T-Mobile To Offer Android-Based Phone By Christmas

[irun5k]

Personally I can't wait for Android phones to start popping up.

As a consumer, I love my iPhone, however it doesn't cut it for developing the types of business apps I'd like to develop for my company. The NDA is draconian- which makes it difficult to impossible to find examples or help on certain topics that aren't covered by the "official" docs.

Secondly, I prefer not to play games such as "will I get accepted into the developers club, or won't I?" For the last 12 years I've never had to join a "club" to write code... I've always developed software by downloading development tools (Java, Eclipse, etc.) or making a quick 1 time purchase (Visual Studio)... and I'm off the races. The only one standing between me and a successful deployment is myself. Also, no big lisst of things that Apple says I can't do.

Now, there are some decent apps already for the iPhone. But, a lot of the stuff is pure junk. Flashlights, "eBooks", animated pictures of beer steins, and what have you. So if Apple's attempt was to discourage crap apps and only allow excellent ones, they have failed miserably.

 

[JBSherman]

Was that Darth Vader with the android phone?

The guy in the video breathes really heavily.

Was that Darth Vader with the android phone? I won't be in line at the google store for that!

 

[Mackan]

I am looking forward to Android phones. Need open alternatives to Apple's closed products.

 

[Luzzio]

This phone will flop.

Because Apple will win.

...Apple always does.

All hail the great ! Siegheil!

 

[zenntench_oni]

im really looking forward to Android.

 

[shortlex]

I have an iPhone and my friend has an HTC mobile, and he trys to put iPhone features onto the OS, noteably the "slide to unlock" feature!

if HTC manages to put google android onto all their platforms, that means windows mobile OS = phail!

 

[Andronicus]

Well Sprints Instinct didn't do it, so bring on the next "iPhone Killer".

Bring out yer dead...
Bring out yer dead...

 

[kntgsp]

Didn't Apple look into having a slide out keyboard for the iPhone too?

It looks like a cool phone, but will it have the feature set to beat an iPhone? Probably not.

If it has cut and paste I'd buy it.

Seriously. ***** sad that Apple hasn't implemented that yet.

 

[SiliconAddict]

I don't see anything special in the phone. Maybe it's just me?

Plus, the keyboard looked kind of annoying to type on.

Considering that its what? 400 x 320 res I'd say its hard to say anything at all. All I know is that will be my next phone simply because ATT is out as is Verizon. That leaves T Mob... the catch is that I need a REAL keyboard. So that leaves either the Wing which has a neutered CPU so the GUI is sluggish or the Dream that sounds like it should be speedy.

as for anything special. I'd suggest going to youtube and search for Android GPS street view. Blows Maps on the iPhone out the water and then some.

 

[SiliconAddict]

Well Sprints Instinct didn't do it, so bring on the next "iPhone Killer".

Bring out yer dead...
Bring out yer dead...

Yah because it has to outsell iCrud to be an iPhone killer. Guess what. The industry as a whole will end up being an iPhone killer. Not everyone wants to suck at ATT's teet which leaves massive room for the rest of the ind to come in and clean up.
Then there is that whole activation junk and the fact that I need Unkie Steve's permission to add apps to MY phone. That alone has single handedly killed the buzz for the iHype for many. And yes I do have a serious "thing" against the iPhone. More then all my other complains put together x 2 at least. I don't like a manufacturer telling me what I can and can't do with my hardware. And the first person who says subsidy, I will say 2 year contract with a heavy out clause.

 

[andy721]

hmm

What a piece of garbage. Looks slow and doesn't seem to react quickly enough with accurately touch precision.

Lame, back to the drawing board.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Yeah, because closed source has worked so well for Windows security.

You mean OSX, right?

It was a serious question, to which I've seen no serious answers yet.

 

[briantology]

LOLbreathing
LOLphone

 

[furrina]

Doesn't it seem odd to anyone to have an open source OS running on a phone that is locked to a carrier (in this case rumored to be tmobile)? the proprietary nonsense from these companies is such an anomaly that exists in the US and hampers any technology progress that could be made. And the 3G mess (Tmobile operates on a different frequency from AT&T and other carriers in the US) makes it even worse.

