Android
Hardware
The HTC Desire running Android.
Google's Android takes a completely different approach to the iOS and Windows Phone 7. The operating system itself is free to use, and device manufactures can install it on any specification of handset they like. This means that you have more choice when purchasing a phone, with a number of different display sizes, processor speeds, and features available. The same applies to software, with carriers and manufacturers able to enhance it as they see fit. However, this freedom comes at a price.
With such a wide range of hardware and software on the market, it's much more difficult for developers to create software that will run consistently well across all of them. Phones, such as the HTC Hero, feature a 320x480 pixel resolution screen and 528MHz Qualcomm processor, while others, such as the Samsung Omnia S, feature a higher resolution 480x800 pixel screen and a much faster 1GHz ARM Cortex processor. Some phones lack multitouch, an accelerometer, or GPS, while others might run an older version of the operating system that is not easily updated, thanks to carrier modifications. This creates a large divide in terms of what each phone is capable of, and the gaming experience across Android has suffered as a result.
The flip side of this is that you can buy an Android phone for much less than its rivals. Models, such as the San Francisco on Orange, go for just £99 on pay as you go, while a range of deals means you can pick a great phone, such as the HTC Legend, for free on a £15 monthly contract. Most recent models are able to handle games well, but beware of cheaper deals on older handsets because their hardware might not be up to scratch.
OpenFeint
OpenFeint on Android.
Unlike the iOS and Windows Phone 7, Android doesn't feature its own gaming hub. Fortunately, a third party has stepped in to fill the gap. OpenFeint is an online gaming service that brings learderboards, multiplayer, and achievements over to Android. It's a fully open-source solution, so developers can incorporate the service into their games for free. Most of OpenFeint's services are accessed from within a game, but it has recently released an app called FeintSpotlight, which finds compatible games in the Android marketplace.
The app itself is free to download from the marketplace, or you can find it using a quick response code from the developer's website. The front page of the app presents you with a list of featured games, all of which support the OpenFeint service. Tapping on a game's icon takes you to a page with more details about it, including a brief description, screenshots, and gameplay videos. You can buy any game directly from the app using your marketplace account, though to use OpenFeint features within a game, you need to register for a separate free account.
OpenFeint is accessed by tapping on its icon from within a supported game. Once loaded, you're presented with your profile picture, along with four options: Leaderboards, Achievements, Games, and Friends. Leaderboards shows you your top score, as well the scores of others, so you can see just how you shape up against the competition. You can also view just the high scores of your friends, should you wish to brag if you're beating them. The second section is Achievements, which shows you your total achievement score, along with any you've earned for the game you're playing. You can also drill down into individual challenges and see what you have to do to unlock more.
The Games section lists any OpenFeint games you might own, along with your achievement score for them. The final section is Friends, which lets you send friends requests, see what games your friends are playing, and see their achievement scores. The OpenFeint experience is very slick, but the lack of a dedicated app is disappointing. Though you can view your account information using a Web browser, a dedicated app would be quicker to access and wouldn't require you to load a game.
67 comments
U people didnt include the great games on Android like Angry Birds,Asphalt,Splinter Cell etc.Nowadays really good games are released on android,so the game info u gave is pretty outdated... I would vote Android higher than Windows since it has more and better games and at cheaper prices.But so far,iPhone is the best
they totally dismissed Nokia here!.........i know its not up to the bar now with other platforms but the new symbian on N8 & C7 is great & smooth & very easy to use not to mention that its catching up with games & apps wide with the others as i see it
I've messed with a Windows 7 phone but not for long (it wasn't my phone). I personally have an iphone 3GS. Has some sweet games on it and once it's modded it's quite customizable. I can't speak for Android as I haven't used it, but if you are going to get an iphone....MOD IT. Not for piracy of course, just for interface customization. Once you can get that bland look of the stock iphone off there (apple products are extremely boring and bland looking, ALWAYS), it's a much more interesting device. Plus the iphone has some sweet games on it from other systems. Duke Nukem 3D, Prince Of Persia, Ridge Racer, Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light, Doom, Sonic The Hedgehog 4, Plants Vs. Zombies. Those are just some from other systems or previous consoles not original games. Quite frankly I'd rather these mobile games just get ported to ALL the current OS' on smartphones (the three in this article). I always hated console exclusivity anyway. Regardless, if you're going to get an iphone, it has some sweet games on it. Not saying it's any better of a phone than the rest as I haven't messed with them, but it's probably the ONE good thing apple has made that I don't have huge problems with.
