So no iphone 5, what are currently the leading android alternatives?

[Nottseagull]

I keep all of my music in ITunes on my PC.

If I bought an Android phone to replace my current Iphone would that work, or be compatible ?

If they are in .mp3 format, then why shouldn't they?

 

[adrian29uk]

When you have a closed system like Apple, Microsoft you only go as fast as the developers can push the next operating system out.

And since Android can be installed on many different phones you have your answer.

The power of open source: An Android story

This is why Linux distributions are constantly getting better. It takes canonical only 6 months between new releases of the Ubuntu operating system, whereas it takes Microsoft 3-4 years to bring out a new OS.

Microsoft will claim this is unsafe and you don't what you are getting, but as you can see because of Microsoft's monopoly of not creating versions of IE to run on Mac or Linux, Firefox came along and stole the show. Then Chrome came along, which left IE knackered. Why? Because Firefox, Chrome works across all platforms.

I remember Microsoft did bring out IE 5 on mac, please correct me if I am wrong?

 

[brightn'ove]

I remember Microsoft did bring out IE 5 on mac, please correct me if I am wrong?

I don't think any mac owner with a right mind would download it if they did.

oh yeah, looks like they did: Internet Explorer (IE:Mac) - Mac Download

 

[DTES]

Back to the original question... apparently the new Samsung Nexus Prime is revealed next Tuesday... might well be worth having a look before committing yourself to a pre-order of a 4S...

 

[Tight shorts]

I loved my old HTC Hero and was all set to upgrade to the next HTC but ended up getting a Motorola Atrix on a pretty good business deal for 2 phones via Orange. I like the fingerprint swipe on it for privacy and I like the fact that the battery life is considerably better than my old HTC. It also does other things like hook up to the music and media saved on my PC which I can then play elsewhere in the house. You can also display stuff like photos on the TV when you hook up the docking station to the TV. I won't pretend to know how that bit works as my other half does it but it is good for looking at pics you've taken when friends are round.

 

[Bozza]

When you have a closed system like Apple, Microsoft you only go as fast as the developers can push the next operating system out.

And since Android can be installed on many different phones you have your answer.

That doesn't make sense. It's still one development team (Google) versus another (Apple) when it comes to the OS.

What then happens, in Android-land, is that various manufacturers desperately try to find a way to differentiate their super spangly new phone from the 78 other Android phones with almost the same components and same spec.

So what they do is develop their own shit to stick over the top of the vanilla Android. They try and jazz it up a bit. I'm being a little bit unfair - some of the UI bolt-ons aren't bad at all, but plenty are.

It's exactly the same as the PC market of old (maybe it still is - I don't know) where if you bought a PC from a major manufacturer such as HP or Packard Bell etc, you'd find the machine had been loaded up with masses of custom bloatware on top of Windows. In many cases, a complete re-install of Windows was the best thing to do before you even used your new PC.

 

[adrian29uk]

That doesn't make sense. It's still one development team (Google) versus another (Apple) when it comes to the OS.

What then happens, in Android-land, is that various manufacturers desperately try to find a way to differentiate their super spangly new phone from the 78 other Android phones with almost the same components and same spec.

So what they do is develop their own shit to stick over the top of the vanilla Android. They try and jazz it up a bit. I'm being a little bit unfair - some of the UI bolt-ons aren't bad at all, but plenty are.

It's exactly the same as the PC market of old (maybe it still is - I don't know) where if you bought a PC from a major manufacturer such as HP or Packard Bell etc, you'd find the machine had been loaded up with masses of custom bloatware on top of Windows. In many cases, a complete re-install of Windows was the best thing to do before you even used your new PC.

If Android uses the same system as Ubuntu and manor other distributions where everybody contributes code to the actual operating system, then the OS will advance quicker. But as you quite rightly say these phone companies do put their own stuff over the top, like when you buy a PC from Dell and others.

 

[Simster]

That doesn't make sense. It's still one development team (Google) versus another (Apple) when it comes to the OS.

What then happens, in Android-land, is that various manufacturers desperately try to find a way to differentiate their super spangly new phone from the 78 other Android phones with almost the same components and same spec.

So what they do is develop their own shit to stick over the top of the vanilla Android. They try and jazz it up a bit. I'm being a little bit unfair - some of the UI bolt-ons aren't bad at all, but plenty are.

It's exactly the same as the PC market of old (maybe it still is - I don't know) where if you bought a PC from a major manufacturer such as HP or Packard Bell etc, you'd find the machine had been loaded up with masses of custom bloatware on top of Windows. In many cases, a complete re-install of Windows was the best thing to do before you even used your new PC.

That's not entirely true. Whilst Android is administered by google, they don't own it and it remains open source. That means you or I could find a bug, fix it off line, submit it to the administrators (google) and if agreed, that fix may very well find itself in the next official release. If google continue to ignore fixes and enhancements recommended or requested by popular demand, then there is nothing stopping another potential administrator taking a cut and moving in it's own direction.

