![In Defense of Root [Android]](http://tbottle.com/tb/wp-content/themes/suffusion/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Ftbottle.com%2Ftb%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F08%2Froot-150x150.gif&w=80&h=80&zc=1&quality=75&type=m)
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There’s no doubt that Verizon is betting heavily on Android. Although it seems like a near certainty that the iPhone will come to Verizon, perhaps as early as January, Verizon seems to have a near lock on quality Android devices. The only exception seems to be the Samsung Galaxy S, which will be available on all major carriers. AndroidAndMe.Com has posted up a list of upcoming Android devices, along with pictures. I really like that Verizon is bringing in some low-end and mid-range Android phones. Droid X seems like it will be the flagship Android for the near future but these upcoming phones look good. Visit AndroidAndMe.Com to view the goods:
http://androidandme.com/2010/08/news/verizon-goes-all-in-with-android-over-a-dozen-devices-revealed/
P.S. We’ll see if today is the day for Froyo on the HTC Droid Incredible. I’m skeptical.
Some LEGO, an Android phone with a good camera and a skilled programmer came together to solve a 7 x 7 x 7 Rubik’s Cube. Impressive.
[via SingularityHub / only ~ 3,000 YouTube views at time of this post]
RIM has released another Blackberry OS 6 video. I thought the first video and OS 6 stunk. This one, however, is pretty good and shows some features of OS 6.0 we haven’t seen before like better integration with social networks and the RSS reader (they bought Viigo, perhaps to help with this project). For video #3, I have some suggestions: What about the calendar? How about the 3rd party apps?
I still believe that RIM needs to get on board with Android but I read an interesting piece in BetaNews suggesting RIM will stay competitive with enterprise customers much like Nextel has. Nonetheless, RIM plus Android would be a combination that would strike fear in other device manufacturers because, sans Storm 1 and Tour, RIM builds really good hardware. Toss in a proprietary email app and some method of using RIM’s email push patents, and RIM has a red hot product. Will this happen? Not anytime soon and probably never.
You may have noticed that I have been blogging less often. Before I was averaging around two posts a day and now I’m down to a few per week. (During this slow down, page views and unique visitors have held steady. Thank you, Google.) The topic I covered the most frequently was mobile devices (mostly smartphones) and that will continue. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to cover mobile devices for a few reasons:
- Information overload makes blogging phones difficult. It seems like a new phone is announced or leaked almost every few days. Virtually every major tech blog now covers mobile devices heavily. Bloggers who rely on reading other blogs for post ideas need to sift through thousands of posts a day to stay on top of the latest developments. If you have interests in other topics too, you can expect thousands of additional posts to show up in your RSS reader. Unless you blog full time, it is difficult to stay abreast of current topics.
- The mobile device blogging space is becoming increasingly saturated; is it possible to have a unique view of the iPhone 4 reception problems? I suppose but it’s unlikely. Is it worthwhile to write the 1,001st post about the HTC Evo 4G’s battery life? Hell, there’s probably an entire blog or two dedicated to the HTC Evo 4G’s battery life.
- Products are less differentiated because Android is spreading like wildfire. Let’s face it, comparing an Android 2.1 to an Android 2.1 isn’t the most exciting thing in the world. If they’re running the same OS, then the phones will produce a somewhat similar experience. Sure, processing power, camera quality and other factors matter but high-end mobile devices seem to have much more in common than in the past. Frankly, it is difficult to remain interested in comparing somewhat similar devices, e.g., a Droid 2 and a Samsung Galaxy S Pro. Maybe Blackberry OS 6.0 will shake things up a bit but I see it more of a copycat OS than something revolutionary.
