multi-touch

[HardCache]

Has anyone seen an explination as to why the milestone supports multi-touch, and the droid does not? I'm really hoping that at some point they are going to issue a software patch that will activate it.

 

[CRPercodani]

It does support it, download picsay from the market (or maybe its picasa) and you can use multi touch with it. The browser and some other apps just don't have it implemented which some speculate is because of Apple and Google's relationship.

 

[HardCache]

I really want it mostly for the browser and the virtual keyboard.

 

[eclipsed4utoo]

It's also available on the DROID in Europe. It's only in the US where it's not in the core applications. It's available in the Android 2.0 SDK, so it's available to all 3rd party applications.

I see Google updating the browser and maps to support multi-touch soon.

 

[toorude]

I don't think Moto/Google have actually come out and said it but most people are speculating it can only be because of some unspoken or unofficial agreement between Google and Apple. If it were a legal concern I don't think we'd see the Palm Pre using the pinch to zoom gesture. Although Palm certainly has a more confrontational relationship with Apple than Google, who seemingly has a delicate partnership with Cupertino.

Let's just hope that once the droid is rooted some rom chefs are able to port the multitouch gestures over to us US buyers. Has anyone seen confirmation that the Milestone even *has* a multitouch onscreen keyboard though? That would be such an improvement on the current implementation, which more often than not, I actually choose the fairly poor physical kb over.

 

[HardCache]

Has anyone seen confirmation that the Milestone even *has* a multitouch onscreen keyboard though? That would be such an improvement on the current implementation, which more often than not, I actually choose the fairly poor physical kb over.

I assumed it did because it has multi-touch in the browser. I totally agree with you though. the virtual keyboard without multitouch is just not responsive/fast enough for me to use regularly. I have to be more careful of my timing, and as a result type much slower than with the physical kb.

 

[Scott]

I also do not expect to see Google enable Multi-Touch in the USA any time soon (in their apps).

PhoneMyPC has multi-touch. It's best (most responsive) on the Droid (customized for 2.0), but we've had multi-touch since Android 1.0 (pinch, stretch, 'paw' zooming).

Anybody know when the European units ship?

 

[Doodle]

I can't see any legal reasons for not including the multi-touch feature. Palm uses it, 3rd party apps on the Droid use it, and the European Droid has it. The "Apple has a patent on multi-touch" is a myth (have you seen the latest news and weather reports? they're all using multi-touch on MS platforms). I wouldn't be surprised if it's Verizon who decided to cripple it just a bit. Perhaps to leave room for the Pre, perhaps because their marketing people have their heads up their rear end - who knows. It can easily be remedied in an update, and if it isn't, it's just a marketing decision.

 

[baka]

I don't think Moto/Google have actually come out and said it but most people are speculating it can only be because of some unspoken or unofficial agreement between Google and Apple. If it were a legal concern I don't think we'd see the Palm Pre using the pinch to zoom gesture. Although Palm certainly has a more confrontational relationship with Apple than Google, who seemingly has a delicate partnership with Cupertino.

Let's just hope that once the droid is rooted some rom chefs are able to port the multitouch gestures over to us US buyers. Has anyone seen confirmation that the Milestone even *has* a multitouch onscreen keyboard though? That would be such an improvement on the current implementation, which more often than not, I actually choose the fairly poor physical kb over.

there was a statement from google that i saw on engadget where google said 2.0 has multi-touch capabilities and its up to the carriers to utilize it. this leads me to believe that verizon, for whatever reason, declined to implement multi-touch into the core apps.

 

[eclipsed4utoo]

I can't see any legal reasons for not including the multi-touch feature. Palm uses it, 3rd party apps on the Droid use it, and the European Droid has it. The "Apple has a patent on multi-touch" is a myth (have you seen the latest news and weather reports? they're all using multi-touch on MS platforms). I wouldn't be surprised if it's Verizon who decided to cripple it just a bit. Perhaps to leave room for the Pre, perhaps because their marketing people have their heads up their rear end - who knows. It can easily be remedied in an update, and if it isn't, it's just a marketing decision.

"Apple has a patent on multi-touch" is not a myth.

Apple Gets Their Multi-Touch Patent; Is Palm Screwed?

And the agreement between Google and Verizon was that Verizon would not touch the device in terms of limiting it's capabilities.

 

[eclipsed4utoo]

there was a statement from google that i saw on engadget where google said 2.0 has multi-touch capabilities and its up to the carriers to utilize it. this leads me to believe that verizon, for whatever reason, declined to implement multi-touch into the core apps.

Verizon didn't develop the Android web browser. Google did. So it would be Google who left it out of the browser.

 

[baka]

Verizon didn't develop the Android web browser. Google did. So it would be Google who left it out of the browser.

Read the last paragraph of this post on engadget:

Some more perspective on the DROID and multitouch -- Engadget

Read the statements on this engadget post as well:

Motorola MILESTONE does what DROIDon't -- Engadget

it would appear that, while google did develop android 2.0 and the browser, they work with the carriers on what features to implement.

so, again, 2.0 supports multi-touch but, for whatever reason, the droid - on verizon - does not. at least it doesnt for the core apps.