Making good on a promise it made
at the very beginning, Google has today announced that the source code underpinning its
Android platform for mobile devices is available for free to anyone who wants a crack at it. The code is being provided through the newly-announced Android Open Source Project, which will give the public at large the opportunity to make contributions to the platform's all-important core -- a first for a mobile operating system with true mass-market appeal. Theoretically, the move should position Android to benefit from a fairly democratic, speedy evolution, and it'll also give anyone with a few spare chips lying around the chance to build a smartphone of their own without shelling out a dime in licensing fees. We're really looking forward to seeing Android pop up on a whole bunch of devices for which it was never intended -- but we have to admit, in a sick, totally twisted sort of way, we're looking forward to some truly deranged individual porting Windows Mobile to the
G1, too.
posted Oct 21st 2008 11:00AM
In other news, Steve Ballmer has crapped his pants... again
From the consumer point of view, I am not sure whether this is really what I want. Ballmer's closed platform might seam more appealing to me for this old fashioned reason called security.
Obscurity is not security
Oh yes, closed-source is the way to go for security. Just look how secure closed-source voting booth software has proven to be. :-)
@ Mickey Mouse
If you can get a virus running on my run-of-the-mill open source computer operating system, I'll buy you dinner. If you CAN'T get a virus on my closed-source windows operating system, then you probably didin't finish elementary school.
Sure popularity of the OS is a factor, but that doesn't change the fact that the inherent security found in linux-based operating systems works. Nothing touches my kernel unless I explicitly say so.
I can only assume that the same can be said for Android.
This will definitely scare some phone companies away.
With the Android phone, you can brain-wipe the chips, compile the software on a system under your control, and have a reasonable assurance that noone has engineered in a "back door" - at least if you trust whoever vetted the source code for you.
With the "closed source" security model you can be virtually certain that some kind of back door exists, and you operate on faith that noone is exploiting it for nefarious purpose.
This is what I have been waiting for! Now let get cracking on a HTC touch HD android rom! =]
Hell yeah! The Touch HD is truly one of the best smart phones out there and a true competitor to a specific, *cough* overrated *cough* product... With the Android OS on it, it's impossible to not go get one :)
I agree. Except that HTC already said the Touch HD will not be coming to the US. So that makes us stateside people sad. Although I agree that i cant wait for this OS to get ported to any and every phone/device out there.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/07/htc-not-bringing-touch-hd-to-the-states/
Good idea, expect that the Touch HD doesn't have a compass (for street view) or a keyboard (serious Android tweaking needed to overcome that).
But on second thought, Street View is as useful as my 13 year old Gameboy somewhere in the attic. And Enkin (Live Mode) seems to be many months away...
I for one would LOVE to see this ported to the Blackjack, we have a couple sitting around that could use some Android love.
I'd quite like an Android implementation on the iPhone. I like the iPhone's OS, but I'm curious about Android, and I'd like to give it a spin.
If one ever crops up, it'll probably be jailbreak-only, but that's alright.
I wonder if I can put Android on MY phone..
mama mia lets get going............hoooooooowaaaaaaaaa
Is the software stack for the radio and carrier network connection still missing? If so, Open Source Android is WiFi only, like the iPod Touch. :(
I'm sure the stack is going to be MIA... There's no way that any of the carriers are going to feel comfortable putting the software to directly access the air interface out there. If that does happen, just watch for all kinds of interesting security hacks shortly after.
...If you need an extra piece of software to make it work like a phone, then why is everyone saying that you can put it on a piece of hardware and have a working phone?
Android for everyone. Win win win.
Now lets piss Steve off and get it on the iPhone!!
+1, let see how long it'll take for a craptastic press release from Apple saying Android can't/won't be supported on the iPhone...
Lets get the knives and make some Apple pie baby, muuhahaha..
If Steve hasn't cared that people are jailbreaking the iPhone, why would he care about Android? And why would he issue a press release about it? Haha. You Apple haters are silly.