- The “leaked” photos scene is the modus operandi of the industry. Almost every major manufacturer and carrier seems to intentionally leak photos and specs far in advance of launch. (One notable exception is Apple.) This is becoming increasingly transparent and Jonathan Geller (a/k/a Boy Genius) estimated that 70% of leaks are planned. So, if you want to be in the inner circle of reporting phone leaks, then you need to cozy up to device manufacturers and carriers like Geller. Bottom line: you’re not going to get your hands on a Droid X before Engadget. Of course, you can go the remaining 30% route and hang out in German beer gardens located near Cupertino, CA hoping for the next Apple slip-up.
These are just some of the reasons why I’ve been blogging less. Other reasons include being busier with other activities and shifting my blogging to Buzz ratio in favor of Buzz.
I probably bit off more than I could chew when I launched this blog in November. The idea was to write about anything tech that interests me. By doing so, I have become interested in more and more tech topics. Going forward, I expect to continue at my current blogging pace but to try to come up with unique posts and share more personal opinions (instead of regurgitating a bunch of leaked photos and planted rumors). I’m my own editor and can shift the direction of the blog at any time without running the decision up a flagpole. That’s one of the things I like best about blogging.
I am a big fan of Google Voice. Now everyone in the U.S. can enjoy the service. Visit voice.google.com now to sign up.
Microsoft’s Office Live is now up and running for everyone to poke around. Here’s my take on it: it looks promising if you can tolerate the Office 2007 ribbons. If you can’t tolerate the ribbons, stick with Google Docs for cloud word processing.
Try it out:
http://office.live.com/?docsf=1&wa=wsignin1.0
http://www.google.com/buzz/jonathan.mallin/bnN3Rwnjnn1/Anyone-with-opinions-on-the-new-Office-online
I often receive emails from friends and family who use feature phones asking me about smartphones. These are the tips I usually give.
- Pick your carrier first: Your mobile phone experience will be severely hampered if you cannot get a signal or talk on the phone without the call dropping. Sometimes I’m asked what carrier provides the best service. Answer: it really depends on your geographic area. Some cities have good coverage by one carrier and not another. Ask friends, neighbors, etc. Maybe borrow a phone from someone on the carrier you are considering to make sure it works in your home.
- Choose your platform next: The primary choices are (alphabetical order): Android, Blackberry, iPhone and WinMo/Windows Phone 7 (coming soon). I say people should avoid any device that doesn’t run one of those OSs. Google “Android vs. Blackberry” and “iPhone vs. Android” etc. I would avoid relying on any source that relies directly on manufacturers for advertising revenue like print publications. Also, carrier websites are not that helpful in choosing a platform because they tend to present all options they offer as near equals. Even Palm still gets promoted. Ask friends what they use and whether they would switch to another platform if given the choice. (There are also some surveys on this subject like this one.)
- Visit Official Websites and Carrier Websites: Now, with the exception of the iPhone, you may find your options somewhat confusing. The Blackberry Curve or the Bold? The Ally or the Incredible? Visit your preferred carrier’s website to compare the specs of the phones. Here are some links:
- Verizon: https://smartphones.verizonwireless.com/ is a terrific site. It’s easy to navigate and displays only smartphones. Click on “Shop Smartphones” and then select the OS you want on the left.
- Sprint: http://shop.sprint.com/NASApp/onlinestore/en/Action/DisplayPhones?INTNAV=ATG:HE:Phones provides a way to filter Sprint’s offerings to only display smartphones but it doesn’t offer a way filter by OS like Verizon’s site does.
- AT&T: http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/cell-phones/pda-phones-smartphones.jsp has a smartphone section but only allows sorting by manufacturer, not OS.
- Visit a Brick and Mortar Store: Narrow your choices to two or three devices and go to a corporate owned store, not an “authorized retailer.” Don’t pester the employees who are willing to push just about anything on unsuspecting customers. Just spend a few minutes with each smartphone. Try the camera, see if you like the screen, push the buttons and poke around a bit. Formulate a final opinion.
- Order Online: I’m not a big fan of waiting in line at a store and being pushed a bunch of accessories while I wait for the smartphone to boot up. Have the phone shipped to you. It will come with detailed instructions and if you need assistance activating your phone contact your carrier.
