be useful
Why Open Source?
I read an article in BusinessWeek on Google’s Android that’s been irking me since I read it. Now I think know why.As someone who appreciates good ideas, I’m a fan of both Apple & Google. I’m also a beta testing addict who knows nothing about code so the idea of buggy software that’s usable by ordinary people makes me as giddy as a 6 year old running after the ice cream truck.
The thing that bothers me is what’s supposed to be the difference between the Apple and Google platforms:
The most promising thing about Android is the way Web services and search are integrated across applications. In many programs, anything you type into an open window is interpreted as a search request, tailored to whatever you are doing at that moment.
Umm….Really? That’s it?! Is that really the most promising thing about Android?!
The iPhone has flaws, too, but Apple had all the important pieces in place from Day One. Android is a work in progress. I suspect it could be a formidable competitor in six months or a year, but it has a long way to go.
Andy Rubin, who heads up Google’s Android efforts, spoke to me yesterday about his vision for the Android Market. In particular, we talked about how the market will be different from Apple’s iTunes App Store and some other efforts, which also peddle software for cell phones.
Rubin’s message: Google won’t impose many of the restrictions Apple developers have been grumbling about. Unlike iPhone aficionados, developers using Android Market will, for example, be able to allow consumers to try their applications for free before they buy them. This may seem like a small thing, but developers name lack of free trial as one of the biggest reasons behind their lukewarm App Store sales.
Yes, Apple’s gotten a headstart, but who’s going to survive the long game better?
Text posted at 18:33
