Google VS Oracle : We didn't drop it. It fell.
Facts :
Google have been proven guilty of copyright infringement on 37 Packages that represent more than 400 class. Google did NOT infringe copyright of the 9 lines of code ripped off from oracle and the documentation. The jury is still in deadlock about the most important question : is there is a fair use of this copyright. If it is fair use, google will win.
Journalists, in a vast majority claim it’s a victory for Oracle, while in fact the ruling is pretty much like before : in the AIR or even more on the google advantage.
During the trial Google explain that they did not take a license because they wanted to have control of the language used in android while still being able to propose something that developers are familiar with.
My opinion :
Yes Google infringe the API copyright, but that was a given, considering that API are copyrightable since decades and that all big companies that want to change java are taking a license. Fair use is the real question … that remain unanswered by the court, at this time. So nothing changed!
I would even say, that a mistrial asked by google, is a good news for google because it will take years before they can be sanctioned.
Overall, to me, API are like the blueprint of the space shuttle, by analogy. When the chinese copied this design, it was a copyright infringement. API design is the most important part of a platform, not the implementation. Implementation can change over time, API not so easily. Java is one of the best API design that I saw so far with QT.
Embrace and Extends
Google used the classic technic of “embrace and Extends” tried by Microsoft 20 years ago with the HTML. They took java, changed the license and extends it with all their own class. We cam now consider that we have two Java :
the official by oracle and the google fork.
This trial is about who control java, other questions are irrelevant to me.
This is would not be a big deal if google was not in monopoly business strategy (in number of potential users and developers) … Google is the number one everywhere and their resources is 100 times what oracle can pour into java. For now there is still more developers on the official branch but soon if android continue it’s success path, it will be the opposite and therefore the java from google will become the defacto standard, letting oracle with nothing.
If Google win, it could lead to good stuff for the Apple world, because we can envision a company porting ObjectiveC/UIKit to windows or even android.Apple invested more than 20 years in R&D and without any doubt, Apple will not be very happy about that.
To wrap this up I will finish by quote from the creator of java, James Gosling :
“Google totally slimed Oracle/Sun.”
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57423754-94/java-creator-james-gosling-google-totally-slimed-sun/
Same Sung vs Apple
Video of the event : “The next big thing. The next samsung”
I agree, that’s not the one. Better wait for the next samesung ;)
Bashing put aside, it’s a very good phone, still very plastiish and cheap but more importantly, it become more than ever a serious competitor of the IPhone ecosystem. After today we will not see again, samesung as a device manufacturer but as a OS provider like Apple or Google.
Indeed What’s very interesting for the post PC Device market, is the three trends that we can assume from this video :
- Samesung is drifting away from Google : The word android and ICS, only have only been pronounced out loud one time … during this one hour and half keynote! Android is reduced to a spec. The UX and UI which is what people are buying, is coming from SameSung It enable them to get rid of Android and replace it by windows, if necessary. You buy a samsung device not an android phone. They have been forced to go that route when google bought Motorola and lost it’s neutrality.
- Samesung OS : By investing a lot, in proprietary softwares, Samsung is really taking control of android and enable them to have a huge competitive advantage over all other android manufacturers and enable them to compete in term of features/UI/UX with iPhone/iOS.
- It reduce the market share of all other android manufacturers like HTC, motorola/google … and augment their loss. The Same Sung vs Apple war have some good years in front of it.
Here a small subset of all those proprietary features that make the galaxy OS :
- S Voice : SIRI rip off
- Stay Alive
- tap on the topbar to scroll up : iOS rip off
- direct call
- nature UI : really ?
- smart alert : buzz when someone is spamming you of message and think it’s important!
- social tag : ?
- Allshare Cast dongle : airplay rip off
- Buddy photo share : face recognition and sharing.
- a bunch of others apps from photos to music…
It’s a bit early to paint the consequences of this shift but let’s give it a shot :
To me, It will either increase the android fragmentation for developers or either solve it. yep no middle ground here.
All those software changes and addition really create another OS from the end users perspective … yes, based on android. Like iOS is based on FreeBSD.
SameSung is leader of the smart phone market world wide (not in the US) … The only android manufacturer that do not loose money to be precise. Therefore , if samesung hold 60% of the android market, we may end up with developers choosing only to run their apps on samesung galaxy devices in order to avoid the android fragmentation and costs linked to it.
I really think that it could work, if they store catch up, it could raise android development as a reasonable strategy for indie developers (that was not the case before). Indeed targeting only few devices and defined OS addition, really solve the fragmentation problem that cripple the android ecosystem.
