Just seen an article on armdevices about Chinese e-reader maker Onyx International building a prototype smartphone based on Android with an e-ink display.
Can anyone tell me, or point me in direction of someone who knows what specific technical challenges there may be re-architecting Android to work better with e-ink display? Given e-ink's limitations on screen refresh, colour/video i'm assuming there would be certain elements of the OS that you'd want to optimise?
Thanks
A much more minimalistic UI, for starters. I saw a video and noticed the homepage was like Metro UI. But Android was not built for E-Ink and I don't see a practical use for an E-Ink phone, so what is the point of Onyx making this phone? My prediction is a complete and utter failure, maybe 100 sales
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At first I was in love with the iPad but now I've began thinking to go a much different route for a tablet..
after searching for android tablets I ran across two that caught my eye, one on ebay the sungworld 7in tablet and the Haleron iLet mini...
both feature similar hardware specs (same screen size, resolution, CPU speed, memory, price,etc). the main difference from what I can tell (aside from aesthetics) is the sungworld model looks like its running standard android 1.6 with gapps, whereas the ilet is running android with some UI.
does anyone have any input on how customizable these devices are? any chance of custom roms or app2sd or at least gapps on the iLet..would porting a version of 2.1 be considered impossible or at least not probable?
I love the idea of a cheap android tablet and would appreciate any input on this!
thanks in advance..
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Have you looked at the enTourage eDGe?
I just saw your post on the other tablet thread..I'm not really a fan of the design, its very strange. Plus i already have a netbook, so I'm in the market for a tablet now..
Check out enso-now.com for the zenPad..its a pretty cool 5'' android tablet starting at $155!
Hi all,
Am a newbie to Android tablets/devices both in terms of hardware and software. So if my post is posted in the wrong thread or reposted pls pardon me. I just want to understand a few basics.
As you all may know, now the market is being flooded by those Chinese made Android tablets. And many of them looks good (at least on paper) and at a very good price. But the problem is most of the time when come to chinese goods, they don't usually do what they claims (if you know what i mean). and the best part most of the salesperson don't know anything about the products they are selling especially when comes to tech gadgets like the Android tablets.
So here i am seeking help from you gurus and hoping i can start my Android journey on the right step. Below are a few questions. Hope I can get answers (links to somewhere where i can read up or anything).
1. What are the conditions (CPU make, firmware, etc) to fulfill if i wan to upgrade/root/hack the original Android OS? Cos most of the chinese made tablets are running on Android 1.5. Hoping to be able to upgrade the OS whenever a newer one comes out. Like the latest 2.1 And be able to download new apps from the apps market.
2. Which CPU chip is better and what are the common CPU chips in the market now? I know there are the Rockchips, VIA, Telechips.
3. Can we tell what are the hardware (CPU make etc) and software (OS/firmware version, etc) that are being used in the device from the system setting or something?
4. I read somewhere that not all CPU chips can be upgraded to the latest OS. i.e. that any upgrade is determined by the CPU chip. Is it true?
5. As for custom ROM, is it also device dependable? Like is there a generic ROM for all devices?
For now these are the questions which are bugging me. Hope the gurus here can enlighten this Android newbie.
Sorry for the long winded post and thanks for any help.
Hmmm. Just check that it is upgradable to froyo and it has more than 500mhz cpu
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if you are looking for a tablet just get an ipad. the android tablets i see floating around are just 1.5 or 1.6. even if you get a tablet that can do 2.2 (froyo)... i dont see how that can be any better than an ipad.
i just feel that 2.2 isnt meant to be in tablet form. if you can wait... wait for 3.0 before you decide. the main deterrent here is the maximum resolution for android (854 x 480 or something), and that the apps were made with phones in mind.
im very happy with my nexus one... i just cant imagine having a tablet running android as of the moment unless its very very cheap ($200 or so).
i for one will get an ipad next month. my nexus one with wifi tether + the basic wifi ipad will be gadget heaven. looking to get an ipad primarily for reading magazines (zinio) and comic books. android does not have zinio yet. the android comic viewer (ACV) i use on my nexus is ok... but not great. then theres the games. games on android are still so so with less variety and choices.
as a phone the android is great! better than the iphone (yes im an apple user through and through) even. but as a tablet... not quite yet.
Hp is going to release a tablet so is samsung with 2.2
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Hopefully start seeing some of these 2.2 tablets in the 3rd Quarter...
Hello everyone, I know this is a long shot but: is anyone interested in porting Android to this excellent eBook Reader?
Device description is here: http://www.bookeen.com/en/cybook/odyssey
It is basically a Nook Touch Simple/Sony PRS T1 like device that features a very fast e-Ink display (amazingly fast for an e-Ink) and should support some tablet like use (browsing the web, reading a RSS feed) quite well. You can see here and here what HSIS (High Speed Ink System) can do.
Stock version is using a Linux 2.6.31 based OS (doesn't specify what flavor)
From the little I know the main problems with porting a Android whould be:
- possible locked bootloader on the Cybook Odyssey -> no way to know without the device
- supported chipset -> an ARM A8 based chipset is listed
- display drivers -> maybe those from regular pearl e-Ink can be used?
