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Android |OT2| - Patent pending
- Thread starter kinggroin
- Start date
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The Faceless Master
Member
Will Babel cause society to crumble into oblivion from hubris like its Biblical namesake?
OriginalThinking
Member
WebOS? Joke post ;-)
Blackberry or Windows phone 8 maybe...but part of the point in Google not supporting those platforms is not to encourage their growth, or just kill them before they can gain traction.
(I presume)
If it's not baked into Android, in the same way that iMessage is baked into iOS, it will crumble. Even then Google will face an uphill struggle to ensure carriers don't force manufacturers to disable it.
OriginalThinking
Member
That's always the risk. Carriers stifling innovation for obvious reasons (protecting their revenue stream)
Yeah that's a given. The other risk is that the spread of Android firmware updates is pretty slow so it might not have the network effects of the large Android install base that would make this a success.
Hmm... The key feature of iMessage is that integration between green SMS and blue data messages are seamless; the texts can fall back on SMS if the iMessage doesn't work or the contact doesn't have an iDevice. But Apple has to bake that into iOS to achieve that, they can't release such a feature through the App Store. Google could technically release such an App, one that combines SMS and their data communication services, through the Play Store right? It might be better if they do that.
edit: er, all these android sites just report rumors. Where are the obsessive google pundits/fanboys that ruminate on what the company should do and why they do things (a la Grube for Apple)
OriginalThinking
Member
I was thinking about this the other night.... Google Play Services allowed them to mysteriously install that Google Settings app on my phone. So I wonder if they could push it via that? Or that the app is part of the Google + app is now, sort of like messenger is and that updating Google+ will also install babel on your phone. Either way I don't expect it to be exclusive to the newest version of Android.
Hey, gotta sell those Nexus devices somehow.
It's gonna be interesting though, to see how they handle all of this. Might either go to shit or work fine. Might be released as a standalone app in the Play Store at first without SMS compatibility, and then throw that in with a firmware update.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
Lol WebOS, lol BB10!
OriginalThinking
Member
There's lots of things Google can do to improve stock Android separate to unified messaging, but yeah having the latest version include SMS and older versions not, is one way around it.
I guess we'll know within the next two months.
Tossing the SMS feature into a firmware update wouldn't help adoption at all. Not many people would download the app without that and, again, it would give carriers a chance to block the feature. This is something Google has to make a success on Day One. If they split features, make it confusing, stagger the adoption by tieing it to the slow firmware rollouts, then it'll end up like Google Wave.
They shouldn't put it under Google+ either. They can integrate some certain features and share between Babel and G+ e.g. Group messages can be sent as a private G+ hangout or Show Babel status updates on your G+ feed, but private 'sms' messages should not go under a social network. Too much potential for accidental mayhem.
They shouldn't put it under Google+ either. They can integrate some certain features and share between Babel and G+ e.g. Group messages can be sent as a private G+ hangout or Show Babel status updates on your G+ feed, but private 'sms' messages should not go under a social network. Too much potential for accidental mayhem.
should have clarified as "relevant" platforms
download epub from Google Play, use Adobe Digital Editions to take off DRM, use Calibre to convert to Mobi and send to your Kindle.
OriginalThinking
Member
Agreed. I don't think Babel stuff will show up in your feed at all, but having integration within Google+, making people set up a proper profile, tying that profile to your mobile number and then using things like circles for group messaging will drive adoption of Google+ as a platform. If the majority of your friends and family are on G+ due to babel, then switching from FB to G+ actually becomes more of a realistic choice as opposed to now, where only a handful of friends use the service or even have a profile set up at all.
I don't get the whole carrier blocking thing. There's a butt load of 3G messaging apps out there on both Android and iOS, they can't block them all, so why block an official one?
I do agree however that they shouldn't be splitting it up like that, but if they don't, then it'll be tied to Nexus devices for a long time. Unless they can push it out like they did with the Google Settings app.
If Voice is not included in this new cross platform service, it's going to be snipped in the butt like Reader.
I said it before, Google Voice development (updates) have halted. It's one of those services Google has been neglecting forever now. It wouldn't surprise me if it goes the way of the Dodo.
they pushed out the new compose to everyone, it was opt-in for hte last 2 months or so
ThatObviousUser
ὠαἴÏÏιÏÏÎ¿Ï Ïαá¿Ï εἶ
The Faceless Master
Member
you mean like how some phone companies block Facetime on their networks but there are 3rd party video chat apps that work?
