Maemo vs Android
 

As we know, Android is a fairly new product on the market too. Probably just about a couple months before Maemo 5 is released, and is even newer than the other earlier versions of Maemo.

However, the applications available for Andoid has really grown a lot over the last few months......will we be seeing the same for Maemo? Where do you all see Maemo in the next few months?

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Maybe I'm misreading your text, but Android is what, 3 years old now? Or was it two?

Most devs like to develop apps for popular devices. And Sadly, there are more Android powered phones than Maemo powered devices out there.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

make those months into a correction of nearly 2 years now.

And from a working point of view Android is well ahead. Mostly as mentioned before.

Maemo is new, it takes time to get a great product.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Discussed in several other LARGE threads. Can we please please please please please please start using the search button BEFORE we post a new thread.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Maemo has been out for a few years now as an Internet tablet device.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Well damn! I don't have a search button on my computer... :(

:P

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Or at least make the thread in Competitors instead of General.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

lol...some people really need to take chill pill about the search button.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

What would you suggest he search for? Searching for "how many apps are under development for maemo 5" immediately drops how, many, are, under, for, and 5. The resultant search returns 12 pages of threads. Many of these are irrelevant and most of the rest are specific to a particular app.

So does anyone know approximately how many apps are currently and actively under development for Maemo 5?

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

there's automatic generator when you make a new thread.. it shows all the similar post from other users,...

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

i'm pretty positive that maemo will develop like android did, app-wise.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

I hope it does, not the stupid apps, but the useful ones.

Some points of comparison. Im comparing my G1 to the N900.
Multi-tasking
Has multi-tasking but when you switch between apps you have to wait for web pages to load. When on the N900 you can switch between apps and no loading at all.
Browsing
N900 browser is beautiful, renders everything perfect and the flash is awesome. The only thing that I think the android browser does better is fit the text. I know about the re flow but it doesn't work every time.
Media
Video support is far superior on the N900 than on the G1. The audio quality is about the same. Media players have about the same functionality.
Email
Both of them have about the same functionality.
Phone
No big difference.
Apps
Obviously the G1 has more but im not worried about that.
Quick settings.
I love how easy it is to access the WIFI/bluetooth/etc on the N900.
On the G1/android you either have widgets or you have to go through the settings.

One thing is do really miss is using my phone with one hand. I miss portrait mode. But I am excited to see the N900 get some portrait support.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

sorry for my ignorance, i thought the first phone under android was the G1 phone? Wasn't that just released this year?

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Nope. Q3 2008. So Android is a bit older than a year...

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Of course the G1 ran Android 1 and the current OS is Android 2. So if you are making Maemo comparisons, Maemo 4 came out with the N810 in November 2007.

Unfortunately, the changes needed to allow apps developed under the older OS to run under the new OS seem to be more difficult with Maemo.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Android is of course going to become more popular because the app is released by google. They rule this internet world.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

G1 October 08...just over a year. almost 20k apps. Some really great apps some trash just like all software development for any environment. Maemo out of the box to me feels far tighter and much more powerful then when I first received my G1. That isn't suprising to me since Maemo has been around for a while while Android was just but a glimmer in Googles eye.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

good one :)

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

OTOH, the same prediction was made for Windows Mobile (or, at least, its predecessors) because of Microsoft's dominance.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

I don't know. Android had the promise of being used on many phones by multiple manufacturers. Maemo is Nokia-only for the foreseeable future.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

I can't see big application development for Maemo5 unless other vendors begins to release Maemo5 devices, which is not going to happen.

Nokia really needs few devices more than just a N900 to gain some ground and hopefully few vendors more. It's very rocky road if Nokia thinks they can make iPhone/Android level development community.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

This is what I think will be Android strongest selling point and what makes it a top dawg. There are 12-15 android phones on the market right now.. with another handful slated for release in the next year. This is a smartphone operating system running on every type of phone from cheap text-phones to expensive "smart" phones all over the place.

I think this will be why Android becomes a competitor to Apple... or at least - where it has a chance.

