with

Emma GoodwinFall 2009

•In July 2005, Google bought a small startup company called Android Inc. At the time, Android was vaguely described as a company that “developed software for mobile phones.”•After Apple’s iPhone came out, the media was full of speculations of when and if Google would produce a competing mobile phone.

History of Android

History of Android• November 5th, 2007: Open Handset Alliance• Open Handset Alliance presents their first

product: Android.• So, the Android operating system was

technically born out of this group rather than Google itself.

What is an Android Phone?

• Since Google built Android as an open standard device, anyone can build applications for the phone and enhance them.• Android is completely customizable!

Applications for AndroidMore than 10,000 applications are available

for free or for purchase on Android Market.

What is an Android Phone?• Like Apple’s iPhone, Android has a touch screen.

Some Android phones also have keyboards.

Different designs for Android home screens

Android Phones• October 22nd 2008: The HTC Dream• In June 2009, it was expected that there

would be 18 different phones released by the end of the year with Android pre-installed.

• There currently are (or soon will be) Android phones from Verizon, at&t, Sprint, and T-Mobile.

Android Updates• In May 2009, Google released

“Cupcake,” version 1.5 of Android OS.

• In September 2009, Google released “Donut” (version 1.6).

• On October 27th, 2009, Google released “Éclair,” Google’s last version, (2.0) for the year.

• The next version will apparently be named “Flan.”

Google’s Headquarters

The (bad) Reviews• Resizing is clumsy and difficult.• No easy way to get your music library onto phone.• Video/music player are “hideous.”• Official apps not as polished as iPhone counterparts.• Looking through apps on phone and syncing with

computer can be tedious.• Not the simplest device to figure out.• Phone controls inconsistent.• Can be slow.

The (good) Reviews

• Google’s apps are “simply awesome.”• A bit cheaper. • Very good mobile browser.• Good for tech-savvy people.• Developing and improving faster than any

other phone on the market.• Large room for potential growth and

improvements!

My Personal ConclusionAlthough I have never had the opportunity

to actually use the Android Operating System on a mobile phone, I think I personally would have difficulty using it, due to its non-simplicity. However, if I was thinking about getting a phone that uses the Android OS, I would probably wait a few more years– it sounds like Google still has a lot of kinks to work out on Android.

Bibliography“Android Developers". Android. 11/30/2009

<http://developer.android.com/index.html>."Android (operating system)". Wikipedia. 11/30/09

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system)>.Beavis, Gareth. "A Complete History of Android". techradar.com. 11/30/2009

<http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/a-complete-history-of-android-470327?artc_pg=1>.

Buchanan, Matt. "Android 2.0 Review: Almost Human". Gizmodo. 11/30/2009 <http://gizmodo.com/5395801/android-20-review-almost-human>.

Karch, Marziah. "What is the Google Phone?". about.com. 11/30/09 <http://google.about.com/od/experimentalgoogletools/a/google_phone.htm>.

"Total Cost of Ownership: iPhone 3GS Versus Palm Pre Versus Android G1". BillShrink. 11/30/2009 <http://www.billshrink.com/blog/iphone-versus-palm-pre-versus-android/>.

wirefly, "What is an Android Phone?". youtube. 11/30/09 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Io2bdZP1A>.