I can easily imagine, that some developers will make the jump and go for a Kindle (the only android store where you can break even) and Samsung devices. if that happens I can see great trouble for the Microsoft Lumia because they will loose what make them a viable option : a low fragmentation for developers.
It will be very interesting to follow how FlipBoard is doing as it’s only available on the galaxy OS. The number of downloads and usage will either validate or invalidate this theory. We will know in few months …
PS : You shouldn’t watch this boring/marketting and powerpoint based keynote … I did it for you! your welcome ;)
Google StreetView : "oops, I did it again"
Facts :
Google StreetView Car while taking picture was also collecting all the traffic of unencrypted wifi. So those datas may contain sensitive and personal information like your password and such on. From google perspective, it’s an accident and it’s coming from a rogue engineer, despite that others engineers and senior manager was aware of this. Because google obstructed the inquiry, by refusing to release emails and data from this employee, They got fined. Recent reports finds it’s not a rogue act (cf link).
My opinion :
Well, that’s a lot of “oops my bad” moment from a single company. Indeed google served us this argument already four times now :
- Safari Hacking by bypass, privacy protection of this browser in order to be able to collect your surfing activity.http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/17/google-under-fire-for-circumventing-safari-privacy-setting/
- IE hacking by exploiting a bug in order to be able to collect your surfing activity.http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2012/02/21/google-hacked-internet-explorer-spy-users-safari-85621/
- Google employee accessing competitor’s database in order to poach customers : http://www.freitasm.com/7939
- Google selling narcotics via ads. Even larry page was aware during many months.http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052970204624204577176964003660658-lMyQjAxMTAyMDIwNTEyNDUyWj.html
(*)
Strangely enough all those “mistakes” have one things in common : It enable google to earn more money and it’s linked to collecting/analyzing more information about us.
The more companies like Google and Facebook know about their users, the more attractive they are to advertisers, which drive the vast majority of their income. We, the people, are the product. And when you begin to think that people are just product, you enter a spiral that lead you, inevitably, to those bad doing.
* : you can also add the carrierIQ spying installed on most android phones to the mix. however they were not the beneficiary of this practice but they did nothing to stop it.
How to fix the WWDC Ticket Shortage
So this year to obtain a WWDC ticket while living in a decent and non narrow minded state (meaning california :) ), you either have to be a Vampire or an Early Bird (aka non lazy). I am one of this two options ;)
However, most of my friends didn’t make it :( … so,it’s a bummer for the social aspect.
There was already 10000 registered developers on WWDC ALERT so the drama was foreseeable and we can assume that the demands is way higher than that. To my knowledge even, in south bay, there is no venue enough large and moreover the labs would be completely overcrowded.Each years there is more and more iOS developers and on the other hand Apple Engineers are more or less the same numbers. So looking for a larger space is a futile.
The only solution that I envision, is as follow :
Just stream live all sessions and people will organize themselves all over the world and recreate their own smaller WWDC. Add a page on apple/wwdc that present all those independent WWDC.
Only the people will real questions for the labs will therefore attends the WWDC, because if you can have a “similar” experience for 100 bucks instead of thousand of dollar + flying to SF, you will do it.
It’s quite an investment for Apple, to stream live all those session … it’s sure is … but the WWDC have never been a profit center and the more developers you “convert” the more Apple wins, bottom line.
but well … for this year, I guess it’s too late. So go there, it sounds fun :
http://www.imore.com/2012/04/27/indie-developer-lab-announced-coinciding-wwdc-turned/
Personally, i will be in the moscone ;) for the fifth times and I hope to see you there.
Silicon Valley : a sign of the times!
Street corners no longer ask for bucks, but rather for developers!
Russian women and Nokia knows how to do it.
Nokia and Microsoft really impress me in term of marketing … I predicted that they will invest a lot in ads in order to increase their mindshare … but like that ? certainly not!
From the times square event to this latest video, they are in progress to change their former dead company image to an hype and alive image. And the media convey this new acquired mindshare. They really do the right move so far.
In this particular case, they target a lower demography (Android market is the target there) by using the viral video technics with beautiful chicks. Sarcastically I am wondering how Apple could compete with almost naked russian women ? Maybe tim, phil and eddie cue should dance too ? ;)
Enjoy !
Fragmented PostPC Market ahead : Carriers choose for you.
