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quipper8 |
2009-11-07
, 00:48
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Posts: 1,096 |
Thanked: 760 times |
Joined on Dec 2008
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#41
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so did everyone that was talking baloney about how they cant wait for the n900 and would probably get the droid go out and get their droid today?
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2009-11-07
, 01:07
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Posts: 1,878 |
Thanked: 646 times |
Joined on Sep 2007
@ San Jose, CA
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#42
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talking baloney!?
Dude, if your food talks to you, you need to clean out your fridge more often.
Dude, if your food talks to you, you need to clean out your fridge more often.
__________________
My Personal Blog
My Personal Blog
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2009-11-07
, 01:49
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Posts: 474 |
Thanked: 283 times |
Joined on Oct 2009
@ Oxford, UK
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#43
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Originally Posted by Capt'n Corrupt
Looking under the hood of Android, they seem to have thrown away 5-10 years of Linux development (not the kernel, but above it). Innovation in some areas, but steps backwards in others. I suspect they stripped down and (badly) rewrote so many things to be able to target lower end hardware, but hardware has advanced quickly in the last year. That decision may come back to bite them, if they can't rewrite their way out of it fast enough.
Plus, google has shown great innovation
Originally Posted by Capt'n Corrupt
Are there any advantages to this "balance" of half-closed stuff, compared with a mostly-open system?
Besides, my days of tinkering are quickly coming to a close. I prefer the balance of the android environment to the mostly-open/mostly-close mantras.
I can't see any advantage to having more closed things, but I'm genuinely interested in why you do.
The ability to tinker doesn't have to mean *you* tinker :-) It means others have more ability to make interesting apps and improvements (even in the main interfaces) for you to download and use.
I can see advantages in using Google's *apps* because they are good at some things, but those advantages will spread to other platforms too, partly from Google wanting to spread to other platforms like Maemo, and partly from other people writing good apps too now that the platform is available (as a phone). I'm sure I'll use some Google apps on my N900.
The N900 is the very first Maemo phone and looks a lot more advanced than the first Android phone did, which is a great sign for Maemo's future over the next year - if they can capture the imagination of good developers. It is likely to improve in the same way that Android has improved, but it is built on better technology underneath, hence my comment about Google's design may come back to bite them.
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2009-11-07
, 02:46
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Posts: 521 |
Thanked: 296 times |
Joined on Sep 2009
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#44
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Originally Posted by jjx
Here's my take as a developer:
Looking under the hood of Android, they seem to have thrown away 5-10 years of Linux development (not the kernel, but above it). Innovation in some areas, but steps backwards in others. I suspect they stripped down and (badly) rewrote so many things to be able to target lower end hardware, but hardware has advanced quickly in the last year. That decision may come back to bite them, if they can't rewrite their way out of it fast enough.
Are there any advantages to this "balance" of half-closed stuff, compared with a mostly-open system?
I can't see any advantage to having more closed things, but I'm genuinely interested in why you do.
The ability to tinker doesn't have to mean *you* tinker :-) It means others have more ability to make interesting apps and improvements (even in the main interfaces) for you to download and use.
I can see advantages in using Google's *apps* because they are good at some things, but those advantages will spread to other platforms too, partly from Google wanting to spread to other platforms like Maemo, and partly from other people writing good apps too now that the platform is available (as a phone). I'm sure I'll use some Google apps on my N900.
The N900 is the very first Maemo phone and looks a lot more advanced than the first Android phone did, which is a great sign for Maemo's future over the next year - if they can capture the imagination of good developers. It is likely to improve in the same way that Android has improved, but it is built on better technology underneath, hence my comment about Google's design may come back to bite them.
- The number of Java developers these days far outweigh C/C++ developers. The 'majority' of good developers are motivated by money, they have a day job that pays very well and assuming they have a life they would more likely write iphone apps for the potential $$.
- I would trust Google developers over Nokia developers to improve any software issues. I have a very low rating of Nokia software based on the crap they've put out (Nokia email, OVI maps, OVI store, Files by OVI)
- rumours are google may create their own phone, this could cause them to keep the good stuff to themselves.
- The great advantage of Maemo is that is straight C/C++, very little learning curve.
- Maemo will need a paid APP store to gain traction in quality apps (not just small utilities). This is the only way to motivate 'large number of' developers to developer larger scale apps that require real maintainance/QA.
- For example, I intend to write some programs as I learn Maemo and those will be free. Beyond that, I would need to sell any more useful apps
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2009-11-07
, 02:47
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Posts: 55 |
Thanked: 33 times |
Joined on Sep 2009
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#45
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I went to the Verizon store this evening and played with the Droid for about 20 minutes. There are things I loved about it, and things I hated but in the end... I likely won't be buying it. A few bullet points:
The good:
-The screen is the the biggest, brightest, best screen I've ever seen. (How's that for alliteration?) It's vivid and very responsive. Oh and I didn't have to use my damn fingernail!
-The transitions from app to app were flawless. Smooth and fluid. (I wish the N900 looked this good.)
-The build quality felt great--metal and glass. Also, it really is amazing how thin this device is.
Now the bad:
-The keyboard is terrible. I am an average sized guy and I found it to be pretty close to unusable. Flat, crowded and very little travel. I actually found the on-screen keyboard to be better and I'm not fan of them. The D-pad takes up way too much space in addition to being gaudy.
-Sliding between home screens and utilizing the notification bar is laggy. I hate lag and was disappointed to see it with this hardware.
