Android Challenge Rules Change Request

[Hong]

I'm serious.

Based on Boston Business Journal: http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/01/28/story12.html

MIT opened an Android course this semester.  According to the report, the students have the real Android devices:
"It's definitely something that captures students' interest," he said. "Given the fact that they actually have the devices, they want to do something with it."

I request you Google to change the competition rules to distinguish developers with emulator ONLY and developers with real devices.
The disadvantages are obvious and require no further explanation.  I'm pretty sure MIT is not part of OHA.

Now either you ship us all real Android devices, or split the challenge into 2 groups: emulator vs. real device

Thank you for your consideration.
Regards,

Hong

[Dan U.]

Even if they were to split the competition into emulator vs. real
device, I bet the prizes we expected for the challenge would be split
in half. Only 25 emulator and 25 real device prizes for the first
stage for example. That would also suck. As mean as it might sound,
the more appropriate way would be to bar teams that are from MIT. Or
maybe they already are barred from competing?

On Feb 3, 9:01 pm, Hong <lordh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm serious.
>
> Based on Boston Business Journal:http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/01/28/story12.html
>
> MIT opened an Android course this semester. According to the report, the
> students have the real Android devices:

> "It's definitely something that captures students' interest," he said. "*Given
> the fact that they actually have the devices*, they want to do something

[Hong]

I have to also suspect that Google gives Android prototypes to other developers/partners/mobile dev companies, among these, some will actually enter the competition.

The problem is: how do we know who has real devices?

The split also cannot be 50/50 since there are far more developers w/o actual devices.
What I meant split is to have 2 separate competition, each w/ $10million rewards $.
Now... Sergey and Larry would have problem with me... >-<

[Dan U.]

Haha. Too bad you'd probably never see those two guys post here.

I doubt they'll go for more than the 10 million, although that would
be nice in this case. Maybe you can start a petition to get them to do
that ;-)

As for the 50/50 split, you are right that there are more emulator
developer than real device developers. The problem is how do you split
it up fairly? They couldn't really announce a proper split until after
the end of the submission period since they don't know how many teams
there are. Regardless, I don't see them making any rule changes for
this unfortunately.

[nick fox]

The request seems a little silly. Google has already differentiated
the 2 competitions, the first based on the emulator and the second
based on hardware. How does having an actual phone help anyone in the
first competition?

nick

On Feb 3, 9:01 pm, Hong <lordh...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I'm serious.
>
> Based on Boston Business Journal:http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/01/28/story12.html
>
> MIT opened an Android course this semester.  According to the report, the
> students have the real Android devices:

> "It's definitely something that captures students' interest," he said. "*Given
> the fact that they actually have the devices*, they want to do something

[nick fox]

I contacted the professor of the course, Dr. Abelson and he said there
is no phone yet, that they are starting with the emulator.

nick

[Hong]

So... The reporter misquoted what ur professor said during the interview???

[nick fox]

yes, that is correct. it was a misquote.

n

On Feb 4, 5:18 am, Hong <lordh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> So... The reporter misquoted what ur professor said during the interview???
>

[Zach Hobbs]

It wasn't a misquote. The professor was just saying in general that students
are interested in cell phone development because all students have cell
phones.

--

Zach Hobbs
HelloAndroid.com
Android OS news, tutorials, downloads

[ajd]

On Feb 4, 11:42 am, Zach Hobbs <ho...@helloandroid.com> wrote:
> It wasn't a misquote.  The professor was just saying in general that students
> are interested in cell phone development because all students have cell
> phones.
>
> --

Here's the quote:
"Given the fact that they actually have the devices, they want to do
something with it."

[Hong]

Here's the quote:

"Given the fact that they actually have the devices, they want to do
something with it."

Within the interview context, I don't think the devices are referred to anything other than Android devices.

I'm ESL myself, I could be wrong.  But... can someone English-native clarify?

[freeanderson]

well, did you see this? http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4262102607.html
if you need reall device, you can use it like real device.

but, i wonder what more benefits are there to develop app if i have
real device.
because i'm reducing debug time as much as possible.
i mean, thinking & mind design & mind coding are more important.
and it will reduce debugging & test time.