I found The Verge review of the lumia 900 really cute and interesting as a geek but completely wrong in it’s conclusion. As the phone market is driven by carriers, all those technical and quality point of view do not matters for the mass market. It’s irrelevant and sad but that’s the reality …
Think about it, Android eclair or Android froyo phone were uggly, had no apps and buggy. Despite all of that immaturity the growth rate was already superior as an iPhone or a blackberry.
How is that possible ?
Just go to an ATT or a verizon store. Ask for phone and tell them that you have no idea what to buy … before the lumia 900 they were always advising you for an android phone … why not even considering an iPhone ? . Indeed they got a better margin on android phone and manufacturer pay the vendor for that premium placement (not apple) … FYI I tried two times and every-time I would had walk out of the store with a crappy android for free! (they were not even advising me a good android phone!)
The Microsoft/Nokia Lumia 900 : The Ballmer return!
Microsoft/nokia, pay $20 per vendor to “advice” you a lumia 900. In clear, if a vendor sell you a lumia 900 it will earn 20$ per phone …at the end of the day we are talking big money for them. I do not blame them because their income are low, but that’s misleading the customer. People that do not know what to buy are the majority of the market now (Analyst said at least 70%). Actually, those people buy a smart phone like I am buying a fridge … the tech spec seems ok and the price is low … I am in!
When there is no incentive, like on the tablet market we can see the real interest of android as an ecosystem and OS … very limited so far. But with the help of vendors, android is now leader of the smartphone market.
Because of this strong incentive and a good momentum, the Microsoft/Nokia Lumia 900 will sell, not a tsunami yet but it will sell. When Window 8 will be out the halo effect will make it a real success.
To warp this up, Carriers and manufacturers choose for you, and their interest is to have a fragmented market in order to keep their dominant position and not only be a tube provider (as they should be)
Consequence on the Post-Pc Device : An Hydra market
As I Envisioned several months ago, to me, we are going for a three head market :
- Apple : iPhone/IPad
- Microsoft : Windows phone/ Windows 8 tablet
- Google : Android phone
and more but for now it’s stealth : Facebook and Amazon phone.
During the next few years those three postPC device OS will be at war. This war will fragment the market for developer and tough choice will need to be made. Only very big companies will be able to target those three platforms. Both the customer and the developer will be hurt by this war. Hardware innovation will thrive during this period but the software will have difficulty to adapt and be multi-platform.
I think it’s impossible to know at this point who will win but here my guesses :
- As soon as windows 8 and office will be out, the halo effect will play a huge role on windows phone/tablet adoption, putting Microsoft in a good position. they have a strong ecosystem and a working/proven store. And before you threat me of a Microsoft fanboy, know that I am on a mac since more than 10 years ;)
- Android have very weak ecosystem so far, a broken store (no credit card) and the brand is very weak due to it’s fragmentation. Furthermore strength of the android OS do not correspond to the mass market needs, indeed customization and personalization is not what non geek want. So I think that android will be the biggest looser of this war if nothing change.
- Apple due to a limited number of devices and not in the license business will probably keep it’s current market share or lost a little. But as the brand is strong, a strong users lock-in via iTunes since the ipod and a user satisfaction very high, it shouldn’t change too much around 20/30% like today. On the tablet market the plunge will be more dramatic due to window8 tablet.
To wrap this up, at the end of this war, we may come back were we started, as sad as it look like : Microsoft leading the pack, Apple with it’s own little share and android taking the place of linux.
We will see what happens, but for sure 2012 is a crucial year in this upcoming war.
Google+ Everywhere : The G+ Toilet
Naively, I thought that they will run out of ideas on how to force me to use G+ …
In the global effort to add G+ everywhere, from youtube to the search engine, Google have now decided to target real life objects. By integrating G+ everywhere, google is now able to provide you a “easy and seamless” google experience even in the real world!!! All with ONE goal in mind, making your life easier in order to show you ads.
So it’s not surprising to see the G+ real life integration meet the most obvious of those real life object that can share google values : the Toilet. indeed now with the G+ toilet, I can post and discuss about my toilet activities. What a great idea! Right there … just at your finger tips, you can share and enjoy comments of your followers while being included in google search.
Obviously as it’s a free product, google will now collect all your toilet activities and deliver ads based on your bowel movement or based on the number of toilet flush per day. It’s rumored that gasex, the gas expert, is already in the team …
Coming soon! in your bathroom! G+ your world!
#spoof #aprilfool #google #apple
PS : Joke put aside, I seriously love G+.Period. However, I seriously dislike the aggressiveness of google and the leverage of it’s monopole in order to force us, to use G+.
