Official Google Phone Coming in January 2010, Testing Now

[KnightWRX]

What's broken about it? I've got more apps on my Droid than I do my iPT, and still have 200MB left. It stores the data from the apps on the memory card.

Exactly, he means the app memory limit. Except the iPhone has one as well, it's called the 9 pages limit. The good point about Android here is that like you say, executables use very limited memory space.

Apple fans seem pretty content with the idea of "delete some apps" as a good solution for the iPhone, but I guess Android gets no such treatment in here.

 

[aucl]

The Droid has no ads anywhere. I'm assuming a Google phone wouldn't be any different, otherwise no one would want it.

ahm, wasn't there some ad placements appearing in some of the mobile google maps products?

sure they will not turn it on on launch day, but once it is out and the reviews are written they might start to pop up like mushrooms after rain

 

[polaris20]

ahm, wasn't there some ad placements appearing in some of the mobile google maps products?

sure they will not turn it on on launch day, but once it is out and the reviews are written they might start to pop up like mushrooms after rain

No, you're incorrect, I'm looking at it right now. Also, the G1 has been out for awhile now and they've done no such thing, so who knows if it will ever happen.

 

[ChazUK]

ahm, wasn't there some ad placements appearing in some of the mobile google maps products?

sure they will not turn it on on launch day, but once it is out and the reviews are written they might start to pop up like mushrooms after rain

Google can place ads in whatever applications they choose (even ads in its iPhone apps) but some people here seem to think that Android OS has ads.

People like to make oh so funny comments of adverts before you answer calls and ads when sending SMS messages but I can't help but feel people are trying to spread a little FUD with their statements.

Google sticking adverts in its applications and services and adverts in the core OS are two completely different things and something even the iPhone will not be immune to.

 

[hwhalers]

People like to make oh so funny comments of adverts before you answer calls and ads when sending SMS messages

If Google's future intention is actually to create a VOIP-based device that provides free or very near to it voice service, they're going to have to do something like that eventually. They don't have unlimited money. Just recording and running speech recognition on every call you make to provide more demographic data won't generate enough to fund it.

 

[ChazUK]

If Google's future intention is actually to create a VOIP-based device that provides free or very near to it voice service, they're going to have to do something like that eventually. They don't have unlimited money. Just recording and running speech recognition on every call you make to provide more demographic data won't generate enough to fund it.

I don't know what Google's intentions are so it may happen but I've seen that exact notion brazenly written as if it's happening now and it's pure bull.

 

[hwhalers]

I don't know what Google's intentions are so it may happen but I've seen that exact notion brazenly written as if it's happening now and it's pure bull.

Indeed it is, and anyone who says it's currently happening is misguided or stupid. Whether or not it would even be feasible is very questionable.

Back in reality, Google doesn't give away anything for free. Everything they do revolves around ads. Whether serving the ads (AdWords), Acting as an ad (Android), gathering demo data for ads (GMail, Google Search), etc etc.

If Google were to use 'their' handset as a paid op-out platform that would be immune from direct Google advertising and data mining, that'd be very, very interesting. I doubt it, though.

 

[aucl]

If Google's future intention is actually to create a VOIP-based device that provides free or very near to it voice service, they're going to have to do something like that eventually. They don't have unlimited money. Just recording and running speech recognition on every call you make to provide more demographic data won't generate enough to fund it.

Maybe/probably they would get DARPA/CIA funding when really doing that

 

[marcfogel]

I hope this actually turns out to be a real competitor. The iPhone is great, but it seems like they're waiting for a competitor to get really close, and then they'll release a much better version. (3g to 3gs was such a boring update because they didn't need to do anything exciting and they'd still be the best.) A january g-phone release gives Apple time to react/destroy this summer. I'm excited.

Unless Google manages to go on a 6 month major OS update as opposed to a year like Apple. Then things will really start to move.

 

[aucl]

Unless Google manages to go on a 6 month major OS update as opposed to a year like Apple. Then things will really start to move.

guess they can easily do that for the SW part if they wanna, esp. since HW would not be change by them, ...

