Android OS 2.0 Donut video demo from Google IO 2009

[Chris Davies]

Google demonstrated some of the features they've been working on for Android OS 2.0 Donut while at I/O 2009, and we've got video from the keynote to show you those changes in act... Read more

[draxter]

Thanks for the vid

Is it possible to run this on the HTC magic, samsung I7500 or G1 when it comes out?

[kizer]

That's pretty cool. I really like the new search ideas. There is an app on the market that sorta searches everything, but by allowing app authors to add the code is slick as heck to make their apps part of the search is really insane.

I like the drawing on the screen to search too. Makes it way easier than scrolling down the list of contacts fast.

[Fare]

Originally Posted by draxter

Thanks for the vid

Is it possible to run this on the HTC magic, samsung I7500 or G1 when it comes out?

yes, it's a firmware update. Expect every phone to be able to do the same exact thing save any special hardware. It's not like Nokia that have a bunch of different "versions".

@the vid: Exciting ^^

[storm14k]

Well it definitely look like Palm's WebOS will spurred Google in a couple of areas. I think this sort of competition will really allow consumers to see a stream of exciting features. I have not been excited about the cell phone market like this in years.

[JaceMan]

Originally Posted by Fare

yes, it's a firmware update. Expect every phone to be able to do the same exact thing save any special hardware. It's not like Nokia that have a bunch of different "versions".

@the vid: Exciting ^^

That's not entirely true. That whole "save any special hardware" portion leaves the door pretty wide open. I'm not sure exactly what you mean with the Nokia different version thing, but there are going to be Android handsets that won't take advantage of all of Android's features, and there are going to be advances in Android that makes firmware updates either no longer possible or practical.

"Save any special hardware" is a very important thing to consider and one that will surely dictate that consumers should not expect every phone to be able to do the same exact thing.

[ministersin]

Not impressed.

[kitsunisan]

The gestures I've been wanting for the past six months, with a touchscreen phone I can't understand why that wasn't included from the start. My next phone is most likely to be the i7500, hopefully we'll have someone like Haykuro working on that platform to include some of the Donut features on it.

[Fare]

I was under the impression that the android firmware was universal, but perhaps I was too encompassing with my prior statement based on the fact that they are looking to expand android past the phone market and I did not take into the fact that android could last...a long long time (not saying I don't beleive in android, it just didn't come to mind; thinking too immediatly).

When I was a regular at the SymbianFreak community, they spoke at great length on how it was annoying how each phone was branded with different software features based solely upon what Nokia thought each phone's demographic was. I don't particualrly want to find any evidence backing this statement up, so feel free to completly ignore it.

I do see your point. at some point a feature will be available that wouldn't be possible on another handset (something that requires hardware video acceleration?), and since firmwares is handset specific, it wouldn't be always possible (save a friendly firmware cook). I would like to believe, however, that there is a fairly universal firmware base from which you develop around.

My "Save any special hardware" was in reference to something physical on the phone (a button, a jog-wheel, a mustard dispenser) and not really taking into consideration any advancement in the phone's computer infrastructure.

[kitsunisan]

Originally Posted by Fare

My "Save any special hardware" was in reference to something physical on the phone (a button, a jog-wheel, a mustard dispenser) and not really taking into consideration any advancement in the phone's computer infrastructure.

Dammit, now I want a mustard dispenser on my phone.