what percent of the existing hardware running android will be able to upgrade?
That's the million dollar question it seems.
We've seen leaks of the nexus s running ICS, so it looks like it is possible to run it on last year's high end specs (1Ghz single core, 512 MB ram, PowerVR SGX540 GPU)
Ball is in the manufacturer's and carrier's court to get upgrades out.
Not at all. Based on the comment I responded to I assumed he was saying that this device was 'worse' in it's ability to deal with a comparable mobile OS.
I'm actually only slightly disappointed with the new Nexus (lackluster gpu and camera) but everything else is pretty impressive. Wish they'd talked more about the under the hood improvements like graphics accelerated UI (FINALLY!) and the speedier browser
Agreed. For once, Google has focused less on hardware specs and undertaken a serious effort on the software side.
I don't see anything super-innovative. What I do see are a ton of UI improvements. This will almost make Android as consistent to use as iOS or WP7. And that's a good thing. It's a lot of little improvements. I remember a DED article for example, a while back, talking about hardware button 'fragmentation'. This problem is now solved with all the key buttons now being softkeys. Swipe to unlock camera. Instant speech dictation. Synched bookmarks with Google Chrome. Incognito mode like Google Chrome. Save webpages for later. Etc. These are all little things that will go a long way to improving the user experience on a day-to-day basis without individually being any sort of knockout.
Here is something I don't quite understand. Many people seem to clamor for a 720p screen on their cell phone. But, according to stuff I've read on home theater forums it makes no sense to buy an HDTV less than (I think) 32". The reason is that below that size the pixels are so small that the human eye can't make out the extra detail that HD provides. I can't say I've tested this myself but it does make sense that the smaller the screen the less you will see.
Looked at from another direction, I also read that when Transformers 2 was released they actually had a different version that played in IMAX. It showed the same scenes but with much more detail because IMAX rez was capable of showing so much more.
So, if HD detail is lost by anything under a 32" screen, why should we care if a tiny (by comparison) cell phone screen is in "HD"?
Now that I think of it, I would like to see an HD version of a movie playing on an iPhone directly next to an iPhone playing an SD version of the same movie to see if I can see the difference.
The "magazine" inspired interface really looks gorgeous. I love the People app as well as people sharing window. This and widgets are too domains in which Apple is falling behind. The core experience of iOS hasn't changed much since the beginning. A rethinking of the whole iOS seems necessary or it will look dated IMO.
Aside from giving Google direct access to snoop on everyone's credit card transactions, what possible use does NFC have? There's already two wireless comm systems built into almost every device these days with Wifi and Bluetooth, what point is there to yet another, let alone one that is even less capable? Kudos to Apple for not cluttering the iPhone with that nonsense.
The barometer on the other hand does sound like an interesting addition. Temperature sensing would be nice too.
4.65" screen seems too large though - more of a miniature tablet than a cell phone. Definitely too big for comfortable one handed operation and more than I care to have in my pocket.
Here is something I don't quite understand. Many people seem to clamor for a 720p screen on their cell phone. But, according to stuff I've read on home theater forums it makes no sense to buy an HDTV less than (I think) 32". The reason is that below that size the pixels are so small that the human eye can't make out the extra detail that HD provides. I can't say I've tested this myself but it does make sense that the smaller the screen the less you will see.
Looked at from another direction, I also read that when Transformers 2 was released they actually had a different version that played in IMAX. It showed the same scenes but with much more detail because IMAX rez was capable of showing so much more.
So, if HD detail is lost by anything under a 32" screen, why should we care if a tiny (by comparison) cell phone screen is in "HD"?
Now that I think of it, I would like to see an HD version of a movie playing on an iPhone directly next to an iPhone playing an SD version of the same movie to see if I can see the difference.
Well of course you'll see a difference. What your website probably meant is that when you have a smaller screen, you have to get closer to enjoy the fine details. Put an old TV against an HDTV and look from afar, you won't see any difference. From a few feet away, it will be another story.
what percent of the existing hardware running android will be able to upgrade?
They have already said that it is designed to run on all previous Android devices. But Apple said that before rooting all the iPhones 3gs and prior with clogged up iOS4 so who knows if Google will do the same.
Here is something I don't quite understand. Many people seem to clamor for a 720p screen on their cell phone. But, according to stuff I've read on home theater forums it makes no sense to buy an HDTV less than (I think) 32". The reason is that below that size the pixels are so small that the human eye can't make out the extra detail that HD provides. I can't say I've tested this myself but it does make sense that the smaller the screen the less you will see.
