Android tablets

[Kyle Communications]

There are some really nice android powered tablets around now has anyone seen or is using aircraft apps on them. The Pioneer, the Archos, the Samsung and Zenith plus heaps more.

 

Is there a repository of aircraft apps around?

 

Mark

 

 

[horsefeathers]

Hi Mark.

 

Been looking at Android tablets for a while, and the thing is that android doesnt officially support tablet formats yet, (not till 3.0, I believe)

 

And, according to some docs I've read, unless the tablet/device supports a phone, Google will not officially licence android for the tablet - hence, no official access to the app market, and you can be left hung out to dry when it comes to support for android updates.

 

Lots of cheap chinese tabs, but I would suggest reading Whirlpool.net.au about what to look for in a good tablet (eg hardware specs, android version etc)

 

Android aviation apps area bit thin on the ground, but I'm sure that as Android gains market traction, they will appear. I've even dusted off my old programming skills and am cranking out a simple aviation app before too much longer.

 

I am currently using a Garmin-Asus A50 android phone (life time FREE map updates), and I have installed Bearing+Distance AU-NZ (flight planning and moving map software - unforunately depends on data connection to upload google maps, so no go in flight),FlightTools E6B, and a few others - still waiting for a decent moving maps app to make an appearance.

 

Cheers

 

Gerry

 

 

[winsor68]

Is it true that the basis of the Android system is Linux?

 

 

[horsefeathers]

yep winsor68 - well, that is, its linux based

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Is it true that the basis of the Android system is Linux?

The Android system uses a Linux operating System derived originally from the BSD distribution. On top of that the applications are written in "Java" source code and compiled by the Dalvik compiler to run in the "Dalvik" virtual machine. The Dalvik VM is a Java-like VM, but due to a Java licensing dispute is unable to be tested against the Java reference specification. Dalvik was based on the Apache Software Foundation's Project Harmony... an implementation of JavaSE for mobiles, which is also caught in the dispute and unable to be tested against the Java reference specification.

 

Hence Dalvik is not Java, albeit that the source code resembles a subset of the JavaSE language.

 

IMHO, this is a good security model, as every application runs in its own instance of the Dalvik VM and can only have the access to other "things" that it has requested through the VM and is then controlled by the underlying Linux operating System. Having said that, remember that data stored on the SD Card is on a FAT32 filesystem which does not support security, so access to the SD card is access to every file on that card. {Same for all types of devices. I've not seen a flash card that uses other than the FAT32 filesystem in consumer appliances or PCs.}

 

Every time you install an Android application or upgrade, you are presented with the permissions that the application requests (defined in the Application Manifest file inside the application package). These are the only permissions it can have during its lifetime. If the application asks for permissions that you are not comfortable granting, abort the installation at that point.

 

It is worth noting that when deciding which phone I would buy, I chose the HTC Desire and not another very popular Android phone due to that phones inclusion of its own supplier's market and apps based on a separate security model and written in C++. I felt that having two discrete security models in the one device resulted in higher risk.

 

 

[Thx1137]

Your such a nerd David :-) Down with Oracle is all I can say (and SCO).

 

I was going to get an Android tablet and start writing some software for it but I will probably hold off until 3.0 comes out then see how it compares to my iPad. The other issue is the price of the plans with any kind of voice/sms support is terrible.

 

 

[horsefeathers]

Found this out this arvo - BigW is selling an Optus branded 7" android tablet (the ZTE) for $279

 

From the web site:

 

The Optus My Tab will run Android 2.1, though it will get a 2.2 upgrade shortly after launch. Its 7 inch screen is resistive touch with a 800 x 480 resolution, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, 3MP photo camera, VGA front-facing camera (for video calling), 512MB RAM, 512MB ROM and a 2GB memory card pre-installed.