On Feb 4, 2:01 pm, Hong <lordh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm serious.
>
> Based on Boston Business Journal:http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/01/28/story12.html
>
> MIT opened an Android course this semester.  According to the report, the
> students have the real Android devices:

> "It's definitely something that captures students' interest," he said. "*Given
> the fact that they actually have the devices*, they want to do something

[ajd]

I agree. I don't see how they can "do something with it" (using
android sdk in the context of the interview) if the "devices" are not
android phones.

[Zach Hobbs]

The "devices" refers to cell phones in general...

--

Zach Hobbs
HelloAndroid.com
Android OS news, tutorials, downloads

[ajd]

On Feb 4, 4:36 am, nick fox <nicolas...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The request seems a little silly. Google has already differentiated
> the 2 competitions, the first based on the emulator and the second
> based on hardware. How does having an actual phone help anyone in the
> first competition?
>
> nick
>

Having the actual phone may not help them to win. If it is true,
however, it should be quite a concern for the other entrants.

[j]

In my opinion, having the actual device probably won't help a MIT team
win but the fact that the submission deadline has been pushed to April
will certainly help because the the MIT Spring semester (when this
Android course is held) starts on Feb 4, 2008.

Assume there are 100 students enrolled in the Android course and each
team has a size of 4 students, there will be something like 25 team
submissions.

Special Spring Project Course
6.087 or 6.081/6.UAP (2-9-1): Building mobile applications with
Android (the Google mobile stack)

Details:
Hal Abelson (EECS)
Andrew Yu (MIT Information Services and Technology)
Rich Miner (Google Cambridge)
Dave Mitchell (Connected Bits)

Prerequisites: 6.005 or 6.170

In November 2007, Google announced a new major initiative -- the
Google Phone and the Android software stack -- and launched the Open
Handset Alliance, a group of mobile technology companies aimed at
developing applications for what is being welcomed as the first
complete open mobile development platform.

This course will give students an opportunity to design and develop
phone applications using Android (we'll provide the phones). The
applications are up to your imagination: the Android stack gives you
access to telephony, speech processing, 2D and 3D graphics, cameras,
accelerometers, and GPS.

Projects may be done by individuals or teams, although teams are
preferred. Early classes will provide an introduction to Android.
Later classes will focus on project design, project management, and
student project reports. Teams should be of size at most four, unless
you are planning something extremely ambitious.

Project supervision will be carried out in conjunction with Google
Cambridge, MIT IS&T, and experts in mobile application development
from ConnectedBits, a local Boston software firm.

Students can get credit for this subject in two different ways:

- - 6.087 is a 12-unit subject that counts as an Engineering
Concentration under the Computer Systems and Architecture Engineering
heading

- - 6.081 is a 6-unit subject that pairs with 6.UAP. Completing this
will give you credit for an undergraduate advanced project, plus 6
additional units. If you register for 6.081, you must also
register for 6.UAP

Enrollment is limited.
Permission of instructor required.

For futher information, including information on requesting permission
to
enroll, see the course Web page at <people.csail.mit.edu/hal/hack-
android>

On Feb 4, 11:57 am, ajd <doming...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Feb 4, 4:36 am, nick fox <nicolas...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > The request seems a little silly. Google has already differentiated
> > the 2 competitions, the first based on the emulator and the second

> > based on hardware. How does having anactualphone help anyone in the
> > first competition?
>
> > nick
>
> Having theactualphone may not help them to win. If it is true,

[Dan Morrill]

Hello!

Unfortunately, there are no devices available for developers right now.  This includes universities.  I am not familiar with that article or the professor, but the MIT students do not have devices and are using the standard SDK.

- Dan

[Dan U.]

Hmm, kinda weird situation. "This course will give students an

opportunity to design and develop

phone applications using Android (we'll provide the phones)." seems to
imply they have phones, but maybe they really meant "we'll provide the
emulators"

On Feb 17, 6:17 pm, "Dan Morrill" <morri...@google.com> wrote:
> Hello!
>
> Unfortunately, there are no devices available for developers right now.
> This includes universities. I am not familiar with that article or the
> professor, but the MIT students do not have devices and are using the
> standard SDK.
>
> - Dan
>

> On Sun, Feb 3, 2008 at 9:01 PM, Hong <lordh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I'm serious.
>
> > Based on Boston Business Journal:
> >http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/01/28/story12.html
>
> > MIT opened an Android course this semester. According to the report, the
> > students have the real Android devices:

> > "It's definitely something that captures students' interest," he said. "*Given
> > the fact that they actually have the devices*, they want to do something