Google’s I/O Conference made
developers really happy! Why? Because of the Android platform, of course, which
Google demoed on an unbranded mobile device. Android is a software stack for
mobile devices developed and promoted by Google that includes an operating
system, middleware and key applications.
It’s not all about the iPhone
now, it’s about how the Android could transform any handset into an iPhone
rival. Based on the first reactions, developers seem to be thrilled about
Google’s mobile experience, which offers endless possibilities for new
applications.
Despite many skeptical reactions
that put Android-based phones somewhere far behind the iPhone, everything from
the graphics, to the touchscreen capabilities, and the compass that
gives a new spin to the Google Street View experience, point to an amazing
flexibility, with great service integration and easy-to-use features.
Android is based on the Linux
operating system and was first announced on 5 November 2007, and is the result
of the collaboration between Google and companies like HTC, Intel, Motorola,
T-Mobile, NVIDIA and Qualcomm, all working on developing open standards for
mobile devices.
By comparison, the iPhone and
Android-based devices both offer quality graphics, easy-to-use touchscreen
capabilities, great functionality, freedom to customize the home screen with shortcuts
and widgets.
In addition to that, Android
brings something amazing to the Google Street View experience, which stunned
the audience at the I/O Conference: the compass, which enables users to orient
the view as they turn the device.
Moreover, Android has one thing that other
operating systems don’t: an openness that allows developers to make anything
they want with it, offering more flexibility and possibilities that any other
operating system on the market today.
Andy Rubin, director of mobile
platforms at Google, said consumers can expect to see the Android available on
mobile phones in the second half of 2008, emphasizing that security, unlike in older
platforms, will not be an issue anymore.
