I was thinking the same exact thing. I love the iPhone and
for that matter - but I believe the competition will really help take the iPhone to the next level.EDIT: I just saw *LTD* and literally spit up my coffee. Ha - too funny.
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Google-Branded Phone Coming Early Next Year?
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I was thinking the same exact thing. I love the iPhone and
for that matter - but I believe the competition will really help take the iPhone to the next level.EDIT: I just saw *LTD* and literally spit up my coffee. Ha - too funny.
Android supports both GSM and CDMA so there is nothing stopping Google (and its hardware partner developing this with them) from developing either.
Did you miss this part? "The phone will be produced by a major phone manufacturer but will only have Google branding (Microsoft did the same thing with their first Zunes, which were built by Toshiba)."
Google are not building their own hardware. They must have approached a handset maufacturer (HTC, Motorola, Sonyericsson, Samsung, et al) for hardware development.
This is just a 'Google Branded' phone which is being developed alongside one of its partners, this isn't some internally developed secretive Google Über phone, ready to sh*t on all the other manufacturers.
I wouldn't be surprised if it was Motorola considering how Google helped with the Milestone/Droid.
as someone just said, the iphone's "sexy" is really only a factor at sale time. Everyone I know with an iphone has it in a rubbery or hard plastic case to "protect" it at ALL TIMES.
How is that "sexy"?
My still-kickin' moto SLVR might not be sexy to modern eyes, but I've had it for a few years now and it doesn't even have a screen protector on it...no scratches or dings or problems of any kind except that the batter life has gone down from 1 month of standby to 1.5 weeks of standby.
The iphone has never been able to lure me away, despite all the apps and all of that. Android 2.0 paired with the right device, though, might get me into another contract for the first time in years...and off of AT&T's network, which is huge.
This rumor doesn't mention the most important detail....will this be on a standard cell phone carrier? Wouldn't it have to be? Which one? If AT&T, then I'm not interested. If Verizon with a 30 dollar/month unlimited data-only plan, then SIGN ME UP if the phone is good.
No, I won't have the whole App store, but real GPS, complete Google Voice integration and open source software is really appealing.
How is that "sexy"?
My still-kickin' moto SLVR might not be sexy to modern eyes, but I've had it for a few years now and it doesn't even have a screen protector on it...no scratches or dings or problems of any kind except that the batter life has gone down from 1 month of standby to 1.5 weeks of standby.
The iphone has never been able to lure me away, despite all the apps and all of that. Android 2.0 paired with the right device, though, might get me into another contract for the first time in years...and off of AT&T's network, which is huge.
This rumor doesn't mention the most important detail....will this be on a standard cell phone carrier? Wouldn't it have to be? Which one? If AT&T, then I'm not interested. If Verizon with a 30 dollar/month unlimited data-only plan, then SIGN ME UP if the phone is good.
No, I won't have the whole App store, but real GPS, complete Google Voice integration and open source software is really appealing.
And from across the pond:
http://www.macdailynews.com/index.p...ne_set_to_become_uks_best_selling_smartphone/
http://www.macdailynews.com/index.p...ne_set_to_become_uks_best_selling_smartphone/
Actually just the opposite. because all these other phones are just doing what the iphone does 'a little different' (due to those pesky copyrights and look and feed trademarks etc).
the iphone was a killer because Apple took the market standing of the smart phone and looked at what they thought wasn't being done as well as it could that they could 'do right'. and the buyers agreed.
the Palm, the Droid, just copying the iphone without really improving things. unless you count being tied to something other than ATT as an improvement. I don't. Unlocked to even two carriers would be an improvement in my book. Although their locking does give a point in the favor of the iphone. Just as Apple and ATT were not the first to link up ,they weren't the last. So if you are going to gripe about how wrong it is for A&A better add everyone else to the mix (something I am in favor of so long as the government doesn't try to control the device designs)
Multiple things killed 3dfx. Pissing off its old OEM distributors by releasing its own cards (which is what I assume you're getting to with that comment), poor performing hardware, lavish spending, stronger competition from Nvidia are a few reasons I can think of.
Let me guess:
The phone will be free, the calls will be free and the data will be free, but every 30 seconds, a creepily accurate piece of targeted advertising will interrupt whatever you're doing for a moment so brief that its almost subliminal.
Seriously, though, it will be nice to have some decent competition to keep Apple on its toes, particularly if the phone is geared more towards consumers than professionals who need email on the go.
The phone will be free, the calls will be free and the data will be free, but every 30 seconds, a creepily accurate piece of targeted advertising will interrupt whatever you're doing for a moment so brief that its almost subliminal.
Seriously, though, it will be nice to have some decent competition to keep Apple on its toes, particularly if the phone is geared more towards consumers than professionals who need email on the go.
That was a good read LTD, thanks for sharing it.
Best thing to happen to the iPhone over here! Apple did wise to ditch o2 exclusivity and offer it to Orange and Vodafone customers.
I hope they follow suit across the world.
That's a HORRIBLE comparison. Apple didn't tell PowerComputing and the Boys "you can license our OS and we're going to stop making computers and not compete with you"! Google has been saying that they would not compete and now, they're possibly competing. The Cloners ALWAYS knew that Apple was their competitor.
Terrible comparison, Zed.
I agree with other posters that android doesn't really have the grace and sexiness of the iphone. It seems like Win XP, a solid, functional, yet blocky adn ugly interface. But it does the job.
The important thing is that this is good for the marketplace. More thoughtfully designed smart phones or app phones encourages all makers to do better. For example, Blackberry has rested on its laurels and is paying the price now in lost market share and inferior functionality (have you ever used BB's web browser?), but hopefully will innovate and come up with better products in years to come.
If you have an iphone and never even consider a gphone, it's good for you too. For example, I'd put money on the iphone getting a free or cheap excellent GPS functionality in the next two years.
The important thing is that this is good for the marketplace. More thoughtfully designed smart phones or app phones encourages all makers to do better. For example, Blackberry has rested on its laurels and is paying the price now in lost market share and inferior functionality (have you ever used BB's web browser?), but hopefully will innovate and come up with better products in years to come.
If you have an iphone and never even consider a gphone, it's good for you too. For example, I'd put money on the iphone getting a free or cheap excellent GPS functionality in the next two years.
Yep, I agree, balls or cluelessness! It amazes me the manufacturers didn't make sure this would never happen before using Android. Maybe they really knew this was coming and didn't care. I hope M$ will copy Google instead of Apple for once and start making PCs lol. Actually one day if the PC makers continue to tank maybe they just might do that. That would be interesting!
Blackberry has GAINED marketshare.
Hardware is not Google's business, so i'm calling horsedung on this announcement.
Andy Rubin, of Google, has said in recent history that they won't be doing this. If an article is going to quote Google's opinion on a rumor it seems poor to leave out their opinion that they won't be doing it...
Apple HAD name recognition, but most critics spoke of nothing but gloom & doom. And they were actually building the thing. So Google is going to pay someone to build the phone for them? Or perhaps, someone came to them and paid them to call it the "GooglePhone" -- whatever... it's not the same thing. GOOGLE is good but they're not in the same league with Apple .... I'm sick and tired of people trying to link them like they're the Twins of Technology. They're not.
God, I hope not. Everything Google touches DOES NOT turn to gold -- Android is pretty good. It's getting a moderate start, but compared to the success of the iPhone (now in stage 3), it really can't compare. Google may come up with something that wrangles a few bucks from Apple's mitts, but it won't be earth-shattering.
Yup.
Gruber caught that little point today, that a lot of people seem to be overlooking.