Looked at from another direction, I also read that when Transformers 2 was released they actually had a different version that played in IMAX. It showed the same scenes but with much more detail because IMAX rez was capable of showing so much more.
So, if HD detail is lost by anything under a 32" screen, why should we care if a tiny (by comparison) cell phone screen is in "HD"?
Now that I think of it, I would like to see an HD version of a movie playing on an iPhone directly next to an iPhone playing an SD version of the same movie to see if I can see the difference.
The goal is to make the pixels small enough that the human eye can't differentiate them. That makes the image smooth and silky. Combine that with a good display panel and backlight and you get a great experience.
The Galaxy Nexus has a 315.83ppi display based on those specs, which is pretty near ? though slightly less than ? the iPhone 4/4S at 326ppi. This makes the Galaxy Nexus and other such phones Retina Display phones and you do see the difference because you hold a phone much closer to your eyes than you do a large TV.
This is a good thing for consumers but I do worry about power efficiency from these other vendors.
Aside from giving Google direct access to snoop on everyone's credit card transactions, what possible use does NFC have? There's already two wireless comm systems built into almost every device these days with Wifi and Bluetooth, what point is there to yet another, let alone one that is even less capable? Kudos to Apple for not cluttering the iPhone with that nonsense..
You need to tap a button to share via wifi or bluetooth, with NFC, sharing is automatic as soon as the two phones are close enough. It's a really natural and transparent way of sharing. You'll see next year when Apple introduces that in the next iPhone.
Here is something I don't quite understand. Many people seem to clamor for a 720p screen on their cell phone. But, according to stuff I've read on home theater forums it makes no sense to buy an HDTV less than (I think) 32". The reason is that below that size the pixels are so small that the human eye can't make out the extra detail that HD provides. I can't say I've tested this myself but it does make sense that the smaller the screen the less you will see.
Looked at from another direction, I also read that when Transformers 2 was released they actually had a different version that played in IMAX. It showed the same scenes but with much more detail because IMAX rez was capable of showing so much more.
So, if HD detail is lost by anything under a 32" screen, why should we care if a tiny (by comparison) cell phone screen is in "HD"?
Now that I think of it, I would like to see an HD version of a movie playing on an iPhone directly next to an iPhone playing an SD version of the same movie to see if I can see the difference.
I'm not an expert (and actually have been known to argue that 720p is indistinguishable from 1080p on a comparable display in any size less than 42" at normal viewing distance), but a key difference is the viewing distance. You set about 10 feet away from a television. A phone is held a bout 18 inches from your face.
Aside from giving Google direct access to snoop on everyone's credit card transactions, what possible use does NFC have? There's already two wireless comm systems built into almost every device these days with Wifi and Bluetooth, what point is there to yet another, let alone one that is even less capable? Kudos to Apple for not cluttering the iPhone with that nonsense.
The barometer on the other hand does sound like an interesting addition. Temperature sensing would be nice too.
4.65" screen seems too large though - more of a miniature tablet than a cell phone. Definitely too big for comfortable one handed operation and more than I care to have in my pocket.
The NFC for passing data between two devices quickly and securely is legit. NFC creates a very small loop and could be very easy to keep inactive when not in use. You need to pass a song to friend you don't need to create an ad-hoc WiFi network, join a WiFI network that allows you to see others on the network, use an Internet service like Dropbox for sharing or pairing Bluetooth over 20 feet. You can just touch the devices and send the file rather quickly, securely without using any cellular data, as using MMS would require.
Is this sort of scenario limited? Probably, but it's certainly not as pointless as Bluetooth sounded to me when it first came on the scene with little no real uses.
You need to tap a button to share via wifi or bluetooth, with NFC, sharing is automatic as soon as the two phones are close enough. It's a really natural and transparent way of sharing. You'll see next year when Apple introduces that in the next iPhone.
I would hope the user has to initiate or at least approve sharing. "Automatic" is code for insecure.
Also, BT 4.0 includes a low-power standard that allows a wake-on-demand function and can replicate similar functionality to NFC and RFID.
I'm willing to bet Apple never includes NFC. It's a buzzword technology that has failed to catch on significantly. Reminds me of people clamoring for e-SATA in Macs. Yeah, not going to happen.
Android now has screen capture, just like iOS. How innovative.
Android now has an innovative folder function. You drag one app on top of another, and a folder is created.
