Posts by Droid Eye

Google: Go public on Profiles or we'll delete you

You don't understand

A Google Profile and a Google account are not the same thing. I had a Google account for years before I set up a profile. You don't need a profile to use an Android phone.

If you have a private profile and it gets deleted, it won't affect your Google account. You will still be able to use all the Google services (except G+/Buzz/orkut) the same way you can currently if you don't have a profile.

If you decide to make your profile public, the only things that are required to be public are your name (my name's already on the web) and gender (typically easy to figure out if you already know someone's name.)

Anyway, delete your profile, set it up again, delete it again, rebuild it, let Google delete it...it doesn't matter. It won't affect your Android or any other (non-social) Google service you might use.

DRM-free music dream haunts Apple's app-store lock-in

Droid Does

Android allows the installation of apps through sources other than the Market. The problem is that developers would rather have their apps in the market than to host it on their own site. Google isn't forcing anyone to use the Market (unlike some other mobile OS companies,) they're just giving you a convenient place to set up shop.

If developers really felt "locked-in" by the Market, they could easily put a download link on their site right under the Windows, Mac and Linux download links they have. However, most sites I've been to have a link to the Market instead (to go along with their iTunes link for IOS.)

I would love to be able to direct-download apps from websites to my Android (since the capability is built-in) but the devs have spoken, they like the Market.

As far as cross-platform usage, it's up to the rest of the platforms to catch up to Android's ability to install non-Market apps before devs can help us with that. Not going to happen since that would just make it easier for your son to have the Android he WANTS instead of the iPhone he's forced to settle for.

I'm sure you wanted to mention all this in your article but were just afraid of showing "Android bias." Don't worry, I've got you covered.