I don't know, are there?
The Faceless Master
Member
AT&T does for some plans and Verizon did.
Fucking bullshit if they do. What about Skype and apps like that?
US carriers. For a long while Skype was blocked on iOS from working on 3G. As was Facetime. And I'm being a little charitable to the OEMs as well. HTC is in bed with Facebook and Samsung would integrate their ChatON nonsense instead. Placing this in the hands on those could be suicidal whereas if Google gets this Babel as a popular app through the Play Store it then becomes another leverage tool for getting the OEMs to keep preloading Google's serives.
Google Voice has to be dead surely. All the rumors says it's going to be integrated into Babel but I take that to mean some features will be copied over and the service scrapped. Let's hope Google at least ensures a smooth transition.
Google Voice was always going to be a hardsell. You have to get a new number (or port your existing number which for most people meant paying a fee to break contract) yet still maintain two lines. Only available in USA. And for me, the dealbreaker was that it doesnt support MMS — that's worse than any other messaging service. What does Google Voice offer that Babel (as some advanced combo of iMessage+Facetime) can't provide?
What I hoped for, instead of combining of Voice, Gtalk, G+messages etc into one messaging service, was to have a system messaging app that integrated each messaging network separately. So you'd have one place to see messages sent from gtalk, gvoice, sms, twitter dm, facebook messages, whatsapp etc all organized by contacts. And Google could even develop it further so could show Gmail, sent files over gdrive, dropbox etc Such a plugin feature would probably require a firmware update though and not really help Google per se in building out G+...
HowardRoark
Member
I REALLY don't want to lose my Google Voice. Plenty of people still use SMS only. It also could get messy if everyone I gave my Voice # to tries to text/call me and the number is not in service...
Bboy AJ
My dog was murdered by a 3.5mm audio port and I will not rest until the standard is dead
I rely on my GV number. I'd flip if that were to be eliminated. Also, I'm now in Europe and I use GV to text back in the US. Best part of it is being able to pretend I'm still in the US. No one would even know I moved to Europe if I didn't want them to know.
Damn, guess I've become a bit spoiled being able to use practically whatever app I want over 3G, be it video calling or regular VoIP.
I do hope that this becomes a big thing and gets universal usage. That way, I'd be able to scrap Kakao Talk, Line, Viber and to an extent Facebook Messenger and keep it all under one roof.
But the best case scenario for all you Google Voice users would be to just migrate what exists over there onto Babel. Though that seems highly unlikely.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
With all the "launch" talk I kind of want an Ouya now. Am I crazy Android GAF?
Bboy AJ
My dog was murdered by a 3.5mm audio port and I will not rest until the standard is dead
I was a backer. At this point, just hold off. I'm more excited to use it as an XMBC box right now, even though I have an AppleTV.
Raspberry pi with raspbmc. I'm watching it as I type...
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Hold off for what though and till when?
Bboy AJ
My dog was murdered by a 3.5mm audio port and I will not rest until the standard is dead
I guess you'd have to wait until June to get one, anyway. What games on the thing interest you? I can't name one for me. And then there's control input lag.
I figuratively barfed out my own poo when I read this.
ThatObviousUser
ὠαἴÏÏιÏÏÎ¿Ï Ïαá¿Ï εἶ
Share button instead of recent apps switcher! Heard it here first, folks.
ThatObviousUser
ὠαἴÏÏιÏÏÎ¿Ï Ïαá¿Ï εἶ
If true, probably gonna be a while before HTC does another Nexus.
OriginalThinking
Member
I don't think this will be a forked version of Android, but I'd it isn't an app, I'm expecting a Sense replacing skin...
Everything will become blue and watermarked.
OriginalThinking
Member
And buggy. It's practically a feature by this point.
Always online DRM, share everything you do.
Guy Faceington installed the Where's My Water app on their HTC Face One!
Guy Faceington played the Where's My Water app on their HTC Face One!
Guy Faceington removed the Where's My Water app on their HTC Face One!
Guy Guy Guy Guy Guy on their HTC Face One!
That would be juuuuuuuuuust about right. FB cracks me up lately with their 'launches'.
And now a phone OS. Splendid. They have NFI what they are doing man. Tossing darts all over the place.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Idk... I just want to tinker with it. I've heard about the input lag though.
Also I figured I could easily side load the humble apks.
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