"I would never in a million years want to develop Android software; why? Because it's written in a language I loathe, and the API is workmanlike but completely uninspired (disclaimer: I've never written any code for it). "
i.e. I'm making a judgement on something I'm ignorant about and never made an effort to know.
I've done Android stuff for a year or so and vastly prefer Cocoa Touch. However the OP is wrong, Android is inspired, they are inspired to use idiotic API names; spinner (rather than picker, chooser, or dropdown), toast, intent, etc.
What is a picker or chooser? I know exactly what a spinner is: it's named for a spinning number control (like a mechanical odometer with a knob), unless they're using "spinner" to describe something completely different from what a spinner is in desktop UI parlance.
My point is that the API decisions are probably based on experience with a different developer culture, in which those words make perfect sense and "picker" and "chooser" are completely vague. Different groups have different terminology.
I agree the odometer-style widget makes sense as a spinner, this [1] doesn't in my opinion. First choice would probably be popup menu or drop down possibly, then picker and chooser.
i.e. I'm making a judgement on something I'm ignorant about and never made an effort to know.