Android Developers Disgruntled with Market

Android is a relative newcomer to the mobile operating system arena, but it is quickly emerging as the dark horse and the most likely contender to challenge the popular Apple iPhone. Google's Android Market has only a fraction of volume of apps in Apple's App Store, but Android Market is still the second place app store.

The growth and success of the app store depends on satisfied developers continuing to create apps for the Android platform, though. Here are some of the key findings from the survey of Android developers:

? 57 percent of developers said they are not satisfied with their profits on Android.

? 90 percent of developers reported individual app downloads of 10,000 or under on Android.

? 52 percent of Android developers' apps were downloaded fewer than 5,000 times.

? 43 percent feel that they would sell more apps if Android used a carrier billing or another simpler billing system.

? 68 percent of those surveyed are somewhat or not likely to put further work into their apps, compared to when they first released their app.

It is never a good sign if the majority of your developers are unhappy, or when nearly 70 percent state that they are more or less giving up on their apps and don't intend to maintain or update them. That doesn't bode well for Android Market.

According to the survey report "82 percent of those surveyed feel that the design of the Android Marketplace makes it difficult for apps to be noticed. Often, apps will be released and quickly buried by other apps, and difficult to find again."

The survey also found that developers are concerned with the fact that there are multiple versions of the Android platform and a wide variety of Android-based devices. "Looking forward to a marketplace with multiple Android devices from several device makers running on multiple carriers, developers are concerned with the challenge of their apps performing consistently. 46 percent of developers surveyed were certain that different versions of Android would make development difficult."

I have two concerns with the survey though. First, Skyhook Wireless only surveyed 30 developers. I don't know how many total developers there are working on Android apps, but I don't think 30 is a large enough sample for the survey results to be accepted as scientific.

My second issue is that I am not sure that these stats are all that concerning. The Apple App Store has more than 100,000 apps available. Apple receives the equivalent of the Android Market in new app submissions each week.

Apple has more than 125,000 developers registered in the Apple iPhone Developer Program. I am fairly sure that you could choose a random sampling of 30 of them, or even 300, or possibly 3,000, and find that many of them are also dissatisfied with the rate at which their apps are being downloaded or the profits they are generating.

Based on revenue the Android Market does have some catching up to do, though. Relative to the ratio of apps available from each app store, Google should be generating about a tenth of the revenue that Apple's App Store pulls in. At approximately $60 million a year though, Google's Android Market is only pulling in about a quarter of that compared with Apple's $2.4 billion.

My take is that Android Market is young. Google has significant room for improvement and it should take some notes from this survey and consider updates to the Android Market--particularly in how apps are categorized and searched, and how app billing is handled.

That said, though, when there are thousands and thousands of apps available, many of them will quickly fall off the radar and only a relative few will achieve significant profit. The survey sampling is too small to give much weight to the results.

Apple MacBook Pro MB166LL/A 17-inch Laptop Review

Stylishly and intelligently designed for mobile professionals, Apple’s MacBook Pro now includes Apple’s Multi-Touch technology (which debuted with the MacBook Air), allowing you to pinch, swipe, or rotate to enlarge text, advance through photos, or adjust an image. And it gets a serious speed bump from Intel’s latest 2.5 GHz 45-nanometer Penryn series Core 2 Duo processor (with 6 MB L2 cache), which also helps to reduce power requirements and save on battery life. This model (MB166LL/A ) also has state-of-the art NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT video card with 512 MB of GDDR3 video RAM.
Read More : Apple MacBook Pro MB166LL/A 17-inch Notebook/Laptop Review

iPhone and Android keep software away, T-Mobile prices and dates UK G1, and LG sneaks in with Renoir work of art

After several weeks packed to the trumpets with huge software announcements and hot hardware releases, it's nice to get back to more mainstream mobile news. And there's no shortage of that this week, thanks to our gold mining Pocket Picks research leprechauns. So let's jump into their glistening horde of hot news riches with a look at one of this week's tastiest – and least likely to happen – stories.

In principle, this iPhone-powered 'netbook' is a blindingly awesome idea. Supposedly, the iPhone is plugged into this ultra mobile laptop peripheral where the touchpad would go and, as well as acting as a pointing device, provides the CPU brain for the system. Details are sparse enough to make us think that, at best, this is a concept rather than a product going into development. Apple is also notoriously strict when it comes to such uses of its darling handset, but who wouldn't sacrifice a limb to give this little beauty a test drive?

Until something like this unlikely device actually appears, at least we'll have the new Firefox mobile browser to help us surf. Still in development stages, some interesting WinMo screenshots have appeared to highlight a few functions we can expect to see. Along with tabbed browsing and a revamped interface more suited to the micro screen, Firefox Mobile apparently boasts some impressive benchmark tests – something which any mobile net surfer will be pleased to hear.

