techbeck Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Tired of getting to the install screen on the Android market only to see that you can?t install a particular app on a particular device? Me too. Such a tease when that happens. Now you?ll know if you can use the app before you even click anything, though, as Google?s added a neat compatibility list in your left sidebar. Simply click the plus button inside that green box and off you go. Minor change, but we appreciate it. Head over to the market to see it for yourself. http://phandroid.com/2011/06/09/android-market-web-now-shows-device-compatibility-in-sidebar/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajputwarrior Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 that's the ****ty thing about android. you go get a brand new phone, unreal specs, arguably the best phone on the market (be it the latest droid, xoom or galaxy etc) and then when you fire it up, go to the android market you see an app you really want doesn't work with your phone (especially games, because apparently you have to have a tegra inside your phone for some of the higher ends games) fragmentation is a bitch sometimes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thenotavenger Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Sigh. 'Tis the price of architecture (CPU) independence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techbeck Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 that's the ****ty thing about android. you go get a brand new phone, unreal specs, arguably the best phone on the market (be it the latest droid, xoom or galaxy etc) and then when you fire it up, go to the android market you see an app you really want doesn't work with your phone (especially games, because apparently you have to have a tegra inside your phone for some of the higher ends games) fragmentation is a bitch sometimes... Agree, but Google is working with providers on this. Android grew to fast and things got crazy. Now they are playing cleanup. Hopefully it will get better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Patriot Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Don't even get me started on the fact that the HTC Desire and the Nexus One are virtually the same ****ing hardware (at least anywhere that matters for most software), yet things that work on the N1 don't work on the Desire (Netflix for instance). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techbeck Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Don't even get me started on the fact that the HTC Desire and the Nexus One are virtually the same ****ing hardware (at least anywhere that matters for most software), yet things that work on the N1 don't work on the Desire (Netflix for instance). Yell at Netflix. Netflix is the one limiting their app to certain phone models. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Patriot Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Yell at Netflix. Netflix is the one limiting their app to certain phone models. Oh, I have. But it is not entirely their fault either. There is simply way too much "variety" in the handsets available for Android, which leads to this type of situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techbeck Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Oh, I have. But it is not entirely their fault either. There is simply way too much "variety" in the handsets available for Android, which leads to this type of situation. True...why I hope they get things under control Doesnt seem to be hurting their sales tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Patriot Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 True...why I hope they get things under control Doesnt seem to be hurting their sales tho. Probably because the Average Joe (or Jane) who buys them isn't aware of the situation, since by default, unsupported apps simply don't show up in the Market on a particular phone. The only way the average person would find that out is if a friend with a different phone recommended that they try an app, and it wasn't showing up on the Market for them. Here's a breakdown of what I think each of the current crop of smartphone OSs gets right (that the others get wrong): Android: supposed openness of the Market (although this does occasionally allow for real crap to get through) Windows Phone 7: Microsoft licenses the OS to OEMs, but sets very strict minimum hardware requirements iOS: Updates are controlled exclusively by Apple (not the carriers), and are pretty much guaranteed for 2+ years from when a phone is released I don't follow WebOS, Symbian, or BBOS enough to comment on those, and the market seems to have begun to gravitate to the other 3 anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbandonedTrolley Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 It's no different to minimum specs to a PC game as such. You don't have the hardware to play it, or even if you do, the developer has decided for some reason that you shouldn't be. I had the same issues with my friend having an X10 mini, Words for Friends and the WoW Auction House apps were not available, yet when I sent her the APK they installed and ran fine. Have you tried doing that Roadwarrior? Get someone to email you the APK and install outside the market? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasonic Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I have yet to see a application that is incompatible with my device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Patriot Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 It's no different to minimum specs to a PC game as such. You don't have the hardware to play it, or even if you do, the developer has decided for some reason that you shouldn't be. I've never seen a PC game or software (other than OS X) that was restricted to being installed on a specific brand or model of computer if it met the minimum hardware specs. In the case of the Netflix app, that is exactly what they seem to be doing, since the hardware of the N1 and the HTC Desire are virtually identical. From Wikipedia: The Desire internally bears a strong resemblance to the Nexus One. The differences found in the Desire are: A different body shell An optical trackpad in place of the trackball Hardware function buttons instead of touch-sensitive buttons FM radio activated (FM radio in Nexus One is disabled by default but can be activated through hacked firmware) No second microphone for enhanced noise cancellation No dock pin connectors, instead micro-USB is used 576 MB DRAM instead of 512 MB DRAM Dual band HSPA/WCDMA: 900/2100, 850/2100 or 850/1900 MHz depending on vendor[23] instead of 850/1900/2100 tri band HTC Sense interface (not present in the Nexus One) All support and updates directly through HTC rather than partially through Google And yes, I've tried installing the APK directly. Doesn't work. It seems that Netflix is doing some model checking in the app itself. I have yet to see a application that is incompatible with my device. Which Android device do you have, and how are you looking for apps? If you are simply looking in the market on the device, you won't EVER see an app that is incompatible with your device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasonic Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 Which Android device do you have, and how are you looking for apps? If you are simply looking in the market on the device, you won't EVER see an app that is incompatible with your device. And on Windows you expect programs from http://www.cornywindowapplications.com programmed in VB6 to work??? The fragmentation issue doesnt exist. I thought it was a issue but I got my Android and Im very happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudie32 Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I've never seen a PC game or software (other than OS X) that was restricted to being installed on a specific brand or model of computer if it met the minimum hardware specs. In the case of the Netflix app, that is exactly what they seem to be doing, since the hardware of the N1 and the HTC Desire are virtually identical. From Wikipedia: And yes, I've tried installing the APK directly. Doesn't work. It seems that Netflix is doing some model checking in the app itself. Which Android device do you have, and how are you looking for apps? If you are simply looking in the market on the device, you won't EVER see an app that is incompatible with your device. Try one of these. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1076150And it was my understanding that the neflix application requires some files in the os for drm purposes. The HTC Desire and the nexus one may be identical, but software wise, google may have included the required files for the nexus one and not for the desire. Its slowly getting fixed. The alternative would be for android to be the exact same phone for everybody. One model. I don't want that. There won't be free android phones (Not everybody needs high end) or the alternative issue.. Not anything high end. My dell android has the nvidia tegra 2 but my hd2 doesn't. Some games play on my hd2 that won't on the dell and the other way around. I don't expect a game written for the tegra 2 to run on a snapdragon. No different than someone running a high end game on an geforce 5500 vs a brand new nvidia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techbeck Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 Probably because the Average Joe (or Jane) who buys them isn't aware of the situation, since by default, unsupported apps simply don't show up in the Market on a particular phone. The only way the average person would find that out is if a friend with a different phone recommended that they try an app, and it wasn't showing up on the Market for them. Its more along the lines that people dont care or are bothered by it. Ask the Average Joe what version of the Android OS they are on and they wont be able to tell you. Fragmentation is only for Android bashers and those of us who know better. And those who know better...most will root. So it isnt an issue really. IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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