11–20 of 66 posts
The only company that has had any success with a forked Android is Amazon, and I suspect that's less about writing replacement apps (as I guess Cyanogen plans to do) and more about Amazon's existing massive market power.
> Perhaps they’ve been looking in the wrong direction and can return to their “trusted” Embrace and Extend tactics. Does he refer to the despicable practice of "embrace, extend and extinguish"[1]? It's one of the most disgusting stains on Microsoft's reputation (along with their lock-in and standards hijacking practices). I'm surprised author even suggests to do that as something acceptable. [1] https://en.wikipedia.…
Pretty sure he means just the embrace and extend bits.
I made the switch from an Android Sony to a Lumia 530 this Christmas. Apart from the LCD TN screen the Lumia is easily the best phone I've ever had at half the price.
I know I very rarely use my phone for phone calls. For me, it's all about apps and the capabilities those apps have.
My own phones have all been Nexuses. The reasons being that I consider Apple fascist[1], and Android is the only alternative with the combination of lots of apps and a way of replacing both launcher and default applications with third party apps.
As far as I know, Windows Phone's launcher can't be switched out, in fact I just did a quick search and it seems like not even the default browser can be replaced! It looks like Windows Phone is almost as restrictive as Apple, except with fewer apps. How would that make for a better phone, never mind "easily the best"?
Now, I'm no fan of Google, and I don't like the direction they're taking Android in, cutting down the functionality of AOSP, and dragging more into their proprietary apps and libraries. It's just that Android is the least worst choice right, now, as I see it.[2]
[1] Controlling, capricious, patronizing, "do it our way or get lost" mentality; and a brand that is a magnet for narcissists everywhere.
[2] MS primarily cares about money; it's copying Apple because it sees Apple making money. But Apple doesn't care about money; it thinks it's better than you, and it attracts people who like to think of themselves as better than other people, with more discerning taste in expensive status symbols. Making lots of money is a side-effect of Apple's strategy, because it's harnessing a narcissism latent in modern individualistic consumer society. MS's strategy won't work because it's not appealing to narcissists. Google, meanwhile, is following Microsoft's 1980s strategy to Apple's 1980s strategy.
I find it somewhat disingenuous when the CEO of Cyanogen makes claims about people wanting use CyanogenMod without the Google Apps. Look at any custom-built CyanogenMod roms out there -- every one of them includes instructions on flashing the Google apps. The only company that has had any success with a forked Android is Amazon, and I suspect that's less about writing replacement apps (as I guess Cyanogen plans to do…
> While Microsoft Office for mobile is a satisfying success ... Are there numbers supporting this claim? A cursory search revealed no publicly released usage statistics
I find it somewhat disingenuous when the CEO of Cyanogen makes claims about people wanting use CyanogenMod without the Google Apps. Look at any custom-built CyanogenMod roms out there -- every one of them includes instructions on flashing the Google apps. The only company that has had any success with a forked Android is Amazon, and I suspect that's less about writing replacement apps (as I guess Cyanogen plans to do…
You know, China exists; Google apps are blocked in an entire country that just happens to be the largest single country market for mobile.
> The only company that has had any success with a forked Android is Amazon
That is definitely not true. Xiaomi? Anyone selling Android in China (which excludes Amazon)?
I made the switch from an Android Sony to a Lumia 530 this Christmas. Apart from the LCD TN screen the Lumia is easily the best phone I've ever had at half the price.
You can't make a statement like that without qualifying it. Why is it easily the best phone? What do you use your phone for? I know I very rarely use my phone for phone calls. For me, it's all about apps and the capabilities those apps have. My own phones have all been Nexuses. The reasons being that I consider Apple fascist[1], and Android is the only alternative with the combination of lots of apps and a way of rep…
First, I don't think MS is "copying Apple". Using Live Tiles is a very different experience than poking at icons on the iPhone. And MS isn't marketing to "narcissists" -- the best selling Windows Phones are all at the very low end of the market. The fit and polish you can get on a low-end Windows Phone are absolutely phenomenal. I bought one just to play with because Amazon had the Lumia 520 for $29 during the holidays, and got hooked on the platform. Now I'm buying a slightly higher-end model and passing along the 520 to a relative who is still using a flip phone.
As a developer, there are a ton of opportunities on the Windows Phone market. It's relatively small, but the key word there is relatively. There are a lot of open niches and a userbase that is hungry and appreciative.
I made the switch from an Android Sony to a Lumia 530 this Christmas. Apart from the LCD TN screen the Lumia is easily the best phone I've ever had at half the price.
Unfortunately there's one key problem which means I won't be getting another one - I have no way of getting an offline copy of my phone backups.
I didn't realise for a while after purchase and it's not such an issue to make me immediately want to get a new phone, but I refuse to relinquish that control by choice.
I wasn't sure what to expect after seeing the title. But I will admit, the author makes an interesting point about how Microsoft could "embrace and extend" Android . But: I personally don't see that happening. Even if Microsoft was able to influence the forked versions of Android, how would that help Microsoft's bottom line? And at this stage, how much damage could they inflict to the real Android, which is now runni…
The big problem with Android is the lack of updates for popular phones. Love it, or hate it, cyanogen does address that. More significantly, manufacturers have tested the waters with cyanogenmod devices -- oneplus one, Oppo n1, Micromax's Yu Yureka. I for one would be more likely to buy a cyanogenmod supported phone than a 'touchwiz', 'optimus' or "Windows 8" phone if I was assured of two year updatability. And how w…
I find it somewhat disingenuous when the CEO of Cyanogen makes claims about people wanting use CyanogenMod without the Google Apps. Look at any custom-built CyanogenMod roms out there -- every one of them includes instructions on flashing the Google apps. The only company that has had any success with a forked Android is Amazon, and I suspect that's less about writing replacement apps (as I guess Cyanogen plans to do…
> CEO of Cyanogen makes claims about people wanting use CyanogenMod without the Google Apps. You know, China exists; Google apps are blocked in an entire country that just happens to be the largest single country market for mobile. > The only company that has had any success with a forked Android is Amazon That is definitely not true. Xiaomi? Anyone selling Android in China (which excludes Amazon)?