I'm yet to see the absolue killer app in the Android Market where there are scores of freebie downloads, but I do think that Andorid may very well become a killer OS on phones. The key to that success is going to be the fact that it is open source so anyone, Sony, Nokia, LG, Samsung etc can use it on their own hardware.I would be surprised if Symbian on the Nokia does not start going the way of the dinosaur in the next year or so as Android development continues. The battle of the phone units will then become OS related rather than hardware with one OS to beat, the iPhones.
The problem that Apple have with iPhone, as it stands at least, is that it is hardware restricted, just like the bad old days of Apple and its early systems when IBM and Microsoft turned up. Back then you only got Apple OS on a machine from Apple, there were no clones from other hardware vendors. Today the iPhone is in the same category.
The next few years in the mobile phone market are going to be interesting to say the least. Let's not forget of course that Windows Mobile is out there too (also shipping, like the G1, on HTC hardware). I do love having a qwerty keyboard back though!
15 comments:
Wasn't that on the Gadget show last week? It was against an apple, the G1 kicked bum, looks like you have a top phone there ;o)
I'm holding out for a bit before getting an Android-based phone.
As somebody who went out and got a HTC in 2006 I've had my fingers burned. I like the QWERTY keyboard on my particular HTC, but Windows Mobile sucked big time.
Then, I had the joy of lengthy loan of an iPhone 3G for development purposes and loved it. You're right about the hardware though and I missed QWERTY. The price of decent apps makes it an expensive club to be in.
So, I am actually quite happy with my Skypephone at the moment.
When I do look at smartphones again I'll be looking at Android and hope that it hasn't disappointed by then.
Agree on Symbian point. They're dead unless they can pull something magic out of the hat.
It should be said I also have a terminal on it and ssh, so I am happy :)
I hope you've updated it to the latest firmware, because there was a hell of a bug in Android recently which sent every key pressed straight to the Terminal with root priveleges - so typing 'restart' and pressing enter caused the phone to shut down (just never ever type 'rm -r *'...). Otherwise, i hear it's a fairly nice OS - though I haven't tried one.
I love my iPhone (and I also have a terminal/ssh client on there, incidentally) but naturally a phone is a personal choice. It's not your fault that you chose wrong :-D
your description of that issue is not strictly correct and i wouldn't call it firmware reakky. but yes the update was applied not that i don't have root still.
agree its a personal choice but i think unless apple thinks carefully about hardware restrictions it could find itself squeezed in the touchphone market very soon.
i know you have a terminal of iphone too, didnt mean to suggest it didn,t. was really just talking to mike
bottom line atn is the G1 is for nerds then iphone is for n00bs and architects that like to look flash ;)
p.s O2's 3G network sucks compared to Tmobiles in my personal experience :p
Interesting point you raise there Dizzy. Is there an "objective" winner in the 3G network contest? I am considering a net-phone would be good to know who is providing the best service as well as the coolest phones.
How have you found importing your contacts into Google? I was considering the G1 (my Palm Centro is very solid but would like a bigger screen and a device with an OS that's future proof) but when I imported my contacts into Gmail it fucked them up big time....
Damn, I wish I'd bought a G1 so I could be geek-chic like you, Dizzy. I am truly ashamed. If only I didn't like it so much when my devices work the way I want them to... :-) (You are talking to somebody who's used Macs since they were 6 years old, mind. Mr Jobs's way of doing things is hard-wired into my brain...)
Agreed re O2. I used to be on T-Mobile and it was indeed better - but my phone was far far worse, so it balances out. Also, I use Wi-Fi most of the time, and I can cope the rest of the time. It's not awful.
I have an iphone 3G. The only disappointing aspect is O2's customer service which is fucking dire. If Voda had access to the iPhone, I would change networks in a flash.
And yes, I am a flash get...
I wonder what its data security is like?
I suppose there's an ultra secure version of Android for the paranoid. If so, I'd call it Marvin...
Come on now Stu you know I'm only kidding. I would say though that Mac don't really work the way they want their users too. They tell their users "there there let me deal with that" - although at least with OSX it is possible to get under the bonnet and install X if you want too. I can remember using System 6 and there were so many people who thought AppleTalk was the nuts, truth is it was as shitty protocol and still is.
Regarding data security and Android, it is essentially a linux based OS. Lock it down yourself, the code is available for anyone to use and change. :)
I have a mobile phone. I use it to make phone calls and two or three time a year I send a textual message. These modern ones leave me in a state of utter beffudlement. But then I am an old fart.
Dizzy, honest straight down the line answer, please? How long does the battery last?
I've been told that the iPhone and Storm last just about the whole day if you are lucky. Is the G1 any better?
If yopu install power manager and turn off some fo the unnecessary stuff like bluetootjh, wifi detection, dim ther screen light etc it last for more than a day I have found. It all depends on how much you use it for really.
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