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Re: [News] Gizmos too complicated; 50% return rate

In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Roy Schestowitz
<newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
 wrote
on Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:22:12 +0100
<1506532.80GvCDRygp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
> __/ [ The Ghost In The Machine ] on Tuesday 12 September 2006 20:00 \__
>
>> In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Hadron Quark
>> <qadronhuark@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>  wrote
>> on Tue, 12 Sep 2006 19:44:32 +0200
>> <87ac55htdr.fsf@xxxxxxxxxxx>:
>>> Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
>>>
>>>> __/ [ The Ghost In The Machine ] on Tuesday 12 September 2006 18:00 \__
>>>>
>>>>> Apologies for not having a reference but this was on
>>>>> KCBS this morning; apparently cell phones, Blackberries,
>>>>> and other such gizmos have a 50% return rate as they are
>>>>> getting way too featureful and complicated.  I'll admit
>>>>> I'd have to dig; the website (www.kcbs.com) isn't being
>>>>> horribly helpful.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> While on that note, it's worth mentioning that mobile phone engineers
>>>> favour Linux (once its merits are realised) because it's a 'one size fits
>>>> all'
>>>
>>> Err, but they currently dont favor Linux. Who on earth told you this?
>
>
> Just one among many studies.
>
> Whitepaper assesses Linux in the mobile phone space
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | This EDC whitepaper examines the progress and prospects of Linux in the 
> | mobile phone market, examining major vendors, application development 
> | trends, geographic factors, and Linux drivers/inhibitors.
> | 
> | [...]
> | 
> |     * A sharp rise during the Spring of 2006 in the number of mobile 
> | application developers targeting Linux...
> | 
> |     * The "widening" field of mobile Linux stack vendors, characterized
> | as pureplays, diversifiers, and dabblers
> | 
> |     * Mobile developers across all major geographic regions are "equally
> | compelled" to write applications for Linux, despite the relative shortage
> | of devices in North America, as compared to Asia and, to a lesser extent,
> | Europe.
> | 
> |     * OEMs, VARS, integrators, and department-focused enterprise
> | engineers are most likely to target Linux, while ISVs (independent software 
> | vendors) and "corporate-wide" enterprise engineers are less likely to do
> | so.
> | 
> |     * Linux use in wireless devices has grown much faster than predicted,
> | and, allowing for some inhibitors such as a lack of cohesive standards,
> | the future for Linux in mobile phones is "brighter than ever"
> `----
>
> http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5855050534.html
>
> One proof is enough for a troll. There are many more I could cite if you were
> worth it. You and your vain, abominable messages, which I can still see when
> you get fed (don't worry, I'm extending my killfile for the Three Stooges:
> Gary, DFS and yourself).
>
>
>> Mobile phones are funny beasts.  At the user level, they
>> are a display screen, microphone, speaker, antenna, and
>> a bunch of buttons to push (or maybe a touch-screen).
>> Does it matter whether they run Linux, FreeBSD, OS/9,
>> Symbian, Windows XP Embedded Edition, or some proprietary
>> crud that is only known to the manufacturer?
>
>
> The proprietary bits are often what's used to block and eliminate features.
> *smile*
>
>
>> Not to the end user.  They just punch the buttons.
>> 
>> http://www.technewsworld.com/story/36946.html
>> 
>> suggests Microsoft is "poised to dominate the mobile phone OS market",
>> and that was as of 2 years ago.
>
>
> The only victim will be Symbian, say the experts. Some analysts predict that
> Linux will reign that space. It has too many large backers such as Palm,
> Orange (provider, not maker), Motorola, Nokia, among many other (probably
> over a dozen known brands).
>
> Have a look at this item from this afternoon.
>
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060912/tc_nm/retail_japan_mobile_dc
>
>         Mobile commerce seen as future for Japan retailers
>
> It seems like expansion of Linux in the mobile space would, just as I all
> along believed, lead to its immediate penetration. And if you can be Big in
> Japan, then you can make it everywhere. The Japanese know technology and
> choose what they like. They are still in a boycott state when it comes to
> the XBox 360. They await the Nintendo Wii and the PS3, both of which run
> Linux.
>
>
>> However, there's also
>> 
>>
> http://www.cellular.co.za/news_2004/may/050404-symbian_to_dominate_mobile_phone.htm
>> 
>> which suggests Symbian will dominate the mobile phone OS market.
>> My brain is beginning to hurt.
>
>
> That's strange. I wonder if these opinions are somehow entwined with the
> agenda of the companies in question.

