Time for a general Android section?

[Sonist]

With the slew of 4"+ Android phones coming to market, plus stuff like the Dell Streak, isn't it time to have a dedicated Android section here.

I am just replacing my iPhone 3Gs with a 4" Samsung Galaxy S and while I don't necessarily plan to use it as a dedicated reader, I was wondering about what ereader apps are available, which ones are the best, etc..

There is a place for the 3.5" iPhoners to go, shouldn't the Androids be granted equal rights?

[SaraD]

A few months ago Nate the Great posted a thread that went through all the Andoid reading apps then available. That might help get you started. I'm sorry I can't provide any better directions to it. I have an original Verizon/Motorola Droid and do not care for reading on it at all so I did not follow it all that carefully.

[=X=]

Yes I agree it's time for an Android section.

[ColdSun]

Now that Kindle for Android is out I'm guessing B&N will have their software soon (if not already). Guess it is time for an Android tablet for me.

[kindlekitten]

I'd just like to figure out what Android is all about and why I should be excited!

[thinkpad]

An Android thread would definitely be useful with all of the Android tablets coming out this fall. Not to mention all phones already running Android.

[Hellmark]

eReader is already on Android, B&N's variant is on the way. Kobo is available too.

[Gwen Morse]

I'd like to chime in for iReader for Android. I use it on my Milestone (a European GSM version of the Droid).

I agree that android devices deserve their own section, I'm not sure if they'll get them.

Back to lurking...

Gwen

[nikkie]

Originally Posted by Sonist

With the slew of 4"+ Android phones coming to market, plus stuff like the Dell Streak, isn't it time to have a dedicated Android section here.

I am just replacing my iPhone 3Gs with a 4" Samsung Galaxy S and while I don't necessarily plan to use it as a dedicated reader, I was wondering about what ereader apps are available, which ones are the best, etc..

There is a place for the 3.5" iPhoners to go, shouldn't the Androids be granted equal rights?

As I understand it, Aldiko is the nearest Stanza alternative. I have helped folks install and download books from Calibre and open them in Aldiko on Android devices. Seems a good start.

[Metal Mick]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I'd just like to figure out what Android is all about and why I should be excited!

Hi KK,

I don't know if "excited" is correct, but "interested"?... Probably.

Android is an open source OS released by Google. It is primarily used in phones and in terms of use, I guess it is similar to the iPhone OS. Apps can be downloaded from the Android market, and many are free. There is a Kindle-for-Android, and also a Nook-for-Android, and probably other ebook stores have apps for Android too.

However, Android is rapidly finding its way into other devices - like the 7" LCD tablet/readers on eBay; the Nook uses it, as do other ereaders. I don't know how good the eBay devices are, but the OS itself is a quality item.

There are claims that Android will be on more devices than the iPhone OS within 18 months, and with Samsung, Sony, Motorola, and HTC behind it, those predictions may come true.

I'm a big fan of Android, and a well-designed ereader that uses it could prove an interesting alternative to the iPad.

Cheers,

Michael P

[SaraD]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I'd just like to figure out what Android is all about and why I should be excited!

I will try to answer your question, but I am not the most techy person around so this is the layman's view. And yes, I do have a Verizon Droid phone, but I do not like reading on the LCD though Aldiko is a very cool reading app and experimenting was fun.

To my understanding Android is a linux based mobile operating system created by Google. This means it is much more open for any developer who feels like making something and for anyone who likes the option to make changes to their phone as much as their carrier permits, unlike an Apple product locked down by Apple and the carrier (I am not sure how the Microsoft mobile platforms are about that so I am not comparing them). Also, there is a minimal process to submit an app to the Android Market. Recently a few apps were forcibly removed from Android phones, but I read the reason to be that they put people's phones at risk and the developer had removed the app from the store already for that reason. Unlike an iPhone, all of the US carriers have Android phones to choose from. Unlike a Blackberry phone, Android did not start primarly as a business tool so there are lots of really fun apps available and it does not have the business image to get around in order to attract developers and customers. Something like Kindle for Android is a big deal because for people owning an Android phone instead of a iPhone when that app came out were disappointed (if only I bought that one instead) and now they have it and are happy. This goes for any number of other apps because the iPhone app store was there first.

Joining the tablet computer race are several tablets that use the Android operating system. Due to its linux nature of needing minimal hardware resources, and how available to the world Google makes Android, these tablets should be inexpensive, fast, and have lots of apps & options available that will be from the normal Android Market, not a special one. Therefore at the least the idea of them is quite popular. We'll see how the actual devices do as they are rolled out.

I hope this explains it a bit and if I got anything glaringly incorrect, with some luck someone more knowledgable will provide a correction.

[Roger Parkinson]

Strangely enough I installed Android on my laptop recently. Well, when I say 'installed' I had a LiveCD which I booted off so it didn't go near the hard drive. It kind of worked, and kind of didn't. Mostly because the mouse doesn't quite do the right things. I'm guessing Android expects more complex gestures. Anyway, putting it on a laptop is a party trick rather than something useful. Though I could try actually reading the instructions I guess :-)

You can find it here

As they suggest, I loaded it into VirtualBox rather than have to reboot my machine.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by =X=

Yes I agree it's time for an Android section.

The place to make such a request is on the "Feedback" forum. Please create a thread there to discuss the issue.

Thanks.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by SaraD

I will try to answer your question, but I am not the most techy person around so this is the layman's view. And yes, I do have a Verizon Droid phone, but I do not like reading on the LCD though Aldiko is a very cool reading app and experimenting was fun.

*snip*

that's more of an explanation than I have gotten anywhere else! so, to see if I got this right... it makes your device (mostly phones?) very customizable! as opposed to apps that leave you going.... "why on earth is this on here..."?
karma for trying!

[SaraD]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

that's more of an explanation than I have gotten anywhere else! so, to see if I got this right... it makes your device (mostly phones?) very customizable! as opposed to apps that leave you going.... "why on earth is this on here..."?
karma for trying!

Phones were the first thing to get Android and are the biggest part of the market so far, but I think the idea is that they are only the tip of the iceberg, or so Google is hoping. Many of the tablet computers being rumored will use Android as well. I think part of that is to avoid Microsoft, etc. licensing fees which are higher and would cut into a slim profit margin.

Yes, the Android phones and apps are more customizable than other smartphones (or as much as Verizon, etc. will allow). However, there are several pre-installed apps on my phone that I cannot remove put there by contracts between Verizon and say the Amazon mp3 store. The nice part is that if I want a different app to buy music I can go to the Market and get one without worrying that it will disappear because it was providing too much competition. And anybody who thinks they can make an app that does a better job than an existing one can do it.

My husband is an IT geek and very good at explaining technical mysteries so I understand and generally I can pass those explanations on to others fairly well. I'm glad the explanation was helpful to you.