- Mark Your Return Period on Your Calendar: Many carriers will allow you to swap out your phone for a different model once within your first 30 days of ownership. If you really made a huge mistake, pay up the $20-$30 and swap smartphones.
If all else fails, pester the person in your social circle who knows smartphones the best.
I turned my computer OS inside out. I’ve been considering this for a long time and I finally did it. Previously, I was running Windows 7 and from time to time I would play with Ubuntu 10.04 (Linux) in VirtualBox (instructions here). Don’t get me wrong; I like Windows 7… a lot. I just happen to like Ubuntu more and I’ll tell you why in the next paragraph. If you’re at all curious about Linux, I share some tips about trying Ubuntu in this post and I’ll toss in an impressive video of a heavily customized Ubuntu system.
I switched to Ubuntu for a few reasons. First, most of the software I use exists in Linux form and often runs better under Linux than Windows. Google Chrome is a great example. It is screaming fast in Linux and clearly performs better than it does in Windows. Second, the only products I couldn’t adequately replace were high end Adobe products. (Office 2007 runs in Ubuntu with some tweaking, if that’s your preferred office suite.) In order to run these products, I run a Linux version of VirtualBox with Windows 7 inside of Linux or I boot up the computer into my Windows 7 partition (which I preserved from before… better safe than sorry). Second, Ubuntu has a one click “update everything on this computer” service. Windows updates the OS only and each program must be updated individually. In my opinion, this is a huge advantage to Ubuntu. Third, Ubuntu is more secure and doesn’t require virus checkers and spyware software bogging down the system. Fourth, Ubuntu is much more configurable than Windows. It’s somewhat analogous to what I wrote about the whole iPhone vs. Android debate. Configurable systems are not inherently better than less configurable systems. It depends on whether you prefer to tweak a system to your liking or prefer simplicity. Fifth, I really believe that Linux is the future and Windows is the past. Android is Linux and Google’s Chrome OS is Linux. I expect widespread adoption of both. Sixth, Ubuntu comes bundled with good, powerful software like OpenOffice, Rythm Box and many more goodies but it doesn’t come bundled with commercial bloatware. Seventh, Ubuntu and many other Linux distributions are absolutely free. You won’t have to pay for upgrades either.
There are some drawbacks to moving to Ubuntu. As I mentioned above, not all software is available in a Linux flavor. Linux isn’t backed by a single, unified entity like Microsoft. Documentation and discussion boards are scattered throughout the internet (hint: Google is your friend when you have an issue). Additionally, the kid down the street who solves all your computer problems might not be well versed in Linux.
If you’re interested in trying out Ubuntu without making a permanent decision to move to it, I recommend that you choose from the following options:
- Create a “Live CD” or USB stick which can boot up Ubuntu. By doing this, you can check your hardware for Ubuntu compatibility. You can download the ISO for Ubuntu from Ubuntu.com.
- Download wubi.exe from http://wubi-installer.org. This installer is interesting because it doesn’t even partition your hard drive. It basically creates one large file in Windows that serves as the hard drive. It creates a dual bootup option for loading Windows or Ubuntu upon powering up. If you decide you don’t like Ubuntu, run wubi.exe again and it will clean everything up for you.
- If you have a reasonably powerful computer (dual core or better with > 2 gigs of RAM), you can virtualize Ubuntu within Windows following these instructions.
- You can partition your drive and install Ubuntu into a partition by burning the ISO to a CD and booting from the CD. This is a somewhat more permanent install than the methods above and I discourage this method for computer beginners or people who don’t know whether Ubuntu will play nice with their hardware.
Check out this impressive video of Ubuntu. This shows off Compiz which is a set of eye candy visual effects that are possible in Ubuntu. I also like this video because it shows Windows XP and Adobe software virtualized in Ubuntu.
