With the upcoming flood of Android tablets set to hit the market this year, you’ll soon have many choices at your fingertips. So many choices, in fact, that it may seem impossible to choose from. Well, we have a helpful hint to filter through some of these tablets. Make sure they have the Android Market installed before you buy it.
Google has certain hardware requirements to allow a company to be able to use their Android Market and Google Applications. Some won’t make the cut (remember the Kogan or the Augen Tablet?) as they didn’t come with the hardware specifications that Google believes will ensure the best user experience. Some may argue that this is not being “open,” as Google preaches so much about, but I’m rather glad they have these requirements, as it will let the true contenders jump ahead in the pack.
Hugo Barra, Google’s mobile product development director told PaidContent UK the following during a briefing today,
“It could be any number of things – form factor, the limited number of pixels, does it have a GPS on it?”
“We’re concerned that users will get a good experience at the end of the day.”
“You can have Android if it leads to a good implementation. We have to make sure that every device meets the criteria for a good experience for Android Market.”
It’s smart for Google to not allow certain tablets gain the Market. Basically, if you make a good product, they’ll allow the Market and Google Apps to be installed on it. If you’re a company that’s going to make a crap tablet that won’t give the user a great experience, you won’t be allowed to serve up access to Android Market.
While not the only reason, why do you think that Apple doesn’t want Flash on their products? Because if Flash messes up on an iOS device, the average user will blame Apple, not Adobe. It makes sense, as you don’t want to implement something that may make the user believe it’s [Google’s/Apple’s] fault. Flash doesn’t run perfectly, yet it’s a step in the right direction, and it’s better than nothing since HTML5 doesn’t seem to be moving as fast as Apple may want it to, which is beautifully illustrated in this video. But I digress.
To ensure the best experience on any device that any company makes, there will inevitably be features or hardware that will get cut. So to all those companies out there looking to make an Android tablet, don’t f*ck it up, as you will not be rewarded for the sub-par piece of crap you wanted to make a little money from. Give it the usual GPS, 3G connectivity, accelerometer, and give it the option to make calls just for fun. That seems to be the case for the Android tablets that are actually making it to market at the moment, like the Dell Streak and Galaxy Tab.
And I know I love to mention this tablet a lot, but if the Notion Ink Adam doesn’t come with the Market, iPad, here I come. Maybe.
[Via: MocoNews]