iPhone OS 4.0: The great Android 2.1 imitator

ThraxThrax 🐌Austin, TX Icrontian
edited August 2010 in Science & Tech

Comments

  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Great article, and true; Apple brought nothing new to the table aside from the interesting move with the ad services.

    Couple of notes, though:

    Android can receive push alerts for non-Google services - Exchange, for example, definitely allows a push setting. Unless I've misunderstood you here...

    As for iBooks, it's true Android doesn't have that specific application, but it does have its own e-book readers that support the e-pub format and more.

    And I admit I'm not sure what the "Wireless app distribution" entry on the table is. Surely they don't mean the ability to download and install applications via wireless, which they both have, so... what's the deal on this one?

    Thanks for the nice outline here.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Anything that isn't a Google service uses poll or pull. It's quite quick, yes, but it is not a push notification. To put it more precisely, I believe Exchange uses the "IMAP idle" function, which BlackBerry once used before switching over to push/BES.

    For your second point: iPhone OS 4.0 allows enterprises to centrally distribute apps to phones wirelessly. Companies will not need to use iTunes. This will not allow unsigned apps, as companies will need Apple-provided certificates to push these apps to their users, but it's something that Android cannot do.

    I have revised the text of that entry for clarity. 'Preciate the feedback. :)
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Sneaky. They call it "As items arrive (push)", but it looks like you're right. Lots of chatter about how to mimic push, nothing about true.

    Nice that Apple will allow app distribution that doesn't require placement in the App Store; my company built an iPhone app that had to be distributed via the App Store, and it always seemed an interesting security paradox to me.
  • edited April 2010
    So, Moxier Mail for Android, which is a 3rd-party Exchange client using the public API's available since Android 1.0, that uses the officially licensed Microsoft ActiveSync protocol for push email, isn't push? Or is all of this only related to apps installed on the base image of stock Android?

    Also, how does Android require a task manager to multi-task? Here's a nice diagram of the Android Activity lifecycle, no task manager involved at any point: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/app/Activity.html. Is this referring to the recent tasks activity that pops up when you long-press the home button and shows the 6 most recently launched apps?
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Android doesn't require a task manager to multitask; Steve's jab was that the phone should take care of it, a user should never have to see a task manager.

    I, for one, am happy we have the option of having and using a task manager - I want to control my device, not somebody else. I didn't, however, notice the home/recent apps action - thanks for that tip. :D
  • jpparker88jpparker88 Lancaster, CA
    edited April 2010
    Problem that i see with 4.0 is that it gives nothing much to the people who have jailbroken their devices. I already have a wallpaper and a multitask program with no task manager, it would be nice if i did have one otherwise i have to remember what i have running. I do like the apps not having to go through the store though.
    I've used the android OS a couple time and like the interface much better than iphone. And the whole use the newest hardware of your sol is gonna piss off a lot of people.
  • TimTim Southwest PA Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    iPhone, Android, smartphones in general, who REALLY NEEDS any of them? I still have my old Verizon VX-8300, in May it'll be 3 years old and it does everything I need it to, which is to send and receive phone calls and the occassional text message.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    I need my smartphone. I get actual work done with it, Tim. Sometimes you need the internet when all you have is your phone, and hey... there are people whose jobs are on the internet... :rolleyes:
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Some of us actually have jobs that require the Internet, Tim. Have fun being a Luddite, but I actually need a smartphone every day.
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    100% of my contact with customers is through email and on forums. Being tied to my chair all day, no thanks.
  • BlackHawkBlackHawk Bible music connoisseur There's no place like 127.0.0.1 Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Just to stack it up, I also need internet on my phone since I'm a courier. Without internet I wouldn't be able to look up companies, phone numbers, and directions. I also have TomTom on my phone and I don't need a separate GPS unit.
  • TimTim Southwest PA Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Yes, there are people who really DO need a smartphone, but there are many people who have one who don't need it. You've seen them walking around. They are suckers for all the slick marketing and tv ads. I see people all the time with their ear mounted bluetooth things, and I know very well they aren't going to be getting any important calls from the president. Some of them don't even have jobs. Or kids, or anything else of significant importance in their lives that necessitates a smartphone.

    It annoys me to see so many falling for the marketing BS and dumping tons of money to big companies for stuff they don't need like this.

    People need to think for themselves more and don't let the television tell you what you need to be in style, hip, trendy, or up to date.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Tim wrote:
    I LIKE TO GENERALIZE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BUY A NINTENDO WII?

    FTFY.
  • edited April 2010
    Tim,

    I really disagree,
    Your saying that people only should buy stuff that they really need.

    Do you really need a tv?
    Do you really need a playstation or xbox?

    People can buy things like smartphone because they enjoy all the features it provides.

    I dont NEED it, but i sure cant life without it anymore.
    for me its a pleasure to have my email with me all the time, to have all the nice apps that make it more fun and actually are useful in certain situations.

    Like a atm app that tells you were the nearest atm machine is via google maps.
    very useful if your not a local.

    So i dont understand why you are so annoyd by this.

    just because you dont feel like owning a smartphone.

