I think people miss the point of the G1
The iPhone is a great device but its not really designed for the hacker type, its designed (very well) for people who want a slick capable device they can add software to very easily and that just works, and in fairness as a device that looks stunning - its a very image conscious phone - and I love mine.
I've had literally every type of phone, windows mobile non keyboard, with slidey keyboard, with under the screen keyboard and no touch screen, and the earlier candy bar windows phones. Ive also had sony P800 style, nokia series 60 style, and the flip open huge Nokia communicator with colour screen, and a couple of Palm phones - not to mention a large selection of boggo phones like nokia 3210s and sony ericssons mated to iPaqs, palm pilots and Psion organisers.
I say that lot not to point out I spend way too much on mobile devices - I do - but to illustrate that Ive tried everything - and I will probably try an android too soon - but the thing is ive tried them all and im fairly sure the Android system isnt competing with the iphone, and Windows devices arent competing with the iPhone - iPhone is very apple and will go its own merry way and it will always have fans and haters and theres no point trying to change anyone - for me i love it - but - and heres the point at last........
If i want a phone to hack about with, to fiddle and experiment I would have one in a second, or a generic HTC windows device, as theyre more open, they are more flexible - but with that openness and flexibility comes inconsistency and unreliability - i have downloaded more iphone apps than i care to count and they have all worked as I would expect - not all good - but they download, instlal and work every time.
Can anyone say the same for Windows Phones - there are too many incompatabilities and this is where the android platform will fail, its not a whole unit - hardware will be flexible but compatability will falter.
At the moment it all looks a bit to Beta as has been said earlier, and the body looks like a development mule - I really didnt believe I was seing a finished device that was competing with an iphone, then i realised it wasnt, its competing against the HTC Hermes type devices - and sadly theyve all moved on to the HTC Touch Pro which leaves the G1 in the dust for style - now a HTC Touch Pro running android - that would be interesting - i bet there are geeks in bedrooms working on it as I type this.
Sorry I ranted on a bit aimlessly there but if you read carefully for a couple of hours there are some points - honest
Stephen
The iPhone is a great device but its not really designed for the hacker type, its designed (very well) for people who want a slick capable device they can add software to very easily and that just works, and in fairness as a device that looks stunning - its a very image conscious phone - and I love mine.
I've had literally every type of phone, windows mobile non keyboard, with slidey keyboard, with under the screen keyboard and no touch screen, and the earlier candy bar windows phones. Ive also had sony P800 style, nokia series 60 style, and the flip open huge Nokia communicator with colour screen, and a couple of Palm phones - not to mention a large selection of boggo phones like nokia 3210s and sony ericssons mated to iPaqs, palm pilots and Psion organisers.
I say that lot not to point out I spend way too much on mobile devices - I do - but to illustrate that Ive tried everything - and I will probably try an android too soon - but the thing is ive tried them all and im fairly sure the Android system isnt competing with the iphone, and Windows devices arent competing with the iPhone - iPhone is very apple and will go its own merry way and it will always have fans and haters and theres no point trying to change anyone - for me i love it - but - and heres the point at last........
If i want a phone to hack about with, to fiddle and experiment I would have one in a second, or a generic HTC windows device, as theyre more open, they are more flexible - but with that openness and flexibility comes inconsistency and unreliability - i have downloaded more iphone apps than i care to count and they have all worked as I would expect - not all good - but they download, instlal and work every time.
Can anyone say the same for Windows Phones - there are too many incompatabilities and this is where the android platform will fail, its not a whole unit - hardware will be flexible but compatability will falter.
At the moment it all looks a bit to Beta as has been said earlier, and the body looks like a development mule - I really didnt believe I was seing a finished device that was competing with an iphone, then i realised it wasnt, its competing against the HTC Hermes type devices - and sadly theyve all moved on to the HTC Touch Pro which leaves the G1 in the dust for style - now a HTC Touch Pro running android - that would be interesting - i bet there are geeks in bedrooms working on it as I type this.
Sorry I ranted on a bit aimlessly there but if you read carefully for a couple of hours there are some points - honest
Stephen