Also, big fail on that Face recognition demo.
I look forward to seeing the tv commercials invade my tv stations for this phone. Probably some teenage kid sitting in a spaceship or something, with lightening effects in the background and swooshing sound fx.
How did I know you'd come here to troll?
iOS was not the first device to ever have a screen capture. I can understand how you can say that they copied the folder creation method from iOS, but screen capture? Go back to your anti-Android hole.
"Also, big fail on that Face recognition demo. "
Yep, no one has ever had a small failure at a demo.
Thank god they didn't have to ask people to cool it on the wireless because their advanced antenna was unable to get signal in a crowded room. THAT would be embarrassing. /end_schooling
Seriously, I can understand why people on here would say "I don't like this or that," but stupid trolling is just unnecessary \
I would hope the user has to initiate or at least approve sharing. "Automatic" is code for insecure.
In the video it could be seen that when putting two phones close together, whatever the application onscreen, the image would animate backwards and ask for confirmation. Single tap sharing.
The "magazine" inspired interface really looks gorgeous. I love the People app as well as people sharing window. This and widgets are too domains in which Apple is falling behind. The core experience of iOS hasn't changed much since the beginning. A rethinking of the whole iOS seems necessary or it will look dated IMO.
YES! I really am jealous about android widgets. It seems natural to have actual information on the homescreen without needing to launch an app. I would like it if Apple took this concept and applied their (generally) superior aesthetic design expertise to it.
Aside from giving Google direct access to snoop on everyone's credit card transactions, what possible use does NFC have? There's already two wireless comm systems built into almost every device these days with Wifi and Bluetooth, what point is there to yet another, let alone one that is even less capable? Kudos to Apple for not cluttering the iPhone with that nonsense.
The barometer on the other hand does sound like an interesting addition. Temperature sensing would be nice too.
4.65" screen seems too large though - more of a miniature tablet than a cell phone. Definitely too big for comfortable one handed operation and more than I care to have in my pocket.
Did you not see the Android Beam demo? That seems like a useful feature to me. It might seem gimmicky right now. But in a year or two when every Android phone has it, it'll become quite normal to use it. Kinda like how most Blackberry users exchange contact info today by scanning barcodes on each others phones.
Design the apis well enough and this could even work Android to iPhone.
Why did they go for an older, underpowered GPU for this display?
IIRC, TI was selected as the launch partner for android 4.0, and unfortunately, the OMAP 4470 (with an SGX544) wasn't ready yet, forcing them to use the OMAP 4460.
Comments
what percent of the existing hardware running android will be able to upgrade?
That's the million dollar question it seems.
We've seen leaks of the nexus s running ICS, so it looks like it is possible to run it on last year's high end specs (1Ghz single core, 512 MB ram, PowerVR SGX540 GPU)
Ball is in the manufacturer's and carrier's court to get upgrades out.
Specs? Really?
Did you forget your sarcasm tag?
Not at all. Based on the comment I responded to I assumed he was saying that this device was 'worse' in it's ability to deal with a comparable mobile OS.
Specs for spec is always half the story.
Agreed. For once, Google has focused less on hardware specs and undertaken a serious effort on the software side.
I don't see anything super-innovative. What I do see are a ton of UI improvements. This will almost make Android as consistent to use as iOS or WP7. And that's a good thing. It's a lot of little improvements. I remember a DED article for example, a while back, talking about hardware button 'fragmentation'. This problem is now solved with all the key buttons now being softkeys. Swipe to unlock camera. Instant speech dictation. Synched bookmarks with Google Chrome. Incognito mode like Google Chrome. Save webpages for later. Etc. These are all little things that will go a long way to improving the user experience on a day-to-day basis without individually being any sort of knockout.
Display: 4.65-inch 1280 x 720 HD Super AMOLED
Here is something I don't quite understand. Many people seem to clamor for a 720p screen on their cell phone. But, according to stuff I've read on home theater forums it makes no sense to buy an HDTV less than (I think) 32". The reason is that below that size the pixels are so small that the human eye can't make out the extra detail that HD provides. I can't say I've tested this myself but it does make sense that the smaller the screen the less you will see.
Looked at from another direction, I also read that when Transformers 2 was released they actually had a different version that played in IMAX. It showed the same scenes but with much more detail because IMAX rez was capable of showing so much more.
So, if HD detail is lost by anything under a 32" screen, why should we care if a tiny (by comparison) cell phone screen is in "HD"?
