[philm]

I see that the first phone with the Android OS has been launched finally. Thoughts? Will this just be a geek-only device or will it have wider appeal?

[Nexus5]

I had the chance to put my hands on a testdevice:

1. Its fast over 3G (it supports HSUPA!); overall - snappy. The browser is definitely much faster then Safari on the iPhone 3G! No flash.
2. The amazon store implemented like the iTunes store on the iPhone, easy to use.
3. It offers full synchronisation of all your data on your google account, tested it with my account - worked great, in few seconds i had all my mails, contacts etc. on the device.
4. Apps can run in the background and push notifications to the user! Hello Apple!?

more to come later.

nexus5.

[Paco500]

I might consider it if it had decent exchange support. I'd rather have an iPhone, but I don't want one enough to pay for the service when my employer provides me with a phone for free.

iPhone had a built in market that Google can't match. Without main-stream features, I can't see it blowing up. If they can add support for main-stream apps (by which I, sadly, mean exchange) I can see it doing ok.

[starman]

Yawn.

SIMlocked
No Exchange support
Blatant preference for Google's Gmail with no desktop app (hello? Outlook?)
But it can play Pac-Man!

http://www.geekfridge.com/?p=214

[residentEvil]

as an owner of the T-Mobile Wing (work supplied), i can tell you they haven't done a good job designing a slider phone. i've been through 3 in the last month. the slide on the Android is identical (just that the entire phone doesn't slide up for the keyboard like my Wing). failure rate = high on that mechanism.

[::maroma::]

I have no opinion on the OS and overall software package, but I can say that I think the iPhone is far better designed hardware-wise (visually). Thats not a real surprise I guess. Apple seems to have the only good industrial design team in the business working for them.

But I'm happy for Andriod. Competition is a great thing. Apple will now be pushed even harder than they already are.

[Teronzhul]

I'm interested in the G1, but silly me I upgraded my handset in the last 18 months so the cost to me is $299 instead of $179. I'm not THAT interested in an unproven device that I can't see in person just yet. I'll wait.

[The Godfather]

Originally Posted by ::maroma:: 

But I'm happy for Andriod. Competition is a great thing. Apple will now be pushed even harder than they already are.

Huh. Apple has been feeling any pressure at all in the past couple of years?

Android will grow a following, only because it will be cheaper than the iPhone.

Google's advertising campaign will be interesting.

[nonhuman]

I don't know if the G1 is it, but I'd actually be interested in trading in my iPhone for an Android or OpenMoko based smartphone if one came along that met my needs as well or better than the iPhone does. I use hosted Gmail to handle my email, so the fact that the built-in apps in Android only do Google is fine with me. Possibly even better since it would allow me to have a single address book for everything since my iPhone only syncs with my MobileMe address book and same for the calendar (I want to be able to use the native address book, calendar, and mail app on the iPhone rather than a web interface). The hackability of an open device is quite appealing as well, but I'm not interested in sacrificing my ability to upgrade for bug and security fixes just so that I can have a few other features.

The other consideration is that it would either have to be available on AT&T, or good enough that I could also convince my wife to trade in her iPhone since we're on a family plan.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

The hardware is repulsive as that hump on the bottom looks like it was clipped on. The slider keyboard is cheap and awkward to use because of the hump to the right.

The OS looks like it is from the 90's or windows CE. Totally inconsistent and not sleek and easy to understand.

I like the fact that this phone is going to give the iPhone some real competition but it has a looooong way to go.

[starman]

The proprietary headphone jack.

[scottiB]

And I presume it charges through the mini-USB port? Can one use a headphone and charge simultaneously? Weird if not.

[Paco500]

Originally Posted by starman 

The proprietary headphone jack.

Well that's just stupid.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Even worse:

http://gizmodo.com/5053747/android-a...bnoxious-flaws

No video playback till 3rd parties take a crack at it. No desktop Sync. NO MULTITOUCH!

It is going to be one crap multimedia machine.

[osiris]

Originally Posted by starman 

Yawn.

SIMlocked
No Exchange support
Blatant preference for Google's Gmail with no desktop app (hello? Outlook?)
But it can play Pac-Man!

http://www.geekfridge.com/?p=214

Oops, no headphone jack. A proprietary USB connector instead.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/23/c...eadphone-jack/

edit: doh, I missed the previous post.

[moep]

I’m surprised that google teamed up with amazon for the mp3 store just like that.
Apple surely doesn’t like that, I hope it doesn’t affect the relationship between Apple and Google (Google maps on the iPhone for example is quite neat but might be the last google app of it’s kind)

[analogue SPRINKLES]

I really don't think Apple and Google will have a problem with one another. Google is more than happy to let anyone run their apps on any platform. Heck they would offer it to Windows mobile if they ask.

