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Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

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Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#111

Post by doron »

runjake wrote: post #46

Here's a list to start off with: Any home screen widget, because you can. ConnectBot PDAnet (no shady jailbreak needed) Barcode Scanner My Tracks Swype Google Navigation Google Voice (better than the new iPhone version) Layar Scripting Layer 4 Android Google Speech To Text (Voice Search) Slide Screen Chrome To Phone Dropbox (whoah, not limited by a weird file sandbox!?) Whatever system software that allows you to mou…

Swype for me, it changed my input method so completely and utterly that it makes my input experience on the Ipad painful and primitive by comparison.

Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#112

Post by doron »

jonhendry wrote: post #54
NickPollard wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, remember he ignores apps which are available on both systems. Since iOS was big before Android was, it stands to reason that many apps would have been developed for iOS and then not ported to Android. Whereas now Android is a huge market that most will want to develop for, but they're not going to stop developing for iOS - so I would expect a vast majority of apps to be on both platforms. Since there was never…

"Also, remember he ignores apps which are available on both systems." That seems reasonable, since the idea of a "killer app" could be defined as one whose existence leads you to pick the platform it's on over any other. If an app is available on both Android and iPhone, then it's not decisive. You can still choose either platform.

The integration offered by some of the apps on android trumps those that exist on the iphone in my mind. Facebook, Twitter, and a 3rd party linkedin software i use integrate with my address book seamlessly, personally i find it a neat feature that my address book is populated with my friends social profile pictures, current status etc..

Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#113

Post by jawee »

callahad wrote: post #28
cheald wrote: post #20

Gruber seems to make the assertion that a platform only has worth based on its exclusive "killer apps". He goes wrong there and never really recovers. Android's strength is not its suite apps, it's its flexibility. It runs on an enormous range of hardware, and doesn't require that you buy into a single vendor's toolchain to use it. The core philosophical difference between the two platforms is "Steve Jobs decides wha…

But you have to admit, there's a cultural divide between Android and iOS. Android is extremely well suited for working, passing data seamlessly between applications, etc. It makes it easy to get things done in the same way you might interact with a desktop computer. iOS, however, takes a different tack, focusing on self-contained, bite-sized apps. You hop into something, use it, then leave. And when you're in that ap…

From what I've seen, this ideal workflow is not near as much of a reality on cheap Android phones with not as great hardware. It is a reality on phones like most of the Droid series (I own a Droid 2) and the Nexus One, but most of the people I know with Droids have the cheaper phones like the LG Ally and Motorola Backflip which just don't work as nicely this way. You end up wanting to go back to the app paradigm on phones with smaller screens and slower processors.

Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#114

Post by generalk »

Gruber's whole premise is flawed. Android doesn't need killer apps.

iOS has to have "killer apps" because that's how Apple locks folks into their system. If you can get the iOS experience somewhere else, there's no reason to pay the Apple premium. Thankfully for Apple their UX is amazingly polished, and attracts a lot of third-party developers who also care highly about polish.

Android, on the other hand, is a portal to Google's cloud offerings. First thing you do is create or utilize your Google account. Then you check your Gmail and your Google Voice. Maybe get some navigations from Google Maps, or a recommendation from Google Places.

And of course, since you have a smartphone, you might as well buy some apps. A lot of common apps that exist for iOS also exist for Android (Kindle Reader and Angry Birds come to mind), and Google gets their cut of the sale.

Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#115

Post by siglesias »

runjake wrote: post #46

Here's a list to start off with: Any home screen widget, because you can. ConnectBot PDAnet (no shady jailbreak needed) Barcode Scanner My Tracks Swype Google Navigation Google Voice (better than the new iPhone version) Layar Scripting Layer 4 Android Google Speech To Text (Voice Search) Slide Screen Chrome To Phone Dropbox (whoah, not limited by a weird file sandbox!?) Whatever system software that allows you to mou…

He said 3rd party apps.

Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#116

Post by dtwwtd »

smhinsey wrote: post #93
shib71 wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't, thanks for pointing it out. A superficial look suggests that Locale is simpler and more polished, while Tasker has a wider range of options.

Yeah, that seems like a fair assessment. One big win Locale has (unique at least as far as I can tell) is that it has a plugin API, so you'll find it can integrate with a few other apps. Using Locale has made a huge difference to me. My set up is that I have two major modes, plugged in and unplugged. When I'm in plugged in mode, it turns on bluetooth and wifi, connects to my bluetooth speakerphone, and sends notifica…

Tasker has been built such that it allows similar plugins and also claims compatibility with Locale plugins.

I've tried Tasker and PhoneWeaver but not Locale as of yet. I couldn't live without this functionality anymore.

Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#117

Post by gcb »

anyone who praises the google apps like this article does must be nuts.

They are the least consistent ones in terms of UI. just like office in microsoft windows.

compare gmail, maps, navigator, translate...

and they hardly work out of the main use case. e.g. the car home will not do anything if the phone is not in an expensive car-dock (your calls will not go automaticaly to the speaker for example). navigator will only show routes via major streets (thankfully now there's now ONE route option --to rule out highways)

Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#118

Post by smhinsey »

dtwwtd wrote: post #116
smhinsey wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, that seems like a fair assessment. One big win Locale has (unique at least as far as I can tell) is that it has a plugin API, so you'll find it can integrate with a few other apps. Using Locale has made a huge difference to me. My set up is that I have two major modes, plugged in and unplugged. When I'm in plugged in mode, it turns on bluetooth and wifi, connects to my bluetooth speakerphone, and sends notifica…

Tasker has been built such that it allows similar plugins and also claims compatibility with Locale plugins. I've tried Tasker and PhoneWeaver but not Locale as of yet. I couldn't live without this functionality anymore.

I'll have to check to see if there are any interesting plugins that might work with Locale.

This type of app has been one of my favorite things about Android. I can't imagine doing without it either.

Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#119

Post by gcb »

cheald wrote: post #20

Gruber seems to make the assertion that a platform only has worth based on its exclusive "killer apps". He goes wrong there and never really recovers. Android's strength is not its suite apps, it's its flexibility. It runs on an enormous range of hardware, and doesn't require that you buy into a single vendor's toolchain to use it. The core philosophical difference between the two platforms is "Steve Jobs decides wha…

excuse-me. last time i checked i couldn't even use the ssh client that is installed by default in my phone.

pretty much all the good things you mention are for rooted phones. The stock one is just as dumb as an iphone.

Android could be the PC-revolution all over the mobile industry. but it choose to start with baby steps :(

Re: Where Are the Android Killer Apps?

#120

Post by commandar »

Zev wrote: post #98
commandar wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got it slightly wrong, it seems. Devs were using the photo roll as a way around the lack of USB mass storage support on the iPhone.[1] It's the Address Book that some devs have used to pass data between apps.[2] [1] http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/02/apple-stanza-usb/ [2] http://stackoverflow.com/questions/220630/how-to-share-custo...

Still wondering what apps uses that trick, and which ones have gotten rejected for trying to use it ;)

Well, it's pretty clear that Stanza (from my first link) got in hot water with Apple given they pulled the feature at Apple's behest.

As for the address book thing, I can't name any specifics as I don't follow iOS overly closely; I just know it's a hack I've seen mentioned enough times that it seems to be fairly common knowledge that it can be done, just with the caveat that it's also against the rules.

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