Android Phones?

[ddrueding]

Anyone have one? What are your thoughts? Anything looking promising?

 

[Stereodude]

Can't help you on this one...

 

[Adcadet]

Are there any other than the HTC (T-mobile) G1?
I'd love to get one but I'm afraid to get an early model.

 

[ddrueding]

Are there any other than the HTC (T-mobile) G1?
I'd love to get one but I'm afraid to get an early model.

Some people around here are interested, but I'm cautious to buy the first one as well. I will have one of the Nextel/Blackberry smart phones by next week to play with. Considering I'm planning to migrate the whole company to Google Apps/Gmail for domain, Android seems like the obvious choice.

 

[udaman]

Anyone have one? What are your thoughts? Anything looking promising?

LOL, I knew there was a part II to this opening thread post, classic DD

Any other additional info you might like to share before I fumble over myself with useless posting ?

<iPhone rocks, why not covert to that & MacOSX at the same time >

 

[ddrueding]

iPhone is useless for business applications, because it doesn't have a keyboard.

 

[udaman]

iPhone is useless for business applications, because it doesn't have a keyboard.

In your humble opinion. Care to elaborate in Part III, your parameters for decisions making...more info?

Maybe this will help, but I'm just guessing, not knowing enough info about the business needs of ur co...


http://www.louisgray.com/live/2009/01/iphone-blackberry-and-windows-mobile-oh.html

RIM took notice, and architected a $19 million deal to by Chalk Media. Chalk Media, perhaps best known for its Mobile Chalkboard application, is seen as a vehicle for helping RIM deliver rich media to perspective business and government clients. What’s the attraction, you ask?

RIM’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) allows organizations, large and small, to effectively manage mobile devices across the organization. Windows Mobile and Apple’s iPhone only have rudimentary controls for the most simplistic of data needs… and no centralized controls from which application deployment can be administered. This is a big drawback for companies wishing to actually manage how their information is accessed.

Oracle and Information Builders have built “enterprise app interfaces” for the iPhone, in the hope this will allow subscribing enterprises to effectively deploy applications via this console, but many companies cite difficulties in working with Apple to deploy software via the App Store.

btw, BB Storm has no physical keyboard

BlackBerry Storm: Key Likes and Dislikes
Respondents were asked what they liked best and disliked most about the Storm. The results show that RIM made the right choice in producing a touch screen phone, being that it’s a highly popular option in the smart phone market. One-in-two (49%) say Touch Screen Interface is what they like best about their BlackBerry Storm. Other key likes include Screen Size (46%) and Screen Resolution (43%).
At the same time, the touch screen interface represents one of the BlackBerry Storm model’s biggest Achilles heel. In terms of dislikes, Lack of a QWERTY Keyboard (21%), Touch Screen Interface (20%) and Difficult to Use (20%) were top issues, along with Short Battery Life (21%).

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/daves-d...nload:blackberry-vs-iphone-the-storm-stumbles

I've noticed a distinct change in tone among reviewers and tech blogs ever since RIM released the firmware update. The Storm is now working (more or less) the way it should, so it's getting higher marks than it did during the first few weeks of its release.

I think it's a mistake to compare the Storm to other BlackBerry phones. BlackBerry users who are accustomed to the physical, one-hand keyboard are bound to be disappointed by the Storm's click-screen keyboard. But for consumers who want a smartphone that offers benefits the iPhone doesn't have (removable battery, a reliable wireless service, superb email management, cut-and-paste editing, expandable memory, high-quality digital camera), the Storm is a tempting option.

And, speaking for myself, I find the Storm's click-screen keyboard much easier to use than the cramped, iPhone touch-keyboard.
David of VA
Dec 23, 2008 15:22:16 PM

Palm Pre to Challenge Apple iPhone


http://www.usnews.com/blogs/daves-download/2009/1/8/palm-pre-to-challenge-apple-iphone.html

physical KB, but only on Sprint.

Can't see the iPhone ever getting a physical KB, would be against Steve-0's forward looking tech vision

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/daves-download/2008/12/30/new-iphone-might-be-a-blackberry-killer.html

rumors,
analyst's speculations lol:

Specifically, we believe Apple could introduce a lower-end model that is slightly thicker due to the inclusion of a slider keyboard for students (texting) and business use (email) between $99 and $149.
​

 

[ddrueding]

Can't see the iPhone ever getting a physical KB, would be against Steve-0's forward looking tech vision

See MacBook Wheel.

 

[ddrueding]

In your humble opinion.

In the opinion of every corporate IT guy I've read. The fact that some idiot bought one and made his IT department make it work only reinforces the point. It is a fashion accessory, and is only good for listening to music and showing your friends your crappy pictures. That it is capable of more doesn't make it good at more. I have one sitting on my desk right now, I know.

 

[timwhit]

In the opinion of every corporate IT guy I've read. The fact that some idiot bought one and made his IT department make it work only reinforces the point. It is a fashion accessory, and is only good for listening to music and showing your friends your crappy pictures. That it is capable of more doesn't make it good at more. I have one sitting on my desk right now, I know.

Why do you even bother?

 

[ddrueding]

Because I'm waiting for a file to finish copying.

