Rumor: Google Plans On Tightening Its Grip On Android To Reduce Fragmentation And (Hopefully) Get Rid Of Unwanted Custom UIs

For everything that we love about Android – openness, customization, large selection of devices, etc. – there are things that we hate about it, too, like fragmentation and manufacturers pre-loading devices with crapware and (some) custom UIs. It seems, though, that Google is looking to change all of that. Insiders from companies “in the Android ecosystem” have told Businessweek that Google is starting to crack down on changes that manufacturers are allowed to make to Android. This includes more than just interface tweaks and added “features”, and it is said that Google wants to be more selective with hardware, as well.

The purpose of the (seemingly) sudden shift in Google’s practice is to combat the most talked about flaw in Android – fragmentation. In the past, Google has worked with specific chipset and handset manufacturers to release pure Google Experience Devices for new versions of Android – the Nexus One (Qualcomm and HTC; Froyo), Nexus S (Samsung; Gingerbread), and most recently, the Xoom (Nvidia and Motorola; Honeycomb). Because of this, these devices have always been (or will be, in the case of the Xoom) the first to receive OS updates, while other manufacturers have to ensure that all of their custom software plays nicely with the new OS. This has left some waiting for months to receive updates to the newest versions of Android, while others were just left behind for good. By taking more of a “Nexus approach” in the future, Google will be able to reduce fragmentation, and manufactures will be able to release handsets quicker. Google has already started to display some of this behavior by holding the Honeycomb source code so it doesn’t get ported to devices that aren’t meant to run the tablet-specific OS.

Some manufacturers are not happy with Google’s decision to take control of their own product, however. You see, before getting the okay to work on an Android project, manufacturers have to detail what they plan on doing and get approval directly from Andy Rubin. This creates an interesting situation for companies like Facebook who may be working with hardware manufacturers developing new features for Android devices, since giving up future plans to direct competitors is generally not the best business practice.

What does this mean for consumers, you ask? First and foremost, it means quicker turnaround times for OS updates. It means less confusion and hopefully more Google Experience devices. I say that we, as a whole, embrace this new direction for Android. We’re all going down the same path, and now we will be able to go at the same pace.

Fake App Gets Uploaded To Pirate Android Markets, Megatrolls And Embarrasses Those Who Download It

If there is one thing I despise in the world of Android, it is piracy and specifically Android sites that let you download paid apps, oftentimes for a monthly membership fee. Most Android developers are not large corporations, but rather independent, smalltime individuals to whom every download counts. Today’s story, therefore, gives me added pleasure, because in it, pirates are implicated in one of the most embarrassing ways I can imagine.

An application, masking itself as a non-existent version of the paid app called Walk and Text, was uploaded to multiple pirate Android app markets across North America and Asia. This time, those who downloaded it for free and expected what users would normally get after paying $1.54 in the official Android Market, got a bit of a surprise. And boy, is it embarrassing!

After displaying a "Cracking…" dialog, which in reality just collects and sends out personal data (such as the name, phone number, IMEI, etc), the app sends out the following text message to all of the user’s address book contacts:



The text above, as you can see, is written in very broken English, either for added lulz or because pranksters don’t have time to sit in a library all day (OK?). To finish the flustered user off, the app display the following dialog, using surprisingly much more proper English (thus making the SMS sent to all contacts that much more evil):


And this, my friends, is how you properly troll the pirates.

Oh, and enjoy the free advertising, Walk and Text. You deserved it (unless this was a genius marketing campaign, in which case I take it all back!).

Update: Incorporate Apps, the company behind the real Walk and Text reached out to us to let everyone know they are in no way approving of or related to the rogue app. Here is what they said (with some of my formatting changes for readability):

Hello,
We are a bit surprised about this publicity. We are the makers of the OFFICIAL Walk and Text app. We also received some questions whether we have anything to do with this file.

And the answer is NO, we do not!

This could very well be seen from the signature of the file (reported on some other forum) and from the code structure. Anyone, anywhere, can get a hold of our APK and rip it and put what they want in it.

Truth is our App got hacked 2 months ago 1 week after it was launched, we removed all of the files from the fileservers, DMCA reports and everything, took us 2 weeks. Then the hackers obviously decided to get back at us and put bad publicity on our side. This file is not to be found on public fileservers (not to our knowledge, email us if you find anything).

We only find the files on some Asian torrents (and rapidshare as google alerts reports). There is nothing we can do about this file.
please do not download files from outside the Market, or at least check the permissions.

Our OFFICIAL App doesn’t even ask for the Internet permission, how are we going to send private information anywhere?!?

With that said, the original blog posts come from 2 anti piracy companies, AVAST and Symantec. They even insisted that the file was found on the Android Market. Symantec quotes a copy of the License Verification Structure, LVL, to be something an official App has. Well yeah of course, if they rip our App, you will see LVL in there… I leave it to you to do the math and their integrity about this situation.

We were never contacted for a comment prior to their blog posts!

We are sorry to be involved and we did not ask for this publicity and once again have nothing to do with this!



All d freebies addicted guyz, learn a good lesson today o

hi, I would like to know whether I can use  blackberry internet service plan on a non blackberry phone because of the unlimited data plan for the bis. I'm currently using etisalat 500mb on my HTC desire but I wud like an unlimited data plan for my phone.

i just bought my htc desire now, pls guyz where do i start from?? look soo sweet

Hw much does d android cost?