Also on the mobile surfing front is Adobe's confirmation that Flash is coming to the iPhone. But before we get too excited about the prospect of running browser based games and applications, Apple has potentially put the brakes on with a cryptic statement in its SDK prohibiting 'interpreted' code. On top of this intention to reduce the functionality of Adobe's Flash system, Apple has blocked Microsoft's little used equivalent, Silverlight, from access to the iPhone. Instead, Microsoft is attempting to open doors by turning its attention to the Google systems. It already runs inside the Google Chrome browser, and will hopefully be available for the Android OS pretty soon.

The continued obstreperousness of Apple is offering all kinds of opportunities for the more accommodating competition, though perhaps not quite so many as were initially reported for sales of the T-Mobile G1 handset. Originally reported as cahching 1.5 million units on pre-order, it seems the source of the figures wasn't especially reliable. There's still a pretty decent UK interest in the handset, however, following on from T-Mobile's announcement of the G1's release date and pricing structure. Get your order in now, if the somewhat tacky looking handset doesn't put you off (it's what's inside that counts, anyway).

True enough, Apple's copped its share of flak regarding its ham-fisted methods of dealing with developers, but it now seems the forthcoming Android Market has taken a leaf from the App Store's totalitarian regime. The online Android store is also set to incorporate a 'kill switch' function which allows it to delete applications from user's handsets. The insistence is that this will only be used to remove 'harmful' apps, which doesn't seem unlikely as Google will be far kinder than Apple when it comes to vetting software.

And finally, if all this talk of heavy handed manufacturer micro-management puts you off these big name handsets, LG might have quietly released an alternative just for you. The LG Renoir is a delicious piece of hardware that competes with the likes of the iPhone rather impressively. Focused more on the eight-megapixel camera side of things, the Renoir sports wi-fi, GPS, TV out, Dolby sound, face detection, a digital image stabiliser, xenon flash and a razor sharp Schneider-Kreuznach lens. With these kind of functions, this could well be the sleeper hit handset of 2008's fourth quarter, so don't overlook it when shopping for a next gen handset.
Source: Pocketgamer.co.uk

Apple iPhone vs Google Android G1

The iPhone obviously had a huge impact on the smartphone market selling over 1MM phones on its opening weekend,  but on top of that it also created buzz on the smartphone market and all those people who also wanted a smartphone but not necessarily an iPhone or switching to AT&T are looking around for alternatives… Blackberry stock doubled, Verizon came out with the Voyager, and now T-Mobile with the G1. So would the G1 compete with the iPhone? Experts say that the G1 will sell 400,000 phones before the end of the year … not an impressive number, but then again, t mobile is tiny compared to AT&T. The main difference with Android and the iPhone, and that Android has all its numbers combined — all carriers, all brands, all models — and the iPhone is just one.

5 G1 Pros

1. Keyboard
As proficient as we’ve become with the iPhone’s virtual keypad, tapping touchscreen keys has its limits. Physical keyboards, like those on BlackBerrys and Treos, are much easier to use. The G1’s little keyboard will become especially important as smartphone manufacturers increasingly market their devices as pocket-based PCs, and may give the G1 a clear edge when it comes to gaming.

2. Expandable and Removable Parts
The iPhone’s sealed battery is more of a metaphoric problem than a functional one. Sure, it’s a pain not being able to swap in a new battery for long jaunts off the grid (thankfully, plenty of accessories are designed to fix this problem), and nobody likes having to ship his phone back to Apple if his battery begins to lose its charge. But this problem has drawn as much fire as it has because it is symbolic of the closed, unmodifiable nature of Apple products.

3. Integrated Compass
Not only does the G1 have GPS, it has an integrated compass that can determine which way you’re facing and give you Google Maps StreetView images of the buildings around you. It’s not that useful on its own; after all, you could just look up to see what’s around you, but we’re interested in seeing what third-party developers can do with this functionality.

4. Offline Integration with Google Apps
You can access mobile versions of most Google applications on an iPhone, but with a few exceptions (such as the Google Maps application) you’ll need to do it through the Web. The Android phone’s calendar is an offline version of the much-loved Google Calendar online application. Enter dates into your phone, and they automatically show up on your online calendar. And while you can easily set an iPhone to sync up with calendars such as Google’s there is a beautiful simplicity with the way Android replicates the online programs you are used to offline, in areas where you don’t have service.

