2.1 and the Hero's ability to cope

[BrianR]

So, I just watched the interview vids on Engadget w/ the Sr Product Mgr for Android.

I know we are getting 2.1. I get this. But I'm unsure if our hardware is going to be able to handle all the 2.1 fanciness we all may be expecting with the 2.1 update.

Erick makes it clear that MANY phones will be getting 2.x+, but that doesnt mean that they will be able to handle GrfxProc intensive features like live backgrounds, Google Earth, or, who know what else.

I dont know what the Hero has got going on inside. For the most part, I really dont care - I just want the phone to do what I want it to do. So, that said, I have no idea if it will be able to do what I want.

Live Backgrounds? Cool, I like it, but I can live w/o it.

Google Earth? Again, nice, but wont shatter my world if I cant have it.

But WHAT'S NEXT? That's the big question. The feature/app I'm concerned about is what might be just around the corner that I cant use. Then more on top of that.


So, I guess all this just to ask: Has anyone seen a spec sheet that says the official minimum requirements to run things like Live BG and Earth? And how does the Hero measure up to that list?

 

[romeosidvicious]

Well since Android has gotten faster every release on the G1 I think we can expect the same thing out of this release. I know the code base is heavily optimized and the vast majority of Android devices run on a similar processor to what we have in our Hero so my thoughts, having development experience, is that this will improve our phones and increase performance. Some apps will likely not run as well on the proc the Hero has as they do on Snapdragon procs but those won't be the majority of apps right now. As more Snapdragon phones drop we'll see apps coded to run well on those but right now the majority of Android devices are at the same level as we have or lesser so we're fine for now.

 

[BrianR]

I'm absolutely sure we are fine for NOW. That wasnt at question.


Erick specifically mentions the GRAPHICS PROCESSOR.

I'm not talking about updated, cleaned up releases making what we can already do faster, I'm talking about specific graphics intensive features/apps.

 

[nonie3234]

That's a really good question, I was wondering the same thing. I have an Eris, and I am a geography geek so - the thought of having Google Earth on my phone absolutely rocks MY world!

I hope you get an answer to your question. I've got my fingers crossed!

So, I guess all this just to ask: Has anyone seen a spec sheet that says the official minimum requirements to run things like Live BG and Earth? And how does the Hero measure up to that list?

 

[astrobill]

I'm worried about the effect of 2.1 on the Sprint Hero as well. It's not that I want any of the new fanciness. Rather, there's a rumor that the Bluetooth stack and profiles will be improved in 2.1...and I need better Bluetooth connectivity and contact sending so my Hero will work with my car's Bluetooth head unit.

If I have to accept any 2.1-related lagginess in order to get the rumored Bluetooth improvements, I'll be sad. Wah.

 

[momoceio]

If our phones can't handle it, it'd be nice if they would make a light flavor of 2.1 that has the new features but without all the flashiness.

 

[BrianR]

I'm not quite sure what was unclear about my post.

Momo: 2.1 WILL come to the Hero. And we will get it's new features.... EXCEPT, possibly, for graphics intensive features... including both "flashiness" and apps such as Google Earth.

There is nothing in my initial post that suggests the Hero "cant take" an upgrade to 2.1. The question is, what, if anything, will we not get in OUR 2.1 due to hardware deficiencies?

 

[acp]

We have an Adreno Graphics processor, that I know for sure...I'm on my phone and don't feel like looking up the thread where this was discussed, but if you search adreno you will find it. Whether this is a benefit to us and will help support 2.1, I have no idea.

 

[SamuraiBigEd]

I'm worried about the effect of 2.1 on the Sprint Hero as well. It's not that I want any of the new fanciness. Rather, there's a rumor that the Bluetooth stack and profiles will be improved in 2.1...and I need better Bluetooth connectivity and contact sending so my Hero will work with my car's Bluetooth head unit.

If I have to accept any 2.1-related lagginess in order to get the rumored Bluetooth improvements, I'll be sad. Wah.

What head unit do you have? I have a Kenwood DNX6140 which would not work worth a damn with my Touch Pro or my wife's Samsung Rant, did not hold the connection. Since getting my Hero, that at least is working flawlessly, except for the fact that it won't download the contacts.

