There are tons of implications to Adobe dropping future mobile development of the Flash plug-in, but one of the most immediate is for those whose job it is to market and sell Android tablets.
With tablets, though, Flash compatibility (poor performance notwithstanding) had been a key selling point for those looking to take on the iPad. It was a major component in ads from Toshiba, Research In Motion, Motorola and others looking to grab a piece of the tablet market.
Category: Google
Logitech PWND by Google TV
CEO Guerrino De Luca, via The Vergr:
To make the long story short, we thought we had invented [sliced] bread and we just made them. [We made a commitment to] just build a lot because we expected everybody to line up for Christmas and buy these boxes [at] $300 […] that was a big mistake.
The company lost $100 million on the set-top box.
Google+ Pages
In life we connect with all kinds of people, places and things. There’s friends and family, of course, but there’s also the sports teams we root for, the coffee shops we’re loyal to, and the TV shows we can’t stop watching (to name a few).
So far Google+ has focused on connecting people with other people. But we want to make sure you can build relationships with all the things you care about — from local businesses to global brands — so today we’re rolling out Google+ Pages worldwide.
New Phone, Old Problems
If I were to go back to Android today, this is the phone I would buy. However, as Nilay Patel points out, there’s a problem:
Lastly, we should note that all of these tweaks and extensions to Android mean that the RAZR won’t get Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich until sometime next year. That’s hard to take, especially since we’re expecting Verizon will launch the Galaxy Nexus with 4.0 in the next few weeks. And even when the RAZR does get ICS, you’ll forever be stuck with those four capacitive buttons at the bottom of the screen as Google moves Android away from them entirely. Yes, ICS will work with them, but they’re not at the cutting edge of the platform. It may or may not matter to you, but it’s definitely something to consider.
Google Pulls Gmail iOS App
From the @Gmail Twitter account:
The iOS app we launched today contained a bug with notifications. We have pulled the app to fix the problem. Sorry we messed up.
Whoops.
Native Gmail for iOS is Here
I can’t get excited about this, but I know people who are.
Native Gmail App Coming to iPhone?
Android Orphans
Ben Brooks, on the Nexus One Not Getting Android 4.0
As a nerd I would be pissed. I have to wonder though just how many Android users even know what version of Android they are on and if there is even a new version out — let alone what features are in the new version.
The Verge Interview with Matias Duarte
Sorta Open vs. Sorta Closed
I think that mobile devices offer such a personal form of computing that experience is of the utmost importance. The only way to truly emphasize experience is to be in command of both the hardware and software. They absolutely must be symbiotic in order to create the best device possible.
Further, while “control” often has a negative connotation, it’s important for quality. When you “open” your device and/or software, shit always finds a way in.