Another day, another Android phone. I believe we will soon come to a day when Android phones will be looked at with the same jaundiced eye as, say, the latest LG Chocolate, but since that day hasn’t come, I’ll share a few observations with Verizon’s new $99 Hero-alike, the Eris.
The Eris is basically a mini Hero. It’s slightly thinner and clad in all black and but the Sense UI is in place and all of the things that made the Hero great – responsive OS, apps, and social networking connectivity – are here. One thing lacking, however, is the “latest” version of Android with its superior navigation application and multi-touch.
I asked some HTC folks about what was going on and they informed me that HTC is sticking with Sense UI and that some of the tweaks they did to pre-2.0 Android didn’t mesh well with the latest version. The result is, as I’ve mentioned before, a new “branch” of the OS.
To be sure HTC can’t sit on the sidelines with this for long, but it’s abundantly clear that the issue of non-centralized OS development is rearing its head here. This is Anrdoids blessing and its curse and I think the real problems will occur when handset manufacturers try to hide Android behind their own proprietary masks, much in the way TiVo and Kindle use Linux on the inside but make not mention of it.
It’s a question of when, not if, HTC will go 2.0. But for now they’re sitting things out and perfecting their UI going forward.
Update: We just heard back from HTC, and it appears that the Eris does in fact have multitouch in certain areas. They (being HTC) added multitouch capabilities through their own coding using android 1.x, so as a result the code isn’t available to 3rd party developers. But for the record, the Eris does have multitouch in the photo album and a few other places.
Garbage!!!
sure you didnt mean “First!!!” ?
I have to agree – the article feels very unpolished and rushed, as well as simply repeating what’s already been said hundreds of times ages ago.
Not garbage after update. Hey, i hate that HTC’s time display in black and white with a slit in the middle!!
It’s not a ’slit’. It’s trying to evoke early digital alarm clocks whose numbers flipped like pages in a Rolodex (which you may be too young to remember).
And you may be too stupid to remember that those were analog clocks, not digital. Dumbass.
I don’t think it matter too much. I guess some folks going from one Android device to another might get confused by changes in the interface, or might be disappointed by some of the changes made by some of the mfrs, but I think so long as the apps run on both versions most folks probably won’t have big issues. It is a problem though when the OS starts forking – Apple is always going to be able to deliver a consistently good experience because of that, and people do like that.
Forking will matter when Google releases an emergency security fix for Android, but HTC users will have to wait for an HTC-compatible version that update. What will the waiting time be?
responsive OS? isn’t one of the major complaints exceptionally sluggish response times?
For the G1, yes. The Hero (at least the CDMA one) is hardly ever sluggish.
Are you kidding me? The CDMA Hero is slow as hell. I returned it and switched to the Moment. Now, that is “Responsive”. A sea change
yeah, i have to agree… the cdma hero is pretty slow at best… i’m going to wait it out though and see it’s potential when the updates start coming (eventually)
Actually even the G2 (MyTouch) was sluggish, but got fixed after the recent 1.6 update.
It is hardly a different OS branch; it is just regular Android 1.5 with a different UI. I have yet to have any problems with apps on the Hero, aside from one (SnapPhoto) which makes a poor assumption about camera megapixels.
This. Hero has a normal Android 1.5 and it’ll get updated to Android 2.0 in a few months (already confirmed by HTC). It’ll take longer because HTC has to rewrite the kernel and test it, but still, it’ll happen.
Maybe the XDA Developers community will release Eclair even faster. So we just have to wait and I’m sure 2.0 will come to Eris.
Last I checked, XDA is still trying to get root access on the Hero (at least the CDMA ones).
“real problems will occur when handset manufacturers try to hide Android behind their own proprietary masks.”
I think manufacturers will have more to lose by hiding or branching android in the long term.
A major selling point of smartphones is their corresponding app store.
When (if?) Android gets a rich full app store why would the handset manufacturer not leverage the Android name and store?
Going further with this it seems they should even try to ensure their own branded version of Android was compatible with most apps in the store. Otherwise they would be looking at a lot of returns when people find they can’t run most of the apps in the store on their device.
I agree that skins are both a way to add percieved value, and a road block to future updates. Rarely does a company skin an OS effectively and continually in a consistent manner. One could say that OS X is essentially that, but it is quite uncommon.
These skins detract from Android and may down the road cause percieved problems with what the product is running. Moto Blur does something interesting by actually adding value to a product rather than heavily modifying it.
