android Archives - Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer

Android (Operating System)

dorriolds — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 10:56:36 +0000

Android is an operating system (OS) for mobile devices—cell phones, tablets, netbooks (small laptop or “companion devices”). Android was developed by Google. There are over 70,000 apps that are available to extend functionality to these devices. The Android OS works on system software that runs on code including java and xml.

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Dell's New Tablet vs iPhone/iPad

dorriolds — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:57:37 +0000

The iPad, though at first ridiculed for it’s name, and mocked for not having a phone, has now sold over 3 million units. This was a surprise because the most inexpensive iPad started at $499. Apple was on to something when it designed the iPad with more features than a typical e-reader (like the Kindle). However, the iPad’s fatal flaw is that it has no phone. For those of us who own an Apple computer, laptop and iPhone, the iPad seems unnecessary in all ways except as a reader. When I purchased my Apple laptop I decided on a 17″ screen because the computer I work on at home has a 31″ Apple monitor. I’ve become spoiled with size. Size does matter! Now, when I look at smaller screens they seem microscopic. A great feature of the iPad is it’s 10-inch screen. That size makes it light and easy to slip into a medium-sized purse but large enough to make reading ebooks comfortable. The new Dell tablet, called the Streak, goes on sale this Friday, August 13. It will be interesting to see how it does with sales. The Streak runs on Google’s Android operating system. For those who don’t know, Android is an OS for mobile devices (i.e., cell phones, tablets and netbooks). Android is based on the Linux kernel (Unix-like OS). The original Unix is an OS from 1969 created by AT&T employees at Bell Labs.

Here’s the bottom line on Dell’s Streak tablet:
5″ screen (iPhone is 3.5″)
6″ long and 3.11″ wide. (iPad is about 3x as big)
Much lighter than the iPad but due to its long skinny shape doesn’t fit in a shirt pocket or fitted pants’ pocket. For a phone it is big and awkward. The screen resolution is lower than an iPhone.
iPad is MUCH more comfortable for reading ebooks.

It will be interesting to watch the sales on this new product.

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What the Heck is an Android Phone?

dorriolds — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:33:11 +0000

Android is a mobile operating system that uses a modified version of the Linux kernel. Huh? The Linux kernel is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software (OSS). The Android OSS was initially developed by Android, Inc. Google later purchased that company. This led to the Open Handset Alliance (OHA). Huh?? OHA is a business alliance of 65 firms for developing open standards for mobile devices. Are your eyes crossed yet? An open standard is a standard that is publicly available. The term “open” usually means royalty-free technologies. “Standard” is sometimes restricted to technologies approved by formalized committees that are open to participation by all interested parties and operate on a consensus basis. Getting back now to the Android mobile operating system—it allows developers to write code in Java to control a device, in this case a mobile phone, via a Google-developed Java library. In this explanation library means a collection of “sub-routines” used to develop software. Phew! Got all that?

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