@ twinskenny, congrats
Get a robust data subscription, cos d thing dey guzzled data o, Mtn 3g service is nice
Launch Android marketplace and start experimenting.
I know u're a satellite geek, may I suggest DISHPOINTER App, its for satellite dish installation, I mean, getting d position.

sorry, right name is DISHPOINTER PRO, others are DISH POINTING CALCULATOR and SATELLITE AR

na2day!:

@ twinskenny, congrats
Get a robust data subscription, cos d thing dey guzzled data o, Mtn 3g service is nice
Launch Android marketplace and start experimenting.
I know u're a satellite geek, may I suggest DISHPOINTER App, its for satellite dish installation, I mean, getting d position.

thank yu my brother this nite i will go through the whole app market and i will subcribe to glo data plan as well

Re: Android,any One?

how do i activate MTN data on my HTC desire?

Tunee:

hi, I would like to know whether I can use  blackberry internet service plan on a non blackberry phone because of the unlimited data plan for the bis. I'm currently using etisalat 500mb on my HTC desire but I wud like an unlimited data plan for my phone.

I would advice you go for the Airtel Smartphone plan,its a new plan that was launched last week. 1GB for N3,000 dial *141*712*10# to activate but make sure your SIM card is provisioned for 3G(HSDPA) or else you will be stuck on Edge! You can always call their customer care to get that done.

twinskenny:

how do i activate MTN data on my HTC desire?

It depends on the plan you want to use. You can view a list of their offerings here http://www.mtnonline.com/products-services/internet-services/data-bundles or here for the mobile internet option http://www.mtnonline.com/products-services/internet-services/mtn-mobile-internet
Please be advised that MTN has no Smartphone friendly plan,the closest they have is the 100MB for N1000 and trust me,your Andriod device will gulp that in hours.
Go for the Airtel Smartphone plan,just my 2 cents.

I think i need go gt an airtell sim them>

is Airtel fast.d etisalat is doin ok but i'll try d Airtel internet data plan.there's no 3g service yet in my location(kwara).very annoying!

@all does Airtel has 3g service?

twinskenny:

@all does Airtel has 3g service?

since FOREVER

Tunee:

is Airtel fast.d etisalat is doin ok but i'll try d Airtel internet data plan.there's no 3g service yet in my location(kwara).very annoying!

The Airtel is fast! At least i dey use am stream.

Hommies, I need ur advice.

I just saw the HTC Desire for about 60K in computer village (if you know anywhere cheaper, let me know ) and I'd really like to get it, but the HTC Desire S just launched and it looks sweet. What should I do, buy the original Desire, wait for the Desire S to hit our shores and its price to drop or save some more dough and buy the Galaxy S?

Azanor:

Hommies, I need your advice.

I just saw the HTC Desire for about 60K in computer village (if you know anywhere cheaper, let me know ) and I'd really like to get it, but the HTC Desire S just launched and it looks sweet. What should I do, buy the original Desire, wait for the Desire S to hit our shores and its price to drop or save some more dough and buy the Galaxy S?

WoW thats cheap compared to offers have been getting from Ikeja btw 70-95k for a new set not London used o!, so if your offer is new and not a lemon - kindly send me the details @ seunola@hotmail.com or anybody with a good offer. Thanks Bro

got mine for 55k bnib

@twinskenny - kindly post or send me store/contact to seunola@hotmail.com

i got it from a guy remi on this forum not shop oo

Just got me a SGS. I managed to configure the internet settings manually. Problem is that the phone browser still doesn't browse while other apps that use the internet (like the android market) are working fine. What have I left out? Anybody pls help.

When you can get a new Galaxy S for around 76k, there's no reason to spring for the Desire for 60k.

Glad to see Android picking up more steam. I really like the OS (still partial to iOS for now, but we'll see what the future brings)

Anything that isn't Nokia or Blackberry is a plus in my books. So spread the message!

hear hear, tex is in tha building!!!!!!!

wattya think abt El-goog's latest policy of restricting folks from further damaging the rep of the os by installing it in its unfinished state on all manner of unqualified hardware (honeycomb)

the oopensource goons are screaming blue murder, sane pple think its a brilliant idea.
well why port an unfinished tablet os to phones


waddya thunk mate? and hey, that wp7 update finally shipped. . . . to some folks (some service providers still stopping it, ^{waddya knw whisper frag. . .} )

xtonimarie:

Just got me a SGS. I managed to configure the internet settings manually. Problem is that the phone browser still doesn't browse while other apps that use the internet (like the android market) are working fine. What have I left out? Anybody pls help.

forgot to mention. I use mtn. thankz.

xtonimarie:

Just got me a SGS. I managed to configure the internet settings manually. Problem is that the phone browser still doesn't browse while other apps that use the internet (like the android market) are working fine. What have I left out? Anybody pls help.

Check ur APN Setting, apparently the value of the proxy IP and port u inputed are wrong!

please guys i just subscribed for a data plan on Airtel, i input on the apn settings stuff but yet i can browse, its a brand new sim, plesae anyone with useful info should please help, am using htc desire

twinskenny:

please guys i just subscribed for a data plan on Airtel, i input on the apn settings stuff but yet i can browse, its a brand new sim, plesae anyone with useful info should please help, am using htc desire

Aghhh!! I think we have a problem Houston! Brand new Airtel SIMS must be activated before they can Call,Browse or even Call Customer care. By activation i mean SIM registration.I advice you take it to their office for them to work on it. Exact same thing happened to me but i just dumped the SIM and Fashied the money i have loaded in it.

will be ther office first tommorow cant just waste 1gb or data just like

twinskenny:

will be ther office first tommorow cant just waste 1gb or data just like

Please do bro,cos their 3G service is making sense.

Anyone used airsync

trying to stream music from my android, tried various firewall settings to no avail

Also for music, go get power amp, you go bow