Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Google Android and Open-Source


When Google announced Android, its software platform for mobile devices, it released an SDK for developers to work with, but it also promised to eventually release the code under an open-source license. Today, Google and its partners in the Open Handset Alliance did exactly that. You can now download the code and help Google and its partners to develop it further. The source code has been released under the Apache 2.0 license and consists of the complete codebase of Android, including all the libraries, media codecs, and applications.

The timing of this announcement coincides with the release of the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, which will go on sale tomorrow.

Apache License

The Apache License allows developers to distribute and modify the source code in any way they want, and developers are not required to distribute the new code under the same license. The new license does not even have to be an open-source license, which will give companies the option to develop their own, proprietary platforms on the basis of Android.


iPhone and Android Compete for Developers


It will be interesting to see where developers will take the Android platform now that they have full access to it. We have already seen the release of quite a few very interesting programs for Android in anticipation of the G1 launch.
This announcement also sets Google apart from Apple, which is trying to keep complete control over its iPhone platform. While most users probably don't care about the politics behind the scenes, the Android platform might siphon off quite a few developers from the iPhone - especially given Apple's erratic behavior around including applications in the iTunes store lately.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

T-Mobile G2, another Google Android Phone



With the launch of the T-Mobile G2 hitting stores, on October, 22 people are already asking what the next Google Android will look like. The new phone will obviously be called the G2, and one thing is certain, it should be able to learn from the G1 and become one of the best handsets on the planet.

Our friends over at Phones Review have managed to get hold of some mockup photos of the T-Mobile G2, and boy do they look good. Who would have thought that people would stop talking about the G1 for a bit and start talking about what the G2 will be like.
Phones Review tell us that the new T-Mobile G2 will have less dead space, will be flush, have a tilting screen with twice the resolution. With Google throwing its weight behind the phone, it should have some of the best software on any handset.

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Slashdot | Motorola To Hire 300 Android Developers

Slashdot | Motorola To Hire 300 Android Developers

Google's Android is starting to see more industry support. Motorola recently announced plans, despite hardships within the company, to hire 300 Android developers. Quoting: 'A quick search of Motorola's job openings suggests that, indeed, Android is set to become a permanent fixture at Motorola, which has long built Linux-based phones but hitherto used MontaVista's Mobilinux.

Move from an internal development pool of 50 Android-savvy developers to 350. Motorola, recognizing that most developers won't have deep experience with Google Android, is looking for a somewhat general skillset ... Java and Google Android programming experience is listed as "highly desirable," but not required