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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > iPhone, iPad & iPod > Android 2.2 aka Froyo - any features you find interesting?

Android 2.2 aka Froyo - any features you find interesting?
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OreoCookie
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May 23, 2010, 04:12 PM
 
I'm just watching the Google I/O keynote and after filtering out the pot shots directed at Apple (they're stooping to the same level as SJ here, ugh!), I've come to see a few features I really find interesting. (Even more interesting is who Google didn't mention: the name starts with M )

Streaming music. This is a no-brainer, in all likelihood, my music library is bigger than the space available on my (hypothetical) iPhone/iPod touch/iPad.

webstore. It would be nice to be able to buy things from basically anywhere and have them pushed to your devices immediately.

Push `notifications:' new content is automatically pushed to my cell phone -- how cool is that? Changes in your address book could be reflected immediately without the need for syncing.

Overall, you really get the feeling Google is working full steam at improving Android. This is good news for the consumer in my opinion, two big companies are pushing really hard to make their products better.
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Spheric Harlot
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May 23, 2010, 04:30 PM
 
The streaming music thing is sensational.

If their purchase of Simplify Media means that the service will be discontinued for the iPhone, I'll be really, really mad.

I've been using it for a while, and it works really well.

Went on a cross-country trip last week, and had to leave the iPod at home for the family.
Still had access to my entire library in the car via Simplify.

Their Googlification probably means that they won't update the iPhone app to take advantage of background processing in iPhone OS 4, which sucks royally.
     
boy8cookie
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May 23, 2010, 07:37 PM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
Their Googlification probably means that they won't update the iPhone app to take advantage of background processing in iPhone OS 4, which sucks royally.
http://www.simplifymedia.com/blog/

Looks like that's already happening.
     
mduell
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May 23, 2010, 09:48 PM
 
Love the speed of the web... the demo literally running circles around the iPad was cute.
     
Simon
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May 24, 2010, 12:45 AM
 
Yeah gotta love a demo comparing the iPad you can buy right now with a maybe-to-be-released-version of something.

Streaming is a nice idea. Pushing new content without requiring people to sign up for an expensive plan sounds great too. Good Android development is the best thing that could have happened to the iPhone.

Does anybody else find it interesting that Google was so focussed on dissing Apple? They could have gone after Apple, RIM, Symbian, etc. but the potshots were all aimed at Apple. I take it that's a good sign. RIP Nokia, SE, RIM,. etc.
     
OreoCookie  (op)
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May 24, 2010, 05:11 AM
 
Simon, you're also forgetting Microsoft
But in any case, nobody really seems to be worried about Windows Phone 7 … 

One thing I'm also missing from the iPhone right now is tethering by default. I know this is not a technical issue, OS X can do it and thus so can the iPhone. Apple should have enough market force by now to force carriers to allow this for free. It's the 21st century, people! (Tethering would be a killer feature for me, if the iPhone had tethering, I would definitely get an iPhone.) For then I could go online on the road with my ProBook
( Last edited by OreoCookie; May 24, 2010 at 05:20 AM. )
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Spheric Harlot
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May 24, 2010, 05:31 AM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
Simon, you're also forgetting Microsoft
But in any case, nobody really seems to be worried about Windows Phone 7 … 

One thing I'm also missing from the iPhone right now is tethering by default. I know this is not a technical issue, OS X can do it and thus so can the iPhone. Apple should have enough market force by now to force carriers to allow this for free. It's the 21st century, people! (Tethering would be a killer feature for me, if the iPhone had tethering, I would definitely get an iPhone.) For then I could go online on the road with my ProBook
Huh? Tethering has been available on the iPhone since last autumn (everywhere except in the U.S.).

The fact that you pay out the ass for it here in Germany is due to the fact that telecoms went completely overboard in the UMTS frequency bidding wars a few years back and have no hope in hell of ever making that money back through ethical means.

In the U.S., it's a networking issue - AT&T's network is already pushed to the limit by the iPhone itself. Tethering is an additional load that merely throws into hard contrast just how sub-standard their coverage really is.
     
Simon
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May 24, 2010, 05:42 AM
 
AT&T blocks tethering the iPhone in the US. Their fault. But rumors indicate this might soon change. Then you might be able to tether as long as you pay an extra fee on top of your 'unlimited' 3G plan. AFAIK that's the glorious situation T-mobile users are in in Germany. Suckers.

Anyway, Apple's slacking in other areas. Take tethering an iPad or iPod touch over BT to a 3G phone for example. It works fine on Mac OS X, so technically it should also be feasible on iPhone OS, yet the iPad and touch can't do it. Why? Apple just doesn't want to do it, so there. In this case I'm voting with my wallet. As long as there's no tethering to another phone, I'm not buying an iPad wifi (the 3G is out of the question anyway since I already have an unlimited 3G data plan).
     
OreoCookie  (op)
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May 24, 2010, 06:18 AM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
Huh? Tethering has been available on the iPhone since last autumn (everywhere except in the U.S.).
To my knowledge tethering is only available at an extra charge … which makes it rather unattractive to me.

I wonder what happens in Froyo. Since Android is `open,' i. e. hackable, I don't think tethering can be blocked effectively by the telcos.
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