James Kendrick asks the question “Android: Is it even a real platform?” I respond with a solid “sort of” as I explain how Android has become a meta-platform*, a platform for other platforms.

So meta

The terms “operating system” and “platform” are often used interchangeably. In that respect, Android is most definitely a platform. However, a more nuanced and, what I believe, more precise perspective would be to think of operating system as software environment and platform as the overall computing environment. This includes software, such as UI and apps, but also encompasses hardware design, content, and everything else.

In this respect, Android does not resemble a single platform, but rather appears more as a platform upon which other platforms are built, a meta-platform. To support that view, I point to three key examples.**

Amazon Kindle

With its own app store and heavily customized UI, no aspects of Android are visible on the surface of the Kindle Fire, nor does Amazon even advertise it as an “Android tablet”. Combined with their own content system, Amazon has created an entirely separate platform on top of a foundation of the Android operating system. It is further separated by the intermingling with Amazon’s own Kindle platform, which exists independently of Android. Amazon’s clean break from what many consider the Android platform while still using the Android OS is a pure example of the meta-platform in action.

Samsung

As independent as Amazon, Samsung has likewise developed a platform founded on the Android meta-platform. Their custom interface is applied to all their mobile devices, except the Google co-branded Galaxy Nexus, including those running on Samsung’s own bada OS. Even their recent updates to Android Ice Cream Sandwich are devoid of the stock ICS look in favor of Samsung’s signature look. Though not as developed as Amazon’s, Samsung has their own distribution system for content, such as apps and music, to span their consumer product line from handsets to TVs. Android is but one component in Samsung’s vast, cross-product platform.

Google Experience

Rather than being what many consider to be “real” Android, I believe “Google Experience” Android should be categorized as its own sub-platform of the Android meta-platform. Google recently bolstered this theory by consolidating their Android Market and content sources under the Google Play umbrella. No longer is there a single “Android Market” to buy apps or content. In its place, Google has established their own branded Google Play that competes against similar offerings, such as the Amazon and Samsung competitors I described.

Furthermore, this time next year, Motorola will be producing Android devices as part of Google. Though a “firewall” between the two has been promised, the fact is it would be highly redundant for Motorola to use services that aren’t Google’s. Motorola devices will undoubtedly support the Google Experience, further clarifying the distinction between Google’s platform and the Android meta-platform. The rumor of Google selling Nexus tablets online, if true, further supports this.

Meta-platform vs. Fragmentation

These three major sub-platforms and the many other lesser-known ones give the appearance of a fragmented Android environment. That view is certainly valid if you consider Android to be a single platform. Viewing it as a meta-platform, however, makes the fragmentation argument obsolete.

Instead of expecting cross-compatibility of apps across Android and being disappointed when they come up short (*cough* Temple Run *cough*), we should turn that view around. Each sub-platform has its own app distribution system, and we should absolutely expect Amazon apps to work on Amazon Android devices or Samsung apps to work on Samsung devices. But compatibility outside those sub-platforms should be seen as a perk, a sign of welcome unity within the meta-platform but not a necessity.

This approach will help consumers shop for apps within their own platform and help developers tailor their work for specific platforms rather than try (and fail) to support the broad meta-platform. If you want apps for your Samsung phone, shop for apps at Samsung’s store. If you want to develop specifically for Google Experience products, build for and distribute through Google Play. This would free developers to expand to other Android-based platforms at their own pace without the pressure of supporting them all under the threat of angry comments, low ratings, and bad publicity. Cross-compatibility will still be possible, but it should not be expected nor demanded.

Pressure then falls to the individual vendors to support their own Android-based platforms and assist with compatibility within them. Amazon, once they introduce more Kindle Fire models, will be held responsible if apps from their AppStore don’t work on every one of those models. Same goes for Samsung and Google. Vendors who do not want to develop their own platform will have to pick a side, such as Google Experience, and play by their rules. The current system offers no such accountability and folks are left wondering why two phones with similar specs from the same vendor can’t run the same game.

Android vs. iOS

Likewise, Android vs. iOS is an overly simplified, imprecise look at mobile platform competition suited only for the boolean-minded, “us vs. them” crowd. iOS is a singular platform. Android is a meta-platform. Similar but not directly comparable. It is more precise to compare iOS or BlackBerry or Windows Phone against individual Android-based platforms, such as those offered by Amazon, Samsung and Google, and those Android-based platforms against each other.

The meta-platform view fixes this key problem of current Android vs. iOS buyer comparisons. There are too many different levels and variations within the Android environment to suggest flatly that a person buy an Android device over iOS without knowing the specific Android device. Dividing Android into sub-platforms doesn’t do away with that, but it does categorize it in a way people can understand and offer a generalized view of what kind of and how much software support they should expect. Android diehards already do this every time they recommend Nexus phones over others.