Now that I think of it, I would like to see an HD version of a movie playing on an iPhone directly next to an iPhone playing an SD version of the same movie to see if I can see the difference.
The barometer on the other hand does sound like an interesting addition. Temperature sensing would be nice too.
4.65" screen seems too large though - more of a miniature tablet than a cell phone. Definitely too big for comfortable one handed operation and more than I care to have in my pocket.
Here is something I don't quite understand. Many people seem to clamor for a 720p screen on their cell phone. But, according to stuff I've read on home theater forums it makes no sense to buy an HDTV less than (I think) 32". The reason is that below that size the pixels are so small that the human eye can't make out the extra detail that HD provides. I can't say I've tested this myself but it does make sense that the smaller the screen the less you will see.
Looked at from another direction, I also read that when Transformers 2 was released they actually had a different version that played in IMAX. It showed the same scenes but with much more detail because IMAX rez was capable of showing so much more.
So, if HD detail is lost by anything under a 32" screen, why should we care if a tiny (by comparison) cell phone screen is in "HD"?
Now that I think of it, I would like to see an HD version of a movie playing on an iPhone directly next to an iPhone playing an SD version of the same movie to see if I can see the difference.
Well of course you'll see a difference. What your website probably meant is that when you have a smaller screen, you have to get closer to enjoy the fine details. Put an old TV against an HDTV and look from afar, you won't see any difference. From a few feet away, it will be another story.
Really it's not that complicated.
what percent of the existing hardware running android will be able to upgrade?
They have already said that it is designed to run on all previous Android devices. But Apple said that before rooting all the iPhones 3gs and prior with clogged up iOS4 so who knows if Google will do the same.
Here is something I don't quite understand. Many people seem to clamor for a 720p screen on their cell phone. But, according to stuff I've read on home theater forums it makes no sense to buy an HDTV less than (I think) 32". The reason is that below that size the pixels are so small that the human eye can't make out the extra detail that HD provides. I can't say I've tested this myself but it does make sense that the smaller the screen the less you will see.
Looked at from another direction, I also read that when Transformers 2 was released they actually had a different version that played in IMAX. It showed the same scenes but with much more detail because IMAX rez was capable of showing so much more.
So, if HD detail is lost by anything under a 32" screen, why should we care if a tiny (by comparison) cell phone screen is in "HD"?
Now that I think of it, I would like to see an HD version of a movie playing on an iPhone directly next to an iPhone playing an SD version of the same movie to see if I can see the difference.
The goal is to make the pixels small enough that the human eye can't differentiate them. That makes the image smooth and silky. Combine that with a good display panel and backlight and you get a great experience.
The Galaxy Nexus has a 315.83ppi display based on those specs, which is pretty near ? though slightly less than ? the iPhone 4/4S at 326ppi. This makes the Galaxy Nexus and other such phones Retina Display phones and you do see the difference because you hold a phone much closer to your eyes than you do a large TV.
This is a good thing for consumers but I do worry about power efficiency from these other vendors.
Aside from giving Google direct access to snoop on everyone's credit card transactions, what possible use does NFC have? There's already two wireless comm systems built into almost every device these days with Wifi and Bluetooth, what point is there to yet another, let alone one that is even less capable? Kudos to Apple for not cluttering the iPhone with that nonsense..
You need to tap a button to share via wifi or bluetooth, with NFC, sharing is automatic as soon as the two phones are close enough. It's a really natural and transparent way of sharing. You'll see next year when Apple introduces that in the next iPhone.
Here is something I don't quite understand. Many people seem to clamor for a 720p screen on their cell phone. But, according to stuff I've read on home theater forums it makes no sense to buy an HDTV less than (I think) 32". The reason is that below that size the pixels are so small that the human eye can't make out the extra detail that HD provides. I can't say I've tested this myself but it does make sense that the smaller the screen the less you will see.
Looked at from another direction, I also read that when Transformers 2 was released they actually had a different version that played in IMAX. It showed the same scenes but with much more detail because IMAX rez was capable of showing so much more.
So, if HD detail is lost by anything under a 32" screen, why should we care if a tiny (by comparison) cell phone screen is in "HD"?
Now that I think of it, I would like to see an HD version of a movie playing on an iPhone directly next to an iPhone playing an SD version of the same movie to see if I can see the difference.
