Google Google Google! :P
Only a year and a half or so (?) in, as of a little while ago Google’s Android market has over fifty thousand applications available, a 250% bump give or take since January-ish. Microsoft’s Windows Marketplace for Mobile‘s application count is tearing it up somewhere in the hundreds and may or may not be projected to break the one thousand barrier eventually should anyone bother to keep count. Apple’s App Store has an approximately fourfold lead (for now…) on Android toward the neighborhood of 200K applications which according to my calculations is significantly more than whatever crap (no offense, developer) Microsoft’s packing, quantity and quality-wise.
Maybe sixtysomething percent of Android applications are free versus twenty five some-odd percent of Apple device apps. If inclined, unlike with Apple devices and soon unlike with new Windows devices too, one may install software on Android phones from any source without having to root or jailbreak. Take a guess which userbase feels like they have to root their phones much more than the other because they’re dissatisfied with their platform’s limitations and restrictions. But if an Android user wants to root his phone (typically to develop), Google supplies the tools themselves on the house with the rest of the SDK for all of their Android releases.
Some may be quick to note that Google’s Android Market approval process is more liberal than Apple‘s and some may note that Google, taking Apple’s lead, has started to fight dirty. I’d like to note that the fact that developers have ported Android to the iPhone along with a bunch of Windows devices and that to my knowledge the reverse has not happened speaks for itself louder than any of these stats and odometer milestones. What do you make of that, David K? No will, no way.
Excuse me while I go enjoy my Google phone which, what do you know, has an FM receiver and an 802.11N-capable transceiver, along with some other stuff, which are rumored to be fired up shortly with an imminent over-the-air upgrade.
Doug Simmons
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About The Author
Doug Simmons
Biographical info.. hmm. I have a history of not being able to strike the balance between what is "safe" to put into these forms and what is, in my mind at least, funny. Can't do it.
The fact that this article follows an article about how WP7 is going to limit what games will have access to Live services to ensure there’s not a market of shitware is perfect. Know what? Maybe I’ll give you the courtesy of a formal response on this topic:)
Boo.
First, boo to the inappropriate image decorating this article.
Second, to style and content. I’d have expected this from a member of a Google fansite, but not from you, Doug Simmons. You could have argued that the Android Market is much stronger, more flexible and perhaps more user-friendly than the App Store or Windows Marketplace. Which may actually be true. But waving Google (“Google! Google!”)’s banner like this on mobilitydigest.com? Boo.
Unlike the times when Google first entered the mobile market, people seem to forget that Google is not here to provide smartphones and great apps. It’s not their main area of business. Google collects and sells information. That’s their business. And they give you phones and apps to make it painless, or actually fun, to share your data with them. Are you happy with Google keeping your personal data, your contacts, your appointments, your whereabouts, your movement patterns, your web browsing activities, your phone statistics etc? On the subject of Android Market, didn’t you notice they record what apps you use and when? Would you like a major information company to link you facebook profile to the fact that you enjoy Bouncing Boobs?
I’m not. I’m just not comfortable with things like this, even with privacy settings turned to the maximum. There are a few really hot Android handsets out there, and I’d like to use some apps from Android Market. But I’m not selling my soul to Google. Look up the comments of data protection experts if you don’t know what I’m talking about.
N.
@Nightcookie
HAHA! Do you honestly think Google is the only one invading your privacy? Do you not think Microsoft & Apple do the same? If your naive enough to think they respect it any more than Google, your sadly mistaken. In-fact, buy using a cell-phone at all, your practically giving up your privacy anyway. People seem to forget that Privacy practices are NOT a company’s responsibility, but rather its on the user.
On another note, ive been curious to try Android myself. The fact that windows mobile needs to be ‘cooked’ just to make it more efficiency to run on smart phones is a bad sign, so im wondering how well Android runs in contrast. Im not praising it or anything, as im sure it currently doesnt have the app choices WinMo does, but it helps Google is open to developers.
Nightcookie: Is the image really that bad that you have to break my balls about it as your first point? I’m sorry to let you down but, as charged, I’ve drunk the kool-aid, enough of it that I think highly of the company, their services and now their products. They make money, mostly, by helping people make money and they do it well. One or two slip-ups notwithstanding, they have yet to give us any reason to distrust them with our telephonic statistics and application collection or whatever it is you’re afraid of.
Maybe the only reason not to trust them is because so many other outfits that mine up data have done bad things with it, but that won’t stop me from continuing to afford these guys the benefit of the doubt as well as optimism and confidence that I won’t regret it.