5. Multitasking and Copy and Pasting
The iPhone can do a lot, but it can’t do a lot at once. With the exception of the iPod music-playing program, which can run in the background while you do just about anything. This does not mean that the iPhone does not multitask, it does, but Apple does not want 3rd party apps killing the battery. With Android, you can easily swipe between programs. However, it must be noted that it is still to be seen what sort of effect this will have on the phone’s memory and performance (point to Apple or Google?) It must be noted that we really do appreciate that Android allows you to copy and paste text. Perhaps it will motivate Apple to finally bring that feature to the iPhone.

5 iPhone pros

1. The G1 does not have a Real Media Player
The iPhone doesn’t just play back video—it’s one of the best (and best-looking) portable media players on the market. While we’ll certainly see developers making video playback programs for the G1, there are none built into it.

2. The iPhone is Thinner
The G1’s slide-out keyboard may be useful, but it comes at a price: The G1 takes us back to the pocket-bulging smartphones of yesteryear, while the iPhone is svelte enough to fit in the front pocket of your Levis.

3. No Multitouch
The G1 uses a capacitive touchscreen. This is the same highly sensitive type of screen found on the iPhone (most touchscreen phones use mostly inferior resistive touchscreens), and should allow the G1 to compete when it comes to touch sensitivity. But the G1 does not have the iPhone’s multitouch capability. While the G1 attempts to make up for it by utilizing “long-touches” to bring up deep menus, it loses out on the huge amount of functionality (and coolness) that comes from the iPhone’s ability to sense two fingers at once.

4. Terrible Headphone Jack
The iPhone proved that people were willing to listen to music on their cellphones. Still, most manufacturers are reluctant to put a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack on their phones, forcing customers instead to use bulky adaptors or subpar bundled headphones. The 3G iPhone bucked that trend (the original had an annoying recessed headphone jack that could only take specially made headphones), but the G1 relies on an irritating proprietary plug. To make things work, early indications are that adaptors won’t even be available when the phone first hits shelves, making the bundled headphones the only choice.

5. Internal Memory
The iPhone currently comes in 8 GB and 16 GB varieties, and we’ll likely see a 32 GB version before long. The G1 has just 192 MB of onboard memory, and comes with a 1 GB micro-SD card. That’s not really enough memory for a phone that’s supposed to be full of music and downloaded applications. If you want an 8 GB G1, you’ll have to purchase an 8 GB micro-SD card, which will push the price of the phone from $179 above the iPhone’s $199 price tag. If T-Mobile, Google and HTC really expect us to use the G1 as a mobile computer, they’ll need to give us more memory.

Source: popularmechanics.com takemetoyourleader.com

Global mobile phone industry will speed up

Apple's cell phone I tried out the limelight, Google's G mobile phone is also the perfect completion of the first stage of the show: 4 days after the listing of the first 60,000 mobile phones sold out. Subsequently, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, and other mobile phone giants have expressed their willingness "to follow."

Apple's iPhone (hereinafter referred to as the cell phone I), Google's GPhone (hereinafter referred to as the G mobile phones), Nokia-led mobile phones based on Symbian operating system (hereinafter referred to as mobile N), led by Microsoft Windows Mobile-based phone system (hereinafter referred to as W Cell phones) are engaged in a melee. Different areas of the giants, from their own advantage, put on a mobile phone cross-border war.

Traditional phone hegemony, the world's exclusive 40% share of mobile phones Nokia is clearly not reconciled to this robbed the limelight. According to overseas media reports, Nokia's first touch-screen phone will be raising the veil in mid-October, this competition against G mobile phone and I phone. From Microsoft to Apple, and then to Google, "Overnight, the world's most successful companies suddenly become our competitors, this is for us a little hard to believe." Nokia president and CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo is clearly aware that competition Environment and the pattern is undergoing a subtle change, the focus is no longer the little guy's cell phone itself, Apple, Google and Microsoft to join the IT giant, the global mobile phone industry will speed up the process of the network.

Phone into the operating system for free, open source era

Cisco vice president of global Xu Jie a free show on the iPhone, the Internet or e-mail to deal with, he has this as its mobile phone business assistant. In the United States, like him more and more users. iPhone is not only the fashion crowd patents, business groups have also gradually become a fan of the iPhone.

Although still optimistic about the sales, but the G mobile phone market after I did not line up the rush to buy mobile phones, has been named Dream of G1 cell phone, there is no ground-breaking design of the bright spots, weight and thickness of the cell phone more than I had. But Google has always been the modus operandi is to attack the weak competitors. I phone application, although one step ahead, but the G mobile phones will be more business applications with the Google network and in close connection with the application of a breakthrough: one-click access to Google search, maps, Gmail, Youtube video, calendar and GTalk, with a copy of the Gmail account, As well as e-mail traffic, which are G mobile phone business away people selling point. From this point, G mobile phone to the phone I pose a threat.