I'm not an expert (and actually have been known to argue that 720p is indistinguishable from 1080p on a comparable display in any size less than 42" at normal viewing distance), but a key difference is the viewing distance. You set about 10 feet away from a television. A phone is held a bout 18 inches from your face.
Aside from giving Google direct access to snoop on everyone's credit card transactions, what possible use does NFC have? There's already two wireless comm systems built into almost every device these days with Wifi and Bluetooth, what point is there to yet another, let alone one that is even less capable? Kudos to Apple for not cluttering the iPhone with that nonsense.
The barometer on the other hand does sound like an interesting addition. Temperature sensing would be nice too.
4.65" screen seems too large though - more of a miniature tablet than a cell phone. Definitely too big for comfortable one handed operation and more than I care to have in my pocket.
The NFC for passing data between two devices quickly and securely is legit. NFC creates a very small loop and could be very easy to keep inactive when not in use. You need to pass a song to friend you don't need to create an ad-hoc WiFi network, join a WiFI network that allows you to see others on the network, use an Internet service like Dropbox for sharing or pairing Bluetooth over 20 feet. You can just touch the devices and send the file rather quickly, securely without using any cellular data, as using MMS would require.
Is this sort of scenario limited? Probably, but it's certainly not as pointless as Bluetooth sounded to me when it first came on the scene with little no real uses.
You need to tap a button to share via wifi or bluetooth, with NFC, sharing is automatic as soon as the two phones are close enough. It's a really natural and transparent way of sharing. You'll see next year when Apple introduces that in the next iPhone.
I would hope the user has to initiate or at least approve sharing. "Automatic" is code for insecure.
Also, BT 4.0 includes a low-power standard that allows a wake-on-demand function and can replicate similar functionality to NFC and RFID.
I'm willing to bet Apple never includes NFC. It's a buzzword technology that has failed to catch on significantly. Reminds me of people clamoring for e-SATA in Macs. Yeah, not going to happen.
Android now has screen capture, just like iOS. How innovative.
Android now has an innovative folder function. You drag one app on top of another, and a folder is created.
Also, big fail on that Face recognition demo.
I look forward to seeing the tv commercials invade my tv stations for this phone. Probably some teenage kid sitting in a spaceship or something, with lightening effects in the background and swooshing sound fx.
How did I know you'd come here to troll?
iOS was not the first device to ever have a screen capture. I can understand how you can say that they copied the folder creation method from iOS, but screen capture? Go back to your anti-Android hole.
"Also, big fail on that Face recognition demo.
Yep, no one has ever had a small failure at a demo.
Thank god they didn't have to ask people to cool it on the wireless because their advanced antenna was unable to get signal in a crowded room. THAT would be embarrassing. /end_schooling
Seriously, I can understand why people on here would say "I don't like this or that," but stupid trolling is just unnecessary
I would hope the user has to initiate or at least approve sharing. "Automatic" is code for insecure.
In the video it could be seen that when putting two phones close together, whatever the application onscreen, the image would animate backwards and ask for confirmation. Single tap sharing.
The "magazine" inspired interface really looks gorgeous. I love the People app as well as people sharing window. This and widgets are too domains in which Apple is falling behind. The core experience of iOS hasn't changed much since the beginning. A rethinking of the whole iOS seems necessary or it will look dated IMO.
YES! I really am jealous about android widgets. It seems natural to have actual information on the homescreen without needing to launch an app. I would like it if Apple took this concept and applied their (generally) superior aesthetic design expertise to it.
Aside from giving Google direct access to snoop on everyone's credit card transactions, what possible use does NFC have? There's already two wireless comm systems built into almost every device these days with Wifi and Bluetooth, what point is there to yet another, let alone one that is even less capable? Kudos to Apple for not cluttering the iPhone with that nonsense.
The barometer on the other hand does sound like an interesting addition. Temperature sensing would be nice too.
4.65" screen seems too large though - more of a miniature tablet than a cell phone. Definitely too big for comfortable one handed operation and more than I care to have in my pocket.
Did you not see the Android Beam demo? That seems like a useful feature to me. It might seem gimmicky right now. But in a year or two when every Android phone has it, it'll become quite normal to use it. Kinda like how most Blackberry users exchange contact info today by scanning barcodes on each others phones.
Design the apis well enough and this could even work Android to iPhone.
Why did they go for an older, underpowered GPU for this display?
IIRC, TI was selected as the launch partner for android 4.0, and unfortunately, the OMAP 4470 (with an SGX544) wasn't ready yet, forcing them to use the OMAP 4460.