[Ben]

So, Android 2.0 aka Eclair has been officially announced (http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-phones/news/2009/10/28/Google-Officially-Announces-Android-2-0/p1). Hopefully 2.0 will be the big-time for Android (though it seems to be doing very well at the moment, anyway), and I'll finally be able to buy a decent piece of hardware packing it so I can give it the run-around. But what do you think? Any hopes, expectations?

[Hands0n]

Android 1.5 is a very capable OS which is, in many ways, hamstrung by miserly hardware specs, in particular RAM memory size and CPU speed. This appears to be being addressed with the very latest Android devices such as the Motorola Droid and others.

Anyone contemplating an Android handset would do well to read the hardware specs very carefully. Because, although the OS itself is getting more efficient, there is a wide variation right now, no real declared minimum performance spec standard, and it is easy to end up with a budget but low-spec'd device.

Android threatens to upset the Apple cart and it has more than a fair chance of doing so. It won't do it by the OS itself though - although the geeks would like that to be the case. It will take some awe inspiring handset design to set the world alight. Meanwhile, though, Android across literally dozens of handsets will make a significant inroad to the market traditionally owned by Symbian, MS Mobile and the iconic iPhone itself.

[gorilla]

Do you like the look of free turn by turn naviagtion courtesy of google maps on the Droid? Supposed to be coming to the iPhone as well. That's got to upset the people at Tom Tom!

[Ben]

I really feel for the satnav industry when you've got players like Google putting out turn-by-turn for free. Doesn't seem right, somehow. But then if the ad-funded Google-machine can do all this stuff then that's a good thing for the consumer, right? Well, at least until innovation dries up because there's no money in the sector anymore... can we trust Google to keep innovating long after the competition has been obliterated?

[gorilla]

Quick answer: Yes!

I don't need a sat-nav, so I'm over the moon with this anouncement - I don't have to buy one for the odd trip now. But what about the truck driver, delivery guy, sales rep? Are these not the main users of sat-nav at the minute? Surely they will always want a separate device for battery life, screen size, GPS signal, holder etc.

Unless people evolve not to care about products and services, there will always be someone who thinks they can do it better. Just look at how many search engine companies there are - these guys think they can do search better than google.

Google does suppress a lot of technology, but seems to be innovating in other areas as well. I think we will see faster innovation in future.