I've not a clue here...or a phone, for that matter.

(song)
Sing a song of cheap things,
technologies are svelte,
I've a 4x20 beeper
clipped on my belt.

(voice) It's a company beeper.  They get to pay for it.  :-)

(song)
When I open beeper
it goes simply chirp chirp chirp.
Why would I ever need a thing
that can belch, fart, or burp?

:-)

(Sung to "Sing a Song of Sixpence".)

*wanders off muttering about crazy frogs*

>
>
>> For its part PalmSource is announcing a Linux-based mobile
>> phone OS:
>> 
>> http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS4663700447.html
>> 
>> The diagram is rather interesting -- but probably not all that
>> useful except as a very high-level summary.  However, it's
>> clear they're using Gtk, and possibly Gnome, for the GUI; this
>> makes it *independent* of kernel and they could slap it onto
>> Windows XP tomorrow, using either wxGtk or Gtk with Windows
>> capabilities.
>
>
> It's indeed Gtk. The photos taken last year made it rather evident. I'd love
> to see a KDE phone (not Trolltech's Qt-based Qtopia). Imagine yourself
> virtual desktops in the wallpaper... and Compiz/XGL. Maybe in 5 years...

I don't see the point, really.  XGL is great for gaming, but for use?
Ah well, maybe for those who need to be able to finger a real button.
I'd be comfortable with a gray area with a border. :-)

> I
> hope that Palm recuperate with this Linux transition. I have been with them
> for over 4 years and my PIM data is more or less locked in (albeit
> KOrganizer hauled it and made it exportable as, e.g. ical). I can read it in
> my PHP-based Web calendar, which might come handy one day.

The benefits of open source, methinks.  :-)

>
>
>> (Why they'd want to is a question only they can answer.  I've
>> not tried to build Gtk on Windows.  The Gdk and X underlayers
>> are not explicitly shown -- and X may not be present at all.)
>
>
> Never tried programming in GTK for Windows, but it's beyond possible. When
> installing the GIMP under Windows, for example, one needs to install GTK
> first.

Oh right, duh.  :-)

> And it seems rather complete.

For a widget set.  Not sure about desktops-in-wallpaper.

> I used to program with GDK and GTK. I
> can't remember the API's, but it's GPL'd so everyone can benefit from the
> work. And judging by the search/usage logs, some people do.
>
> http://schestowitz.com/Projects/kmdupdate.html
>
>
>> http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS5566717572.html
>> 
>> suggests Symbian is dominating the market currently, with
>> 76.2% as of July 2005.  Linux is in second place, with
>> Windows Mobile and Palm OS tied for third.  However, there
>> is a disclaimer: apparently Pocket PC Phones are not taken
>> into account.  (I know Vodaphone has one, for example; I've
>> seen their ads.  It's about the size of a Flash stick, and
>> plugs into a USB port.  No doubt part of it *is* a Flash
>> or ROM stick, with autoload.)
>
> Let's not forget the following, which engineers find to be a hoot. *smile*
>
> http://www.trolltech.com/products/qtopia/phone_edition/greenphone/greenphonespecs
>
> Best wishes,

He's a cutie, if one likes 'em in green. :-)  Kernel's a
little old, though, but as long as it does the basics...

>
> Roy
>

-- 
#191, ewill3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Windows Vista.  Because it's time to refresh your hardware.  Trust us.

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