http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/ Engadget Comments for Symbian, Nokia, Microsoft and Apple downplay Android relevance http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/]]>Nov 5th 2007 6:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
And if it doesn't, it's no skin off their noses either. So... yeah, not a threat to Nokia. ]]>Nov 5th 2007 7:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Perhaps I'm not open minded enough but I don't see this as being as important as operating systems of computers.

Either way, I care more at the moment about what to eat. I'm pretty hungry right now and theres nothing in the fridge. Ideas anyone? I've tried mustard, and ketchup sandwich... almost like a hotdog, just without the meaty taste.

Please don't judge me.]]>Nov 5th 2007 6:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/android_overview.html]]>Nov 5th 2007 6:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 6:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 7:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Dec 17th 2007 11:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 6:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 6:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 6:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Apple has a solid ground with a tried and tested OS at the core of the iPhone, iPod Touch and possibly a Newton next year.

Microsoft has had Windows mobile on the market for ages and Nokia has a range that probably takes up at least 45% of the mobile phone market. There is no threat to them in any way at all and to be honest it is no different to introducing a new flavour of Symbian or Windows mobile, it's just another Mobile OS.

]]>Nov 5th 2007 7:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 8:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 6:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 7:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 6:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Ever heard of Linux?
...Novel? Suse? Red Hat? Canonical?]]>Nov 5th 2007 10:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
"unless Google finds some miraculous way to monetize such OPEN + FREE initiative"

Somebody hasn't been paying attention the last 10 years or so. Everything Google does is free, and yet somehow their share price is over $700. Hmmmm......

People who think Google is involved in order to crush other vendors in the market are not understanding what is going on. Google has one mission and one mission only: increase page views. More page views (whether the page is the size of a computer screen or a mobile phone screen) = more clicks. More clicks = more AdSense revenue. That's all Google wants...more page views. They sat down, did the analysis, and realized that by creating an alliance of different mobile players they could get more page views cheaper than by going it alone (like Apple) or by trying to force other vendors to play nice. Again, all Google wants is more page views. Period.


]]>Nov 6th 2007 8:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
They all had this same line of thought with Apple and that blew up in their faces.

I highly doubt Google is going to take a mundane approach here and I wouldn't assume its not a threat.

EVERY one of them needs to step their game up if they don't want to be blind sided by an unproven (OS/Phone line) that by chance may be the best thing to every hit a handset since color.]]>Nov 5th 2007 6:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/MS has the most to lose because its OS is frankly shit and they don't sell any hardware.
Apple has some to lose if the OS is any good because so far Apple has the only good mobile OS, and it's very far ahead of the pack. Other mobile OSs currently simply cannot do what OS X/iPhone can do.
Nokia can be happy because now they can dump their crap Symbian and use Android. Nokia has spent lots of money on Symbian but that doesn't change the fact that it's still crap. Horrific crap, actually.
And all the other hardware manufacturers will be happy because they can finally dump WinMobile.

Software is a huge problem for all handset makers save Apple. They just can't figure out how to do it for the life of them. So this is great for all hardware manufacturers.]]>Nov 5th 2007 9:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 6:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
What do we as consumers really stand to gain from this? Until the carriers (Verizon, ATT, T-Mobile, Sprint, etc.) are truly on board, an open source OS means absolutely nothing to us. It is just another OS. For instance, even if Verizon does make use of the OS, they'll cripple it just like they cripple every single other phone that ends up on their network. You can forget downloading and installing 3rd party apps on your Verizon (or any other company's) phone. Google has already stated that the carriers will have an option to do this.

Until there is a carrier out there willing to step out and truly give the customer what they want, all of this talk means absolutely nothing. And I don't see any of the big players willing to step up to the plate that way right now. Not even T-Mobile or Sprint. Regardless of their participation in OHA.

Until there is an alternative to today's status quo (aka the 700 mhz buy out?) there will be no change.

My current contract is up in Feb. and I was hoping that this Google announcement would be the light at the end of my tunnel. I am ready to leave T-Mobile because the coverage in my area seems to be degrading rather than improving. And the one thing that was keeping me here (customer service) wasn't there the last time I needed them. So now I am back looking to choose the lesser of however many evils. At this point I may be regrettably purchasing some horribly crippled phones just so I can get decent coverage.
]]>Nov 5th 2007 6:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
What a moron. Their problem is that Google IS involved and they know how to program POWERFUL stuff and GET THINGS DONE. If they are all so great, where are their amazing phones? I don't see shit.]]>Nov 5th 2007 6:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 7:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/]]>Nov 5th 2007 10:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 6:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/What is that even supposed to mean? ]]>Nov 5th 2007 7:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 8:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Um. Perhaps I missed the part where google actually released any software in the past that was "POWERFUL" and "GETS THINGS DONE". The majority of software that comes complete the Google software pack is third party based (ie - not made by them). Google's WebApp's are essentially just as fast as all it's counterparts online and with the sole exception of GoogleEarth I can't quite remember any other incredible pieces of software that they've come up with.