I sure picked the wrong week to be busy with non-tech stuff. Much has happened in the past week and my Google Reader is still readlined at 1000+ new articles to read. These are some of the stories from the past week that look the most interesting:
- Android 2.2 “FroYo” debuted at Google I/O. Many people have it up and running on rooted Nexus Ones. It supports the creation of mobile hotspots which basically turns a FroYo device into a wireless router. IntoMobile has been providing good coverage. It recently reported that the “leaked” version is not the final version, according to Googler Romain Guy, but it is apparently very stable.
- Google I/O attendees found HTC Evo 4Gs in their goodie bags, Oprah style. I’ve written about the Evo 4G before (which should have stayed with the codename “Supersonic” but, anyhow…). What happens when you give an hot Android phone to hundreds of developers? Well, someone figures out how to gain superuser access by rooting the device (video). Robert Scoble started a high traffic Buzz comparing the Evo to the iPhone platform. Many newly minted Android fans weighed in and dueled with Apple fanatics. The iPhone 4G (or HD or whatever they decide to call it) has a fierce competitor comprised of Google and virtually every major device manufacturer.
- Mark Zuckerberg conceded by email (which he agreed to make public): “I know we’ve made a bunch of mistakes….” Captain Obvious? I wonder, however, whether they did as big a land grab as possible with a slight retreat in mind from the onset. Don’t know. In any event, it remains to be seen what Facebook intends to do about the mistakes. I suggest that they include a lockdown button in the privacy settings which basically toggles off all information sharing except with friends. In my opinion, that would be a step in the right direction for Facebook.
- Gizmodo found or stole another prototype, depending on your perspective. This one appears to be the Motorola Shadow which runs Android. The story goes that a gym employee found one laying around and Gizmodo got ahold of it (follow link for pics). This phone looks great and it’s almost certainly Verizon bound. It could be branded as the “Droid 2.”
- The Google Orkut experiment is still ongoing. A number of Google Buzz users are playing around with Orkut and enjoying it. If you’re at all interested, check out my post about it.
- Finally, this blog has been getting very heavy traffic lately compared to historical numbers. I attribute that primarily to my posts about the HTC Incredible which is still back ordered at Verizon. I’ve loaded up on apps and if you don’t know where to start, check out my AppBrain page. Also, I redid the TechBottle logo in the header of the blog. Do you like it? Be honest. I’m on the fence about it but I’d rather read and write to the blog than tinker with the logo more.
P.S. I have something brewing with a major carrier. Expect good but very honest hands-on cellphone reviews. It’s also possible I’ll have some leaked info about upcoming phones soon. Stay tuned!
Acer is launching Chrome OS netbooks at a trade show in early June taking place in Taiwan, according to VentureBeat’s sources. This is a surprise to many because Chrome netbooks weren’t expected to arrive this early.
I don’t think we’ll see anything surprising with Chrome OS other than possible improvements in speed. Afterall, it’s just an OS that boots a browser. It doesn’t support software installation. Chome OS will appeal to enterprises and anyone looking for a really inexpensive netbook (think: WebTV replacement).
It’s been confirmed that Google’s tablet will run Android, not Chrome OS. This makes perfect sense because the gesture/multitouch support is already built into Android. Also, Android is all about widgets and customization. Chrome OS can barely be customized because, as I always repeat, it’s just boot up to a web browser. Sure, you can install a Chrome browser theme but it’s fairly plain vanilla.
Hexxeh’s build of Chrome OS continues to garner media attention, including an impressive mention by the New York Times — Not too bad for a 17 year old computer hobbyist. You can download it today and begin playing with it.
[via Chad Catacchio at The Next Web via VentureBeat]
Motorola has a new ad campaign to help sell the Droid, a/k/a last year’s hardware. Apparently there’s a big push to get these things out of the stockrooms and warehouses because the HTC Incredible is about to jump to top billing at Verizon. It’s a strange campaign, indeed.
