Google’s Android mobile system is making an impact on people already. More so on MIT students this time though. An MIT professor recently gave his students an assignment to design a cell phone program (or application I guess) using Google’s Android system.
This is going to totally change the mobile industry. Might be a little early to tell, but It almost sounds like having Linux on your phone. Check out these couple programs:
“One project named GeoLife gives users a way to set to-do lists and get reminders on their phones. Walk by the market, and the device might buzz with a message that you’re supposed to pick up milk. Another effort, named Flare, was designed to help small businesses like pizza shops cheaply track their drivers.
Then there was Locale, which lets users configure their phones to automatically adjust their settings when the devices detect themselves in certain zones. So you might set your phone to automatically go into vibrate mode in the office and silent mode at the movie theater, and ring everywhere else.”
I know I am a little late on this one, but this will give anyone more incentive to help jump onto the Android bandwagon. According to the official Google blog, Google is offering a $10 million reward for developers that create the best Android applications.
Just to clarify, the $10 million is the total amount that Google has allocated into this project, not like a lottery lump sum. This is the prize breakdown listed on the Android site:
In the Android Developer Challenge I, the 50 most promising entries received by April 14 will each receive a $25,000 award to fund further development. Those selected will then be eligible for even greater recognition via ten $275,000 awards and ten $100,000 awards.
The Android Developers Blog has the first round results already. That’s a lot of money if you ask me. Too bad I don’t know how to program…
The rumor is that HTC is developing an Android phone called the Dream right now. I also found another prototype phone that was reported on BBC video. Take a look at this:
Going back to the previous Android entry, T-Mobile has announced that they will be carrying Google Android cell phones by the end of 2008. It seems like Google’s dream is going to turn into reality soon.
What makes Android stand out is the fact that it’s open. For the longest time, the carriers, like AT&T and Verizon, have been reluctant to release that kind of information.
Here’s how Google describes Android on their blog:
“Android is the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices. It includes an operating system, user-interface and applications — all of the software to run a mobile phone, but without the proprietary obstacles that have hindered mobile innovation. We have developed Android in cooperation with the Open Handset Alliance, which consists of more than 30 technology and mobile leaders including Motorola, Qualcomm, HTC and T-Mobile. Through deep partnerships with carriers, device manufacturers, developers, and others, we hope to enable an open ecosystem for the mobile world by creating a standard, open mobile software platform. We think the result will ultimately be a better and faster pace for innovation that will give mobile customers unforeseen applications and capabilities.” Check out the article on the official Google blog.
Not sure how this is going to really affect us yet, but it sounds pretty cool.
SIGN UP FOR OBOPAY!