February 23, 2011

Lay off Apple's Subscriptions model

This is an open letter, in response to Engadget's article titled Apple's new subscription policy 'smacks of greed', something that has irritated me, looking at hatred pointed at Apple, unjustly. Call me a fanboy or whatever, but let's look at the facts.

Apple has created an ecosystem of it's own, granted it's not open like others, but controlling its own ecosystem allows it to take ownership and responsibility for, which is their right, just like a parent is allowed to teach his or her kids in his or her way. Google on the other hand have allowed their os to roam free, and policies that are not really controlled or monitored, and it's their right to do.

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February 23, 2011

Skype video for Android? Yeah right

I have noticed people winging over the past few months about why the Skype for iPhone is making strides in terms of what it is offering, such as video calls etc, while the Android version seems to remain stagnant and slow with it's releases.

People are screaming out that it's phones are just as capable, if not more capable than it's Apple counterpart in hardware to support video calls. Well droid-fans, got news for you. It's got nothing to do with hardware or software, and not even the fact that the iOS market is more lucrative, after all Skype for Linux is just as capable as it is on any other platform.

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December 11, 2010

Opinion: What Android needs to do to keep it's users happier than Apple's

No matter how avid a Droid fanboy one is, and I am not pretending to be, Google have sold their souls to phone manufacturers and network carriers. Today's Android ingredients would include the following:

1) Raw pure open source Google operating system, flavoured with well-intended goodness.

2) Add a cup of Phone manufacturer widgets and 'crapware' to it, such as Samsung's UI and background-threaded memory intensive hogs.

3) Finish off with an AT&T or Optus network-carrier set of widgets and useless apps.

What do you end up with? Something that is far from open source. Sure it is still more open than Apple but it isn't open. It's a relative term. In fact, if Apple decided to one day go open, it could do so with the switch of a button. The mere fact that their applications are separated from the operating system, sitting in their own sandboxes makes it easier to do so.

While I don't advocate Apple's policy not to be able to do more to integrate apps with the operating system, I do indeed support the notion of Google not allowing Motorola or HTC to add any non-removable UI. Any UI they add, should be able to be turned off. I don't mind adding a unique flavour to one's phone but it should not be forced onto. You already get the hardware and physical aesthetics that differentiate one's phone.

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May 12, 2010

Is the GooglePad coming?

Verizon is working with Google on a tablet device. Earlier mock-up of a Chrome OS tablet by Gizmodo.

Internet giant Google is working with US carrier Verizon Wireless on a tablet computer like Apple's iPad, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Verizon Wireless chief executive Lowell McAdam told the newspaper in an interview that tablet computers are part of the "next big wave of opportunities."

McAdam said the tablet computer project is part of a deepening relationship between Verizon, the largest US wireless carrier, and Google, whose Android operating system is used by a number of mobile handset makers.

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Filed under: Google