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Android Headlines: The Hits Just Keep Comin'

It was only back in March when I wrote this post, "Why is Android Stalled?" In it, I wondered why there weren't any new smartphones running on the Linux-based operating system, or any other notable news to speak of. It's amazing how quickly that has changed. There are approximately 30 new Android handsets coming from top manufacturers this year, several companies are putting Android on netbooks (a hot hardware category), and there are even new strains of Android appearing. Here are just a few of the notable Android developments from the past few days.

You can find a picture and specs for the Samsung Bigfoot phone based on Android here. It's coming soon, and will be part of T-Mobile's lineup of Android offerings.

There is a picture and there are specs for HTC's Lancaster Android-based phone here. It's coming in August, has unique social networking features, and will represent AT&T's entry into the Android fray.

Motorola has a number of Android handsets coming soon. Find out more here.

Orange has announced plans to deliver its first Android phone by the end of the year in the U.K. It already has an Android handset in France.

Acer has announced plans to put Android on almost all models of its popular Aspire One netbooks. The company has also said it will offer the OS on desktop PCs and notebooks.

Google has updated its iGoogle start page for Android handsets. Using iFrames and tabs, it lets you see and interact with your gadgets as you do in the desktop version.

Janice Chaffin, who heads Symantec's consumer security software division, says that the company is evaluating working with Android, after being focused almost solely on Windows for years.

What a difference a few months have made for Android. When I wrote my "Why is Android Stalled?" post back in March, I suggested that Google should be aggressively funding development for Android and seeking deals with manufacturers. At this point, it looks like Android has its own momentum, though, There are over 3,000 applications in the Android market, and as a user of the G1 phone, I know that many of them are great. The OS is also headed in directions that nobody ever predicted for it. It's about time to declare it a profound open source success story.
 

• Android
• google
• Acer
• Netbooks
• G1
• Motorola
• smartphones

by Jack G on Jun. 12, 2009

Android has been getting a lot more press lately, and things should definitely get exciting. IMHO, Android will be a real player when there is as much buzz about the Android phone as there is about the iPhone App Store.

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by Richard Carmody on Jun. 15, 2009

Look at the marketing blitz for the i-phone. Where is the Android marketing? This is a consumer product. Market it people!

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by vinay on Jun. 24, 2009

Isn't it a bit too early to declare Android a "profound open source success story"? Firstly, like you've mentioned, it has a taken a while to be adopted by device makers. Secondly, not discounting the efforts Google has put in it, one cannot ignore the simple fact that Android is based on a well-known OS. Yes, Linux has not been the OS of choice for mobile phones and in that sense, Android is a kind of, sort of, pioneer. But clearly, this wouldn't qualify the adulation conveyed by "profound success".

Having said this, the concept of Android proves the possibility of having an open source OS in the device market, where previous attempts (notably CELF) have thoroughly failed. Hat's off to Google for that.

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by James DSouza on Jun. 24, 2009

Vinay - you bring up a good point. But having a company like Google push it is also made it be successful where other efforts have not been so successful. Limo has been trying, and Linux-based mobile systems have been around. But now we have a true contender to Windows ME and other OSs like Symbian.

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