I think open source is the way of the future, though, in part because perhaps business consumers are getting savvy enough to leave beind the microsoft model of crap software that you have to use because it's all shoved up in ur box already (and sadly i think this is what apple is doing with the iphones, and i'm a longtime mac user).

Obviously apple and their app store didnt bring us anything new or better, but they brought it to the masses, so maybe the masses are ready for a choice as they are waking up to the world of mobile platforms and "smartphones".

HTC devices: i liked the tmobile one (dash? 8125? i forget what its name was) but i just do not want to touch Windows Mobile, which was also the reason i didn't get one of the early ones years ago (which did pretty much what the iphone does now, in some cases more).

Another thing barely mentioned in US mobile OS discussions–but the gold standard for much of the rest of the world–is Symbian S60/Nokia. While not "open source" technically, there isn't a tightly controlled app store, and a vast and growing collection of apps exists for those devices to do some pretty amazing things that are just now getting discovered thanks to the iPhone (i've used google maps app on my e61 for ages, just one example.). And while it's a bit complicated and imperfect, it beats windows mobile, and is more advanced and capable of more than RIM, Palm, etc. I'd say android will really give Symbian a run for their money. I think a device like the Nokia e71 is more comparable to the Android phone. The iPhone is more of a "dumbed-down" smart phone with a basic level of quality but without the "sky's the limit" feeling of s60 devices.

As far as the device itself, that one in the pic is pretty cute. I do love a qwerty keyboard , i like to push little buttons and i like movable parts – my new iPhone is driving me nuts with the touch keyboard, but again that may be a matter of preference. and that looks really slender, too. the iPhone's kinda big for something without any of the aforementioned parts. i'd definitely go for something like that. Without the scary panting stubby-pawed programmer, please.

 

[mtizle]

You shouldn't underestimate Android. I have it installed on my Tilt and it is really a pretty nifty os, even for a beta distribution. Once it is thought as mainstream, it will be easy for users to install it themselves on their current phone, which WILL threaten the iphone due to its opensource nature and the ability that users will be able to install it on their current phone at no cost instead of dropping carriers, suffering ETF's, signing new contracts and paying $199-$299 for a new iphone.

 

[marksman]

Further evidence that T-Mobile USA will not get the iPhone, as AT&T is doing EVERYTHING in its power to be the EXCLUSIVE provider of Apple cell phones.

iPhone 4G - goodbye T-Mobile USA, hello AT&T

(**gets tired of hacking current iPhone**)

Not true.

When AT&T buys T-Mobile, T-Mobile will then have the iPhone.

 

[marksman]

I have an iPhone, but I think that HTC phone looks absolutely amazing. It also addresses the issue many people have with iPhone (the on-screen keyboard).

Haha...

Yeah people who like to drive edsels and move their money via stagecoach.

However that is the cool thing about Android. Some of us can live in the 21st century and beyond and get rid of ridiculous tiny little hardware keyboards, and those who wish to remain frozen in a time lock can have their little keyboards.

It is a potential win-win as long as the underlying OS is robust and diverse enough to support thousands of hardware configurations without bias.

 

[Mike Teezie]

With my beloved iPhone snuggled in its dock two feet away from me, I'll just say - that phone/Android looks like it could be pretty cool to me.

I don't think it will touch the iPhone - mainly because of the brilliance of Apps, Safari, Mail, iPod....you all know exactly why the iPhone rules. However, I find myself hating the touchscreen typing anytime I have to send a wordy email to a client - and that little pop out keyboard could be nice.

Plus, I'm curious as to how slick Google's OS and UI will be, if at all.

So. Before I get flamed to hell and back, like I said, I heart my iPhone. I just hope Android is pretty good. Hopefully just good enough for Apple to take some of the niftier ideas, and Jobs-ize them. That's right suckers, I said Jobsize. You heard it here first.

 

[milani]

It is a potential win-win as long as the underlying OS is robust and diverse enough to support thousands of hardware configurations without bias.