So far, Maemo's only chance is the fact that there are already millions of developers for Maemo out there. Anyone familiar with GTK/QT apps would take a very minimal learning curb to start developing for Maemo. But - whether that learning curve becomes worth it or not is the problem - currently.. with only 4 devices out, and only 1 of them being a "smart" phone equivalent... it hasn't been.

Hopefully the N900, or it's successor, takes off.. but I'm not as convinced it will when you're fighting Apple's and OHA (Open Handset Alliance). It has to bring something to the table that nothing else does... unfortunately "openness" is not a very consumer friendly idea. They want something unbelievably never-before-seen right now, or they'll just go with whatever their friends have. "Potential" isn't really a selling strategy.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

You have to remember that Maemo 5 that the N900 is running on is a debian based system, as so it's using the Linux kernel. This should make it possible for every application that runs on debian or Linux for that matter, to run on Maemo 5/N900. The only thing is that it has to be compiled for the ARM processor.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

what if a android-phone uses an arm-processor?
these android-apps dont have to be recompiled for arm-processors, right? so why is recompiling needed if its for n900?

or doesnt android run on arm-processors?

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Don't forget optified and Hildonized. But like I said in my post.. anyone that has developed for Linux could easily learn to develop for the N900.. it's just whether or not they *want* to.

Thankfully, due to the open nature of most linux software - the community here can grab most Linux software source code and make the necessary changes without the need to try and convince the original coder to do so.. However some of these UI's are immensely complex, and not so good on the small screens.

I don't see these 2 conveniences to be enough to generate the kind of interest the iPhone and Android phones have generated. Mostly because this isn't an iPhone, it's a very different type of device that appeals to a very specific set of people. Which means you're only going to get a very certain type of developer.

So I don't really see Maemo reaching the "millions" of apps anytime soon, whereas I do see android getting up there. For me personally, that's fine with me... I would like to see Android overcome the iPhone because I find android to be a decent OS, and it's phones good phones - but I don't need millions of apps, and I don't care for the invasiveness of Android.

The N900 would allow me to stick an almost-desktop linux in my pocket and not need to also carry a second phone.. this is perfect for me. I don't need all the fancy "smartphone" crap as much as I want to box up my main computer and take it on trips. But again, this type of thought is in a significantly smaller portion of the population than people who want really cool phones that also happen to do some functional things.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

The same strength is its weakness (though this reason is why I think Android will eventually dominate the market). But with smaller markets for Apple's devices and Nokia devices.

The problem with having so many different phones and different manufacturers is unless you specify an absolute minimum in specs, applications won't necessarily work or work well on all devices. Likewise if you are a developer wanting to make money you ideally want to target the mass market (e.g. lowest common denominater). So you won't be developing something that requires say the Droid to run.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Android is *entirely* different. Yes, Android has a very small relational somewhat linux base... meaning somewhere in the the very beginning stages the linux kernel was compiled and then used for android.

However, "Android" in it's completeness is very intensely a java-based system that runs atop that linux kernel. Almost all software development is done in a very modified Java environment and then each application runs inside it's own java "virtual machine".

This allows for just the base of the OS to be written (or compiled) to work on a particular piece of hardware, and then all applications will (theoretically) just work on the new system. Google did it this way so the various companies in the Open Handset Alliance could pick any device they wanted, and get Android to work - and they will all use the same "Android Market".

This of course isn't as perfect or seamless as the theory behind it sounds... but it is close.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

There is no such thing as stupid apps... just stupid users. :)

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

and to some degree it was, until microsoft fumbled the push mail ball to rim, and apple used the ipod halo to bootstrap iphone after seeing feature phones overtake ipod on dap...

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Google is a speedier Microsoft, or Microsoft cubed (far more effective than squared). Sorry, I tried to stay away from Google bashing lately (and I've done very well), but it looks like it's time to end that session. What M$ can possibly do within a certain time, Google can do the same^3.

