Android 9.0 upgrade status? - Page 3

hobnail · 08-26-2020, 12:55 PM

I feel like a lot of the blame belongs on Google for releasing these Android versions that don't provide backwards compatibility. This has long been a problem with the Mac (dunno about the iPhone and iPads). Compare this with Microsoft where you can run ancient software on the current version of Windows. There's a reason Windows has done so well in the corporate world.

ottischwenk · 08-26-2020, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Android 6 may be adequate for now, but will it be adequate in two years time? App development and versions march on. There will assuredly come a time when an app comes out that someone would want to run, but requires higher than 6.

I have a Poke Pro (Android6) that I'm very satisfied with, that I use with Sygic as a glare-free navigation system and even if Android 9 came out, I wouldn't update.
Then I have Likebook Alita Note and Likebook Ares Note (Android 6) - I'm so happy with both that I will definitely not be using the upcoming Android 8.1 - now 500 GB SD works and I don't know if they are running on Android 8.1 also.
A higher version does not necessarily bring advantages.
My Poke2 and Nova2 (Android9) offer absolutely no advantages in terms of software - the Poke Pro even seems faster to me than the Poke2

Pajamaman · 08-26-2020, 01:28 PM

Glancing at the Boyue Android 8 update thread, it seems that the update is not optional, and can go wrong (as most things can). Yikes. I'd rather have no update than a compulsory update. Who are these guys, Microsoft?! Onyx, don't touch a thing. Leave my stuff on 6!

Crowriver · 08-26-2020, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobnail

This has long been a problem with the Mac (dunno about the iPhone and iPads).

It's all relative. Apple switched processor architecture 15 years ago - that was a big shift but applications written for PowerPC still worked on Mac Intel operating system for five years afterwards. Also you got three years' worth of Mac OS X upgrades for your outdated PowerPC machine after the switch.

That's pretty good - you could potentially be running a seven or eight year old Mac in 2009 and still run the latest operating system and your old software would run on a new Mac for another two years...

You can just about get away with running an Android 4 device now*, but most Google apps will not support it (though Google Play still works, and a few Google apps, including Drive). Most apps via Google Play require 4.4 minimum, many 4.1 (the minimum standard set by Google) and only a minority support earlier versions. But still Android 4 is usable, if you can find the right versions of apps in apk repositories.

* - Like my Max (1).

Crowriver · 08-26-2020, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Who are these guys, Microsoft?! Onyx, don't touch a thing. Leave my stuff on 6!

Yeah. "If it ain't broke..."

hobnail · 08-26-2020, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowriver

It's all relative. Apple switched processor architecture 15 years ago - that was a big shift but applications written for PowerPC still worked on Mac Intel operating system for five years afterwards.

So they had some sort of PowerPC interpreter on the Intel? They had that back when they switched from the Motorola 68000 to the PowerPC. Software could also be compiled so that the binary/executable contained both the 68000 and PowerPC executable; they were called fat binaries. If it only contained the 68000 code then the interpreter ran it. Of course it was noticeably slower when running through the interpreter. The weirdest part was that the interpreter could be used by the operating system and some parts of it were still in 68000 code. I could never understand why my coworker's Macs were so unbelievably slow with internet until I learned that their networking code was still 68000. Back then the internet was a bit of a newfangled gizmo so I guess Apple couldn't see a profit in rewriting what was probably 68000 assembly language code.

Crowriver · 08-26-2020, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobnail

So they had some sort of PowerPC interpreter on the Intel? They had that back when they switched from the Motorola 68000 to the PowerPC. Software could also be compiled so that the binary/executable contained both the 68000 and PowerPC executable; they were called fat binaries. If it only contained the 68000 code then the interpreter ran it. Of course it was noticeably slower when running through the interpreter. The weirdest part was that the interpreter could be used by the operating system and some parts of it were still in 68000 code. I could never understand why my coworker's Macs were so unbelievably slow with internet until I learned that their networking code was still 68000. Back then the internet was a bit of a newfangled gizmo so I guess Apple couldn't see a profit in rewriting what was probably 68000 assembly language code.

They called it Rosetta, after the famous stone. I believe the interpreter for Intel code on Apple ARM will be Rosetta 2. Software that was compiled for Intel and PowerPC was a universal binary. So maybe there will be a similar approach to the coming transition.

I used several 68000 based Macs back in the day: Macintosh Plus, SE, LCII, then the unimaginable (to my mind) power of the 68040 based Centris 660AV. One benefit of the latter was a faster serial port (Geoport), useful for connecting a modem emulator...

All really useful machines at the time, especially for DTP, word processing and latterly internet communications.

Pajamaman · 09-09-2020, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Glancing at the Boyue Android 8 update thread, it seems that the update is not optional, and can go wrong (as most things can). Yikes. I'd rather have no update than a compulsory update. Who are these guys, Microsoft?! Onyx, don't touch a thing. Leave my stuff on 6!

Nope, 8 is not a mandatory update on the Likebook. Boyue's support of upgrading OS is a strong reason to choose Likebook over Onyx.

orebmur · 09-10-2020, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Boyue's support of upgrading OS is a strong reason to choose Likebook over Onyx.

Taking into account the maturity of the supplied software regardless of the underlying OS release version, Onyx wins hands down. While Likebook has a decisive hardware advantage due to the availability of an SD card slot, their software offerings leave much to desire when compared with the superior applications supplied by Onyx.

There is no inherent advantage in having the latest OS release version if the hardware vendor's bundled software and related support leaves too much to desire.

