http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/ Engadget Comments for Entelligence: Is Android fragmented or is this the new rate of innovation? http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
I don't get why more handset makers simply don't adopt a straight port of the newest Android build. Forget about Sense or Blur. Just load up the latest version, like the Nexus 1. Should make updating your phones much easier in the future.

Also, I would think that building interfaces that can be decoupled from the OS is the way to go. So, if HTC wants to have a "Sense like" experience build it in such a way that users can download it to their devices. It won't be as powerful or integrated BUT it would allow for your handsets to constantly get updated to the latest and greatest from Android. I have to think that is a huge competitive advantage. This is very similar to what SPB Mobile Shell does from Windows Mobile devices. It's a separate application that has integration with the OS. However, it is easily disabled/enabled by the user giving them the freedom to choose stock vs custom UI's.]]>May 22nd 2010 11:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
I honestly don't know why they don't give customers the option to drop their skin when something newer and better comes. It seems that it'd breed more loyalty than keeping with the status quo.]]>May 22nd 2010 11:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
"Another incorrect statement from article:

""No one pays for Android, and consequently, the partner relationship isn't the same as when vendors pay to license an OS"

HTC pays a licensing fee to microsoft. I would assume that you, being a blogger for gadgets, would keep up to date on events and be knowledgable on the subject."

Aren't you confirming his point? Unless you are inferring that MS makes Android, in which case you are incorrect. (Vendor = HTC pays to license OS = MS). OS = Android = Free = No one pays]]>May 23rd 2010 12:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
Microsoft bullying HTC into paying a fee to avoid being sued has nothing to do with Google.

Oh and there are quality games on Android just like the iPhone, it takes time for the platform to mature and the iPhone has a three year head start, not only that but every idiot and their mother flocks to anything with the fruit on it while Apple being Apple doesn't allow for consumer rights like Google does with allowing a 24 hour trial period and refund option. Apple just takes your money and tells you to shove off, so naturally it's more lucrative for developers.

But of course someone with your name will argue this because of your obvious bias. Never mind that there are three versions of the iPhone with a fourth about to come out. The original iPhone isn't getting an update to the new software but pay no attention to that, that's not "fragmentation" at all.

You people are charlatans.]]>May 23rd 2010 12:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/Upgrade all 'legacy' phones to 1.6 and keep it as the XP of the family
Then upgrade all other phones to 2.2 when it is released.
After this, stop support and pull market for all other phones to try and lever manufacturers and carriers into upgrading.]]>May 23rd 2010 12:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 1:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 2:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
Manufacturers are going to start heaping phones into the Android ecosystem. It's free, it's reliable, it's a great OS...

Not to mention the phones are selling.

Seriously, looking at your past comments, you need to go back to school or read a book or something. ]]>May 23rd 2010 2:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 2:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 3:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 3:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
At this point, I don't see any point in replying to "FragmentedAndroid" anymore. Obvious troll right down to the name.]]>May 23rd 2010 3:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://j.mp/apple-google-battle-inevitable]]>May 23rd 2010 4:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/dude, are you, like, mentally damaged?
have you even looked at android apart from by reading this article?
android has plenty of games, and with the introduction of 2.2 to devices they can run games in webpages and such, take kongregate for example, it is full of hundreds, if not thousands, of AMAZING games, and is playable on android devices

id suggest you read up and get some facts next time]]>May 23rd 2010 4:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
I must admit if i had the choice i would update to froyo now and then when the sense add on comes out id download it but i would definitly be downloading froyo for my desire now if i could and i dont see why they cant do that, just treat sense as a seperate application and have seperate OTA updates for it, it already is a seperate application as you see from the task manager ]]>May 23rd 2010 5:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 5:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 6:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
I fully agree
Sense or Blur are just apps, it will be better if they just are coded as simpel apps.

The problem is even higher for Sony with the X10, Sony is waiting to update the X10 just because of this buggy and scrap Timescape and Mediascape apps are coded inside Android, this is just unsane.