Simply put, Google has almost unlimited resources as well as the ability to make something popular by prefering such keywords in the search engine. Of course, they have access to everyone's habits as well. :(

Remember, Google services are "cheaper than free". [http://abovethecrowd.com/2009/10/29/...usiness-model/]

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Like fatalsaint said, Android phones is running on a virtual machine, and that virtual machine can only run on a ARM processor.
fatalsaint, are you sure that it has to be hildonized? I think i should be able to run on Maemo, but you have to move the picture arround to becuase of the screen size.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

not fully correct. there the android-x86 project for instance...

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

really?
why is that you think there must be a few devices from nokia or even from many other vendors?

does apple do that? has apple made multiply versions (at the same time) or is the os of the iphone used by other vendors?

I dont think so.. I think that sinking the market with that many phones like nokia always does is just stupid..

Especially in the area of a large touch screen phone. i only see a use case of 2 devices at the same time, 1 with qweryt, 1 without qwerty and thats it.. Why need more?

Or do we really want to have some with gps some without some with camera some without (those 2 could be possilble) but for example: no accelerator or even no 3d hardware would be terrible because that some games or app are working for that phone but not for that one and so on..

So my view is that nokia can release 2 phones at the same time but hardware wise they should only differ in keyboard..

Ofcourse the next evolution there can be some added hardware for new features (compas and multitouch screen) thats just a fact of live but for software development you just have to target one specific version/edition/revision.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

some workplaces have a strict policy against phones with cameras, so having a smartphone without a camera makes sense for that market (tho i admit, it could be very limited).

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

i agree with you on that part.. i have an E90 before the N900 and thats a real business phone.. But it also have a camera.. I think finding a phone without a camera is very hard these days..

I dont use the camera i think in 2.5 years of E90 i used it maybe 5-10 times... For me it wouldnt matter one bit if a phone has a camera or not its not the spec that i look at.. But many many others find it very important if i always look at phone reviews or what ever, the first or second post/reply is about the camera...

So yes a N9xx without camera could be an option but i think that that feature is just the feature that Nokia will not throw away in a specific revision...

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Actually this is incorrect. Because Android has all of it's apps running in VM's, then only Android *iteself* must be recompiled for a new processor/architecture. So if they decide to run ARM, x86, PPC, snapdragon, Whatever in their phones.. all they have to do is compile the primary OS for that phone - and then the apps will just "run".

Contrast this to maemo, where every application must be recompiled to work with the hardware because processor calls are different from the different types - and the applications running on Maemo, iPhone, Linux, Windows, Mac, (insert Desktop/server OS here) - have direct access to the hardware and are not "filtered" through a VM first.

This VM, however, causes a higher overhead and more resources to be used. Which is the downfall. (there's an echo here! I'm holding the same conversation in two threads! :D)

Well technically you're right... as long as the application is compiled for ARM, and the libraries it depends on are, then the application *will* run on maemo. However, if it's not optified or hildonized the application will both fill up your limited root space, and could potentially suck horrifically trying to work with it. This equates to a negative user experience.. and these apps would not be considered for the general user.

My comment was to the fact that for "official" or "maemo" apps, they would be optified and hildonized to work within the Maemo's UI so as to make the user-experience consistent, fluid, and unobtrusive.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

or you write in python ;)

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

Correct. Python (perl, ruby, ...) is the way to "emulate" the sort of versatility that exists on Android.. with the same drawback. The applications will be more resource intensive than if they were written "natively" without going through an interpreter.

In light of this... I do plan on learning PyQT or PyGTK.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

In.those places.you usually. can't bring anything into the secure area. Instead you give your device to the security guy on the floor and if they will come get you if someone calls. At least that's how the place where I work does it.

Re: Maemo vs Android
 

The places I have worked were similar Laughing Man, except we don't get someone to come tell us the phone is ringing ;). You just leave your phone outside the room(s) and you can check your messages later.

Also.. my experience has been that if it they ban a camera phone.. they also ban any phone or device that could be used as a "USB" or storage device as well.. and this includes most smartphones, with or without a camera.

That isn't to say that there isn't places that *specifically* say a non-company furnished blackberry with no camera is allowed... I've just never witnessed it personally.