Not an iPhone hater at all, Ive had the old one and the 3g..just not that impressed by it. I do, however, like the Ipod touch..
O RLY? You want to piss Steve off, and you think Apple releases craptastic press releases (even though they aren't going to release anything regarding Android), but you're not an Apple hater.
Uh huh. Want to try again?
Douche-tastic again, Zak. We can always count on you.
I'm really interested in having Android on my kaiser, but right now I'm not happy losing WinMo.
I, for one, will only be interested once their is either a proper dual boot version, or one with a better interface and more mature software(Manilla 2D?)
Same way i feel, but sadly enough, open source Android wont have access to your cellular bands. Itd be nice to run, but if i cant even send a text message out, whats the point?
Im sure someone will think of a way, but its not likely or soon.
Perhaps that could be part of the dual boot: A slimmed down version of the WinMO part of the ROM runs in the background, and the Android bit accesses the cellular network through this...
So where the heck are all the people who should have received these devices yesterday and today? Is there a shipping delay of some sort nobody has told us about?
Mine arrives today, but I'm in the last region to get shipping notifications. If you head over to tmonews.com, you'll see a lot of very excited G1 owners.
Someone please port it to the iPhone. I'm sick and tired of being tied to just one computer, having very little control over my content and so on.
I just had to clear out the entire phone because my laptop died and there's no way to just move the library to another computer and keep moving.
I'm upset.
Can't you solve those problems by just ditching iTunes? I don't think you need a whole new OS on your phone.
Now somebody get cracking on the T-Mobile Dash port. The Android OS does, in theory, natively support QVGA hardware with no touch screen, but if you load it up with those settings in the current emulator it's an unworkable mess because nothing scales properly.
Agree. I've been holding out on replacing my Dash because I've been hoping there would be an Android port for it.
That is just great news. http://digg.com/gadgets/Android_Source_code_released_2
discard that gJava part, merge this with the maemo project and I will be happy...
"Discard the gJava part" means that there will be little left of Android...
I've been running Android on my HTC Touch for awhile now. While functionality is limited to basic calling/SMS/browsing/maps/music thus far, I already see huge potential. The Touch community has been waiting for this day!!! Now the speed of progress should increase significantly.
Cellphone viruses, anyone?
I think you missed something....
Bring on the ports. Probably not feasible for a basement hacker to perform but hopefully at least one of SonyEricsson, Nokia or Samsung will see the writing on the wall and start putting out the goods.
Only thing ugly is you.
Ok I can already see this..
All the next phones released will have people commenting; "But can it Android!?" ;x
You missed the word 'run'.
Seriously though... I don't think there'd be much merit to that, since being open source allows people to tweak it to adapt it to any platform. So, theoretically, it could run on any platform.
I just accidentally a whole android can you guys help?
I will pay money for a stable port to the N95-3 that maintains most functionality.
I'm not really sure if I'd like to have Android on my n95. It has a d-pad, no touchscreen or anything like that. And QVGA.
So.. Who is gonna VM some phones so I can just put all my phone connections on 1 device and let them run wild. I'm tired of a pager, a i760, and a VX8700.
multiple radio chips single phone - incomming =)
Let's work for free. Mobile companies will thanks us.
We work, they take the money for our free work!, nice!
Welcome to the 21st Century
I thought WinMo didn't support capacitive touch screens, so it wouldn't work on the G1? Or have there been developments I've not kept up with...
Ooops, I really should keep up.
http://discuss.pocketnow.com/showthread.php?threadid=23389
M.A.M.E.
Lovely, specially since th HTC HD should be available to us wise assed europeans before Xmas, but anyway yanks should'nt complain because they will soon be treated to Blackberry's sexied Storm soon, and I'm not sure if you would loose anything in the trade off.
Anyway, would this mean that I could install Android in my Samsung Omnia?
I can't wait to dump Android on my old 1st gen iPhone.
Can an open source OS be tweaked enough to run on any hardware? If so, there's no dearth of smart people on this planet. One of you, please please please make this run on the iphone. Is it do-able?