I’m moving a doctor and his staff to the Google cloud for their email, calendar, contacts and document sharing — the works. He’s not inclined to buy servers and hire a full-time IT guy and especially considering that he’s currently using Register.com for email it struck me as an obvious right move. I stand a lot to lose with this guy, referrals to his other patients specifically, so I’m either completely nuts or I’m putting my money where my mouth is on this one which is in the right place. If you’ve got any better advice, by all means, please share.
Google has built a pretty good track record with, among a number of other things, their Google Apps service and I have high confidence they are far less likely to break character than anyone else, including if not especially sysadmins you hire yourself and remote differential backups you line up with someone else.
I’ll save how that goes for another article in case you haven’t heard enough from me about this company. I’ll try to come up with a better title this time and, just for you, I’ll try to find a more tastefully-selected yet sexier woman involved with Google-related logos somehow.
+1 on the Boo! nuff said.
-1 on selling soul to Google, gimme a break!
MartiM: You just put a lot of geeks in a good mood with that — we thank you.
Think I might have to try to get you to let me mail you a Google t-shirt.
Female voice says: big deal on the picture. I see more cleavage at the beach. Hell, I see more cleavage at the beach than in my own bra, and I have 42DDs. (There: take that information, Google ’cause I know Apple will delete it…) Heck, Hooters’ shirts show more boob than that.
As for privacy of information, I’d like to agree with Nightcookie but the sad fact is we’re going to have to live with it. Personally, I think that if advertising companies want my information, they should have to PAY me but the chances of that happening is a snowball’s chance in Hell. I’m very uncomfortable with Apple’s black-box policies and starting to be wary of Google’s open-to-all version. I’ll sit on the WinMo fence that I’m already on and wait for my contract to be up.
@MartiM:
MartiM,
Nice one! Google, Hooters – that’s actually true, we men seem to react to anything remotely double-o-shaped. Drool. 😉 Nice shot at Apple too!
“the sad fact is we’re going to have to live with it. Personally, I think that if advertising companies want my information, they should have to PAY me but the chances of that happening is a snowball’s chance in Hell.”
I’m not so sure about that. Some companies still do ‘research’ on the street and will pay you for some information and your opinion on shampoo, TVs, cars or pet food. It’s just that they will eventually stop paying us for good if we spread out all our information for free. Social networking, a marketing wet dream!
N.
Doug,
I really worry more about the hot affection for Google than about the picture. Hey, I’m a man, I enjoy a healthy cleavage as much as the next man, even if I’d prefer if it were, figuratively speaking, a little less ‘in your face’.
But you see, I’m in the health industry myself. I know a little about data protection. And this is where the whole matter turns very unsexy indeed. I’d decidedly, strongly advise against moving sensitive data to Google. Patient data? Google Health’s a privacy nightmare.
Many businesses rely on other companies to take care of their confidential data. I’m fine with that, my company does that, too. But we do it according to our own rules. We keep a tight leash on what they do with our data, how they do it, where they do it and which individuals have access to it. We hold the individuals responsible for what’s happening. We never keep all data together in one place. We do an external, expert data protection audit every year. And we’d unleash all hell on that company if any bits or bytes leaked to the outside, just as patients or customers would unleash all hell on us if their data became public.
See where this is going? I’d like to invite anyone to look at Google’s terms or privacy policy really carefully. Here’s an example from the Google Health privacy policy: “Certain features of Google Health can be used in conjunction with other Google products, and those features may share information to provide a better user experience and to improve the quality of our services.”
Do you understand, in detail, what that means? No? I don’t either, and if I’m working with confidential data, I don’t like this. Doug pointed it out: “Google makes money by helping others make money.” GOOGLE SELLS INFORMATION. That’s what they do, they’re really very open about it. Folks, even if you don’t really care what happens with your personal data on your Android device, at least act responsibly if you’re working with other people’s data.
I realise it may be difficult for a doctor and his private practice to find a safe and affordable IT solution. But seriously, handing over sensitive (patient) data to Google is like physically handing patient records to a private library for safekeeping. What level of security do they offer? Doug, man, look at what you said: The benefit of doubt, optimism, and confidence? I’m sorry, pal, in my line of business that’s just not good enough.
I realise you probably won’t like this, because you commendably put you money where your mouth is. But for all this is worth, go and check your records.
N.
Wow can you believe this guy?
Hey Nightcookie, you sound like a real fun dude. Maybe we could get together sometime and live off the grid, making money by telling people our opinions on shampoo and spending it on tin foil.
Wohin ja hier gegen die Autorität
Gracias por la ayuda en esta pregunta. Todo genial simplemente.
RAGhVd http://dy5Ndo9BsL1vpVv5kqsUh.com
Each and every teardrop matters therefore far better ensure that should you drop some, its well worth weeping with regard to, coz you can’t ever choose all of them and place it on your eyes. Really like sensibly!