 

[mattcoz]

Remember, we get Sense and not the standard Android home screen, so that new flashy stuff wouldn't apply to us anyway. As for the graphics power required, the Hero needs to push less than half as many pixels as the Nexus One, so maybe it would be able to handle it.

 

[Droidone]

I don't really see the hero handling 2.1 without some serious overhauling. I think a lot of things that 2.1 will have on phones like the droid will be left out on the hero. I think the phone can handle the software but lag might be intense on certain things. This is just a guess but I think it will vary on the hero specifically because of sense

 

[rolltrain]

I hope we at least get Google Nav. I saw GN on a friends Droid and that was cool...

 

[romeosidvicious]

There are two discussions being had and they really are mutually exclusive. One is whether or not the Hero will handle the 2.1 Android OS and the other is whether or not it will handle the next generation of apps.

Based on everything I have read and know about Android our phones will perform better with 2.1. We already have an interface that is more memory and CPU intensive than the standard Android interface and 2.1 has even better memory and process management. So we will have performance increased with the upgrade. While we'll be getting Sense I am willing to be if we turn it off, just like we can now, even live backgrounds will work just fine.

The other side of the coin is applications and that's another story. If a developer only codes for a specific screen resolution and it's not what the Hero supports than we won't be able to run the app even if it would run in every other aspect. If they optimize for a different graphics processor then it won't run as well onthe Hero just like some apps run better on the Hero than they do on the Moment. And some developers will no doubt code for the increased processor and RAM becoming available and those apps won't run well or at all on the Hero. None of those situations have anything to do with what version of the OS is running on our phones. In short there will be apps we likely can't run but that has nothing to do with the 2.1 update.

Google navigation will run. Hell that's already running on the G1 which doesn't have near the power of the Hero. I don't know anything about Google Earth which is the other app mentioned in this thread. Neither of those is part of the OS to begin with so even if they don't run it's still has nothing to so they have nothing to do with 2.1 except it may be required for them to run.

Our phones are more than capable of running 2.1 and will have performance increases from it. However there may, and probably will be, apps they can't run. This is just normal development and doesn't mean much of anything other than our phone has different hardware. It doesn't even mean that our phone has worse hardware. Things optimized for NVIDIA don't run as well on ATI cards with the same specs. This is just normal development.

 

[romeosidvicious]

There are two discussions being had and they really are mutually exclusive. One is whether or not the Hero will handle the 2.1 Android OS and the other is whether or not it will handle the next generation of apps.

Based on everything I have read and know about Android our phones will perform better with 2.1. We already have an interface that is more memory and CPU intensive than the standard Android interface and 2.1 has even better memory and process management. So we will have performance increased with the upgrade. While we'll be getting Sense I am willing to be if we turn it off, just like we can now, even live backgrounds will work just fine.

The other side of the coin is applications and that's another story. If a developer only codes for a specific screen resolution and it's not what the Hero supports than we won't be able to run the app even if it would run in every other aspect. If they optimize for a different graphics processor then it won't run as well onthe Hero just like some apps run better on the Hero than they do on the Moment. And some developers will no doubt code for the increased processor and RAM becoming available and those apps won't run well or at all on the Hero. None of those situations have anything to do with what version of the OS is running on our phones. In short there will be apps we likely can't run but that has nothing to do with the 2.1 update.

Google navigation will run. Hell that's already running on the G1 which doesn't have near the power of the Hero. I don't know anything about Google Earth which is the other app mentioned in this thread. Neither of those is part of the OS to begin with so even if they don't run it's still has nothing to so they have nothing to do with 2.1 except it may be required for them to run.

Our phones are more than capable of running 2.1 and will have performance increases from it. However there may, and probably will be, apps they can't run. This is just normal development and doesn't mean much of anything other than our phone has different hardware. It doesn't even mean that our phone has worse hardware. Things optimized for NVIDIA don't run as well on ATI cards with the same specs. This is just normal development.

 

[Robchaos]

Just for everyone following this, here is the most active and informative discussion so far on the Heros supposed capabilities or shortcomings.

