The ShopSavvy and G1 Android Launch!
September 24, 2008
You may have noticed a ‘lull’ in my blogging over the past couple of weeks. Blame Google’s Android phone platform and T-Mobile’s launch plans. The team from Big in Japan headed to Manhattan earlier this week to participate in the launch of the T-Mobile G1, the first Google Android phone (pictures here). Larry Page and Sergy Brin showed up to bless the event - it was quite the show. T-Mobile and Google are putting significant resources behind the development of a ‘community’ of application developers for Android, an open source mobile operating system. To showcase those efforts two applications were highlighted at the launch - ShopSavvy (our application) and Ecorio. Rylan, Jason and I spent hours doing interviews and demonstrating the application for reporters from around the globe. It was a fantastic event.
Our new strategy at Big in Japan will be an ‘open-first’ or ‘Android-first’ development process whereby we will develop applications initially for Android and then port those application other platforms such as the iPhone. Our thought process is that by focusing on open platforms first we will encourage non-open platforms like the iPhone to become more open. Not that we will have much of an impact, but if more developers like Big in Japan opt for an ‘open-first’ strategy, open will win.
In the meantime, ShopSavvy garnered quite a bit of press yesterday including these mentions:
http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/09/dallasbased-big-in-japan-inc-t.html
http://www.phonesreview.co.uk/2008/09/23/t-mobile-g1-android-gets-big-in-japan/
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/151459/hands_on_with_htcs_google_phone.html
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2008/09/24/google_makes_its_move_on_smartphones/
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/index.cfm?reviewid=104757
http://www.betanews.com/article/Google_and_partners_roll_out_first_apps_for_Android_Marketplace/1222206519
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/eric2_0/2008/09/googles-web-sur.html
http://www.internetretailer.com/dailyNews.asp?id=27874
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/story?id=5870750&page=1
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=google-t-mobile-launch-g1
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/09/23/a-sneak-peak-at-the-android-app-market/
http://biz.yahoo.com/paidcontent/080923/3_327871_id.html?.v=2
http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=368
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080923/BLOG01/80923035
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view.bg?articleid=1121173&srvc=rss
http://www.switched.com/2008/09/23/t-mobile-officially-unveils-the-g1-google-phone/
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/live-blogging-from-google-phone-event/?apage=3
http://www.macworld.com/article/135714/2008/09/g1handson.html?lsrc=rss_main
http://www.mad.co.uk/Main/Home/Articlex/0f33bdf52bd0444ab3ba14ceb95fbecd/T-Mobile-to-sell-first-Google-mobile-in-November.html
