Jini Computer

As apposed to Apple’s iPhone iOS, RIM’s Blackberry and Nokia’s Symbian, Google’s Android OS can exist on many non-Google smart phones or tablets, currently it’s on handsets from HTC, Sony, LG and Samsung just to name a few. So if history is to repeat itself, this is very similar to when MSDOS and Windows came to the picture back in the 90s, this resulted into software developers wanting to write software for Windows in order to spread on as much hardware as possible.

What makes Android even more interesting is the fact that it’s based on open source Linux, which makes it even more desirable by developers as they can tweak the OS to their liking and come up with pretty creative solutions.

All that and the fact that it is Google who is behind Android OS, which should make many killer apps to make stand out from the crowd.

I think the only thing that’s holding Android from world domination is the number, and more importantly, the quality of it’s applications available, and I think it’s just a matter of a time, maybe early 2011 when we will see those quality killer apps running on very powerful smart phones.

Amazing and ridiculous at the same time, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are banning Blackberry services for all BB users, even if bought from Etisalat, UAE’s major telecom.

But why? Many don’t seem to understand the issue, well I’ll try to explain in very simple terms. When using email, chat and browsing, typically all mobile data travels through 3G or Edge networks which the likes of Etisalat owns, since all the data is going through them, then they can snoop whenever they like on the email and messages used on the phone.

All 3G smart phones like iPhone and Blackberry would have to use this network, however the Blackberry adds another security layer on top of the normal data stream that is sent through the network, which is called the Blackberry service. It is that service that allows instant alerts on new emails and messages, but it’s the same service that the UAE and Saudi governments have tried to snoop on 3 years ago but failed, so what do they decide to do? Ban the Blackberry altogether!

This story shows that these governments, law and enforcement, do in fact snoop on our phone calls and Internet usage without our knowledge, I guess in one hand it’s good for national security but on the other hand it is a clear invasion of privacy.

To be fair, Etisalat has offered it’s customers iPhones, Samsung Galaxy S or Nokia N72, N97 as a substitutes for their Blackberry.

But what’s going to happen to all corporate users who got their BBs from their companies?

Not to mention the visitors who will be shocked to know that their phone is useless there.

Etisalat offers free iPhones to Blackberry subscribers

UAE crackdown on BlackBerry services to extend to foreign visitors