Just because android allows installing third-party softwares now doesn't mean it will remain like that forever. Remember when you could install chrome extensions the same way but now Google only allows you to install them from their store and the only other way is not so client friendly workaround?
You can actually still install things from outside the store, but it's not as easy as clicking on it. With people clicking everything in browsers in general, this measure was sadly probably necessary.
This is true ; although Google has the disadvantage that they made Android open-source. This means in case the Google stewardship goes awry, companies and individuals will have the ability to fork.
This has happened before with other projects and Amazon has already forked Android just because they can. Also my Galaxy S came with an alternative, albeit shitty app store - which goes to show that phone makers are aware that they need some control over the platform.
The ability to fork only exists in theory. In reality, Google already uses its dominant market position to prevent mobiles from being sold with non-blessed versions of android. The only ones who can realistically do anything to challenge this are the huge players like Amazon who can deliver their own hardware. That's not really 'open'.
I don't follow this. You say Google prevents the release of devices with non-blessed version of Android, but you then talk about Amazon who are in fact shipping a non-blessed version of Android right now. It's true that driver support for hardware doesn't make forking easy, but it is totally possible to fork Android and create a custom variant.
It's possible in the way that it's "possible" to compete with local ISPs - all you have to do is lay your own 50000 miles of cable! Well, Google, as a huge megacorp, actually has the resources to do this, but it hardly fosters a free and competitive environment.
Just because a company with a market cap in the hundreds of billions can do it doesn't mean it meets an average person's definition of "doable".
I agree but it is ingenious of Google to tie their premium products around open-source that it becomes an inseparable feature. An android fork without the Marketplace, Maps, Siri like features just seems crippled (Amazon Kindle is an exception). Remember Google sent C&D to Cynogenmod a few months back forbidding them from including any of the apps above? Now think about convincing a handset manufacture to accept the fork or trying to teach a technologically impaired about rooting the phone and installing a fork. It may seem possible but sadly its not practical.
Today I noticed my chrome changed its icon from the wrench to the 3 bars, which atleast for now I find it hideous. However there is no easy way for me to fix it despite chrome being an open-source application (chromium - which I believe is not being actively developed anymore).
You're totally wrong about Chromium; the vast majority of Chrome functionality continues to be implemented in Chromium. You could fix it if you cared enough.
In addition, it's perfectly legal (and easy) to install the Google apps on Cyanogenmod or any other Android ROM yourself, so you're not missing out on anything by running it.
You should probably find some more compelling examples for your argument.
In this specific case, however, that is a highly relevant argument, as none of the mobile-specific parts of Chrome are available: you can't build Chromium for Android. Your snippiness thereby seems somewhat out of place.