@Monster597 Thank you! Yes, Symbian has been WAY behind, but having a look at this new symbian^3 OS, and it is finally up to par with the competitors, as NFS, Angry birds, Pro Gholf 2011, Legend of Sparta.etc... Symbian is starting to feature. The iPhone costs more than double the price of the N8 in my country (South Africa)!
I'm a die hard Android fan, but they do need to step it up in the games department. Angry Birds and Radiant are great, but that's really about it right now. I think the Playstation Phone, Zues Z1, or Xperia Play (or what ever it's going to be called) is going to put Android on top of smartphone gaming arena. We just have to look forward to CES in a couple days and maybe we will see an official announcement... Btw, why wasn't Alchemy on this list??? Samsung Captivate - AXURA CE 2.2 ... FTW!
@DTvdHeever : Yeh man, I juts got my new Nokia C7 and its brilliant. It runs on the latest symbian 3 OS and in and plays the Angry Birds game beatifully, there are great apps and games on the OVI Store and should really be taken seriouslyyyyyy and not left out......
iphone/ipod is clearly superior when it comes to console like games collection say shadow guardian,nova 2,infinity blade,gta china town wars etc etc etc :P
@GonnaDie4TheGov When did Samsung announce they will be exclusive to Android? They just released the Omnia 7 for Windows Phone 7 the other month, and have also said they have a 'long term commitment' to WP7. Sony haven't specifically stated they're Android exclusive either, and LG have also released phones for WP7. Get your facts right.
Ok! I get the hype about the iPhone, HTC and Android, but what about the new symbian OS Symbian^3? I just got a Nokia N8 and through Ovi store I just have downloaded Angry Birds, Need for speed: shift, Galaxy on fire and Labyrinth for free! The games play fluently and with excellent graphics. I have also downloaded a ton of cool apps. Can someone please tell me if it is realy that much a weaker phone than OS, Windows Phone 7 and Android? I believe it is doing everything the other OS are doing for half their price!
@TheApd_Returns You can say the same thing with iphone :P mostly people get it just because it's an apple product and use it as fashion icon.
I bought an Android phone, and it was like magic. It came with something the iphone didnt. 400 dollars in cash! I like how people value apps so highly. HOLY FING *(&*^ I got a weather alert and now im gonna play fake guitar on my super phone! It has GPS and Pandora, and it has a cookbook, and I can see constellations and I can color (in OR outside the lines), and buy stocks and YAAAAAYYY!!! 5 years ago, life went on without these apps. We're seriously debating the *quality* of one phone's apps vs another? Here's how I judge the phone's quality: Does it have Apps? Yes. -Fin Seriously, anyone telling me that the iphone apps are so much better that it's worth the price tag is basically saying "I spent money on an unnecessary premium service, and I need everyone to know that". Anything your phone can do, my phone and my 400 dollars can do better.
I'm waiting for PSPhone. Once it's out I'll make a decision as which system I choose buy. But I hate waiting! :(
@TheApd_Returns, I beg to differ over Android being "inferior" to iOS. I have plenty of applications that I use on my HTC EVO almost day in and day out. Customization is a major must for me, I hate the fact that whenever you get an Apple product that isn't an Apple computer, you're stuck with what you have, and that's the end of it. Android still has tons of apps, and graphically from what I've seen, alot of the games are on par with iOS, N.O.V.A. runs smoothly on my EVO, nary a thing of slowdown. I completely disagree about customization being purely "aesthetic" as you put it, it goes beyond the software to the hardware. Being able to add memory via a microSD card or a standard SD card, is certainly NOT a bad thing. The fact that I could switch out my microSD card for one that is 32 gig is not a bad thing at all. With Apple, you're stuck with what you have, and that's it. Plus, if your battery dies, and you replace it yourself? Guess what, warranty voided. At least it's alot more easily done on most other smartphones, and there are even batteries that extend that life, makes your point completely moot. If Apple would just allow you to much more easily replace the batteries, and upgrade your memory via flash for their smartphones, and not be ridiculously proprietary and tied to ONE provider that sucks so much ass (around my neck of the woods, reception on AT&T's lines is a joke) then yes, I'd absolutely go get an iPhone no questions asked.
