The surprise was ruined, but Canonical is indeed bringing a TV to CES. But it’s not about hardware just yet: Ubuntu TV is a brand new derivative of Ubuntu, with a full-in TV-optimized UI inspired by Unity, and full-on media center and DVR features. There’s a movie, TV and music store, a YouTube app, and of course it’s all optimized for a lean-back remote experience. The software will be free for manufacturers to package with their TVs, and Ubuntu says there will be TVs on shelves by the end of the year.
Category: Google
Chrome-Sponsored Google Results
“Don’t be evil” doesn’t apply to business partners, it seems.
‘Creating a Masterpiece’
This two-part series over at Engadget shows just how deeply carriers are involved with new phones. Reading this really helped me understand why the Android market is such a mess, and how different the iPhone really is.
iOS Dominates Mobile Shopping
Mikey Campbell at AppleInsider:
A study by retail analysis firm RichRelevance released on Friday notes that iOS devices accounted for the bulk of all online non-desktop sales in 2011, holding just over 92 percent of the market, reports Market Watch.
Speaking of Bad Android Experiences...
The chart in Chris Ziegler’s post really sums things up nicely.
If you want to be respected as a customer, buy an Apple product. Android just seems more and more masochistic every day.
No ICS for Galaxy S Users
Samsung has just distributed the worst news of this Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade cycle: the popular Galaxy S smartphone that sold 10 million units last year and the 7-inch Galaxy Tab tablet won’t be upgraded to Android 4.0. The company’s argument is that they lack sufficient RAM and ROM to run the new OS alongside TouchWiz and other “experience-enhancing” software.
So, instead of what is doing what is best for the customers and the Android ecosystem, Samsung is going to do what they do they do best: cover their own rear.
Shawn Blanc, on Android
In his excellent, in-depth Nexus Galaxy review:
But my overall impression after using Android for a week was that of being underwhelmed. Though the operating system is functional and advanced in certain areas, it still has an overarching feel of still being immature. Moreover, there was nothing on Android that made me feel more empowered compared to using my iPhone.
Sure, there are bits of the Android OS that I like and appreciate, but never once was I wowed or delighted. Which is unfortunate, because those are important elements when you are using a device day in and day out every day of the year.
The Next Six Months
I’d be on the edge of my seat, but we all know how this will end.
On the Difference Between Apple and Google
Fear of Apple is about losing control over the software on our computers. Fear of Google is about losing control over our privacy.
I think Gruber nailed this one right on the head.
There’s an element of irony here, though. In 1984, Apple painted IBM as Big Brother, the all-knowing, all-powerful overlord that turned citizen into mindless drones.
Today, IBM is a shadow of the empire it once was. Instead, Google now holds that position of power, with all of our data being used to serve ads. A quick scan of my Address Book shows that over 75% of my contacts have a Gmail account listed.1 To say that Google is an Internet powerhouse is a massive understatement.
Flash Ships for ICS
The latest Android Flash player has a few known issues, however. StageVideo using On2 and Sorenson does not work on ICS devices, and Seeking while video is paused will not update the frame on ICS device. Also, the OS does not prioritize incoming calls, so audio remains playing before and after call is received, and the enter key does not work on the multi-line text input field.
The Android Update Alliance is Dead
[Jamie Lendino at PCMag.com](http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2397729,00.asp has the shocking news) has the shocking news.
With the Google Nexus, is it More of the Same?
Google has done some very nice work here. Both the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich are a new pinnacle of the Android platform. But in the end, it still comes down to something very simple: which device do I want to use day-to-day? Which phone do I reach for when I’m not doing a review? It’s still the iPhone. Without question.
Keep at it, Google.
With every release of Android, I always get the feeling that the operating system is almost there. It seems that Ice Cream Sandwich may suffer from the same problem as its predecessors.