Author Topic: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread  (Read 317918 times)

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Offline BranDonk Kong

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #25 on: September 12, 2012, 08:53:41 PM »
Microsoft went backwards  - trying to turn a desktop OS into a mobile OS, and that's why their mobile market share is all but completely gone. Google (and Apple) is doing it correctly - taking a mobile OS, and building it (Google much more so) up into a desktop (or desktop replacement) OS. Will there ever be a successful Android gaming device? No doubt about it, despite oohhboy's opinion. Will it necessarily be a vanilla Android experience? Probably not, it will be more like the Kindle Fire's UX or even the Wii U. Google (you know, that company that started as a search engine built by a couple of college kids about 14 years ago) is taking over the world.
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Offline TJ Spyke

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #26 on: September 12, 2012, 09:04:12 PM »
The Samsung Galaxy S (the Galaxy S III sold over 20 million in its first 3 months). phones have been very successful, to the point that Samsung is beating Apple in phone sales.
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Offline NWR_insanolord

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #27 on: September 12, 2012, 09:17:31 PM »
Comparing Samsung to Apple in phone sales is kind of apples and oranges. According to Wikipedia, in 2011 Samsung released 16 different phones, compared to one from Apple. I'm not trying to argue one's better than the other, just that it doesn't make sense to compare the two directly.
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Offline BranDonk Kong

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #28 on: September 12, 2012, 10:22:51 PM »
Just the Galaxy S 3 is outselling the iPhone 4S, not Samsung phones in general...just a 1 model to 1 model comparison.
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Offline TJ Spyke

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #29 on: September 12, 2012, 10:27:19 PM »
Actually, Samsung phones overall ARE outselling Apple phones overall too. For Q2 2012, Samsung sold 50.2 million phones, Apple sold 26 million.
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Offline BranDonk Kong

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #30 on: September 12, 2012, 10:50:12 PM »
Obviously they are (and have been for years), but I was just saying that the Galaxy S 3 is outselling the iPhone 4S.
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #31 on: September 12, 2012, 11:21:08 PM »
So for the best Android experience, which tablet do you recommend? Samsung Galaxy Tab or Nexus 7? Which device gives you the best specs and features for your money?

Kindle Fire doesnt count, because it's not a true Android tablet. I know it technically runs Android, but Amazon gutted and customized the OS so much that it barely resembles Android. It all works out in Amazon's favor, giving people full access to Amazon's ecosystem, at the expense of Google's. Simply put, the Kindle Fire isn't an Android tablet, it's an Amazon tablet.
« Last Edit: September 12, 2012, 11:29:00 PM by tendoboy1984 »
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Offline TJ Spyke

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #32 on: September 12, 2012, 11:28:39 PM »
Kindle Fire IS a true Android tablet, companies are free to modify Android how they want. And you can install the Google Play store on it if you want to.
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #33 on: September 12, 2012, 11:35:13 PM »
Kindle Fire IS a true Android tablet, companies are free to modify Android how they want. And you can install the Google Play store on it if you want to.

Google doesn't endorse the Kindle Fire as a true Android tablet, and Amazon removed the Google Play Store so they could push their own app store. If it was a true Android tablet, it would give us the complete Android experience, Google and all. Amazon wants the Fire to be a gateway to their ecosystem, which is why they removed native access to the Google Play Store. It probably would have been easier for Amazon to design their own OS.

Android is just the backbone of the Kindle Fire's OS. It's not the core feature of the product.

Look at the Kindle Fire, then look at the Google Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy Tab, etc. Does a Kindle give you the same experience as those other tablets that run Android natively? No. Amazon's tablet is nothing like a real Android tablet, because Amazon doesn't want it to be one.

If I took Windows, stripped it down, redesigned it into something completely different, and repackaged it into a PC, would that device still be a Windows PC?
« Last Edit: September 12, 2012, 11:54:40 PM by tendoboy1984 »
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Offline BranDonk Kong

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #34 on: September 12, 2012, 11:57:05 PM »
I'd have to agree with tendoboy1984's stance, but TJ Spyke is still technically correct. The Kindle Fire completely bastardizes Android, but it's still Android. The UX is pretty awesome though, from a content standpoint.
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #35 on: September 12, 2012, 11:59:05 PM »
Kindle Fire IS a true Android tablet, companies are free to modify Android how they want. And you can install the Google Play store on it if you want to.

In order for something to be a real Android tablet, it has to run Google apps and have access to the Google Play Store. The Samsung Galaxy devices, Google Nexus devices, Asus Transformer tablets, etc. all meet this criteria. It's the whole reason why Google created the Nexus brand, to show people what Android is really like.
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #36 on: September 13, 2012, 12:04:45 AM »
I'd have to agree with tendoboy1984's stance, but TJ Spyke is still technically correct. The Kindle Fire completely bastardizes Android, but it's still Android. The UX is pretty awesome though, from a content standpoint.

Just because the Kindle Fire runs Android at its core, that still doesn't make it a real Android tablet (like the Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Asus Teansforner, etc.). The core Android experience is based on Google and Google Play, but the Kindle's job is to deliver Amazon content to people. Amazon doesn't care about the Google experience, if they did then they'd give us Google Play built-in.
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Offline TJ Spyke

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #37 on: September 13, 2012, 12:05:08 AM »
tendo, where does it say it has to meet those criteria to be a "real" Android tablet?
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Android gaming devices
« Reply #38 on: September 13, 2012, 12:09:16 AM »
tendo, where does it say it has to meet those criteria to be a "real" Android tablet?

