Monday, June 3, 2013

Android Central

Android Central

Ubuntu bug number 1 closed as Microsoft no longer holds a majority market share on computers

Posted: 02 Jun 2013 04:05 PM PDT

Ubuntu Bug #1

The new definition of computer has caused Android and iOS to control market share, leading Mark Shuttleworth to close Bug #1 in Ubuntu's bug tracker

Mark Shuttleworth, the founder of Ubuntu, has marked the very first bug on Ubuntu's LaunchPad bug tracking site as "Closed -- Fix Released". In this case, Android is a big part of the fix. As Shuttleworth explains in the final comment on bug #1

Personal computing today is a broader proposition than it was in 2004: phones, tablets, wearables and other devices are all part of the mix for our digital lives. From a competitive perspective, that broader market has healthy competition, with IOS and Android representing a meaningful share 

Microsoft still is the OS of choice on the desktop, both at home and the workplace. But the new definition of computer -- which not everyone agrees with, including yours truly -- combined with the sheer number of Android and iOS devices out there has changed the landscape.

I'm not so sure that bug #1 was really a bug to begin with. I've no love for Microsoft's products nor their business practices, but the free market has chosen, and both developer and users choose Microsoft when it comes to productivity on their workstations more often than the competition. We think everyone should have a choice that's done well, and one that fits their needs.

Of course others, like Shuttleworth, think differently and clearly when smartphones and tablets (as well as televisions and even appliances) are counted alongside the traditional desktop or laptop computer, Microsoft is now a distant third in terms of marketshare. Our advice? Don't get caught up in the details and appreciate the fact that you do have a choice. In either case, be sure to read Shuttleworth's comment if you're a fan of computing and software.

Source: Launchpad Comment  1834; Bug 1

    

From the editor's desk: The first quick hits of summer

Posted: 02 Jun 2013 07:35 AM PDT

Google Experience phones

One of the most important things to remember about the mobile space, I believe, is that there are so many moving parts. I can't help but believe that for as much about this business as we think we know, there's so much more going on behind closed doors. Never mind super secret new hardware. That's a given. It's the business end of things that provide the "why" and "how."

The past week -- past couple weeks, actually -- we've been thinking a lot about why we now have more "Google Experience" phones based on hardware that was designed hand-in-hand with another software experience altogether. Why is Google offering "stock" versions of the HTC One and Galaxy S4 alongside the Nexus 4?

The first answer I tell myself usually is "because it can." And there are worse reasons to do things, I suppose. But there has to be something in it for Samsung and HTC. I'm guessing quicker access to new code, plain and simple. 

Anyhoo. We'll take a look at these new Google Experience devices when they're available toward the end of the month. I'm mainly interested in how the cameras perform, along with general use.

A few other quick thoughts for this fine Sunday:

read more

    
Posted by at 5:34 AM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)