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First Things First - What Is Android?
In October 2003, four smart-guys founded Android, Inc. In that same year one of the four founders, Andy Rubin, told BusinessWeek that there was tremendous potential in developing smarter mobile devices that are more aware of its owners location and preferences. He is quoted as saying, If people are smart, that information starts getting aggregated into consumer products.
The four co-founders of Android, Inc., Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears and Chris White all had experienced great success in their careers prior to 2003, but despite the potential for a high-profile new start-up, Android, Inc. initially worked in great secrecy, saying nothing to the public save that they were working on software for mobile phones. Almost two years later, Google acquired Android, Inc. Of the four original founders, Rubin, Miner and White were retained, as well as other key employees.
Android is a mobile device platform powered by the Linux kernel (a free and open-source kernel continuously developed by contributors worldwide). The open-source concept sets it quite apart from Apples iOS, (an abbreviation of iPhone OS) whose closed and proprietary nature has been both criticized and applauded by many over the years.
The Open Handset Alliance, unveiled in late 2007 and comprised of a good number of tech-companies, (including Google, HTC, Motorola and Samsung), exists for the purpose of developing open standards for mobile devices. The Android platform was released on the same day as the OHA announced itself on November 5th of that year.
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In ways far too technical for me to understand, (and therefore beyond my ability to relate intelligently), Android attempts to support as many different features and functions as possible - a feat clearly facilitated by the open-source model. With new Android source-code constantly being published, (under appropriate licenses, of course), as well as the list of reviewed-issues, its progressive development is consistently growing by leaps and bounds.
Its not difficult to draw the connection between Androids open-source policy and its growing threat to Apples private iOS Before Id even upgraded my iPod video to an iPod Touch Id been hearing about the superiority of Android-running mobile devices and the buzz in my ears hasnt changed its tune even yet!
Android Apps
Like other mobile-device operating-systems, Android supports a huge number of applications (or Apps). Naturally, there are plenitudes of free Android-apps as well as paid apps. At the time of writing this, the Top Free Android apps found on the Android Market are: Facebook Messenger; Gmail; Facebook for Android; Google Maps; and Layar. It also happens that there are a greater percentage of free apps available on the Android Market than are available on iOS, but that Apple offers a greater number of apps overall.
There is a fairly well-defined line separating iOS users and Android users typically, the standardized and closed-source iOS platform seems to result in greater consistency with regard to the user-friendliness of their apps, (supported by the fact that their popularity attracts a great number of aesthetically-minded app-developers), but the fact that the iOS platform is only available on Apple products, compared with Androids platform being available on a wide variety of devices means that an equally significant number of developers are siding in Androids camp.
Talking Phones - iOS vs. Android
Another thing to consider is that the general public is typically more comfortable getting used to and sticking with a certain usability and aesthetic style, (such as that provided by Apples iOS and the apps available on it, since so effectively popularizing their own brand of mp3-player and transitioning to more powerful mobile devices), whereas a more readily evolving platform like Android might change too quickly and supports too wide a variety of differently-approached applications for the pre-accustomed user to adapt to I might report personally that coming to embrace new technology of a different feel than whatever Im used to already does tend to come with its own awkwardness, even when the progressive step forward is clearly an improvement!
Many developers find that Apples proprietary control over inclusion in their App Store is enough of a turn-off to warrant crossing over to the more developer-friendly Android platform. Its easy to imagine how this and other beneficial features of Androids open-source policy may contribute to their continued rise in the mobile-device market in years to come.
Android SDK
Android SDK (the Android Software Development Kit) is a comprehensive set of development tools for the Android platform that developers can use in creation of new Android apps. The Android SDK package comes with plenty of supporting documentation, sample code and tutorials, (enabling beginning developers to get up-to-speed), as well as a powerful debugger, software libraries, and handset emulator (allowing developers to view/test how their apps will perform on a given mobile-device). Android SDK can be downloaded by Linux, Mac OS or Windows users, (providing these users have relatively up-to-date operating-systems its hard to imagine someone using a version of Windows that pre-dates Windows XP, but I suppose you guys are out there somewhere) So just about anyone can start developing their own Android apps!
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Of course, as the Android platform itself goes through its characteristic developments over time, Android SDK is regularly updated as well, to operate in tandem with the updated Android OS.
Android apps are primarily written in the Java language using Android SDK, but a Native Development Kit is available for applications or extensions in C or C++, and Google has created the Google App Inventor for novice developers desiring a user-friendly, visual approach to Android-app development.
Androids noticeably lower number of apps, (even compared to their higher ratio of free apps) as compared to those offered by Apple, are nevertheless incredibly powerful and valuable mobile-applications. And given the continuing battle between Android and iOS, you can be sure that therell be plenty more developments from both sides in order to gain your consumer-loyalty
The Android Market
Googles Android Market is an online store through which Android users can download free or purchased Android Apps. Most Android devices have the Market app preinstalled, and customers can also browse the Android Market website using their home computers. Android Apps can be requested from the website and downloaded directly to a registered mobile-device.
As mentioned earlier, there are a far greater percentage of free Apps in the Android Market than in any other App Store. 57% of the apps available are free, compared to 37% at the Apple App Store.
Android users with a registered mobile device will see filtered lists of available Android Apps that are compatible with their device. The Android Market isnt the only available means of downloading Android Apps though users can download through the developers own website, or from other third-party sites that carry compatible apps.
