Android Now On Netbooks, Officially Branded Digitally Liquid Product
Nicholas McGill | Road Warrior, Software | Monday May 18 2009
Consumers want more functionality out of their gadgets for lower prices. One way to achieve this is to use an operating system that can be used on multiple platforms. A method to develop a multi-platform operating system, would be to focus on the low power devices of today such as netbooks and cellular phones. The phone market is one of constant use and a likely large development community while focusing on netbooks and developing a user friendly, feature rich environment and system for business and life. The netbooks of today are likely the cell phones of tomorrow, as technology seems to shrink these gadgets and drop into our pockets. Google and the folks at Android are doing this very well as they strive to develop their operating system.
The Android OS can now be booted onto a netbook, unifying the user experience between computer and phone. Others like Apple, Palm and Microsoft have worked to simulate this with their systems but Android is no simulation. It follows logically that if creating an operating system with limited or mobile hardware, the developer will focus on efficiency, productivity and all the things we long for in our computing experience. Up-scaling from that, adding features and applications filtered through a lense of mobility and a mobile architecture, you get quite the handy operating system that is connected, free and can be fully utilized anywhere.
In terms of diigital liquidity, which is partly the pursuit of platform independence (and the ability of data to uninteruptedly flow anywhere under your control), the news that Android is focused on multiple platforms is great news for the consumers and certainly earns them kudos from the DLP. It is still young and has a long road to hoe to make it to the status of Ubuntu but it has done more than others to show commitment to consumers and their digital liquidity. However, multi-platform is not platform independence. We have seen what one operating system to rule them all has done to our computers (Microsoft monoply) and our phones (Apple iPhone evil shenanogans). So, the best we can hope for are programs that work on many platforms, or use the web to synch databases between them.
Tales From The Future
Digital Liquidity is also the constant consumer push and demand and a great indicator of things to come so expect to see small steps towards the following.
1. Focus on mobile and underpowered markets to create a new dominant OS.
Google has Android and Apple has the iPhone. The one you don’t know about is Intel. They have been experimenting with web and Linux distros for quite some time now and may eventually enter the market.
2. Universal yet personal user environment.
Pimpy my ride invades the PC. As we shift to augmented reality and constant connectivity, we will determine what art and icons we hang on our wallpapers and how it is organized.
3. Global language & Heiroglyphics.
Our standard symbols and language are determined by the masses who now have the authority of the ruling majority. Changes are made constantly and now determined by popularity and exposure, sense has little to nothing to do with it. The successful symbols are those whose purposes are intuitively determined from their rendering. The image rules and not every one is literate in the visual medium.
4. Web OS hybrid.
Expect people of the future to be connected everywhere at all times.
We see this already in and should expect to see more from the Palm Pre, Android and Apple Tablet oh my!