I have to wonder why the new SE device is running the older OS as well. A top of the ine product should be up to date.
I don’t see how skinning an OS will break app compatibilty. The only problem I can potentially see is replacing standard system controls, but if they don’t change the footprint or functionality (aka pure visual change), it shouldn’t affect app developers.
However, Sense also introduced Facebook integregration to Android. While that doesn’t hinder app compatibility, it does hinder HTC users from upgrading their phone to Android 2.0 since the native Address Book app now conflicts with it. Most of the burden is on HTC.
So, the Eris doesn’t have any multitouch? The Sprint and European versions of the Hero at least have limited multitouch. I read elsewhere that it’s possible Verizon prevented multitouch on the Droid, so perhaps that’s why it didn’t make to the Eris.
Video of multi-touch in action on the DROID Eris http://htcsource.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=806&Itemid=50
Probably just means it’s gonna take some time to get Sense UI ported over to 2.0.
I’ve read nothing but positive things regarding HTC’s SenseUI. I think the fact that it is not shipping with their Droid Eris has everything to do with the preferential alliance that Google/Verizon/Motorola formed around their premium Halo product, the Motorola DROID.
Had an HTC device been chosen as VZ’s “iPhone Killer” (fanboys, read “iPhone Competior”) than they would have had a simliar lead time to develop the enhancements that Sense provides on top of Eclair/Android 2.0
HTC is already on the record as looking to move their more advanced handsets to 2.0 quickly. To call the SenseUI on cupcake/donut Android releases as a “branch” of the OS is about as accurate as describing PC’s running Office 2007 vs. Office 2003 a “branch” of the Microsoft platform–it makes no sense.
Trust that once the OHA members are given a full development version of Android 2.0, and the necessary time, their equipment will get a refresh of the underlying OS and over the air ROMs that will allow whatever custom manufacturer tweaks, whether that be Sense, MOTOBLUR, etc.
The wise Android customer will stick with “Google Experience” labeled hardware so they can ride this rapid wave of development. Apple has enjoyed a nice lead, but the next two years will be an amazing time for the Android platform.
It’s perfectly reasonable to expect a time lag, between a new version of Android & a smartphone vendor’s update, if customizations are involved. After all, some time will be required to re-integrate & test the customizations, on the new version.
One of the advantages of using stock Android, is that this re-integration & testing effort is eliminated.
This is why I’m getting rid of my Blackberry, not getting an android (despite my intense man-love for Google) and getting an iPhone (also despite my barely-any-love for Apple). Apple will support their devices to the end. An iPhone 3G will have the latest OS updates pushed to it the same time as any other devices for a while to come. But what does RIM and what seems Android do? Release new device, after new device. It almost seems like I have to buy a new $600 phone every 6 months to stay updated on the SOFTWARE front; let alone hardware end.
I don’t know if this is Apples long term plan (probably not) but, the idea of a new, high quality device every year coupled with the fact that all previous devices also get the same software upgrades as newer devices (within hardware limitations of course), is exactly what the exploitive mobile phone industry needs (or at least, what I want).
Android phones are updated quite frequently..
…And Android (not a company) doesn’t make devices.
If anything, this type of thinking makes me want to avoid buying a non-reference device. If the Motorola Droid is, as claimed, a ‘pure’ Android device, it should mean that when there’s an upgrade to the OS, it would work without Motorola or Verizon needing to make sure that their ‘enhancements’ work.
In this case, less is more.
I own the original G1 that came out last year and T-mobile pushed out the latest 1.6 update to the phone about a month ago. The support is there and once the 2.0 update is rolled out and released with the source code, the G1 could see another update as well.
As long as you play by the rules set forth from Cupertino, I’m sure you’ll enjoy your new phone.
Woman to appear on Tyra with two vaginas #multipleorgasms
Eris?
Seriously?
Greek Goddess of Strife and Discord?
Cute…
Can’t wait to get my Perses phone….
#BIGGS_FAIL Droid Eris totally supports multitouch just like the other variants of Hero. Do some research before you spout off.
anyway i think that windows 6.5 is greater.
See… see… see… THIS is what I’m talking about. I desperately want a new Android phone, but I refuse to buy one with some proprietary, forked, lame, can’t upgrade in real-time piece of crap!
There’s a reason I use Linux on my desktop. Freedom!
I already have an iPhone, where I’m (theoretically) bound to what Apple tells me I can do. I will not jump into another such debacle; waiting for HTC/Verizon/who-the-hell-ever to get on the upgrade train.
