6 of the Best Android Mobile Devices

Posted by sde on Feb 7, 2010 2:52 PM EDT
LinuxLinks.com; By Steve Emms
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Android is the name given to a mobile operating system using a customised version of the Linux kernel. It was first released in late 2008. The platform enables developers to write code in the Java language, controlling the device via Java libraries developed by Google.

Running Linux on mobile devices is not earth shatteringly new. For example, Sharp used the Linux operating system in its SL-5000D/SL-5500 PDA, which was released way back in 2003. The venerable Nokia 770 Internet tablet released in 2005 used the Maemo operating system, a platform developed by Nokia based on the Debian distribution. Maemo is also the operating system chosen to run the first Linux smartphone, the popular Nokia N900. So Android is by no means a market leader in this regard.

What makes Android particularly interesting is that it also uses free and open source software but is backed by Google, the dominant search engine and developer of Google Docs.

With Android, any manufacturer can download and install onto its hardware without paying a fee. This opens up the opportunity for small and new market players to enter the fray. The consumer will ultimately benefit from this increased level of competition.

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