A petition is online to ask Sony for a Froyo update:
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?froyo
Already 400 signatures
Thanks for your help...]]>May 23rd 2010 8:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
I'm a software developer (in a very different field) and I work constantly on differences between an underlying platform and local customisations. Local customisations cause big problems.

The solution is not necessarily to reduce the functionality of these customisations, but for the platform owners (Google) to provide standard 'hooks' where customisation providers can connect in parts of their own code. So in other words, rather than a provider making changes to standard parts of the operating system, they just make a plug-in which the operating system calls. At least in theory, if the API remains stable, this means these plug-ins will continue to work through any system upgrade. Of course, if the platform has new features, the plug-ins won't automatically gain these features (so the plugin might work exactly the same as it used to with the old OS version); but if it's a case of, say, an app requiring a newer platform version, it should just work.

I don't know anything about Android development so maybe this is already how it's done - but with this type of work there is always a chance to make it better (by providing more specific / detailed / organised places to connect in your customisations). For example, let's suppose the OS has a hook where a provider can change the home screen software. That's great but it means your whole home screen is stuck on the 'old version' through any updates. Instead/as well they could provide separate hooks for 'display the top bar', 'display a widget', etc.

The way to design this would be for Google to look at what manufacturers are doing to change the interface, and figure out where they need to add the possibility for such customisation so that it could run on top of a 'stock' Android build without breaking through future updates. I'm sure they are already doing this, maybe it's already been achieved in newer versions and only the customisations built for old ones have been left behind, etc.

Anyway it's a hard problem but the solution rests both with Google (provide more ways to customise the OS in a manner that will continue to work through version updates) and with manufacturers (stick to the provided ways to customise it, use them properly, and don't fall into the temptation to change something else by hacking the OS code).

No doubt neither aspect of this is helped by the ferocious speed of changes...]]>May 23rd 2010 8:53AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
Apple doesn't sell the first generation iPhone. On the other hand, vendors still sell "old" hardware that won't update to froyo. How are consumers suppose to know that? They don't. Hence, fragmentation. ]]>May 23rd 2010 9:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
Actually it does, because Google's one of the biggest companies on Earth.. they knew they were walking all over tons of patents, and thought they would get away with it by giving Android for free.

Way to look out for your partners, Eric ;)]]>May 23rd 2010 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/Like it or not, some of the "layers" on top of Android are necessary, like if the cell carrier imposes requirements on the manufacturer.]]>May 23rd 2010 10:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
If anyone still needs proof of how well Android is doing, check this out:
http://url.joemedia.com.au/android]]>May 23rd 2010 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 12:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
Not to say Google doesn't have influence, because they clearly do. They just aren't that big on the grand scale. I think every once in a while we need a little context on an enthusiast site like this, as we tend to live in a bubble.]]>May 23rd 2010 12:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 12:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
"But of course someone with your name will argue this because of your obvious bias. Never mind that there are three versions of the iPhone with a fourth about to come out. The original iPhone isn't getting an update to the new software but pay no attention to that, that's not "fragmentation" at all."

It isn't fragmentation, it is called legacy, as explained nicely in the article. But you didn't read the whole article, did you? Read a couple of paragraphs and then decided to give your uninformed opinion.]]>May 23rd 2010 12:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 12:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
Android is not fragmented and older phones are not obsolete..

Please count the different BB, WinMo, and iPhone versions out there

With HTC Snaps, HD2s, Kins, Zune HDs, BB Storms, Curves, Bolds, iPad, iPod Touches, iPhone 2gs 3gs 3gses, and etc etc etc... The other OSes are more fragmented in my opinion.. Most Android phones are either on Cupcake or Eclair

And you buy a phone for what it does at that time.. You are not owed ANY updates by ANY company.. A G1, HTC Touch, and an iPhone 2G can BARELY be called obsolete so I dont want to hear anything about a 2009 Hero is obsolete because they dont have live wallpapers, oh no! Get outta her man Android is doing fine look at the numbers]]>May 23rd 2010 1:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
It's why I left Android for the time being.