    Concerning the iphone - android article..
    very true, iphone is feeling android is gaining on them.
    android has the advantage of having different types of hardware.
    i dont like the look and the size of the iphone.
    but if i want an iphone, i have no choice.

    android does give me a choice.

    android ftw
  • edited April 2010
    Call me a Google fanboy, but this makes me so happy.
    I can't wait for the day Apple burns (again) Such a dirty, greedy company.

    It's a shame though - because the opposite end of the scale (the Apple fanboys & iPhone zombies) probably have little or no idea what android is. they'll never be exposed to it because they believe that Apple are the only option out there.
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Android may not have push built in... but it does have K-9 mail which supports the IMAP push protocol. My Nexus One actually gets work email before my desktop does. It's kind of nuts.
  • KwitkoKwitko Sheriff of Banning (Retired) By the thing near the stuff Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    Yes, there are people who really DO need to play WoW, but there are many people who play it who don't need to. You've seen them. They are suckers for all the slick marketing and tv ads. I see people all the time with their level 70 druids, and I know very well they aren't going to be going on any important raids with the president. Some of them even have jobs. And kids, or anything else of significant importance in their lives that doesn't necessitate WoW.

    It annoys me to see so many falling for the marketing BS and dumping tons of money to big companies for stuff they don't need like this.

    People need to think for themselves more and don't let the television tell you what you need to be in style, hip, trendy, or up to date.
  • edited April 2010
    @Thrax,

    Android, by default, does not ship with a Task Manager. It can be added in through many freeware add-ons, but out of the box it doesn't have one.

    Also, Jailbroken iPhones have a task manager, even if they don't have Backgroundr to do multi-processing. And there is an App like iStat Nano for the iPhone, which features a task manager amongst its swiss-army knife of app tools.

    So I guess neither platform has failed, unless you choose to install something to make it "fail".
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    There's a form of task manager if you go into the settings - you can go to application management and view the resources it's using, force it to close, and uninstall it. That's the default task management.

    There are easier options (TasKiller, Advanced Task Killer, etc), but it does come with one.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    As Snarkasm has said, Android has a task manager in its menus, and it also has an application-swtching interface when you press and hold on the desktop.

    Jailbroken iPhones are also immaterial to the discussion, because they violate numerous carrier and vendor policies.
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited April 2010
    I thought Android's application-switching interface was when you press and hold the home button ;)
  • joe
    edited May 2010
    20 years ago I get news from news paper but today I get news instantly on my smartphone. I stay connected with my family with Facebook through my smartphone. Yes, I still can do all that with my old land line phone and newspapers but I don't.
  • edited August 2010
    This article is absurdly biased, that feature list includes tons of features that were NOT new to iOS 4 and some that have actually been around since pre-3.x.x and beyond...

    Tap to focus has been around since 3.x, home screen wallpaper is listed twice, lock screen wallpaper has been included from the first second, every multitasking API is listed individually, recent searches isn't new, and data-only settings have been around forever. You're making yourself look silly to anyone who isn't biased and knows the ins-and-outs of each device.
  • edited August 2010
    Also: "growing dominance" haha let's be serious here... I support trying to get Android out there for some competition and like the OS but articles like this don't help your case.
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    Hate to burst your bubble there Apple troll, but Android is quickly becoming quite dominant. As of the last quarter, it is now the 2nd fastest selling smartphone platform on the market behind Blackberry (which has been steadily declining for at least the past year). iPhone is a lowly 3rd, lagging 7% behind Android. Don't believe me? Read it and weep: http://www.pcworld.com/article/195958/android_outsells_apple_iphone_at_last_says_npd.html
  • AnnesAnnes Tripped Up by Libidos and Hubris Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    I hate that article. People keep mentioning it. You mean an OS installed on many phones on many carriers is outselling the OS of only one phone on only one carrier?!??! MADNESS.
  • edited August 2010
    Typical android fanboy response, call me a troll then bust out some miniscule irrelevant fact while ignoring the rest of my post.

    Pro-tip: 2nd fastest selling != "dominance".

    Again, I support you all fighting the good fight and I used to be right there with you, but acting like this and publishing blatantly false information is only serving to set you guys back and make it look like you have something to prove instead of letting Android's features do it's talking.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    Annes wrote:
    I hate that article. People keep mentioning it. You mean an OS installed on many phones on many carriers is outselling the OS of only one phone on only one carrier?!??! MADNESS.

    It proves plenty. WinMo, anybody? Three times as old as Android, more handsets, more carriers offer phones, and it still isn't a blip on the radar.
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited August 2010
    It stands to reason that the faster a platform is growing (all other things held equal), the more likely it is that developers will develop for that platform. At least if I was a developer, that's what I would do. It stands to reason then, that Android outselling iPhone will result in wider adoption from an application sense. Which then fuels more sales and can potentially turn into one large feedback loop of sales -> developer support -> improved ecosystem -> sales. Apple has hamstrung itself by tying the iPhone to one carrier and being ridiculously anti-consumer with their policies on it, and they're going to reap what they've sewn.
  • edited August 2010
    Completely different argument. No one is going to refute my argument about the chart? Exactly, because I'm right, I don't care; it's just hilarious that you went as far to make a grossly biased chart because none of you can stand Apple is simply marketing and they make money from it... It's business and they simply do it better than the others.
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