I'd rather prefer a device with well balanced and properly supported software than just the latest immature version of whatever consumers usually crave for.

ottischwenk · 09-10-2020, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orebmur

Taking into account the maturity of the supplied software regardless of the underlying OS release version, Onyx wins hands down. While Likebook has a decisive hardware advantage due to the availability of an SD card slot, their software offerings leave much to desire when compared with the superior applications supplied by Onyx.

There is no inherent advantage in having the latest OS release version if the hardware vendor's bundled software and related support leaves too much to desire.

I'd rather prefer a device with well balanced and properly supported software than just the latest immature version of whatever consumers usually crave for.

The operating system for both Boox and Likebook devices is Android - and there are excellent apps to install.
So I only use the scribble parts of the included applications - not the other.
And Boox is only ahead when you want to scribble in files other than pdf files.
With Likebook, on the other hand, there is the pen in the keyboard, which is why you are not only dependent on the supplied applications.
And since I don't use handwritten notes in other ebook formats, likebook is clearly ahead.

Pajamaman · 09-11-2020, 10:09 AM

Developers keep developing, and they must keep up with Android versions, apps are often not backward compatible. Consider the video below. If you run 6, even though your hardware is quite capable, you might be out of luck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaEnd4VzYZM

Boyue are investing the time to upgrade the OS. Onyx are choosing not to. That is Onyx's choice, and possibly a good one, in that they are investing resources to provide a solid product in terms of hardware and software. However...

Onyx are illegally not releasing their source code, so that the community cannot provide the OS upgrades Onyx choose not to provide. This is a huge black mark against Onyx, and certainly a reason that in the future I will at least consider other brands.

ottischwenk · 09-11-2020, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Developers keep developing, and they must keep up with Android versions, apps are often not backward compatible. Consider the video below. If you run 6, even though your hardware is quite capable, you might be out of luck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaEnd4VzYZM

Boyue are investing the time to upgrade the OS. Onyx are choosing not to. That is Onyx's choice, and possibly a good one, in that they are investing resources to provide a solid product in terms of hardware and software. However...

Onyx are illegally not releasing their source code, so that the community cannot provide the OS upgrades Onyx choose not to provide. This is a huge black mark against Onyx, and certainly a reason that in the future I will at least consider other brands.

I don't use any other applications under Android 9 (Boox Nova2, Poke2) than under Android 4.4 (Likebook Air) with the exception of Calibre Companion - and that's only because I have activated the automatic Google Play update and CC now requires Android 5.

forestfelix · 09-14-2020, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

I don't use any other applications under Android 9 (Boox Nova2, Poke2) than under Android 4.4 (Likebook Air) with the exception of Calibre Companion - and that's only because I have activated the automatic Google Play update and CC now requires Android 5.

In the end, it doesn't really matter if there are people who do not need Android 9. The problem is that Onyx promised an update to Android 9 and customers bought their fairly expensive products under this pretension. This is not ok and even if you don't need Android 9 (right now at least) we should call Onyx out for this shady behavior. I find it especially appalling because they pulled the exact same thing in the past.

ottischwenk · 09-14-2020, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forestfelix

The problem is that Onyx promised an update to Android 9 and customers bought their fairly expensive products under this pretension.

I can't imagine that something like that could be a reason to buy.
But everyone as he thinks!

Crowriver · 09-14-2020, 08:27 AM

Indeed. I bought the Max 2 Pro knowing it was only Android 6, but that doesn't bother me. I prefer page turn and menu buttons on my device. The newer Boox devices don't have these. Otherwise, the features of the software are identical to newer models, and the device was substantially less expensive than a Max 3. Sometimes the latest model is not the best choice, depending on your use requirements.

08-26-2020, 12:55 PM	#31
hobnail Running with scissors Posts: 1,589 Karma: 14328510 Join Date: Nov 2019 Device: none	I feel like a lot of the blame belongs on Google for releasing these Android versions that don't provide backwards compatibility. This has long been a problem with the Mac (dunno about the iPhone and iPads). Compare this with Microsoft where you can run ancient software on the current version of Windows. There's a reason Windows has done so well in the corporate world. Last edited by hobnail; 08-26-2020 at 01:30 PM.

09-11-2020, 10:09 AM	#41
Pajamaman Wizard Posts: 2,861 Karma: 10700629 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Canada Device: Onyx Nova	Developers keep developing, and they must keep up with Android versions, apps are often not backward compatible. Consider the video below. If you run 6, even though your hardware is quite capable, you might be out of luck. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaEnd4VzYZM Boyue are investing the time to upgrade the OS. Onyx are choosing not to. That is Onyx's choice, and possibly a good one, in that they are investing resources to provide a solid product in terms of hardware and software. However... Onyx are illegally not releasing their source code, so that the community cannot provide the OS upgrades Onyx choose not to provide. This is a huge black mark against Onyx, and certainly a reason that in the future I will at least consider other brands. Last edited by Pajamaman; 09-11-2020 at 10:21 AM.

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08-26-2020, 01:28 PM	#33
Pajamaman Wizard Posts: 2,861 Karma: 10700629 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Canada Device: Onyx Nova	Glancing at the Boyue Android 8 update thread, it seems that the update is not optional, and can go wrong (as most things can). Yikes. I'd rather have no update than a compulsory update. Who are these guys, Microsoft?! Onyx, don't touch a thing. Leave my stuff on 6!

09-14-2020, 08:27 AM	#45
Crowriver Groupie Posts: 151 Karma: 5800762 Join Date: Jul 2020 Device: Too many!	Indeed. I bought the Max 2 Pro knowing it was only Android 6, but that doesn't bother me. I prefer page turn and menu buttons on my device. The newer Boox devices don't have these. Otherwise, the features of the software are identical to newer models, and the device was substantially less expensive than a Max 3. Sometimes the latest model is not the best choice, depending on your use requirements.