Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

I have more confidence in Google as software developer than in Nokia. While Android is not THE answer for mobile devices it definitely keeps making progress. Nokia on the other hand seems to look at software as necessary evil to sell hardware. I still have the feeling that I wouldn't be surprised if Nokia kills Maemo in favor of some other low profile project I haven't heard of.

One of the reason why I don't have an Android device is that I haven't found one that I like. If I had the choice, I would buy a N900 running Android. :)

Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

I'm not confusing them (although some posters here don't seem to know the difference). Still, I thought I'd let c0rt3x enlighten us if there is something that Android does beyond what Google does (which I doubt).

Besides, if Google is Lenin, maybe he'll tell us who's Trotsky and who's Stalin (Apple and Microsoft? or is that too obvious?).

Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

I suspect that Nokia also have the same feeling, which is why they have based N900 and Maemo on Linux and Open Source, cause they know working upstream with Open Source Projects is the way forwards.

Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

+10000

Honestly, I think it's always good to respect a contender, and looking at how quickly Android is evolving, I don't really understand those saying that "Maemo 6 will surely be better". I think that is a very bold statement. Just looking at the huge disaster BING has been (even with insane amounts of money invested into development and marketing) and how it didn't have the slightest impact on Google should give an idea of what the company is capable of.

Even now, just looking at what Android 2 and Maemo 5 can do, I think a very very small percentage of people will actually concede any technical supremacy to Maemo. For the most part, people want to have a device that works, covers the basics, and does it well. All in all, I really don't believe Maemo 5 has anything to offer that is a major miss in Android 2 from a standard user point of view.

If anything, Android is already showing applications with potential to attract people, and I would think that Google is already planning ways to give Android users an edge with an application as anticipated as Google Waves and others to come.

I think that android also provides very good integration with applications many of us are already using.

I don't know, I very much respect Android, and would not consider it any less than Maemo, not now and certainly not in future releases. I think such arrogant thinking could only result in a quick death for Maemo.

Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

Reading this (and many other) threads discussing alternative OSs brings a question to my mind. Nokia has maintained that the N900 is just a step towards a future killer product. The assumption here is that it is an N1000 (or whatever) running Maemo 6. But it could be an N100 running the next version of Symbian.

Perhaps Maemo 5 and the N900 are a stalking horse to determine where Nokia should drive their cash cow, Symbian. The move to put both Maemo and Symbian under Qt could be designed to ease the transition of Maemo developers to Symbian.

Thoughts?

P.S. As one who buys what is rather than what is promised, I have no problem with that. I will (or won't) buy an N900 based on what the competition is next year when I'm planning to upgrade and I doubt the next big Nokia thing will be available then.

Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

DaveP1 surly it is Qt ONTOP of Symbian and Maemo. Nokia's strategy is already declared, its Qt everywhere, thats why they bought the company and Open Sourced Symbian. They don't want to be in the OS business. They want to be in the services business. OVi will soon reach 2Billion dollars in revenue and they have just moved NGage to Ovi. Symbian has already gone to the low end, just look at the 5530

http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/...ouchscreen.php

Nokia are looking at the next 1Billion users for Symbian, Qt Apps on Symbian will fuel apps on Maemo. Thousands of KDE Qt developers will fuel apps on Symbian all will drive services to OVi. As far as I can see its win win.

Mike C

Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

I'm unclear as to what you are referring to when saying transition. If you mean 'extend device base', sure, nobody minds if their software runs on more devices. If you mean transition as in migrate from Maemo to Symbian, however, I have no idea why anyone would do that (unless he has a gun to his head).

Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

I don't think Nokia intends for Maemo and Symbian to come together. Probably more that Maemo and Symbian will be two different operating systems with compatible applications built in QT. That way Nokia can put Symbian on several phones, and maybe put Maemo on their high end smartphones. This allows software to be created especially for that device if the developers choose too.

A different strategy than Android where Android is the common OS and all applications are compatible, but then you lose the benefit of applications that can really push the hardware (what the iPhone does with its locked hardware and OS community).

Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

It was interesting to me to see how quickly the Android hackers at FLS jumped ship after I showed them Maemo and explained a bit about the platform.

Re: Maemo vs Android, where do you see each going?
 

Some will laugh, but I see Maemo as having significantly more potential than Android IF Nokia just executes effectively.

Really, this is Nokia's race to lose (or win) based on its current worldwide device market share.

And keep in mind Google can and will cut a project like Android loose if/when they tire of it or determine there's no significant bang for the buck. On the other hand, Nokia has no real choice other than to develop Maemo into a powerhouse mobile OS (assuming they want to stay in this business).