Yes. You really have to see the iPad 3.
Yesterday morning (6:30 am) I went to the Los gatos Apple Store. As usual a lame counting entry but this year there was quite a good organization : they gave us umbrellas and the staff was there to give some info. Cool and good experience.
I really thought that I was a about to buy a nice new iPad with great screen and mostly better. An incremental release, to wrap this up. Not a game changer. One hour and half later I started this new iPAD ….
I was blind now I see.
Obviously my prior opinion was based on severals reviews and the apple keynote, seen on my … PC screen … well I do not blame them as they cannot make a great job at describing how great this screen is… And now that I am trying to write this blog post I feel the pain and frustration that most reviewer probably felt … how to make you understand how good it is without being able to show you ?
Let’s try by analogy : To me the new iPad 3 Retina Display is like :
- the first time I saw a HDTV compared to my tube TV. Yeah that impressive.
- the first time I put on my contact lens, everything look bigger and more sharp.
- Like a good bread compared to a Safeway bread.
Bah I certainly didn’t convince you … Let’s try something else … By comparison :
My apple cinema display 27 inch at a standard distance look blurry and fuzzy compared to the iPad 3 screen. Seriously. I clean it, just to be sure!
ok I failed to convince you … well, stop reading this stupid blog on your crappy screen and Go in an applestore. you upset me now ;)
So I did some research in order to fully understand what was going on :
Actually PC monitors of a certain size tend to block around 100 ppi. By comparison The iPad 3 have 264 ppi and a resolution of 2048*1536.
Side by side with an iPad 2, I am Really asking myself if I was not blind before. That big. You cannot go back … Unless you still have to use a PC to develop for example.
There is not a single screen in the world to my knowledge, that can match the resolution/PPI couple of the iPAD 3.
here some data that I gathered :
Screen/Resolution / PPI
• iPad 3 9.7” 2048*1536 264 PPI
• Thunderbolt Cinema Display 27” 2560*1440 109 PPI
• iPad 2 9.7” 1024*768 132
• iMac 27” 2560*1440 109 PPI
• Asus Transformer prime 10.1” 1280*800 149.5 PPI
• Motorola XYBoard 10.1” 1280*800 160 PPI
• HDTV 1080p 45” 52 PPI
• PC LCD Screen 27” 1920*1200 87 PPI
FOLLOW UP : An independent Analysis Confirms iPad Display Really Is One Of The Best Ever Made
Despite that I still need some time to wrap my head around that, I already envision few consequences due to this amazing screen :
- Beforehand it was already great and more personal to surf/read on an iPAD than with a mouse on a PC. Now it’s simply way better despite that some graph are not crisp.
- iPad Apps have to support the retina display otherwise the apps look fuzzy and blurry. It will therefor increase the size of all apps even if you have an iPad 2. Size is limited on an iPAD and I envision that the iPAD 32GO is gonna to be the default choice for most people. increasing Apple revenue.
- I suspect that lot of websites will not support the retina display, increasing even more the native advantage over web-app and the app frenzy.
- It will take time before all your iPad apps are retina display. Actually almost all developers, didn’t know that you had to compile it with the new SDK. This is why since yesterday you are seeing lot of last minutes update of lot of your apps. Apple is doing the best it can and expediate all reviews but still …. Mine are not enabled yet and they look horrible :/ As I am close to a big version of my games, I am gonna to “double down” on this version and try to ship it as soon as I can. Submitting a version now could slower my next version …
- OSX is gonna to be Retina Display (as the rumors suggest) and they will ship some new Cinema Display (and why not TV ? ) with huge resolution and PPI.
- If Apple goes for a bigger screen in the iPhone 5 ala galaxy nexus (gorgeous screen) we could really have the best phone screen in the world. Yeah size matters ;)
- It’s gonna to be tough for iPad competitors to compete with with such quality. It will take some times before they can catch up for a reasonable price. Indeed, most windows/android tablets are already more expensive (for the same quality) than the former iPAD.The only solution for them that i envision, would be to subsidized the cost …
Dwight Schrute have been acqhired by paypal!
Thanks to a significant expertise at the Sabre company, Dwight Schrute the silicon valley rising star have now been acqhired by PayPal. On day one, it bring a major innovation to paypal that was hibernating since 5 years …. the triangle! Only Dwight Schrute can think of such brilliant idea!
So basicly it’s the same things as foursquare but in a form of a triangle! It blew my mind!
Brilliant. very paypal.
PS : This is maybe a sarcastic post.
PS2 : thanks peter for the picture ;)