They're the kings of their domain and that is search algorithms - let's not automatically assume that just because Google's name gets attached to an OS that it will be revolutionary.

PS: To the people who can't wait to play with the SDK - you do know that you can already easily develop app's for WinMo and Java enabled phone's, right?.]]>Nov 5th 2007 7:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 7:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 10:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Not to sound like some MS fanboy (or any fanboy of any kind), but Live Maps does this feature as well. It came of course after GMaps, in Live Maps 2.0., but it pretty much works the same. It uses nodes, and you can drag those as well. It's not hard to use at all.

And before you go on MS copying Gmaps and whatnot, GMaps happened to add a traffic feature after Live Maps, and if you want to get all technical about it, Live Maps does 3D cities (with realistic buildings!), Birds-eye imagery (more detailed than just plain aerial), video tours (make a video of your personal maps!), and a bazillion other things.

Live Maps is really something, but of course, people will disregard it because it's MS, and not Google.]]>Nov 5th 2007 11:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 7:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Look at what Microsoft did in the Video Game industry, Look at what Apple did in the phone industry just months ago? I could care less if Google "bought" the software it uses, they also "bought" the talent behind those programs and therefore that talent becomes a part of Google as a whole.

Do you people not realize that in buying the companies that make these things that those people become employees of Google? Its like hiring people and using their product as their resume, its an extremely smart thing to do...AND ALL COMPANIES DO IT. You think Microsoft and Apple hired X number of no-name employees and then just built all their software from scratch? That doesn't exist.

I don't really care what it is, the fact that so many people are excited about it and it is backed by probably the largest Internet company on the planet makes this a threat period. It is the same deal with OpenSocial.]]>Nov 5th 2007 9:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
The way they refer to the iPhone like it is sentient still gives me the heebie jeebies.]]>Nov 5th 2007 7:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18390257@N06/1880867992/

Just like all the other Google stuff out there.... CRAPY!]]>Nov 5th 2007 7:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
]]>Nov 5th 2007 8:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.flickr.com/photos/tank6b/1887727512/]]>Nov 6th 2007 7:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
The problem of course is that it does NONE of this stuff very well, certainly not well enough for me to ever use it to do anything more than text, voice mail and make/receive calls.

I'd get an Iphone (which I believe does do all of the above well) except that I'm waiting for some kind of GPS and 3g capability which I'm pretty sure is up on the horizon somewhere.
]]>Nov 5th 2007 8:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
3G will happen. Just a matter of when 3G service is as widespread as EDGE to justify the changeover.]]>Nov 6th 2007 4:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 8:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 8:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 6th 2007 7:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
So, why wouldn't you, Apple Inc.? Steve's stubborn ideology?]]>Nov 5th 2007 8:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/Nov 5th 2007 8:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Microsoft has the most to lose. Their mobile OS has always been and still is crap. I guarantee you that the UI in Android SDK will be better, which isn't saying much.

Google makes money from Internet ads. The whole purpose of this leading this alliance (and buying Android) is to make everyone and their mother use Internet-enabled phones to get even more billions in revenue.

There are already a lot of Internet-enabled phones using Microsoft's OS, but surfing is a painful experience. The iPhone is a better experience, but is so closed that you can't view Flash, and is a relatively expensive device. The vision is to make Internet-enabled phones cheaper (under $200 by next year), which means more people surfing on their phones, which means even more money for Google.]]>Nov 5th 2007 10:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Ah, classic Microsoft...
Same way they just can't seem to understand the importance of web standards and building browsers that at least try to adhere to them, or building document formats that do not become obsolete every few years.]]>Nov 5th 2007 10:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Yeah but Google is involved and so far everything they've touched turned to gold. My guess is they're putting on a brave face but in the dark corners of their office buildings all the project leaders are assembling teams trying to figure out what the heck are they going to do.]]>Nov 6th 2007 9:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Or aresol pancake batter, for that matter.

]]>Nov 6th 2007 12:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/0,1000000091,39275178,00.htm)
yet another standard that starts with "for the good of developers we keep it open"!!!! Right!]]>Nov 6th 2007 12:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/05/symbian-nokia-microsoft-and-apple-downplay-android-relevance/
Today, Android was selected to be the standard, and the SDK will be released on Monday.]]>Nov 6th 2007 4:54PM