Apple doesn't sell the original iPhone and even the 3G will get some of 4.0's features.]]>May 23rd 2010 2:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/Android is the crazy quilt mobile platform. Vendors have gone nuts trying to put a different face on every smartphone they make. Dude buys an Android handset and it will be non-upgradeable in a couple of months. If that isn't fragmentation then I don't know what is. Maybe this is only a temporary thing and Android will mature and not need to be upgraded as frequently.]]>May 23rd 2010 9:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 23rd 2010 9:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
I think Google was working on separating the 'skins' like Sense UI etc so the under lying version of Andriod could be updated and still work with the sense 'skin']]>May 23rd 2010 10:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 24th 2010 12:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/It seems obvious to me that Google will take more market share than Apple, after all they give Android away for free. Whether that makes them as much money compared to Apple's model of selling software, hardware, apps, music etc is what investors care about. The 'experience' is what consumers care about. Market share is of concern only to the networks and phone manufacturers. Success isn't necessarily having the largest market share. The Google vs Apple war is great for consumers though and both models have their merits. It's MS who need to worry - is there any room left for them I wonder? I suspect their entry into the post-iPhone market will be greeted with as much success as the Zune.]]>May 24th 2010 9:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
The iPhone AppStore has not had a three year head start, it became available in OS version 2.0 which came out in July of 2008. The Android market opened in October of 2008. ]]>May 24th 2010 9:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/This solution is well and good for power users... for the type of people who would be on Engadget commenting on it.

However, for the average consumer who just purchased a Hero without batting an eye, they don't know the stock Android skin. Switching from Sense to the stock skin is akin to when Microsoft put the ribbon in Office... all the same functionality, but average consumers felt lost.

I think a better solution is what @bjsguess suggested. Build the skin on top of the stock platform, but run it as an app. This allows power users who know what they're doing to remove it, average consumers won't know the difference, and upgrades would be extremely fast. The only downside would be a slight performance hit as this would probably require more resources than building the skin into the OS, but it's worth it.]]>May 24th 2010 1:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
The core geek crowd might be able to live with some of the rough edges, but I am tired of it myself. Andoid is going to be fine, but its not there yet and playing up its weaknesses as features is exactly what you are accusing Apple of.

Lastly, don't kid yourself regarding gaming on Android. It's a joke compared to iPhone. That's called reality. It should get better, but we're still waiting to see. Android is getting up there in age now, so there is no reason to still see game companies pass on Android ports for WebOS - ala Gameloft etc. ]]>May 25th 2010 9:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
I've been thinking the same thing for a while now. Why you can't put your own rom on these phones blows my mind.]]>May 28th 2010 3:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 22nd 2010 8:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 22nd 2010 8:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
You ****...

-.-]]>May 22nd 2010 8:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/Commenting in-between crashes?]]>May 22nd 2010 8:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 22nd 2010 8:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/I only trust that word out of Jobs's mouth. :) Just updated my N1 to Froyo (long install!!!) and Flash has been so/so, crashed twice out of 5 videos. Also, have you noticed yours getting real hot? ]]>May 22nd 2010 8:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 22nd 2010 8:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
I think my N1 yelled at me..

I was playing a flash video, and it crashed.. and i swear to god I think I heard "Dont play it again, you ****"

....

I am so scared you guys :'(]]>May 22nd 2010 8:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/
I guess you like watching slideshows]]>May 22nd 2010 8:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/That's weird. My nexus has been talking to me, too, after I downloaded the update.

http://www.theonion.com/video/new-google-phone-service-whispers-targeted-ads-dir,17470/]]>May 22nd 2010 8:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/22/entelligence-is-android-fragmented-or-is-this-the-new-rate-of-i/May 22nd 2010 8:50PM