My biggest peeve is the app selection. Simply put, iOS has more, and if an app has versions on both iOS and Android, the iOS version will have better performance and future support. It will always be like this if Android keeps trying to fill the 'everyphone' role. Arguably, the most important factor of a smartphone should be its applications and utilities, whether you intend on using it for office-related tasks or gaming or media: in this case, at this point in time, there is no argument that iOS delivers both quantity and quality over Android. My second is the argument of customization. Yes, more is better than less, but people will ignore my first point and claim victory because Android really only succeeds (for the consumer) in a factor that is completely aesthetic. So you can do a cool swipe-pattern unlock, or have an animated background, or move the app icons around a little more? Technically, these aren't bad features, of course, but its kind of dodging the point that these arent really utilities. If anything, these things help contribute to the short battery life of most Android phones.
No experience with Windows Phone 7 so won't comment on it. At this point in time, I see all arguments in support of Android to be mostly inferior. Anyone who goes out of there way to get a high-end Android phone over iPhone 4 is telling me one of two things: that they value interface customization over actual application/utility, or that they want to jump on the "hey hey everyone im not mainstream!!11" bandwagon. Don't get me wrong, Android phones aren't bad phones by any means and it's good that there is a huge selection of mini-computers in our pockets now. There are quite a few things that bug me about Android phones that people overlook whenever they brag about how much better it is than iPhone.
@Decrate you might want to look at the android market and the list of games. You might think it looses but it doesn't , High end games developers focus on latest phone and even tell you you can't play on old phones. Developers "can" actually focus on some phones and not all don't know if actually realized. and no iphone is not cheaper. -_-" it's one of the most expensive smartphones out there. Current Top : Apple Future Top: Android Windows 7 : No one noes probably not going anywhere
android loses because there are too many kinds of phone configurations. developers don't want to have to make a game for 10 different devices. its like there being a bunch of xbox 360s, some with 2 core cpus, some with 4, some with slower gpus, some faster.. etc. it would be a mess. windows phone 7 is a joke for games. a 99c game on the iphone costs 2.99 on the windows phone. wtf? microsoft is basically charging 2 dollar extra for every game, and if that doesn't bother you, well the windows phone 7 only has a handful of apps and games, and with low rates of sales it probably wont go up quickly, android and ios have hundreds of thousands in retrospect so yeah its clear that apple wins because of the easier to develop hardware, and because its cheaper, also, have you all seen the game infinity blade? that thing rivals console games in graphics when played on the iphone4. not to mention all the other amazing games on it like final fantasy 1+2 which are my favorites, dungeon hunter 2, etc
Still think android should be top, More games then windows 7 and it's getting all iphones games now allready have dungeon defenders the first unreal engine game , and now game loft is realising all it's games on android with GT racing academy allready available. And better then iphone cause it allows you more freedom to customize every part of it. From lock screen , to app drawer to animations. !
first off sony has publicly announced they are only developing phones for the android platform as has samsung (i wouldn't be surprised for lg to follow suit in 2011). second, the playstation phone isn't a rumor, do a simple search. there are pics and specs all over for it. it has been shown running Android 2.2 Froyo but with the rumored launch in April it should drop with atleast Gingerbread (2.3) if not Honeycomb (version # unknown). also on the android section they talk about phones that were outdated a year ago. outside from the terrible dumb android phones (lg ally, moto backflip, etc) almost every android phone is a beast when it comes to the specs. early 2011 will introduce the dual core processors on android phones with HTC already announcing a 1.5ghz phone and moto planning their 2ghz monster. so really ios is on its way downward just like mac did vs windows 20 years ago, apple seems to shine for a few years then is brought down....i wonder what their next venture will be and how Job's will attack the compedition with slander and lawsuits. oh and on a related note as i said earlier about samsung and sony pledging to android, after they made that public microsoft was so upset they just started suing everyone. haha. ios may win for now in gaming but thats all the phone has, android has the leg up on ios now and windows phone 7 is about 2 years behind both....well that is when microsoft said you will see the cut, copy, and paste features lol.
I'm happy with my iphone 4. I think Gamespot would be mentioned games like Infinity Blade, Final Fantasy 1 - 2, Chaos Ring, Eternal Legacy, Dungeon Master 1 - 2, Dondonpachi, Space Invaders Infinity Gene, Simpsons, Samurai 2, Street Fighter 4, Mirror's Edge, Need for Speed Shift - Undercover - Hot Pursuit, Real Racing 1 -2, Split second, Pac Man Championship Ed., Knight Rush, Plant Vs. Zombies, Ghost n Goblins, Hero of Sparta 1 -2, Metal Gear Solid Touch, Dead Rising, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Assassins Creed 1 -2, and so many others classics and newer titles. It's over 5000 games. I think IOS is the best choice for gaming today. Tomorrow expect something good from PSP Phone and Windows Mobile 7 (Just like MS vs Sony on consoles). I Think Android and Windows Mobile 7 will find some kind of difficult for gaming because the hardware depends of the phone model and the developers will produce a game aiming most of phones. It's like Fifa 10 bad on PC just to embrace all consumers and lower systems. Just my opinion, I think open source is good for the world, but bad comercially. Don't flame, just argue and sorry for bad english, It's not my first language.