Im not pretty sure about how worthy is this open source.
Can i compile the code, then install (the modified code) in a htc android cellphone?.
Or more specifically.
is it HTC Android a "open" hardware?.
ps :windows ce is open source since 2006 but barely you can create and install a custom firmware in almost any windows ce machine.
ps2 :There are several port of linux for StrongARM architecture, yet it's pretty hard to "port" linux in a SA device (such cellphone, pda and such) because the hardware profile and some protection.
No, it's probably not easy. Hopefully someone will figure out a toolchain and a kernel that works then things will get interesting.
Oooo, Android on my N95-8GB? Sounds worth a try. I saw the earlier videos from Munch supposedly running Android on it, but all went quiet on that front...
I replied in another thread, but wanted everyone to know that apparently many people who were promised delivery today are not receiving their devices, and nobody at T-Mobile has any idea when they will. I was not notified at all that there was a problem, and was told that I'd receive a text message "in a few days." Well, isn't that nice of them...I may well cancel the order and tell them to piss off.
Well, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. My G1 just arrived...even though T-Mobile just told me on the phone that my unit was back-ordered. lol. Well, since now I've got it in my hands...I guess I'll laugh.
"Only thing ugly is you."
I don't agree with your response.
A much better zing would be "Only thing ugly is your mom"
Forget porting WinMo to the G1, I want someone to port Android onto my iPhone.
Sooooo sick of deailing with iTunes, let alone my phone deactivating itself just because I had to do a reset...
OMG !!
Is this how Engadget treats the biggest piece of news of the Week ?
Hello Engadget this is Huge, we might be getting a Android-powered Touch HD here in Europe :)
I can just see the next set of ad's from Apple....
Iphone: Hi, I am an Iphone
Android: (in a robotic voice) and I am an Android
Iphone: What are doing Android?
Android: I am giving my OS away for free so everyone out there can be creative and develop the best possible and useful apps ever
Iphone: do you really think that's going to make a difference, a phone should be simple, user friendly for everyone to enjoy
Android: I am the most user friendly phone out there, let me show you, say you want to install a driver, simply download it, recompile the kernel like so, (5 minutes later) reboot and you're done... see?
Iphone: with a stunned look on his face, yeah I can see that (while browsing, sending an email and listening to music)
----------------------
I really hope Android makes it, I believe it will be the most flexable OS and hopefully crash free.
the iPhone is my favorite phone and I want one but can't afford it BUT...
I'd RATHER have an Android phone if someone made one from something other than plastic, thinner without the slide-out keyboard.
All because of Apple's locked up, authoritarian App governing. GET OVER YOURSELVES, APPLE!
Who's going to release the first Android based $100 ARM based laptop with a 20 hour battery life to compete with those crappy netbooks?
That would be a really cool, except when you look at the price of the unlocked G1.. ~$400, you're not going to see a larger screen netbook size for $100. Still.. $400 for an Android netbook would be great. The only thing missing from the SDK right now is a mouse cursor. You would have to do everything touch-screen.
Why are people voting him down? Are you people really fanboyish enough to keep yourself in denial about the (lack of) the G1's industrial design?
awesome, all the possibilities
awesome!
I still think the PSP2 and PS4 should run on Android.
My question is when can I get it running on my Sharp Zarus 5500.
I want Android on my Sidekick. Then I can enjoy the benefit of an open-source platform and not have to worry about losing cool points with the high school girls at the food court.
KKLOLZ!
Think about it this way ... opening android could allow mobile manufacturers, with a smaller market share, to alter the platform according to their service offerings and security policies. This could lead to a fine tuned platform without having to re-invent the wheel and eliminate dependency on legacy mobile OS'es like WinMobile (one of the OS'es I know that's available to mobile manufacturers and is not entirely controlled by the device manufacturer).
I would really like to see someone make a channel-hopping Android device that operates on unlicensed (or very low-powered, or both) spectrum. Screw the mobile phone companies. Imagine an Android two-way scanner. Any takers?