Embracing the Meta-Platform

Of course, me calling Android a meta-platform has no impact on reality, but Google’s actions certainly do. While James Kendrick and others argue that Google needs to take control of the platform, Google has done the opposite. They’ve backed away from the Android brand in favor of their own branded service, Google Play. They’ve acquired a hardware vendor to support that platform. The line between Android and Google will soon be as clear as the line between Android and either Amazon or Samsung.

In a way, this is as it always should have been. Google didn’t launch Android as their own platform, but rather as part of an alliance, like NATO. In this analogy, Google is most definitely the United States, the most powerful and controlling member of the alliance, but still just one member among many. Like it or not, Android is a meta-platform.

* As much as I’d like to take credit for coining this concept, John Gruber mentioned it more than a year earlier. I came to the view independently of him, but still, credit where it’s due.

** Yeah, yeah, I already know there are like a dozen other examples that could have been added or used instead. Obviously it would have been impractical to list all of them, so I focused on the three making the biggest impact. If HTC gets bigger than Samsung, I’ll use them next time, okay?

Android Isn’t a Platform; It’s a Meta-Platform is a post by Sumocat from Gotta Be Mobile.

In addition to the major modern smartphone OSes today–iOS, Android, webOS, Symbian, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, MeeGo, and Samsung’s Bada–two new players in China will be emerging with their own smartphone operating systems soon to compete with the established players. One group, Alibaba, is planning on introducing its own cloud-based OS. Unlike Google’s Android–which relies on the cloud to synchronize information such as contacts, calendars, and app data–the Alibaba cloud mobile OS will also install apps on the cloud, rather than locally or natively on the handset itself. Sounds a bit like web apps, doesn’t it?

The first iteration of the Alibaba mobile OS will be targeted in China, though there is nothing stopping manufacturers from releasing handsets pre-loaded with the OS elsewhere. Pricing and release information is not yet known.

China, which favors home-grown products and technologies over those made by foreign firms, may be the battleground for new OSes to emerge. Given the population in China, the market will be an important one to watch. If successful in its home country, the Alibaba mobile OS could grow a large enough user base to challenge those of established players like Apple, Google, Microsoft, and RIM.

News of Alibaba attempting to create its own mobile operating system comes just after China-based search giant Baidu announced that it would create a customized version of the open-sourced Android OS. That version will be called Qiushi and would allow Baidu to enter the mobile advertising space to monetize on mobile. Additionally, the Chinese search giant could potentially adopt Google’s business plan for Android, meaning that it could monetize through selling content like apps, books, magazines, songs, and videos, as well as deliver advertising and creating its own ecosystem. The best part is that the underlying Android architecture is free, and all Baidu would need to do is to create some customization on top of the Android base code.

Via: MobileBurn

Two New Mobile Operating Systems/Platforms Coming Out of China is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.

After Intel had released claims that there will be four different variations of the forthcoming desktop-class Windows 8 operating system for ARM devices, and that the apps on the ARM variants aren’t compatible with each other, Microsoft is saying that its traditional x86 partner is wrong, though the Redmond, Washington software giant did not give further information.

At an Intel meeting, Renee James revealed some details about Windows 8 for ARM processors that Microsoft was not yet ready to disclose. James said, ”There will be four Windows 8 SoCs for ARM. Each one will run for that specific ARM environment, and they will run new applications or cloud-based applications…. They are neither forward- nor backward-compatible between their own architecture – different generations of a single vendor – nor are they compatible across different vendors. Each one is a unique stack.”

However, Microsoft has countered with its own message, discrediting Intel’s claims. In a statement to Business Insider, Microsoft is saying that Intel’s statements were “factually inaccurate.”

Intel’s statements during yesterday’s Intel Investor Meeting about Microsoft’s plans for the next version of Windows were factually inaccurate and unfortunately misleading.  From the first demonstrations of Windows on SoC, we have been clear about our goals and have emphasized that we are at the technology demonstration stage.  As such, we have no further details or information at this time.

Unfortunately, though,  Windows head Steven Sinofsky of Microsoft did not elaborate on which part(s) of Intel’s statement was inaccurate. Will the ARM versions be compatible with each other? Will there be more than four versions of Windows 8 for ARM chips? How about legacy app support only happening with the x86 framework?

The company has been so far secretive about its plans for Windows 8, and it is speculated that a few Microsoft employees were fired after some early screenshots were leaked of the forthcoming OS. A Jobsian-like environment of secrecy may help the company build hype for their offerings prior to product releases.