- wi-fi drivers -> again, depends on the chipset
I'm out of my league (php, web stuff) here but I plan to buy the device next month if there's hope for it
Ideas?
Hi!
I would point out, before getting your hopes up on the porting, the fact that you asked just one day after the launch of the device, makes one think that you're thoughts are audaciously early. So unless some xda-developers are Bokeen insiders and, ahem, unbound by their job to work on this matter, either waiting or is the thing to do. Or, ahem, , learning how to port?
The chances I see for this port to happen are small (but than again still possible). Perhaps we could see if the linux running it might offer more flexibility and run apps directly (?). Porting would would have it's obvious advantages ... an Android with it's screen technology superior to any current eInk readers, except the Mirasol powered ones perhaps (those are limited to Korea for now) would we awesome.
csioucs said:
Hi!
I would point out, before getting your hopes up on the porting, the fact that you asked just one day after the launch of the device, makes one think that you're thoughts are audaciously early. So unless some xda-developers are Bokeen insiders and, ahem, unbound by their job to work on this matter, either waiting or is the thing to do. Or, ahem, , learning how to port?
The chances I see for this port to happen are small (but than again still possible). Perhaps we could see if the linux running it might offer more flexibility and run apps directly (?). Porting would would have it's obvious advantages ... an Android with it's screen technology superior to any current eInk readers, except the Mirasol powered ones perhaps (those are limited to Korea for now) would we awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there any news on debugging and or development possibilities on that platform? I have seen the gpl'ed linux source released at bookeen's site.
I have yet not found any pictures of a disassembled device and do not know if customized firmware updates are possible.
Would very much appreciate any news on that topic!
NonsenseInc said:
Is there any news on debugging and or development possibilities on that platform? I have seen the gpl'ed linux source released at bookeen's site.
I have yet not found any pictures of a disassembled device and do not know if customized firmware updates are possible.
Would very much appreciate any news on that topic!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would also be interested in customized firmware for cybook odyssey. thanks
Any news on this anybody?
Anyone still watching this? I'd like to try to do it, but it's over my head, skill wise...
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thirstythirsty said:
Anyone still watching this? I'd like to try to do it, but it's over my head, skill wise...
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that internally some version of android ran on the device, but it's really not worth to do this. Android is absolutely not suited for such device and screen.
To install personalised linux/software, first crack the update format, then the device will be open to you...
Hello folks,
my MT4GS was stolen when I was in Tokyo so I am looking for a phone to replace it.
As I want to eventually built a native App that is controlling my homepage (amongest others) I want to hear your thoughts about what phone would be nice to have next.
My reasons for the MT4GS where:
- Awesome (!) camera for the price tag
- Slideout physical keyboard (which turned out to be disappointment - because I failed to use any other dictionary with the physical keyboard other than the english one..........)
- 3,7 inch screen with relatively high resolution 800*480 which can be fully used due to the slideoutkeyboard
- GPS,3.5G (HSPA+),accelerometers, 3.5mm jack
- HUGE app ecosystem and good development support even though it is Java
- wifi tethering
- DUALCORE processor
Questions I have:
- I am not sure if I want a slideout phone again - only if i can get the keyboard to use all langauages dictionary!
- I think i like Objective-C as I want to develop and I like C++/C# already - but maybe the Windows Ecosystem is not that bad ?? Android is Java, Java is ...
- If it is oncreen, i would like a higher resolution and a bigger screen
- Is LTE useful
What phones are there that are new and have a slideout keyboard and official/inofficial ICS support AND the above features that I mentioned for the MT4GS?
I just want a phone that I can use for almost everything. Right now am am 50/50 between iOS and an Android phone - but since the introduction of the lumia 920 I am considering Windowsphone8.
What are your thoguths?
Please see the sticky at the top of the forum for such questions. Your question will get the same kind of exposure there and you're just as likely to good responses. Thanks. Thread closed.
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Hi
I am on Verizon. What android phone is best to get to test apps I write for android ?
Is Galaxy S4 good for this ?
Also, how old an android phone would it still be ok to use for testing ? Any way to get cheap devices for testing other than looking on ebay and craigslist?
Thanks.
Well, it all depends... You need to know a couple things first: which os version is mostly used, and what type of app will you develop?
For the first question, you should look into statistics. Gingerbread (API 10) and Jelly Bean (API 17) have more market share, in second place Ice Cream Sandwich (API 14). Thankfully Android SDK allows you to develop for a range of devices by selecting minimum SDK version and target SDK version. What device is good for testing? Any device you plan to support, actually.
The second question us more like a filter for you to decide which devices will you support. For example, if you plan to develop a picture editing app, designing it for small screen devices won't look nice, doesn't it? Hence, most of GB devices are off the table. Devices sporting big screens are almost all running ICS+.
Also, there are ways to enforce certain hardware requirements but that's a little more advanced (AndroidManifest.xml modification), so that's a whole new class.
Hope I have shed some light into your decision. Press thanks if you've found this useful. Happy coding!
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Unfortunately, there is no right answer. Like dbarrera said, it depends on what you're looking to do. In general, the more devices you test your app on, the better. Using many differently configured AVD's can help in testing across multiple android version, screen sizes, etc.