Informal Brain

I took this screen shot from one of the youtube demos posted by Google demoing the Google Android OS.

A couple of take awys I thought were important:

• The OS allows both multi touch input and traditional navigation using keyboards and rollerballs (like the blackberry).
• The OS has many of the features the iPhone introduced to us and in some ways has managed to improve on the iPhone’s design in a few key places. For example, street view allows you to rotate the device using the accelerometer / compass. Very cool.
• The home screen is a better design in my mind. It is like Google took a page from Apple’s spaces and brought it to the mobile device.
• Notifications are better managed in my mind. A big problem on the iPhone is the notifications pop up above anything else that is happening. How often have you received an SMS message while talking on the phone. Try hanging up the call… oh oh. Additionally, the notifications are in a list which allows you to work through them. Maybe a bit email’ish but at least you won’t clear that important txt message and then forget about it.

The big questions:

• Will Google find a device partner that can deliver a piece of hardware which is ergonomic and matches the great functionality of the OS with the device. Apple really gets this right.
• When will we see this kind of device in stores?
• And finally, how many phone companies will shut down their own OS development to compete. We have seen motorola struggle. Could this save them?

This will most definitely be an interesting area to watch.