Microsoft: Intel’s Windows 8 Statements Were Wrong is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.

In a push to become more competitive with other mobile operating systems and to deliver more new features to its smartphone, Research in Motion will be re-badging its forthcoming BlackBerry 6.1 operating system as the new BlackBerry 7.0 OS.

News of the new OS naming convention arrives out of DevCon Asia and co-CEO Jim Balsillie says that the new version number was appropriate as there are so many new features in the new software update.

In the past, there were speculations that RIM would begin to migrate away from its smartphone platform beginning with BlackBerry 7 OS to unify its smartphone and tablet ecosystem under the same QNX code that’s found on the company’s PlayBook tablet. Currently, the tablet runs on a separate BlackBerry Tablet OS and smartphones operate on the legacy BlackBerry smartphone platform.

With the change in naming convention to BlackBerry 7 OS, there is speculations that RIM may be giving the version bump because older smartphone models may not be able to take advantage of all the new features that are supported by the new OS, which will create incentive for current BlackBerry owners to upgrade according to Electronista. With BlackBerry 7, hardware-accelerated graphics will be supported, voice search, and other new, power- and hardware-intensive features are rumored to be coming. With those features, to take full advantage of the new OS, users would need BlackBerry devices that can properly support those features, which may require new hardware.

In recent times, the last major update to the BlackBerry smartphone software was with the BlackBerry 6 OS, which debuted on the BlackBerry Torch on AT&T. That device offers a better touchscreen experience, multitouch support, and social media integration.

RIM may be talking more about the new BlackBerry 7 OS features at the BlackBerry World conference next week in Orlando, Florida. At this point, not much information is known about the software other than the naming change from 6.1 to 7.0.

According to N4BB, one of the many new features that the new OS will support is a digital compass:

The BlackBerry digital compass is a simple app, yet the implications are far reaching as it coincides with RIM’s developmental progress. With the digital compass app in OS 7, you can see you current location, set a location to see how far away it is, calibrate the compass, and manage different options. Hit the break for more on its features.

RIM Rebadges BlackBerry 6.1 OS to BlackBerry 7.0 OS; Promises Major New Features is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.

While the debate over how ready Microsoft will make its next iteration of Windows–Windows 8–tablet-ready is continuing, Microsoft is continuing to experiment with the ribbons user interface that was present on Windows 7 and its Office suite and extend the paradigm into Windows 8. Gone will be the menu-driven toolbars in favor of the ribbon, which has graced various Office 2007 and 2010 applications along with Windows 7 core apps like Paint and Wordpad. In Windows 8, ribbons will go system-wide, which will probably help Microsoft tackle the touch-driven computing form factors, including tablets.

In the past, the company has stated that Windows will be the tablet OS of choice, which is a different direction from what Apple is doing. Rather than scaling up its mobile Windows Phone 7 operating system to accommodate the larger tablet screen, Microsoft will be utilizing a full-fledged desktop OS for tablets, a move which can be seen as controversial as Windows in the past has been designed for keyboard and mouse interface, not pen and touch. However, the move towards ribbons may help Microsoft with the tablet market as ribbons provide a more intuitive classifications of actions into categories and the larger buttons are more conducive to touch than smaller text-based options on drop-down menus. For instance, hitting a picture of scissors for the function “cut” is easier to navigate since ribbons provide larger icons for touch than trying to hit “Edit” and then the text for “cut” in the drop-down menu.

In the pre-release build of Windows 8, ZDNet is reporting that beta users can turn off the ribbon UI for the traditional UI if they so choose, but the publication is uncertain whether this toggle will make it to the final release build of Windows 8.

Ribbons to Make Windows 8 More Tablet-Ready is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Gotta Be Mobile.

I have been using Moblin version 2 on my Dell Mini 10v netbook exclusively for the past couple days.  The linux variant is specifically tailored for a netbook’s smaller screen size, longer battery life, and Intel Atom Processor.  While the overall OS is smooth and offers much, I must offer a few suggestions.

Web Browsing

Web browsing in Moblin feels limited.  A stripped down, tab enabled browser serves as your portal to the web.  The design of the browser feels clunky; there is too much space used for tabs and the navigation bar.  A Google Chrome-like experience would be much more satisfying as Google Chrome allows for maximum screen real estate in a visually pleasing package.  Performance-wise there are no issues as the browser renders pages quickly and correctly.  My primary suggestion is with design rather than function.  Check out the screenshot below.

Applications Window

My suggestion here is not with the applications themselves as there are plenty provided by default.  Again, the design of the GUI feels too cumbersome.  Rather than having icons that lead to different areas, Moblin categorizes the applications under collapsible windows.  This presentation is too cluttered for the limited netbook screen.  This is a minor complaint and really doesn’t impact the overall Moblin experience.