 

[miketcool]

I fail to see your point? I like the iPhone OS, but I wouldn't consider Android a failure. I actually love the Droid but couldn't justify the monthly bill on Verizon - same reason for AT&T and the iPhone monthly bill. T-Mobile provides the best deal for my iPhone, so it works out for me.

Haha, oh lord...

Apparently you are foolish for not wanting to have you phone locked, dropped calls, mixed SMS messages, expensive plan and a**wipe customer service reps. Who wouldn't want their cell carrier to give it to you dominatrix style without a safe word? T-Mo for the GSM win.

 

[3.1416]

When Apple announced the switch to Intel they were doing quite well vis a vis the competition.

Yes, at the time. They were also looking at Intel's roadmap and knew that Core 2 would be out within a year and would crush the G4, so they switched to avoid that scenario.

I guess one could "spin" that a future opportunity with Intel would allow Apple to offer more competitive devices at more competitive prices and gain market share.

But, that hasn't happened to any great measure and I do not believe that it was the driving force behind the switch.

Huh? Mac laptops have far better price/performance relative to PCs than they did in the final PPC years. Do you really think Apple could have been successful continuing to sell G4 laptops against C2D PCs?

 

[Speedy2]

Oh come on. That's only partly true.

Is it? Apple had realised that the world would be going "notebook" in the near future and that they'd need decent notebook CPUs. Freescale/IBM never delivered any.

Also, the fact that IBM happily created a custom PPC CPU for the Xbox whilst refusing to do anything similar for Apple might have pissed off SJ, but that's pure speculation.

 

[megadon]

Boys and Toys; as they get older the only change is the toys get more expensive.

It's called human nature

you gonna by the same model car year after year?

People get bored of stuff, why do you think the divorce rate is 50%?

 

[Speedy2]

So wrong...


"At the time Apple was being crashed in notebook space..."

Mmmm.... the facts tell a different story:

"so wrong" ? You can't be THAT shortsighted, can you?

What exactly does your chart prove? That the switch was made at the right time (either that or at least not too late).
Of course they were still selling Macbooks at that time. SJ isn't a complete idiot, you know. He isn't someone who is waiting till the ship has sunk before he makes a decision.

The point is: If they had gone on waiting for a mobile PPC G5 and made the switch like 3 years later, they wouldn't even HAVE a notebook business anymore in 2009!

 

[KnightWRX]

The point is: If they had gone on waiting for a mobile PPC G5 and made the switch like 3 years later, they wouldn't even HAVE a notebook business anymore in 2009!

They wouldn't have had a computer business at all. iMacs, the Mini both definitely needed cooler running processors and the G5 and POWER roadmap weren't up to it.

But you know, never tell these people that Apple did something in order to remain competitively relevant. Apple doesn't compete at all... Not in the mobile phone market where they dominate (firmly from 3rd place in market share), not in the computer market (where they still ship less units than Dell or HP).

They refresh their computers on a 8 month cycle, but it's not about competition, it's about going forward with their vision .

Sometimes I do wonder if the haters and their Steve Jobs reality distortion field do have a point.

 

[DMann]

It's true for a very weird definition of truth. It's actually bending the truth to make it seem like your argument is correct.

The fact is, if it weren't about competition at all, Apple could've kept on shipping G4 Powerbooks and iBooks. It could still be shipping G5 PowerMacs. Of course, in 2009, who in their right mind would buy such machines?

Never did I mention the word 'competition,' other than to say competition notwithstanding.

The simple fact is that the PPC chips IBM was giving them and planning to give them wouldn't allow Apple to compete in the market.

Perhaps, the term you are looking for is viable. You seem to be equating competitive with viable.

They wouldn't have had a computer business at all. iMacs, the Mini both definitely needed cooler running processors and the G5 and POWER roadmap weren't up to it.

Precisely the point.

This was all about competing on a level playing field with other OEMs (HP, Dell, Toshiba, Sony...) by shipping systems with similar performance levels.

How does shipping systems with similar components constitute 'competition?' To be competitive, a company would be expected to sell units with components which outmatched competition, not under match.