Google also to be a fatal blow is completely open and free of charge. Compared to Apple's application for the development of a more strict control of each application are subject to the approval of Apple in the application can store sales. Google is allowing developers the freedom to upload their work.

Of course, the strike among the biggest impact on Microsoft. Microsoft Windows mobile operating system to use the same extension of the mandate model of mobile phone manufacturers to charge 8-15 U.S. dollars of software license fees. At the same time, based on the Windows platform for the development of architecture, they may be compatible with a variety of software to enhance the application of mobile phones and smart, but there is a cell phone W fatal shortcomings: slow and not easy to operate.

I phone and the phone has joined the G, making the mobile phone platform for highly variable, and some competition before the stalemate. Nokia's Symbian in the market in recent years has been the absolute leader, maintained a greater than 50% market share, while Microsoft's continued efforts in market share slowly over 10%. I phone in the first three days of the sale sold 1,000,000 units, which for many years in the work of the Nokia and Microsoft, is not a small boost. While the industry generally agreed that G mobile phones in a short period of time is difficult to fame, but the G mobile phones will have staying power of the three major competitors caused a lot of pressure.

Is the cell phone is the Internet

The pressure is not only those competitors, and RIM, as the BlackBerry mobile e-mail the manufacturers and operators, has been dominating the market, the mobile phone has changed the look, but with the Iphone and Google's mobile operating system Mobile phone began to e-mail service, RIM has been unable to sit, on October 9, just before Google launched G mobile phones in the near future, RIM has been updated for many years to maintain its line of the first to launch with the first touch-screen cell phone messages, "BlackBerry Storm "In order to meet the challenge.

The demand for mobile phones are changing, in addition to ordinary consumers, business users and professional fashion craze of the proportion of users is increasing. "In the competition for many years, the mobile phone manufacturing industry profits have all been destroyed. I proved that the new mobile phone business model is successful, the phone does not have a value-added, and the platform becomes a great value-added services." Ming Ye Li Chen Yuan, president of the view that consultation, open, free Google is a means to pull to the battlefield in favor of their own position - Google, Nokia, Apple, Microsoft, different from those in the field of giant, based on the operating system more competitive in fact The future is Internet services market.

"Only a mobile phone is far from enough, users need is a personalized service and a good user experience." Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo has long sense. While sales of consumer goods such as mobile phone sales in the mobile phone industry convergence crazy money, on the other hand, has long been hands-on transition. Two years ago, a Motorola have told reporters: "We have taken note of Nokia services to the transition ahead, we are very concerned about the success of its transformation." Only concern is not enough, Nokia is now safely out of the sale by Phone a living stage, and Motorola did not go far.

Symbian in the company's shareholding structure of the original, although Nokia as the largest shareholder holds a 48% stake in Symbian platform for the development of decision-making must be subject to Ericsson, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Panasonic and other major shareholders. In June this year, Nokia announced that in order to 410,000,000 U.S. dollars in cash to acquire the remaining 52% stake in Symbian, free and open system Symbian. Nokia in July this year, will cost 8,100,000,000 U.S. dollars in the United States to buy digital map company Navteq, also acquired another 10 smaller companies. Nokia did not stop the pace of acquisitions that will find a number of Internet service in line with the direction of small companies continue to buy.

I have a mobile phone behind the "App Store", where users can pay 0.99 to 9.99 U.S. dollars they need to download the application. App Store on more than 3000 kinds of software currently available, users download the application from the number has more than 100,000,000 times. From the Apple model tasted the sweetness.

N mobile Internet service is backed by the brand name Ovi. Including the Nokia Music Store, Nokia Maps and N-Gage games on-line applications such as content and services continues to expand.

Google G at the launch of the mobile phone at the same time, Android Market stores software "open". But Google also does not want to make money in software stores, but by the user to import into Google's Web site, the use of the Internet that they have the advantage of a new model. Firmly grasp the import, is Google's free and open mind.

In comparison, Microsoft is also behind the Lives, but the Lives of the model is not clear. The phone operating system in the form of fees and charges may prevent a significant number of users into the Lives of the past. Microsoft's advantage lies in the application of mobile phones with PC applications smooth docking. However, Google, Apple, under the pressure of Nokia, Microsoft can not stay on this edge, waiting for PC users to gradually convert its mobile phone users.

In the past the competitive mobile phone manufacturers, but also their willingness to be closed in order to ensure and maintain the traditional high-margin business model. However, with Apple and Google's accession, as well as Nokia's transformation of the traditional phone chain will be completely broken, or this model will be a thing of the past.