A Pickpocketer’s Delight
Confirmation that the Droid is a Manly Phone
Let’s Cause a Traffic Accident
Practical Application
This afternoon Matt Cutts buzzed the following:
Here’s a new trick that hasn’t been blogged yet! Google’s url shortener at goo.gl can generate QR codes (which are 2D barcodes) just by appending “.qr” after the goo.gl url. So the url http://goo.gl/727X does a redirect to http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/ and the url http://goo.gl/727X.qr will generate a QR code that also goes to http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/ . Pretty cool, huh? Please share this trick widely. :)
If you are unfamiliar with QR Codes, you can read my primer entitled “Blackberry Messenger Code ‘Decoded’: QR Code Explained and Free Generator.”
The easiest way to use the goo.gl URL shortner is to install Chrome MUSE in Google’s Chrome browser.
This is an example of a QR Code, one that would take the scanning device to the @techbottle twitter page:
@techbottle on twitter
[via Google Buzz]
I’ve been writing a lot about running alternative operating systems to Microsoft Windows on a PC. Some readers might be wondering why one would want an OS other than Windows. Some reasons one might include:
- Price. Ubuntu and many other Linux variants are free.
- Security. Linux tends to be more secure and requires fewer patches to remain secure.
- Personal Preference. Linux can be heavily customized, much moreso than I’ve ever seen Windows customized.
Some drawbacks to running Linux include:
- Compatibility with Older Hardware. You could run into problems finding the right drivers for your hardware, particularly if own old hardware. Almost all manufacturers now provide Linux drivers on their websites for newer hardware and Ubuntu and other Linux variants come bundled with many of them, much like Windows does.
- Compatibility with Software. With some trickery, Linux can run Microsoft Office 2007 properly using WINE, a free Windows emulator than runs seamlessly within Linux. WINE comes bundled with many Linux variants. Alternatively, one might consider running OpenOffice.Org’s free Windows replacement suite. Some other software packages are incompatible with Linux even with WINE, but generally free Linux alternatives exist for virtually any application. Most of the programs I use come in a Linux flavor, including Google’s Chrome browser and TweetDeck.
If you’re curious what Linux looks like, you should watch the videos below which show off the UI.
The first video shows off the latest features of Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx:
The next video shows off a heavily customized install:
This video demos the Gnome Shell 3.0 interface which comes bundled with Ubuntu 10.04 (to activate for one session: load terminal and type “gnome-shell –replace”):
This is what the Ubuntu Netbook Remix UI looks like:
For more information about Ubuntu, visit http://www.ubuntu.com/
This looks awesome! OnLive is a video gaming system of sorts that streams games without the need to download them in the entirety. Games are streamed on demand and they can be played on a computer or on a television (with a small box). OnLive officially launches on June 17, 2010 but you can find a number of demo videos on YouTube. They have their own channel at http://www.youtube.com/onlive. Check out the trailer below:
If you’re among the masses considering an Android phone, you might want to borrow a friend’s Android phone or visit a store and poke around on a Droid a bit like I did. The next best alternative is to virtualize Android on a PC using VirtualBox. VirtualBox runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Android-x86 Project is a website dedicated to running Android OS on a PC. There are a number of ways of installing Android OS on a computer but I prefer VirtualBox because you do not have to replace your current OS or partition your drive. If you decided you no longer want Android OS on your computer, you can simply delete the virtual Android machine.
Android-x86 Project’s Wiki contains instructions for installing Android 1.6 in VirtualBox. You also need to download the ISO. Sound and internet connectivity work fine if you follow the instructions. The system even comes pre-installed with a few apps.
Obviously, you don’t get a really good feel for Android on a computer screen but you can form a preliminary opinion. I also found the virtual Android helpful in testing this blog’s mobile version for Android, iPhone, Blackberry Storms and WebOS using the WP-Touch plugin.
Thanks to Bill and TopDNBass on Phandroid’s forums for responding to my post about virtualizing Android.
