Zev Mo Tech Blog

The Google Cloud and Android mobile OS… a marriage must be made

Posted on 09. Feb, 2010 by zevmo in Android, Cloud-based applications, Mobile, Technology

This week I had a chance to test out the HTC myTouch 3G Limited Edition, which was running Android 1.6.  I will go more in-depth on that in a post tomorrow, but I wanted to float an idea out to Google that can take the Android Mobile OS from something good, to something great.

Big-boy browser

You would think that Google has a bit of a clue about the benefits of the cloud.  Just think of the products that you use every day: Google, iGoogle (homepage), Google Voice, Google Docs, Gmail, Reader, Calendar, Maps, on and on.  But what they have failed to do so far is to take that expertise and truly merge Android Mobile OS into their ecosystem.

I know- you are screaming into your flat-panel monitor… “But Zev, Android DOES use Google’s cloud of products and services!!!!”  Absolutely!  In fact, they require you to use a Google log-in account just to activate the phone.  However, if you notice, Google is really a big-boy browser application company, and they provide carefully selected pieces of those services to mobile platforms, Android being one of them.  There is a distinction here, and I will explain.

Gmail, iGoogle, Voice, etc. are all managed from the desktop, and then a smaller version is provided (or synced) to a mobile platform.  This is because a mobile device:

• Has limited memory, CPU, or bandwidth to handle all of the functions these sites require to manage the application
• Doesn’t have enough real estate on the screen to move/modify elements of the service
• Or they simply haven’t dedicated any resource to create the complex lite application to do it yet

And you know what, that is fine.  Because I know very few people who ONLY use a pocket-sized mobile device exclusively.  Everyone uses the desktop (or laptop) applications primarily, and accesses them mobility when they are between places.

The cloud

So, that takes me to the current implementation of Google’s Android mobile OS.  Currently, to configure your device’s settings, menus, desktop icon layout, wallpaper, folders, media (photos and music), and applications, everything MUST be done on the device.  Even though the device is set up as a Google-cloud syncing device!  Why?

Smart devices, like the iPhone, Palm’s Pre, and Android-based phones, have been what many are calling, “App-Phones.”  One of the things that has made the iPhone so successful has been the quality and abundance of applications available to the user.  It changed the focus of the platform to be an application device, rather than just a mobile phone.

Previously, devices like Treo’s, Blackberries, or whatever the heck Microsoft was developing, had applications, but they were pitiful shells of bad code.  When the iPhone made apps cool, easily available, and lucrative, they exploded on the scene, forcing every other platform to develop their own “App Store.”  But no one seemed to hit those huge download numbers like Apple.  Why?

Well, the other strength to Apple’s strategy was called, iTunes.  A DESKTOP application that gave users an ability to manage their device, view large amounts of data like Photos, Music play lists and Albums, PODCASTS, Movies, TV shows, and Applications.  Having a desktop application to solve the issues of screen-size real estate, and processing power to manipulate that data, it is VERY easy for people to review apps,  sort, search, download, remove, and organize all of this mobile content.

Why hasn’t Google learned this yet?

The Problem

The main problem with the Android OS, as I see it, is that the device requires you to do everything on a tiny screen.  I am not talking about making calls, or browsing, or turn-by turn navigation (which is a killer app, btw), but the configuration of your media, layout on your device, and managing your applications.

When a person like myself buys one of these devices, we would like to personalize it (that is what the commercials say, right?), use it to listen to music, put my pictures on it, add my music, listen to PODCASTS (am I emphasizing this enough?), and use applications.  These devices are really mobile data devices, not mobile phones.  So I ask Google, why do you make this device so bloody difficult to manage these things?

So what does Google need to do?

Every other service Google offers has a big-boy browser page.  If a mobile device utilizes this service, it takes the components it needs from the cloud, and syncs that data back and forth.  The Android OS should be exactly the same.

When you authorize an Android-based OS device with your Google account, you should be able to have another service selection on your big-boy browser, “Phones.”  Here you will be able to manage your content, backgrounds, screen layout, folders, PODCAST settings (did I mention that?), photos, music play lists, AND Applications.

Applications, here, is my main beef.  The Android-based marketplace application is horrible.  It provides a very small window into the ecosphere of quality apps out there.  If you currently do a search for “Twitter”, in the marketplace, you will get over 700 results back for it.  And you expect people to look at 700+ applications badly presented on a tiny screen?  Worse than that, the free apps are mixed in with the paid apps without any ability to sort them by popularity/price/comments/etc..

A big-boy browser based configuration page gives a user the ability to:

• Add/remove, search, comment, and sort the growing library of applications
• Allow a drag-and-drop way to layout your widgets and desktop icons
• Allow the creation/sorting/deletion of music play lists (not music files themselves, just the pointer to the files on the devices memory)
• Allow the configuration of picasa syncing details
• Give the user a simple, clean way of subscribing/managing their podcasts (you know, let people search for shows using your search technologies- you can even auto-add a “Listen to this podcast on your phone” button in the users search results (since you are now connected to the “Phones” service)
• Restore/copy/backup these settings for use on multiple phones (families), or if you replace or upgrade to a new device
• PARENTAL CONTROLS configuration which have an ability to lock-down your kids phones (and see what they are doing- big brother fun)

This is no easy task… but there are over 20,000 employees in this wonderful company.  I am sure there are a few good people who can come up with a solution to these problems.  Their other products have given them the experience to do this, and is a logical progression for THE cloud-based company to pursue.

Summary

Google’s Android OS can really be successful if they understand the 95% of people who are not that technical.  It seems like they really haven’t quite gotten there yet.  Most people want ease of use, they don’t care about it being an OPEN platform, and don’t have the patience for discovering creative ways to customize their phones.  That’s the stuff we geeks like to do.  I appreciate what Google is doing.  I want them to succeed, and I will continue to give ideas to make the platform better.  And I feel that this is one of the most essential things for the company to do to make the platform really palatable for the VAST majority of people considering making that plunge into the App-Phone market.

Google, PLEASE do this!

Tags: 3G, ads, Ai, Android, Android, Apple, Applications, Apps, Backup, big, Browser, Calendar, Car, Cloud, Cloud-based applications, Cloud-based computing, comments, Controls, CPU, Developer, easy, ecosystem, Geek, GMail, Google, Google Docs, GoogleApps, HTC, IE, iGoogle, iPhone, iTunes, Kids, LAN, mail, Maps, Media, Microsoft, Mobile, Mobile, mobile device, mobile os, mobile platform, mobile platforms, mobility, Movies, myTouch, OS, Palm, phone, Phones, Picasa, pictures, PODCASTS, post, Pre, Progress, Reader, Rental, RIM, Search, simple, sync, T-Mobile, Technology, Treo, TV, twit, Twitter, UI, upgrade, Voice, widgets, XP

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Tags: 3G, ads, Ai, Android, Apple, Applications, Apps, Backup, big, Browser, Calendar, Car, Cloud, Cloud-based computing, comments, Controls, CPU, Developer, easy, ecosystem, Geek, GMail, Google, Google Docs, GoogleApps, HTC, IE, iGoogle, iPhone, iTunes, Kids, LAN, mail, Maps, Media, Microsoft, Mobile, mobile device, mobile os, mobile platform, mobile platforms, mobility, Movies, myTouch, OS, Palm, phone, Phones, Picasa, pictures, PODCASTS, post, Pre, Progress, Reader, Rental, RIM, Search, simple, sync, T-Mobile, Treo, TV, twit, Twitter, UI, upgrade, Voice, widgets, XP