[residentEvil]

USB jack: no, not really. i have this on my t-mobile phone (tall t-mobile phones use it)...

EXT-USB is an enhanced MiniUSB: Standard miniUSB plugs will fit EXTUSB jacks, but not the other way around.

so for example, i use the same USB cable for my playstation 3 controller as i do my t-mobile wing and casio digital camera. all work just the same. you can't however, use a EXTUSB cable/adapter in the playstation 3 controller, etc.

nothing to see here, move along.

[BRussell]

Originally Posted by residentEvil 

USB jack: no, not really. i have this on my t-mobile phone (tall t-mobile phones use it)...

EXT-USB is an enhanced MiniUSB: Standard miniUSB plugs will fit EXTUSB jacks, but not the other way around.

so for example, i use the same USB cable for my playstation 3 controller as i do my t-mobile wing and casio digital camera. all work just the same. you can't however, use a EXTUSB cable/adapter in the playstation 3 controller, etc.

nothing to see here, move along.

You can't plug standard headphones into it = something to see here.

[ghostshadow]

I think it's looking pretty good so far. I think the open source community will hop on it right away. I don't think there will be much of a wait for multimedia applications. I'm sure they have already started on it. For this being their first public release, I think it has allot going for it. I might be going out on a limb here, but they might have something over WinMo.

The only problem I see is with the synchronization with only 1 google account. They might change it in the future, but right now... I see that as a flaw. I wouldn't mind trying one of these puppies out though. Verizon needs to get their tail into gear, us poor Verizon customers are being shorthanded with all of these killer new devices.

[Mastrap]

There's some pretty cool ideas in there. I do think it's funny that you have an open source phone and the first thing that happens is that it gets tethered.

Competition is a good thing. We should see some cool hardware in the coming years.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally Posted by analogue sprinkles 

even worse:

http://gizmodo.com/5053747/android-a...bnoxious-flaws

no video playback till 3rd parties take a crack at it. No desktop sync. No multitouch!

It is going to be one crap multimedia machine.

crap.

[residentEvil]

Originally Posted by BRussell 

You can't plug standard headphones into it = something to see here.

well, in all honesty, it isn't intended to be a headphone jack. it is for charging/syncing/transfering data. just because some vendor might make an adapter for headphones doesn't meant that is what the USB port is for.

[starman]

Is that the same reason people bitched at Nintendo?

[residentEvil]

Originally Posted by starman 

Is that the same reason people bitched at Nintendo?

for no headphones?

[starman]

No, for using the same jack for power and headphones.

[residentEvil]

Originally Posted by starman 

No, for using the same jack for power and headphones.

oh, don't know. i was just giving you a hard time

[BRussell]

Originally Posted by residentEvil 

well, in all honesty, it isn't intended to be a headphone jack. it is for charging/syncing/transfering data. just because some vendor might make an adapter for headphones doesn't meant that is what the USB port is for.

But that's the point. There's no place to plug headphones in. The best they have is this goofy USB port. It's hard to see caring about the Amazon music store until there's a unit with a standard headphone port.

Nonetheless, I'm sure in 10 years we'll all be talking about how Google Microsofted the iPhone, and wondering how Apple made the exact same mistakes in the 2000s as they had made in the 1980s.

[vmarks]

Originally Posted by BRussell 

But that's the point. There's no place to plug headphones in. The best they have is this goofy USB port. It's hard to see caring about the Amazon music store until there's a unit with a standard headphone port.

Motorola Razr v3 uses the USB mini-B port as a headphone/mic port. HTC isn't the only offender, just the first to do it on a device that really could act as a music player and uses an even more obscure port for analog audio.

Nonetheless, I'm sure in 10 years we'll all be talking about how Google Microsofted the iPhone, and wondering how Apple made the exact same mistakes in the 2000s as they had made in the 1980s.

Well, it's a good analogy - Google is in the OS software business, Apple is doing the whole widget. What Apple has going for them this time around is the staying power of the iPod brand, and the 70% lead in that field.

[scottiB]

3-in-1 adapter for headphones, charging, and syncing.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by scottiB 

3-in-1 adapter for headphones, charging, and syncing.

Muahahahahahaha

"Smart mobility" ?

How fu<king retarded.

-t

[starman]

That's STUPID.

[Mastrap]

Love the copy:

Sync data, charge and use a headset all at the same time!

WOW!

