/7/9 Maps.Huge.Info (Maps API Guru) cor...@gmail.com I suppose you're still using that 8086 with the fancy 10 meg hard drive? While the G1 may be a nostalgic look at what Android was (2% of devices), the reality of the situation is that most users have a Droid, Hero, Evo, Incredible, Moment, Magic or Eris (88% of devices). -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.comandroid-developers%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
I've only been developing software for 20 years, but if you want to consider me uneducated, then I guess that's your call. To me if you can't buy a device for the purpose you want to use it, the devices firmware hasn't officially been updated for a few revision of the OS it's running, and all the signs indicate it won't be, then it's an obsolete device. Lets review a couple of key points; 1) You can't buy the ADP1 (i.e. the shipped as unlocked G1) through Google any more. All you can buy is the ADP2. Yes, T-Mobile USA are still selling the G1, but carriers will usually sell anything until demand is almost non-existant. 2) There is no *official* support for anything beyond 1.6, and it seems unlikely it ever will see an *official* update (see http://androinica.com/2010/06/29/will-the-g1-get-froyo-yes-no-maybe/ for the reasoning). 3) As you've said, even if you do get a 3rd party Android 2.x ROM it is pig slow running it, making developing/testing any 2.x code with it an unpleasant experience (and the OP originally said he wanted a device because debugging on the emulator was too slow and painful). 4) eBay prices for a T-Mobile pulse (an Android 2.1 HVGA device) are about the same if not cheaper than the eBay price for a G1. At no point did I suggest writing apps to block their use on a G1, all I've done is point out that the G1 isn't the best fit for the OPs situation, and in terms of being a phone for developers it's no longer available for purchase as one, and using it for developing will either leave the OP limited to Android 1.6 and below, or with an experience as painful as the experience they had with the emulator on the Laptop which caused them to look at getting a device in the first place. Al. On Jul 9, 12:20 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: Lack of an official 2.1 update makes it 'obsolete'? Not in my book. Nor in the book of any educated software engineer. It takes a LOT more than that to make it 'obsolete', especially when Google ENCOURAGES third parties to release their own ROMs, and Cyanogen has already ported 2.1 to the G1 (http://androidspin.com/2010/04/29/cyanogen-ports- android-2-1-rom-in-g1-and-mytouch-3g/). Of course, it is pig slow when running Cyanogen's 2.1 (compared to new 2.1 phones), and it lacks the hardware features for much of 2.1. But people are running 2.1 on the G1 already, and more want to do it. The G1 is nowhere near the bleeding edge: but it is still a good phone for testing new software against, since yet again, if it runs on the G1, and accommodates small screens correctly, then it will run almsot anywhere. This gets closer than JME ever got to the promise of write once, run anywhere. So don't write-off the G1 yet. You will risk locking your apps out of 1/5 the market if you do. On Jul 8, 5:03 am, Al Sutton a...@funkyandroid.com wrote: It's highly unlikely the G1 will ever see an official update to Android 2.x or higher, so it is obsolete. In the OPs shoes I personally would put the money towards a better computer as it'll most likely make the whole development process more pleasant. Al. On Jul 8, 7:32 am, Indicator Veritatis mej1...@yahoo.com wrote: G1 obsolete? Well, almost. But take a look at the famous Platform Version 'dashboard' athttp://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html. It shows that as many as 21.3% of phones connecting to the market are still on 1.5. 45% are running 1.6 or 1.5. So by that standard the G1 is not obsolete, since it is already on 1.6. Now sure, the hardware is slow and the runtime memory limited compared to the hot new phones running 2.1 and accounting for 53% of the market. But it would be a mistake to design your app -- or test your app -- on only the latest and greatest (unless, of course, your app relies on features only available on the latest hardware). Especially when 45% of the market is still running 1.6 or earlier. When you are looking for development hardware, and are limited in budget, there is really no point in buying the most popular one. You need a more general test platform than that. The G1 meets that description since an application that runs correctly on the G1 will run correctly on many other platforms as well. One cannot say the same for the Droid. On Jul 7, 3:28 pm, Maps.Huge.Info (Maps API Guru) cor...@gmail.com wrote: My personal opinion here... Don't get a G1 - they are obsolete, hardly any of them exist in the real world and they are stuck on Android 1.6. If you want to get a good device that is the most popular one, get a Motorola Droid, the one with the keyboard. There are more of these in the wild than any other device. If you app runs on this one, then you are pretty much good to go. The Droid should get an update to Froyo starting on the 15th of this month, if the rumors can be believed, right now it's on
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
I am doing much as you are considering: using a G1 for development, only rarely putting my ATT sim into it. I usually connect by WiFi. My impressions of the G1, based on this one unit only, are: 1) it is rather slow, often to the point of being unresponsive to UI 2) WiFi connection is NOT reliable 3) I am very underwhelmed by the way they implement the trackball: it is just silly how far I have to roll it before it goes to the next line of text (or whatever). 4) both the accelerometer and the switch detecting when the keyboard has been slid out are unreliable. 5) battery life is OK as long as you don't try to use it:( The WiFi is the major culprit for draining the battery. Keep that off and the battery will last a good long time. Despite all that, I am finding it quite workable for development. Of course, it helps that my apps to date have not made extensive use of the network. But it has the right screen size for testing your Views to make sure they work on most phones in both orientations. Of course, you should not rely on this alone, you should test in the simulator for other sizes/densities and both orientations. On Jul 6, 8:45 pm, steve ravet steve.ra...@gmail.com wrote: I'm new to Android and Java but working my way through the demos. On my computer the emulator is hopelessly slow so I want to get a used phone to develop on. I'm looking at a G1, but before I buy one from ebay I thought I'd ask here and see what others are using. This will be strictly a development platform, although I may put my ATT SIM in it on occasion if I need to test telephony functions. If you use something other than your personal phone for developing android apps on, what is it and why did you choose it? Is anyone using a beagle board or other non Android hardware to develop Android apps? I didn't see much discussion of hardware platforms in the archives so my apologies in advance if this is't the right group. thanks, --steve -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: what hardware platform do you use?
My personal opinion here... Don't get a G1 - they are obsolete, hardly any of them exist in the real world and they are stuck on Android 1.6. If you want to get a good device that is the most popular one, get a Motorola Droid, the one with the keyboard. There are more of these in the wild than any other device. If you app runs on this one, then you are pretty much good to go. The Droid should get an update to Froyo starting on the 15th of this month, if the rumors can be believed, right now it's on 2.1-update1. You can get a used Droid on eBay for about $200 or so. It doesn't run on ATT but so what? ATT will be offering the Samsung Galaxy S line at some point, you might want to wait for that one to be released. The only downside is ATT will offer a crippled version that can't accept non-market apps. ATT sucks, what else can you say? The bottom line is for app development, pretty much any device will do. You don't need a development device, but you absolutely will need a real one to debug your app. The emulator is nice for quick checks but it isn't much use in finding out if your app will really work, or for figuring out why it doesn't. The sensors on the emulator leave a lot to be desired as well, obviously, shaking your computer isn't going to do much. -John Coryat -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Android Developers group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