Compare this to Apple's software. The fixes and enhancements are done at the whim of Apple, nobody else. And because they have a limited number of eyes on the code, the chances are that fewer bugs get fixed.

 

[Bozza]

I don't think open or otherwise makes any difference. But, for those that do like to bang that drum - it's not really that open at all...

A new way of measuring Openness, from Android to WebKit: The Open Governance Index [Updated] | VisionMobile :: blog

We found Android to be the most “closed” open source project. In the Open Governance Index, Android scores low with regard to timely access to source code in that the platform does not provide source code to all developers at the same time; it clearly prioritises access to specific developer groups or organisations and has acknowledged this with the delayed release of Honeycomb. Additionally Android scores low with regard to access to developer support mechanisms, publicly available roadmap, transparent decision-making processes, transparency of code contributions process, accessibility to become a committer (in that external parties cannot ‘commit’ code to the project) and constraints regarding go-to-market channels.

 

[Another Berkshire Seagull]

Just get a Windows Phone 7.5 device....blows all this iOS and Android stuff out the water.

 

[Bold Seagull]

only recently moved onto my dads old 3gs he gave me from a blackberry.

have an upgrade in feb, debating the new iphone as essentially those bastards will probably release something by june.

It doesn't really matter if another version is released within a year, the version you buy today will last you a good couple of years running all the latest software etc. I still have the original 3G and it's fine, although I am donating it to the wife and getting a new one, however I'd probably stick with it if that wasn't the case. I've had it pretty much 3 years.

What I really want from the upgrade in this case though is a better camera and the video, the 3G does everything else I need it to do other than those functions.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Just get a Windows Phone 7.5 device....blows all this iOS and Android stuff out the water.

Loving your avatar photo!!

Shame you had to post something so ridiculous!

 

[Simster]

I don't think open or otherwise makes any difference. But, for those that do like to bang that drum - it's not really that open at all...

A new way of measuring Openness, from Android to WebKit: The Open Governance Index [Updated] | VisionMobile :: blog

We found Android to be the most “closed” open source project[/b]. In the Open Governance Index, Android scores low with regard to timely access to source code in that the platform does not provide source code to all developers at the same time; it clearly prioritises access to specific developer groups or organisations and has acknowledged this with the delayed release of Honeycomb. Additionally Android scores low with regard to access to developer support mechanisms, publicly available roadmap, transparent decision-making processes, transparency of code contributions process, accessibility to become a committer (in that external parties cannot ‘commit’ code to the project) and constraints regarding go-to-market channels.

Nevertheless, it is more open than Apple's iOS. It should also be pointed out that it absolutely IS open, in that you are able to see the code for the current Android release and all prior releases. Some future branches are also viewable, although there are parts that are kept private. Given that we all have access to current live code, that means potentially millions of eyeballs spotting the current bugs. It's just that you might have no idea whether those bugs are being addressed in a current dev branch or whether you need to report them.

 

[Bozza]

Nevertheless, it is more open than Apple's iOS. It should also be pointed out that it absolutely IS open, in that you are able to see the code for the current Android release and all prior releases. Some future branches are also viewable, although there are parts that are kept private. Given that we all have access to current live code, that means potentially millions of eyeballs spotting the current bugs. It's just that you might have no idea whether those bugs are being addressed in a current dev branch or whether you need to report them.

You seem to be pre-supposing that open = good and closed = bad. Is it? Why?

Android source code, the current version of Honeycomb, was not and has not been released. It's been 7 months now. Google's reason as to why is very spurious at best.

 

[adrian29uk]

You seem to be pre-supposing that open = good and closed = bad. Is it? Why?

Android source code, the current version of Honeycomb, was not and has not been released. It's been 7 months now. Google's reason as to why is very spurious at best.

If things where not open we would be paying for things like Apache, PHP, MySQL and the Linux OS to run our websites. This is why open source is good. These are the reasons I would always support it.

 

[Tomnorthi]

HTC Sensation I have is quality. HD video, very fast, battery life is like that of an iphone though. Shit.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Loving your avatar photo!!

That's his breakfast

 

[Bold Seagull]

That's his breakfast

It actually made me a bit home sick toward the Amex, far too long between home games and a pie n pint!

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Anyway. Moving on. To save me actually having to read lots of techy nerd stuff, can someone please explain this Siri thing Apple were on about yesterday, and why it is (or is not) so good?

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

Anyway. Moving on. To save me actually having to read lots of techy nerd stuff, can someone please explain this Siri thing Apple were on about yesterday, and why it is (or is not) so good?

It looks like it's just voice activation, so you can set reminders, send text messages etc just by speaking. http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/siri.html (shows it pretty clearly). Nothing spectacular though in my opinion.