NOT gonna do it! Would somebody PLEASE give me a decent handset with just the base Android OS on it. PLEASE!
Should be called Makes-No-Sense UI.
obviously you have not used HTC’s Sense UI. It enhances a lot of the standard Android functionality adding social network integration, multi-touch, better music player, media gallery, GPS bookmarking, keyboard, and widget support.
If you want standard Android, that’s perfectly fine, but don’t blame HTC for makign the Android OS better. That’s liek saying you want a computer with no extra programs. Have fun with your standard install.
while some of the features are nice with Sense, it also slows the living shit out of the phone.
Get the Samsung Moment (Sprint). Just got mine yesterday after trading the HTC Hero back in.
Sprint Hero: Yesterday while driving, I used Sprint Navigation, Streamed Pandora Radio, and took phone calls all at once on my BT headset. Try that on ANY other phone
Pre can do all that, too. Quite easily, in fact. But your point is well taken.
In all fairness, you weren’t talking on the phone and using sprint nav simultaneously – gotta love the limits of CDMA
I switched from the iPhone to the Hero with it’s Sense UI. Waited forever until it was available. Three weeks ago I got it from Sprint. It was horrible. The touch screen didn’t work on the edges of the screen, not well responsive to touch and just slow over all. I’m sorry but my experience with the Hero has sucked. So yesterday I traded into the plain vanilla version of android 1.6 on the Samsung Moment it made a world of difference. The Moment is fast and it’s probably because there is no Sense UI. All the software i had loaded on the hero is also on the Moment. What gives?
@Nick Tulip The Samsung Moment has their own 800Mhz Processor, the HTC Droid Eris is still running the common Qualcomm processor at I believe 528Mhz. With the same amount of RAM and the Sense UI on top of it, the Moment is understandably more responsive.
As long as it can upgrade to 2.0 in future, things should be fine.
Truth is Google needs to update their ugly UI and nobody would think twice about sense, motoblur or the iPhone. I really want to get a ‘Droid and drop this wretched closed system iPhone but I cannot get past Android awful looking icons and user interface.
C’mon Google . . . I like the simple things you do but in the smart phone era the UI needs more polish and pizazz.
I’m curious about whether or not the Eris is going to change what developers should be targeting when they build apps. We just released some numbers from our analytics platform (http://www.localytics.com/blog/post/should-android-developers-be-targeting-android-2.0-and-the-droid/) that leads us to believe Eclair and the Droid are very serious targets for developers. But if the Eris takes some of the Verizon userbase the same way the G1/G2 and Cliq are splitting T-mobile’s userbase then this might keep the OS balance between Donut and Eclair even enough that developers really have to test thoroughly on both platforms.
You can bet that ALL of the Android smartphone vendors will be upgrading to Android 2.0, ASAP, because:
1. There are a LOT of worthwhile functional, aesthetic & API enhancements.
2. Consumers will want smartphones running the latest-and-greatest OS & applications.
Developers probably should target Android 2.0 & utilize any backward compatible mechanisms that are provided.
The reason Eris doesn’t have Android 2.0 is because it wasn’t available during the development of the device.
It takes about 18 months from conception to launch of a mobile phone. Unfortunately a lot of people seem to think it’s about 3.
Just got the eris and I love it. Can I upgrade to 1.6? if so, how and where? I just want to be able to use Google navigation.
The Eris doesn’t need to be updated, until 2.0 when ever it comes, in the mean time just use another gps program, if you really need it that bad. other wise just use google maps, and read the directions.
this is why journalists shouldn’t be in the business of predicting anything… you sound real dumb when the exact opposite happens and your credibility takes a hit. we don’t need another opinion.
adroid update for eris confirmed… d’oh
Congrats CrunchGear for picking up such a dense reporter.
I have an eris. best phone ever. not slow everything works great
Well I read somewhere that the ERIS was suppsed to get the upgrade to 2.0 on the twentysecond…. I now believe that its not going to happen anytime soon… if at all.
Hey every body. I just got my eris about a week ago and Im loving It! I’ve already figured out. multiple ways to integrate it into my music production. I’ve even recorded a sound from a touch screen synth instrument and used it in a song. Lol.
Check out some of my music if you’d like…
http://www.MySpace.com/eddiemarshall
PhoneMyPC is the greatest app of all time.
Check out http://www.Droid-Eris.com and a video I made of me using my eris to completely control my recording software on my computer.