The MyZone Area

For Moblin to be a success, it must rely heavily on the cloud.  Integration with popular online services such as Gmail and Google Calendar are a must.  I’m a big fan of the MyZone area, a place where your to-do list, calendar, recent files, and social stream are contained.  The MyZone idea is similar to an iGoogle site for your desktop.  Although very functional, a few tweaks would prove useful.  Facebook integration is also a must and the way Twitter is displayed needs improved.  Rather than a big gray box with a tweet that only shows the name when you mouse over, it’d be more practical to display the name of the person who is tweeting.  I don’t want to place my mouse over every box to figure out who is saying what.

Who is Moblin Designed for?

Moblin would be great for those new to computers or folks who only want a consumer-focused Internet experience.  Although netbooks are not designed to create, Moblin’s focus is on consuming content.  Moblin seemed very stable, had great battery life, was customizable, but still felt a bit limited.  Power users will likely require a few tweaks and mods.  Overall, Moblin v2 is still young and gaining more interest daily.  Expect more developers to get involved as Moblin’s popularity grows.

How do I get Moblin?

It’s easy.  Visit the Moblin site and download the live image.  You can follow the directions to burn it on a CD or install from a USB drive.  It’s worth a look and could definitely evolve into something great for the netbook platform.

What are your suggestions for making Moblin better?

Moblin v2 Impressions: This Has Potential is a post by Matthew Dillon from Gotta Be Mobile.

Rather than sticking with Microsoft Windows XP or the updated Windows 7, there are a variety of reasons for checking out alternative operating systems for your netbook.  The benefits of using a few of the following operating systems include being a part of a community of users, regular updates, and running an OS that is specifically tailored for a netbook’s performance, battery life and smaller screen size.  Installing and running these operating systems can be a fun challenge, a great way to strengthen your computer skills and help you obtain greater productivity from your netbook.

• Ubuntu Netbook Remix
  Based on Ubuntu, the popular Linux distribution, this OS features a customized graphical user interface (GUI) for the smaller netbook screen.  One of the major benefits of Ubuntu is its large resource of applications available through the package manager.  It used to be true that linux was complicated, ugly and not user friendly, but this is no longer the case.  Installing Ubuntu is easy with the live cd as prospective users can try it out before installing.

• Moblin v2
  Moblin has been in the background for some time but the most recent release seems to be gaining some attention.  This customized Linux-based OS is optimized to work on mobile devices including MIDS and netbooks.  The Moblin folks have created a FAQ to answer many of your questions such as, “Can Moblin run on the iPhone?”

• Google Chrome OS
  Although it is yet to be released, there is great buzz regarding Google’s forthcoming Chrome OS.  Although little is known about Chrome OS, it is expected to be streamlined for netbooks.  Expect it to be fast and heavily reliant on Google’s cloud-based services such as Google Docs, Picasa Web Albums, and Gmail.  The official Google Blog states that Chrome OS will be quick starting, only taking a few seconds to boot.

• Mac OS X
  Running Mac OS X on an Intel Atom based netbook has become a popular OS choice for those with a bit more computer aptitude and interest.  Creating a “hackintosh” may be a violation of Apple’s End User License Agreement (EULA) and can certainly be illegal if you do not own a valid copy of the OS you’re installing.  While creating a hackintosh netbook is very cool, I’d say it is perhaps the least practical choice largely because of the lack of support.  Any updates or changes to OS X for hackintosh netbooks comes from a small community of individuals.  Unlike Ubuntu or XP, new updates for OS X on unsupported platforms often requires tracking down files from various sources, typing commands in the terminal, and hoping that what you’ve downloaded is reliable.  The constant struggle to maintain an updated system and the lack of full support make OS X on netbooks impractical.  Regardless, many still strive ahead and create their own OS X netbooks.  This chart will be necessary should you set out on that quest.

There are other, less popular operating systems out there but most lack the support and drivers to be truly painless to install and use.  The best place to gain information about installing, tweaking, or hacking these operating systems often comes from the community forums of fellow netbook users.  I would argue that one of the reasons behind the success of the netbook as a platform is due to the extensive online community support.  Sites like Eeeuser.com for the Asus series of netbooks, MyDellMini.com for the Dell Minis, and MSIWind.net for the MSI Wind netnooks have daily forum postings from folks sharing their experiences.  A simple Google search reveals that there are many of these online communities filled with information from helpful users.

What are your thoughts on alternative operating systems for the netbook platform?  What do you recommend?

Alternative Netbook Operating Systems is a post by Matthew Dillon from Gotta Be Mobile.