[starman]

I wonder why why WHY THE F* industrial designers make these completely stupid errors. WHy can't they just put the mini USB and headphone jack on the unit itself? Seriously, other phones have them. It just makes the phone look that much dumber.

How many people did this design go through and not one person said "uh, Bob, tell me again why we have this dongle when we're trying to compete with the iPhone?".

/sigh

[nonhuman]

Isn't the hardware just repurposed from an existing product? Not designed specifically for Android or even to compete with the iPhone?

I think it's worth noting that the G1 is not necessarily an indication of what any other Android devices will be like.

[osiris]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Muahahahahahaha

"Smart mobility" ?

How fu<king retarded.

-t

[starman]

Another half-assed review:

http://dealnews.com/features/Comparo...-G/252785.html

"The apps will be made available via the Android Market, Google's answer to Apple's App Store, and unlike Apple, Google will make apps in the Android Market available for free."

Apple doesn't set the price on the apps, the devs do.

[BRussell]

Originally Posted by starman 

Another half-assed review:

http://dealnews.com/features/Comparo...-G/252785.html

"The apps will be made available via the Android Market, Google's answer to Apple's App Store, and unlike Apple, Google will make apps in the Android Market available for free."

Apple doesn't set the price on the apps, the devs do.

And the only reason they're going to be all free at the beginning is that they don't have the billing infrastructure in place yet.

[starman]

Are you speculating that or is there a link that says so?

[vmarks]

The touch screen is provided by the same providers that sell it to Apple, but it uses Synaptic for the touch bits and Sharp for the screen.

[Railroader]

A freind of mine was impressed with the iPhone, but he avoids everything that's not hardcore LINUX or UNIX. He refuses to buy an iPod until they support Ogg directly from the box or sell in that format from iTunes.

This phone looks exactly like the kind of device he'll get all excited about, force himself to use for a few months and then will sit in a drawers with hundreds of other devices that are implemented badly.

Does this phone support Ogg?

[starman]

Ogg? Seriously? It seems to me someone's being stubborn because all the cool *NIX kids are doing it. It's a file format. Who gives a rat's ass what format the music's in?

And considering all the shortcomings of the G1, buying it because it supports Ogg when it has so many other problems (DONGLE?) seems even sillier.

[BRussell]

Originally Posted by starman 

Are you speculating that or is there a link that says so?

That's what I've read in most of the articles about the Android Marketplace. Example:

Oh, and for the time being, everything in the Android Market is free. They haven't figured out how to handle monetary transactions yet, so we'll just have to sit tight on that front.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by starman 

Ogg? Seriously? It seems to me someone's being stubborn because all the cool *NIX kids are doing it. It's a file format. Who gives a rat's ass what format the music's in?

And considering all the shortcomings of the G1, buying it because it supports Ogg when it has so many other problems (DONGLE?) seems even sillier.

Ironically, he's a VERY intelligent person otherwise. His ability to pull data or reference something from anything he's ever read, or solve problems that have vexed others for years is astounding. He's running a self owned IT company in Ann Arbor, MI and makes a fortune. He's one of those guys that the hero in movies like The Da Vinci code go to when they need answers.

But he's stuck in Ogg and it's frustrating beyond belief. He'll love the Android.

[starman]

Until he loses his dongle.

I can't believe....STILL can't believe of this serious design flaw.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

I think the "openess" of it is a bad thing. I like the fact that Apple screens software for malware and has a kill switch just in case.

I don't want some free and open app recording and emailing my calls without me knowing it because I installed some Android theme.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

I think the "openess" of it is a bad thing. I like the fact that Apple screens software for malware and has a kill switch just in case.

I don't want some free and open app recording and emailing my calls without me knowing it because I installed some Android theme.

The typical android user will not be installing themes.

[::maroma::]

Originally Posted by Railroader 

The typical android user will not be installing themes.

So Android is targeting the extremely small user base that is too geeky to use themes?

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by ::maroma:: 

So Android is targeting the extremely small user base that is too geeky to use themes?

There are two types of people who don't use themes:
1. uber-geeks
2. the majority of the population.

Google is targeting both.

[Luca Rescigno]

Originally Posted by starman 

I wonder why why WHY THE F* industrial designers make these completely stupid errors. WHy can't they just put the mini USB and headphone jack on the unit itself? Seriously, other phones have them. It just makes the phone look that much dumber.

How many people did this design go through and not one person said "uh, Bob, tell me again why we have this dongle when we're trying to compete with the iPhone?".

/sigh

I agree it's incredibly stupid, but I might remind you that the iPhone originally used a proprietary recessed headphone jack that only worked with a few types of headphones.