Of course, this destroys the argument that Apple never competes with anyone... but you know, you guys sure have found nice ways to spin this one into a non-compete switch...

Again, there is a distinction between being competitive and merely remaining viable.

Exactly, he means the app memory limit. Except the iPhone has one as well, it's called the 9 pages limit. The good point about Android here is that like you say, executables use very limited memory space.

Apple fans seem pretty content with the idea of "delete some apps" as a good solution for the iPhone, but I guess Android gets no such treatment in here.

Not even close. The only limit to the memory is the 16Gib or 32Gib SDD - the pages for displaying apps may be limited to 9, but apps can be accessed via 'Search.'

My iPhone currently holds 340 applications - you are simply wrong about a nine page limit.

 

[KnightWRX]

Perhaps, the term you are looking for is viable. You seem to be equating competitive with viable.

Precisely the point.

How does shipping systems with similar components constitute 'competition?' To be competitive, a company would be expected to sell units with components which outmatched competition, not under match.

So, only by shipping units with higher specs are you competitive ? Maybe you need to re-read what competition means.

You can compete on many facets, specs being one. You can compete on price, you can compete on features, you can compete on specs, you can compete on design.

However, one thing is sure, if you aren't viable, you aren't competing. Who would buy a iBook G4 in 2009 when they had much more powerful machines (by a few order of magnitude) at lower pricepoints ? No one. The Intel switch was to stay competitive by staying viable.

The point is, Apple very much competes and does thing to compete. They don't operate in a black hole like some people like to claim on here. They have to watch the market and adjust their strategy in order to compete, and to remain relevant.

 

[Master Chief]

What better features? Slightly better cameras? Screens that are marginally higher resolution?

That depends on how you look at it, and the usage per person. Really. I mean one person might use phone X to make pictures, while another use the calender feature more. Just two name two very different features of todays phones.

And while the iPhone provides a camera, it's not a great one. Better camera's can be found in Sony Ericsson and Samsung phones. Just to name two examples.

Both brands also provide a flash, which can't be found on todays iPhone. And I tell you this, as Hasselblad camera owner ever since 1978... so I think to know a little about (professional) cameras, that can be pretty handy at times.

Note: I'm not comparing the iPhone camera with any other product but the two fore mentioned phone cams!

If you happen to live in a sunny country... say Spain, and walk outside... then you may find a black void on your iPhone screen, but everything crystal clear on your daughter's Samsung and son's Sony Ericsson. Not exactly what I expected.

Like I said in my previous post; Not being able to swap the battery is a problem for me. I mean now I have to carry two phones instead of a simple (much smaller) battery.

Or the fact that (business) people can't swap the SIM card when they travel to another country, which for EU citizen is a major headache now – with any locked phone that is – because travel distances in the EU are far more limited (read: shorter).

I'm not bashing Apple nor the iPhone, but a little more (better) features would help everyone, eventually. Even in the US of A

 

[Goona]

Is this the next iphone killer? Has the Droid faded?

 

[cmaier]

AMEN!

You'd think a corporation as HUGE and POWERFUL as Google would have done a little research on the history of platforms and been able to see all the mistakes they are repeating!

Oh well lol. Competition is good.

I'm assuming google doesn't care if Android fragments, or even if Android wins - it just wants MS and any other mobile platform that doesn't have a standards-compliant browser to lose. It wants to sell ads.

 

[milton.sheaf]

Cant' wait to ditch this slow and crappy iphone. Android is definitely my next phone.

 

[Goona]

Cant' wait to ditch this slow and crappy iphone. Android is definitely my next phone.

Last time I checked Android is not a phone.

 

[KnightWRX]

Is this the next iphone killer? Has the Droid faded?

Only if you read Macrumors. Last week while I was in the States, Droid was everywhere. I even got to play with one at Bestbuy. Nice phone.

 

[cmaier]

Only if you read Macrumors. Last week while I was in the States, Droid was everywhere. I even got to play with one at Bestbuy. Nice phone.

I've seen them at every store - even the Verizon booths in the mall. Haven't seen anyone actually *using* one yet.