THe T-mobile G1 is a communications device. The Android Operating system is a free and open mobile platform. That means development, but will will communications and CAD ever collide?
3D Documents and 3D Apps
You’re probably thinking that I’m referring to 3D CAD programs being used on a mobile phone. In the far reaches of practicality, it seems slightly possible. In another sense, the mix of communications and 3D CAD is already a huge market segment of engineering production environments. Adobe has done well to push, or rather glide, itself into this area, by adding 3D capabilities to it’s line of communications products, like Acrobat and the CS suite. Documents are easy enough to transfer and use on a mobile device. That, currently, is the most practical use of a communications device as a means to communicate 3D design. It’s highly unlikely that it will go away in the near future.
But that’s not cool enough
A document to view and convey 3D CAD is great and all, but it’s not the creative approach to technology we all love. Android is an open platform. Development is open to those crazy enough to attempt the impractical. Someone out there knows a thing or two about application development. they also know a thing or two about 3D CAD and their own programming languages. My challenge, and what I want to see, is who will create a practical 3D conceptual modeler on the GoogleOS that can port models between other 3D CAD programs. Why not?
The Suck *Update*
There’s also some really sucky flaws to the G1 and the whole idea of apps on mobile device. It’s partly the fault of the developer, but more the limitation of the phone service carrier. You can read some pitfalls of the G1 here. HTC should have stayed with the expectations, even thoug hit would have delayed shipment. I’m sure version 2 will have the feature people were expecting to see on this phone. Then maybe, on to some 3D apps.
More G1 Android Geekery
The T-mobile G1 site
Android development site
CNET’s Android Era site
Googles G1: First Impressions
Via PCWorld