@369fangoverfang: right, just like sony pulled d rug from under nintendo with the psp, yeah? oh wait, they didn't....
There are a rumours of a playstation phone from sony which will be based.on android OS all over the internet. lf this turns out true then it will it will quite change the scene android will be the no.1 gaming os. Btw I enjoy gaming on my android, angry bids and gba emulator and simple casual games I can easily enjoy and pass time though its not hardcore.
I agree with Sun_Quan, android to me seems like a much better deal. Its extremely customizable, and the different phone models it runs on are endless. Pretty soon, if not already, i believe it will have the largest consumer population over iPhone (and obviously WM7). Its funny that they didn't include blackberry; does anyone care about those things anymore? :P
on android i can recomend Shark or die and live texas hold em and both are free. Radiant is also really awesome
I will pass on mobile gaming (perhaps until the PSP2.) I have a PS3, PSP, and play WoW on my PC. can't see why anyone with a console play casual games on their phone.
Okay, Android is the weakest you say? Yeah right! I have an HTC EVO 4G with Sprint, and I couldn't be happier with the thing. To me it's quite comparable to the iPhone and even has some advantages over it. Including the ability to exchange out the flash memory card and upgrade it to 32 Gigs, possibly more in the future with an update, who knows. The scalability in this thing is unmatched so far. N.O.V.A. which is also on the iOS, looks quite comparable and runs very smoothly too. It also does a great job of running Angry Birds, the update MUCH improved the frame rate for me. It helps that the firmware released seems to stabilize alot of the issues that were there before. My question is though, how is it purportedly lagging behind WM7 when WM7 was JUST released a few months ago? Seriously, what the hell I says, that just reeks of fish. While I certainly will consent that it isn't up to par with iOS yet, and probably won't be for a while, Android is a fantastic OS in and of itself, and the scalability of the hardware and software puts it over the edge for a guy like me who likes flexibility. iOS is stuck to one device, and while it's rock solid, the static-ness of being forced to one handset is a massive turn-off, especially when you can't add or subtract memory as needed. You're stuck with what you get, and that's it.
@SlowMotionKarma That pretty much sums it up, for now Android doesn't have tons of games but it has plenty to keep you occupied when needed to (including fan favorite Angry Birds). Plus at the rate Android is evolving and gaining popularity more and more games will come and soon enough it will catch up with the other 2 OS in the games department. Add to that the fact that it is the superior OS for phones and Android is the no brainer choice.
Woo! GO ANDROID! That is all. I've played around with all 3 of these OS's (as well as BlackBerry OS), and my favorite is still Android. iOS and WP7 have a better "gaming hub" for mobile gaming, but I have plenty of games on my Android to keep me occupied for the odd few minutes a day I would use my phone to pass time. They all have their positives and negatives, but I'm happy with Android.
I don't understand the big draw for a gaming hub that supports achievements/leaderboards on a mobile gaming platform. I have an Android phone and an iPad. I play plenty of mobile games on both of them. Never once have I logged into OpenFeint or Game Center so that I can track achievements for these simple games. Perhaps I am just not "hardcore" enough. There is no doubt that iOS has more quality games than Android, but Android has enough decent games to occupy me 20 minutes at a time while waiting around. And I just like the non-gaming aspects of Android much better than an iPhone.
@Balck_soul who cares how many fart apps one phone has? Its not about quantity its about quality. I would rather have 100 good games, than 400,000 terrible applications
I was expecting really detailed information about each OS, the sort of games available and prices. I could have wrote this in a matter of 5 or 10 minutes. Anyhow in my opinion i prefer the customization, features and OS of andriod, but the games for iOS are the best hands down. Windows phones are just dead...
@Poidad I have an Android phone, I downloaded a GBC and a Nes emulator for free, and now I play great games such as Metroid, Zelda : Oracle of Ages/Seasons, the original Pokemon games, Metal Gear Solid ... which are better than all the games made for IOS, Windows Mobile and Android. Just take the old school gaming road, you'll be more than satisfied. And these emulators also exist on Iphone (dunno with W7).
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