 

 

Now, this is very interesting - Optus support, phone, GPS, android, 512MB RAM - just about all I've been looking for

 

 

[winsor68]

The part that annoys me about alot of companies, which can be seen so much more with tablets, is that they have no originality, they try to imitate the design and look of apple products... The optus tablet is an example of it, it looks so much like the ipad, even down to the 'dock' at the bottom of the screen... This is the one thing that turns me off even considering another brand, might as well get the ipad rather than some imitation. When someone finally comes out with something unique that can do anything and everything I require, where its not locked up, and opensource software can be used, I will consider a tablet, until then, I will be very unlikely to buy one. A laptop is far more powerful and can do more than what i need. When it comes to aviation uses, I dont see myself using a laptop or tablet in the sky (unless it becomes more convenient and faster than flicking through books) in the near future... Too many gadgets can take your focus away for too long, there are times when it is better to just stick to old fashioned stuff.

I am going to get a cheap netbook/notebook (with certain specs)... the cheapest I can find.... and use ubuntu netbook. Seems like the cheapest and easiest way to go... cheap, open source, just works (like apple without the expense?)

 

Lets hope that the touch screen become standard on all computers soon... will make it a lot easier for all devices... A netbook with touch screen... 10-12 inches... runs ubuntu... now that I would like....

 

 

[Powerin]

Down with Oracle is all I can say (and SCO).

Ahhh...it's so nice to be amongst like minded people (nerds?)

 

A netbook with touch screen... 10-12 inches... runs ubuntu... now that I would like....

Sounds like you are doing well with Ubuntu win!

[winsor68]

I love Ubuntu... So far it just seems to work!!! Very intuitive... I guess the real test will be over time. I have found Windows starts out fine and soon your experience goes down hill fast... and even the "experts" can't really help.

 

I hope Ubuntu continues to work well... It certainly seems very simple.

 

I am even looking at Cheap Atom processor netbooks (of the $300 variety) as my next "ungrade" with Ubuntu.... seems like the perfect solution for my needs. Save money and make things simpler... gotta love it!

 

 

[sfGnome]

I am even looking at Cheap Atom processor netbooks (of the $300 variety) as my next "ungrade" with Ubuntu.... seems like the perfect solution for my needs. Save money and make things simpler... gotta love it!

Windsor, watch out for the Acer netbooks. I've got one and and another friend has likewise, and the Ubuntu distro sort-of works on it. The memory card slot doesn't work, if you switch to battery then it declares the battery flat and shuts down (works ok after you restart it again) and you have to do a few fiddles to get skype working. That's better than when it's running windows, 'cause Skype blue screens the machine under windows. The final insult is when you try to claim their "cash-back" - just google Acer Cashback and you'll get an idea of what your chances of ever seeing any money are.

Friends with the ASUS eee seem somewhat happier...

 

 

[winsor68]

Thanks for the advice... the current contenders are the e-machines and the Asus... Does anyone have any experience with buying computers over the internet? Any recomendations?

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Your such a nerd David :-) ...

Hey! I resemble that remark

 

Found this out this arvo - BigW is selling an Optus branded 7" android tablet (the ZTE)... Its 7 inch screen is resistive touch with a 800 x 480 resolution...

Hang out for a capacitive touch screen. While I've used resistive on a Palm for many years, they have their own problems including decreasing sensitivity with use. You used to have to massage the screen to re-distribute the gel when it stopped detecting properly.

 

The capacitive touch screen on my HTC Desire is just magic by comparison, albeit that no SmartPhone does sync like Palm :black_eye: SmartPhone makers have yet to learn what a PDA is all about.

 

It's unfortunate, but there's a big push from various manufacturers to put apps and data out in someone's cloud. I'm hoping Chrome O/S just dies quietly.

 

Sorry, but it's my data.

 

 

[Thx1137]

I might pickup one of the ZTE devices because they are so cheap (in comparison) to play with. Android 3 would have have some big improvements for me to make an Android device my main tablet.

 

I bought a mac mini that I use as a server so I have my own cloud :-) I cant see myself be putting my music and docs on someone elses servers. I just don't trust em. I would probably get sued because I couldnt find a reciept for a song I bought years ago.