Look at every single Android tablet (Galaxy Tab, Nexus 7, etc.). They all give you access to the Google Play Store and built-in Google apps. Google created the Nexus just for this purpose, and it gives you the complete Android experience without any modifications or manufacturer tweaks.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2012, 12:17:31 AM by tendoboy1984 »
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Offline TJ Spyke

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #39 on: September 13, 2012, 12:10:48 AM »
So you are making up your own definition of what YOU consider a "real" Android tablet? Gotcha. Well, Kindle Fire is a real Android tablet, it's just not a tendoboy Android tablet.
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Offline MegaByte

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #40 on: September 13, 2012, 12:17:20 AM »
Look at every single Android tablet (Galaxy Tab, Nexus 7, etc.). They all give you access to the Google Play Store and built-in Google apps.
All of the cheaper Chinese ones and other store branded ones (Nook, etc.) run Android but not Google software. There were more non-Google Android tablets before there were Google experience ones.
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #41 on: September 13, 2012, 12:21:25 AM »
I just went to the official Android site (www.Android.com), and the Kindle Fire is not listed among the large amount of Android devices. This proves that Google doesn't consider the Kindle Fire to be a part of the Android family. Google doesn't endorse the Fire, nor do they provide updates for it.

I know Android is open source, but doesn't Google care about companies restricting access to the Google Play Store?

Imagine if some company redesigned Windows Phone and called their device a real Windows Phone. You think Microsoft would be ok with that?

That's why I don't really like Android compared to Windows and iOS. Google lets people do whatever they want with the OS, and they don't care if companies block access to the Google Play Store. If Google wants to give Android an identity, the Nexus 7 is a good step, but they need to be more assertive than that. I guess that's the nature of open source vs closed source.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2012, 12:28:17 AM by tendoboy1984 »
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Offline MegaByte

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #42 on: September 13, 2012, 12:35:23 AM »
Other companies don't block access to the Play Store, Google blocks other companies from including it when they don't conform to the standards they require (which may include Google Play as the exclusive store).
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #43 on: September 13, 2012, 12:41:24 AM »

Other companies don't block access to the Play Store, Google blocks other companies from including it when they don't conform to the standards they require (which may include Google Play as the exclusive store).



Exactly, which further proves my point. A true Android device must have access to Google apps and the Google Play Store. Google only endorses Android devices that meet these requirements, which is why the Kindle Fire isn't listed on the Android site.


Quote

Android
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Notice all the emphasis on Google? Kindle Fire is the exact opposite of that. The Kindle Fire is first and foremost an Amazon tablet, a device that gives users a central place to access their Amazon content. It's more like an iOS device than anything else.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2012, 12:54:00 AM by tendoboy1984 »
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Offline oohhboy

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #44 on: September 13, 2012, 12:45:16 AM »
JC Tendoboy. What are you doing...
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #45 on: September 13, 2012, 12:54:33 AM »
JC Tendoboy. What are you doing...


Fixed. It turns out Chrome doesn't copy formatting very well when copying text from a webpage.
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #46 on: September 13, 2012, 12:55:27 AM »
Other companies don't block access to the Play Store, Google blocks other companies from including it when they don't conform to the standards they require (which may include Google Play as the exclusive store).


If that's the case, then can't Google block Amazon from using Android if it doesn't conform to their regulations? What Amazon is doing is pretty anticompetitive. Create a product that technically runs Android, but then remove features that make the Android experience unique. Amazon should have just designed their own OS for the Kindle Fire.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2012, 12:58:29 AM by tendoboy1984 »
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Offline TJ Spyke

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #47 on: September 13, 2012, 01:03:21 AM »
No, because that would make it not open source (by definition, they can't stop Amazon). Android is free and open source for anyone to use. The only thing that not including stuff like the Google Play store will do is stop you from getting your device listed on the Android website. There are no regulations to using Android for a company.
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Offline tendoboy1984

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #48 on: September 13, 2012, 01:07:07 AM »

No, because that would make it not open source (by definition, they can't stop Amazon). Android is free and open source for anyone to use. The only thing that not including stuff like the Google Play store will do is stop you from getting your device listed on the Android website. There are no regulations to using Android for a company.



So having access to the Google Play Store is somewhat enforced by Google. And by "true Android device", I meant one that has full access to the Google Play Store (like the Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy Tab, etc.). I'm pretty sure that's also what most people mean when they think of an Android tablet.


And by that definition, the Kindle Fire does not fall into that category; even though it technically runs Android, the Kindle is built around Amazons ecosystem. I'm glad we understand each other now. Sheesh. :)

If I ever buy an Android tablet, that's the kind I want. One that is endorsed by Google and has access to the Google Play Store. I might just get a Nexus 7, but I heard it has some hardware defects (screen popping out, buzzing speakers). Have those problems been fixed in the new models?
« Last Edit: September 13, 2012, 01:09:53 AM by tendoboy1984 »
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Offline TJ Spyke

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Re: Everything Android - The Official Android Thread
« Reply #49 on: September 13, 2012, 01:10:20 AM »
Even those that don't officially have the Google Play store (because the manufacturer didn't want to include it), can still get access to it if you root the device.
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