 

[Droidone]

There are two discussions being had and they really are mutually exclusive. One is whether or not the Hero will handle the 2.1 Android OS and the other is whether or not it will handle the next generation of apps.

Based on everything I have read and know about Android our phones will perform better with 2.1. We already have an interface that is more memory and CPU intensive than the standard Android interface and 2.1 has even better memory and process management. So we will have performance increased with the upgrade. While we'll be getting Sense I am willing to be if we turn it off, just like we can now, even live backgrounds will work just fine.

The other side of the coin is applications and that's another story. If a developer only codes for a specific screen resolution and it's not what the Hero supports than we won't be able to run the app even if it would run in every other aspect. If they optimize for a different graphics processor then it won't run as well onthe Hero just like some apps run better on the Hero than they do on the Moment. And some developers will no doubt code for the increased processor and RAM becoming available and those apps won't run well or at all on the Hero. None of those situations have anything to do with what version of the OS is running on our phones. In short there will be apps we likely can't run but that has nothing to do with the 2.1 update.

Google navigation will run. Hell that's already running on the G1 which doesn't have near the power of the Hero. I don't know anything about Google Earth which is the other app mentioned in this thread. Neither of those is part of the OS to begin with so even if they don't run it's still has nothing to so they have nothing to do with 2.1 except it may be required for them to run.

Our phones are more than capable of running 2.1 and will have performance increases from it. However there may, and probably will be, apps they can't run. This is just normal development and doesn't mean much of anything other than our phone has different hardware. It doesn't even mean that our phone has worse hardware. Things optimized for NVIDIA don't run as well on ATI cards with the same specs. This is just normal development.

very good points. Always good to get another perspective. I do agree

 

[kronium]

Just for everyone following this, here is the most active and informative discussion so far on the Heros supposed capabilities or shortcomings.

Yeah, since my Hero flawlessly runs Armadillo Run, I'm really not worried. Seriously.

 

[Robchaos]

Yeah, since my Hero flawlessly runs Armadillo Run, I'm really not worried. Seriously.

All I've heard about that game and I still haven't ever seen it in action. Now it seems to be gone from the marketplace. Is there anywhere I can still download armadillo roll?

 

[alexthearmo]

Does anybody else besides me not give a crap about live wallpapers?! Seriously?!! 1) Battery hog 2) Processor hog 3) Memory hog.

Thanks, but no thanks.

 

[dcdttu]

I am sure that, at some point, older phones will start to lose the ability to do things newer ones can. I just hope it's not super confusing where some phones get new Android updates, some dont, and yet others can get the updates, yet can't do some of the newer tricks. But I guess it's inevitable.

BTW, the Hero has the same processor as the G1, just more RAM/ROM. It's a pretty old processor. The Droid's and N1's have much beefier hardware. It wouldn't shock me to find that the Hero using 2.1 can't do what the N1 can do.

 

[kronium]

All I've heard about that game and I still haven't ever seen it in action. Now it seems to be gone from the marketplace. Is there anywhere I can still download armadillo roll?

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[Syphon]

Yeah Live backgrounds is more of a show off feature really. Would I use it everyday, most likely not. Id like Google Earth but I will not be heart broken if it is not there.

 

[nonie3234]

Id like Google Earth but I will not be heart broken if it is not there.

I AM heartbroken. Heart.Broken. Gah.

 

[LTZguy]

That's a really good question, I was wondering the same thing. I have an Eris, and I am a geography geek so - the thought of having Google Earth on my phone absolutely rocks MY world!

I hope you get an answer to your question. I've got my fingers crossed!

You already have google earth on your phone. its called google maps. change it to sat. mode and it seems the same to me. it has street mode, sat. mode, and map mode.

 

[nonie3234]

Nope - not the same. It's way more than just satellite views. Check this out: Google Earth

If you have the time (and the space), download Google Earth for your home computer, and look at some of the .kmz files that others have made: Google Earth Gallery

There are Android apps where you can log your tracks and then upload your own .kmz files to share.

More here:
Introduction - Google Earth User Guide

Google Earth Cool Places - Weird, famous and beautiful placemarks

You already have google earth on your phone. its called google maps. change it to sat. mode and it seems the same to me. it has street mode, sat. mode, and map mode.