Android SDK frustrating developers due to bugs, lack of documentation

A month after Google launched the Android SDK, it looks like unresolved bugs, poor documentation, and the lack of a public issue-tracking system are causing some developers to say that the platform "isn't ready for prime time." The lack of solid documentation and unorganized feedback mechanism asides however, Ars Technica's Ryan Paul took the SDK for a spin and found that it has a lot of potential, saying "Despite some of the bugs and limitations in the API, it is definitely a viable and effective platform for application development," but that "it doesn't make it easy to create applications that have a really polished look and feel." Given how much bake time Android had before the announcement, it's a little strange that Google let it out the door without at least proper documentation, but there's still plenty of time -- we're not going to see any Android devices for another year, after all.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 5:37PM]

"we're not going to see any Android devices for another year, after all."
Not necessarily. They said the second half of 08, so it's possible we could get a couple devices squeezed in around Q3. Maybe not likely, but certainly possible.

[Taylor Yes Taylor Posted Dec 19th 2007 7:10PM]

And also, they've already said they have a kernel for the processor that is used in many current HTC devices, like the tilt and others, so they will probably have it available for current hardware much sooner than new hardware comes out. Even if they don't release the kernel, some HTC phones have already been hacked to run Linux, and according to some threads at XDA-Developers, it's only a matter of time before they actually get android (the bits that are already available) running off of the currently available Linux kernels.
-Taylor

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2007 7:21PM]

Well this was to be expected. FSJ's analysis proves dead on!