Unlike the Android platform itself, the Android Market is not open-source. Developers Android devices must comply with Googles compatibility requirements in order to install and access the Android Market App, subject to a licensing agreement.
Android App Security Issues
Androids open-source policy is probably the primary cause of its continuing success, but it also has some drawbacks. Because Android Apps may be developed and submitted to the Android Market by any enrolled third-party, there have been some significant attempts to exploit Android users with malicious apps.
Before installing an app, the required permissions are displayed to the user. Some Android Apps require access to the internet, access to the users address book data, the ability to make phone-calls and send SMS messages, etc. Typically, these permissions are necessary for the app to function the way its intended to. However, some malicious Android Apps are created in order to allow their developers to steal personal information.
Concerned developers have been working hard to develop applications to ensure the security of Android devices, and of course, Google takes strong measures to protect against exploitative apps and correct any issues resulting from any that get through.
SMobile Systems makes the claim that about 20% of all Android Apps request permissions that could be used for malicious purposes. 5% of Android Apps can, for example, make phone calls without intervention from the user. This isnt an example of actually malicious apps, but nevertheless highlights the potential for malicious exploitation.
So Many Android Mobile Devices!
The Android OS isnt just limited to Smartphones, of course. Its not uncommon for a person to possess an Android Phone and an Android Tablet. Tablets are wonderful mobile devices to have, (if youve ever tried to watch a movie or read an e-book on your phone you can certainly appreciate the value of a larger device)
Because the Android OS is available to so many other device-manufacturers, customers have a wide range to choose from. HTC, Samsung and Motorola, for example, are among the most popular brands and offer a great number of different devices running the Android platform.
The popularity of the Android Tablet has even extended to their coming to replace some customers personal computers. There can be little doubt that, by virtue of relative size and portability, an Android Tablet PC has quite an appeal. No Tablet PC yet offers equal-functionality to a desktop PC or laptop, but mobile technology has been growing by leaps and bounds for years, and shows no signs of slowing the pace! And with their open-source platform, Android seems determined to lead the race.
HTC has been creating mobile devices since the late 90s. In 2009 HTC began to focus more on Android OS Devices, rather than the Microsoft Windows OS theyd primarily used in the past. In 2010 they began including Windows Phone OS as well.
Popular HTC models for smartphones include the Evo, (in various permutations like Evo 3D and Evo Shift), the Sensation, HTC Inspire and Droid Incredible (succeeded by the Incredible S and Incredible 2).
HTC has only just gotten in on the Tablet scene, with their HTC Flyer.
Samsung, of course, has been around forever and their Mobile Phones and Tablets are among the most popular on the market today.
The Samsung Galaxy (smartphone) and its Tablet counterpart, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, have been incredibly well-received by consumers and critics alike. The Samsung Galaxy S II was described as the best Android smartphone yet and possibly the best smartphone, period by Engadget. In the 55 days after its release, the Samsung Galaxy S II sold 3-Million units worldwide.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab has been doing pretty well also, though not quite as well as Samsungs best-selling smartphone. In January 2011, Samsung announced that it had shipped 2-Million units to stores, some three months after its release.
Motorola Mobility (an entity of its own, formerly the Mobile Devices division of Motorola, Inc.), gained a significant resurgence in the mobile-device market after serious problems resulting from their failure to quickly adopt digital technology in their phones. Formerly using a proprietary operating system of their own, Motorola Mobility has adopted the Android OS and released the Droid in November 2009. Motorolas Droid was hugely successful for the company, receiving Time Gadget of the Year award for 2009.
Droid X and Droid 2 were released in the summer of 2010. Droid X was another great success, and has helped Motorola Mobility to regain much of its market share in the United States. The latest Droid phone by Motorola is the Droid Bionic which is already gaining great attention and popularity among consumers.
Android Phone Rooting
Android Phone Rooting allows users root access to their Android devices. Similar to jailbreaking an iPhone or iPad, Phone Rooting enables you to bypass any limitations that carriers or manufactures may put on their particular device.
Most devices that use the Android OS require rooting in order to install custom versions of the Android OS. In the stock configuration, user-installed applications do not have access to devices flash memory chip, and so cant replace or modify the operating-system itself. There are also certain applications that require deeper-level system and hardware-access to perform certain features like rebooting and backup utilities. Some manufacturers also include applications that cannot be removed without rooting the device.
Some manufacturers consider rooting to be a warranty-voiding modification of the device. However, should a warranty-claim be in order, simply unrooting will suffice as there is left no way of telling that the device had previously been rooted.
The process of rooting or unrooting a mobile device varies. Typically, some security-weakness in the devices firmware is exploited in one way or another. To the great fortune of Android-device users, detailed instructions on how to properly root or unroot a given device can usually be found online, as new devices are constantly being analyzed and experimented-with by people with the know-how to do so.
Of course, manufacturers are always trying to improve the different security-loopholes that rooting typically exploits. For example, Motorolas Droid X included a security boot-loader that automatically puts the device into recovery mode upon loading unsigned firmware onto the device. However, the hack-savvy people out there working to enable rooting-procedures for Android devices are diligent only 6 days after Droid X s release the protection was defeated.
In the summer of 2010, it was ruled by the U.S. Copyright Office that rooting a device and running third-party applications was legal. Additionally, unlocking a mobile phone in order to enable use with any carrier is also within the legal right of the consumer.
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