-Speaking of lag, the browser was pretty sluggish too. Scrolling/rendering did not rival the iPhone, Pre or N900.
-The camera is a piece of ****. I think it's likely software related, but in over 15 tries, I never got the device to autofocus properly. Not once.
Many of these issues could be fixed with a software update, but as of right now, I'm still in "wait and see" mode.
The good:
-The screen is the the biggest, brightest, best screen I've ever seen. (How's that for alliteration?) It's vivid and very responsive. Oh and I didn't have to use my damn fingernail!
-The transitions from app to app were flawless. Smooth and fluid. (I wish the N900 looked this good.)
-The build quality felt great--metal and glass. Also, it really is amazing how thin this device is.
Now the bad:
-The keyboard is terrible. I am an average sized guy and I found it to be pretty close to unusable. Flat, crowded and very little travel. I actually found the on-screen keyboard to be better and I'm not fan of them. The D-pad takes up way too much space in addition to being gaudy.
-Sliding between home screens and utilizing the notification bar is laggy. I hate lag and was disappointed to see it with this hardware.
-Speaking of lag, the browser was pretty sluggish too. Scrolling/rendering did not rival the iPhone, Pre or N900.
-The camera is a piece of ****. I think it's likely software related, but in over 15 tries, I never got the device to autofocus properly. Not once.
Many of these issues could be fixed with a software update, but as of right now, I'm still in "wait and see" mode.
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2009-11-07
, 02:59
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Posts: 4,556 |
Thanked: 1,624 times |
Joined on Dec 2007
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#46
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Originally Posted by JayBomb999
Err.. if you thought the Droid keyboard was crowded the n900 keyboard is going be even bunched closer together. The only reason why the n900 keyboard would be perceived better is that keys are raised instead of flash.
-The keyboard is terrible. I am an average sized guy and I found it to be pretty close to unusable. Flat, crowded and very little travel. I actually found the on-screen keyboard to be better and I'm not fan of them. The D-pad takes up way too much space in addition to being gaudy.
__________________
Originally Posted by ysss
They're maemo and MeeGo...
"Meamo!" sounds like what Zorro would say to catherine zeta jones... after she slaps him for looking at her dirtily...
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2009-11-07
, 03:06
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Posts: 55 |
Thanked: 33 times |
Joined on Sep 2009
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#47
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Originally Posted by Laughing Man
I think the crowding feel is aggravated by the flatness of the keys. If they were domed more or larger, I honestly don't think it would be an issue. With the Droid, I found it difficult to not press more than one key.
Err.. if you thought the Droid keyboard was crowded the n900 keyboard is going be even bunched closer together. The only reason why the n900 keyboard would be perceived better is that keys are raised instead of flash.
I've heard much more positive remarks about the N900 keyboard, but I still want to try it for myself before I commit.
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2009-11-07
, 03:33
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Posts: 1,255 |
Thanked: 393 times |
Joined on Oct 2009
@ US
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#48
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Originally Posted by JayBomb999
Also because your right thumb has to go over the overly large and poorly functioning d-pad. It get old after just a few minutes of typing.
I think the crowding feel is aggravated by the flatness of the keys. If they were domed more or larger, I honestly don't think it would be an issue. With the Droid, I found it difficult to not press more than one key.
I've heard much more positive remarks about the N900 keyboard, but I still want to try it for myself before I commit.
Tried it for an hour. That and the camera were the main bad things.
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2009-11-07
, 03:37
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Posts: 55 |
Thanked: 33 times |
Joined on Sep 2009
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#49
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Originally Posted by Rushmore
Good point. I don't really understand why so much space was allocated to the D-pad. Honeslty, I don't understand why ANY space was allocated to the D-pad when such a beautiful touch screen is available to interact with.
Also because your right thumb has to go over the overly large and poorly functioning d-pad. It get old after just a few minutes of typing.
Tried it for an hour. That and the camera were the main bad things.
Maybe I'm crazy, but this phone without the hardware keyboard would be an improvement.
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2009-11-07
, 08:46
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Posts: 203 |
Thanked: 68 times |
Joined on Oct 2009
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#50
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I tried the Droid out in the store today too and I have to agree, the keyboard sucks big time. The reviews I read that said it was bad really were being kind. Despite the keys being larger and the keyboard have a larger overall dimension than on a typical Blackberry, they were much harder to hit accurately. The keys and keyboard are so flat that it was almost impossible to hit a single key, without depressing other keys at the same time. It was really unthinkable how bad it was.
I totally don't agree that the N900 keyboard is going to feel more crowded. Because the N900 lacks a d-pad, the keyboard is larger and the keys take up more room. And I haven't seen anyone reporting that the N900 keyboard sucks (although it's not supposed to be the best), whereas pretty much all the early reviews on the Droid have complained about the keyboard.
What a waste. Motorola almost may as well not have bothered with the keyboard. I guess they're still fixated on the success that thin gave them with the Razor, as if all they have to do is make a thin phone and the masses will come. Thin has become a weird obsession and a curse for Motorola.
I totally don't agree that the N900 keyboard is going to feel more crowded. Because the N900 lacks a d-pad, the keyboard is larger and the keys take up more room. And I haven't seen anyone reporting that the N900 keyboard sucks (although it's not supposed to be the best), whereas pretty much all the early reviews on the Droid have complained about the keyboard.
What a waste. Motorola almost may as well not have bothered with the keyboard. I guess they're still fixated on the success that thin gave them with the Razor, as if all they have to do is make a thin phone and the masses will come. Thin has become a weird obsession and a curse for Motorola.
