Puppy - a home player as smart devices advance

[gcmartin]

The Android Open Systems Platform (AOSP) is a fully formed mobile OS that has built-in cornerstone functionality such as the launcher, contacts app, dialer and phone app, calendar app, camera and gallery, touch, speech-audio I/O and other functions expected to be in a core mobile OS (in fact, almost any OS of the 21st Century). But since it is an open platform in its base deliverable, that means that others can create their own services on top of AOSP. We have already seen the likes of this from Telco's UIs as well as the likes of FACEBOOK's and other's UI.

Much of these services demonstrate to us thru the interfaces the Telco vendors deliver to use; seen by us since most/many SmartPhones and smartTablets come from them. In fact, I have already seen references to drug and grocery chains advertising Tablets and such, with the store's name on it versus a vendor name. In the PC world this was done with what was known as "White Box PCs" adapted to some name of those marketing the PCs. This is now happening in the AOSP phone marketplace.

Developers develop apps that run on the AOSP. This means that even though the vendor has added to AOSP for their sales requirements, it continues to run additional Android apps which neither come natively or come from the vendor. This is quite important to understand because it will enable the next big push or growth in smartphones around the world. This, as well as the cost of the AOSP system, is what the industry is already focused on as there is a growing concern that there may be a slow-down in new users joining the ranks of smartDevice users in the world. A current estimate suggests that there may be 2 Billion people have smart devices, which gives rise to pricing in such a way as to reel in the remaining 6 Billion people on the planet.

The Barcelona Convention, last week, are previewing and showing us that less than $200 platforms are going to be the vendor focus after Motorola set the bar before its Google sale. We will begin to see more and more products that match or exceed the Motorola spec that was set. Even though these smartphones are cheaper, they still need to attract new users and the types of OS, services, and bells and whistles that come with them will be needed to draw user into this technology fold for future and world expansion.

All of this means that the AOSP marketplace is going to continue to mimic what has occurred over the past 9 years in Puppyland. Namely, a plethora of offsprings under the "Puppy" monocle that emerged. For years, we have had new members express concern of which Puppy they should select. And this, very same decision, is going on in the AOSP world especially now that Barcelona is exhibiting cheaper alternative to allow people of the world entry into the smartDevice marketplace.

Puppy Linux, too, will have to begin consideration of what to do in an effort to increase its membership as we watch the explosion of use occurring in smartDevice use.

If we have any young people in our midst, I ask: "How would you like to see Puppy Linux deal with this?"

For the old people in our midst, I ask: "Should PUPPY Linux become a central home enabler for these AOSP units coming into play?"

For the old people who feel Puppy could, here's an questionable ideas, for example: "When your car pulls into the driveway, should Puppy know?" or "When you walk into your house, should Puppy exchange any important information, such as photos you may have taken with your phone while you were out?" In other words, how smart should Puppy be in this new world of units cropping up all around in the home?

Share anything you feel is important for community members to perceive as this can give additional ideas in things that could be inspirational growth in community membership.