 

[Fushigi]

No keyboard no sale. While I'd never be a smartphone touch typist I won't go without tactile feedback and it makes even basic data entry better.

re: Palm Pre. I'm looking forward to this being released. Seems it was one of the few top-rated items at CES. As to Sprint-only, for me that's fine as I've been on Sprint for close to a decade. There is a GSM version that will be sold outside the US. I imagine Palm will do as they've done with prior launches. Pre will be exclusive to Sprint in the US for 4-6 months then open it up to other carriers. Sprint's sponsorship, I'm sure, carries some decent bucks for Palm. And money is something they could use right now.

Pre won't run Palm OS apps w/out an emulator so my next smartphone will mean an OS/application suite change for me regardless of whether I go Pre or BlackBerry. Since my smartphone is primarily for business use, BlackBerry is about the only other real option and is actually the only corporate-approved choice. WinMob is there but I see no reason to go that route and I've yet to see anything special from Symbian/Nokia. Andriod might be worth considering after it matures.

 

[mubs]

I bought a Nokia E71 a couple of months ago and am quite happy with it. Nokia seems to have learned from the design flaws of the E61 and E61i.

 

[MaxBurn]

I have an old corporate 8703e berry and I totally agree with the solid tactile feel of having keys, I can rip out a quick message on this thing surprisingly fast (for me, took me about forever to become a touch typist). This is why I was sort of interested in the new berry with tactile touch screen feedback but I haven't held one yet, I am thinking the screen gives you bounce but still don't know what key you were on.

 

[Howell]

I have 50 year old gimpy ham-fisted friends that type just fine on the iPhone. I can type faster on the iPhone than I could on the MotoQ.

 

[Howell]

iPhone is useless for business applications, because it doesn't have a keyboard.

What particular business applications are useless on the iPhone? Google applications are broken (no edit ability) while PHPBB works just fine.

 

[ddrueding]

What particular business applications are useless on the iPhone?

Anything that requires an amount of typing; e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets, etc. Regardless of app availability, the platform itself is unacceptable. If the iPhone had a keyboard, we would have something.

 

[Mercutio]

I never use the hard keyboard on my HTC6800. I bring up the OSD and type with my finger or the stylus. That's faster for me than trying to deal with the various chords needed to type with proper punctuation and spelling on the mobile keyboard.

That said, I don't text and I only send e-mail on my phone when I absolutely have to.

 

[Handruin]

What about an HTC Touch Pro if you need a full keyboard on a semi-stylistic modern phone?

 

[Mercutio]

That's essentially what I have now. The phone I have is the 6800, which has the same buttons, dimension and keyboard. I'd rather have a thinner phone that does not have a hard keyboard at all. I can type quickly enough with the stylus.

I do like that the 6800 does not compromise display size for a hard keyboard in the way that Palm, Motorola, RIM and Nokia phones do. I also like that I can connect to a vastly superior mobile network than the ones available for the iPhone (the best networks in my opinion being Sprint, for clear voice calls and fast 3G service, and Verizon, for breadth of coverage and almost-as-fast-as-sprint 3G service).

I do greatly appreciate the availability of Windows Mobile software that is available to me; I've even done things like run Powerpoint presentations from my phone to a networked projector.

 

[udaman]

That's essentially what I have now. The phone I have is the 6800, which has the same buttons, dimension and keyboard. I'd rather have a thinner phone that does not have a hard keyboard at all. I can type quickly enough with the stylus.

I do like that the 6800 does not compromise display size for a hard keyboard in the way that Palm, Motorola, RIM and Nokia phones do. I also like that I can connect to a vastly superior mobile network than the ones available for the iPhone (the best networks in my opinion being Sprint, for clear voice calls and fast 3G service, and Verizon, for breadth of coverage and almost-as-fast-as-sprint 3G service).

I do greatly appreciate the availability of Windows Mobile software that is available to me; I've even done things like run Powerpoint presentations from my phone to a networked projector.

Winblows software is archaic, tedious, bloatware...in short Merc, it sucks...get a Mac, iPhone rocks. For dd Sprint *may* have better coverage, but in LA and rural California (and I suppose other parts of the country?) Sprint is truly the worst mobile network...I know, been with Sprint since 2000. Can't beat my $15/mo rate though.

Android G2 Photos: Thinner and No Keyboard


http://i.gizmodo.com/5135926/android-g2-photos-thinner-and-no-keyboard

damn Apple, damn the iPhone^^^

Mean while M$ is laying off workers, same with Intel, all suffering from economic down turn...Apple? Record quarter results, stock up almost $7 in early trading (though Steve's continued declining health may have a big negative soon).

 

[udaman]

http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/01/23/android.cupcake.update/

The Android updates that are soon due to come to the T-Mobile G1 handset over the air have been detailed on Thursday. The updates, collectively dubbed Cupcake by the Android team

Cupcake...kind of grrly mon if you ask me

The addition of a virtual keyboard that, at least in the pre-release version, lacks haptic feedback and auto-correct functions, is likewise in the works and is due for a first-quarter release. Many are looking forward to a quicker way to respond to text messages or enter text into the G1, as they currently have no other choice but to open the device and use its hardware QWERTY keyboard.

Double damn Apple, the iPhone ^^^ don't they understand dd's backwards "business" mindset?

http://www.talkandroid.com/766-android-cupcake-features/

Wait a few months, Samsung & HTC are rumored to announce more Android phones @ Mobile World Congress in Spain on February 16th.


http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/01/22/huawei.android.phone/

Chinese network provider and cellphone manufacturer Huawei has recently announced it would show off a rumored handset based on the open-source Android platform from Google