And that's where I don't think Android will be a superior OS to the iPhone's OS. The reason the iPhone is such a great phone - perhaps all Apple products are so great - is because there is a harmony between hardware and software (I say this as a PC/Windows user, by the way). The iPhone OS isn't designed to work on just any smartphone, it's designed to work on its particular hardware, and as such each facet of the OS takes advantage of the hardware it was designed around. How will Android's OS meld to the diverse range of hardware it is expected to run on?

 

[furrina]

Not true.

When AT&T buys T-Mobile, T-Mobile will then have the iPhone.

interesting way around the GSM nonsense. but that's not likely, more likely the other way around since T-Mobile is the US division of Deutsche Telekom, one of the world's largest telecom co's, with more than twice the revenue of AT & T (and, i might add, earning euros at a time when that's a nice plus). So unless DT decides to dump the US business, i doubt anyone can afford to eat 'em. Unless Rupert's tired of MySpace and ready for dessert.

 

[i.maverick]

so many followers... so little time..!!

 

[furrina]

The iPhone OS isn't designed to work on just any smartphone, it's designed to work on its particular hardware,

and this is good why?

and as such each facet of the OS takes advantage of the hardware it was designed around.

this sounds a little like marketing-speak. there might be some truth to it, but i still don't get why this sort of "harmony" isn't just a way to get you to buy both the hw and the sw. good OS/sw should and can be created to take advantage of the most advanced, or most appropriate in whatever case, HW, shouldn't it? Or the two should be developed together, but why would you have to buy them stuck together?

How will Android's OS meld to the diverse range of hardware it is expected to run on?

and of course that remains to be seen, but in theory that's the whole point. the premise of open source is to allow/encourage the best and most diverse to be developed.

 

[fredsarran]

Based on the video, it does not seem really eye candy.

 

[dAlen]

Further evidence that T-Mobile USA will not get the iPhone, as AT&T is doing EVERYTHING in its power to be the EXCLUSIVE provider of Apple cell phones.

iPhone 4G - goodbye T-Mobile USA, hello AT&T

(**gets tired of hacking current iPhone**)

Maybe, but T-Mobile is the exclusive provider for the iphone here in Hungary once it launches Aug. 22nd. (Believe they are the iphone providers for Germany and Austria as well, and some other countries here in Europe.)

These business relations (apple, at&t, t-mobile) are interesting for sure.

Peace

dAlen

 

[milani]

and this is good why?



this sounds a little like marketing-speak. there might be some truth to it, but i still don't get why this sort of "harmony" isn't just a way to get you to buy both the hw and the sw. good OS/sw should and can be created to take advantage of the most advanced, or most appropriate in whatever case, HW, shouldn't it? Or the two should be developed together, but why would you have to buy them stuck together?



and of course that remains to be seen, but in theory that's the whole point. the premise of open source is to allow/encourage the best and most diverse to be developed.

I'm always interested in a good discussion. I'll try to hit your points in order:

1) It's good to have software specifically developed for the hardware when you're dealing with mobile devices because software has to be as efficient as possible, and it's almost always the case that when software has to bend to meet varying hardware specifications, performance, reliability, usability, or efficiency is almost always sacrificed in some way or another. This is especially bad when you're dealing with devices (like mobile devices) where the UI is critical, the efficiency, reliability and speed must be maximized, and the battery-life preserved (I realize the iPhone has poor battery life, but thankfully the software is highly efficient - refer to keynotes where they compared the iPhone strategy to the task manager on Windows Mobile, for instance).

2) Perhaps a good OS can run effectively (as in hit all the above listed criteria) on any platform, but almost all of the iPhone's UI innovations could not exist without its hardware - and probably would not have been developed if it were not developed alongside that hardware. I don't think that the iPhone's touch screen functionality, for instance, could have come to such fruition were it decoupled from the hardware. Yes, Android has the luxury of a pretty solid blueprint to follow, and could probably develop an intuitive UI without being routed on a specific hardware set from the onset, but I don't think that it can match the quality of the iPhone OS because the software is going to have to bend to the needs or limitations of various hardware types. Every aspect of the iPhone UI takes full and specific advantage of the hardware. I'm sorry, but I just see something like Windows being the end result - sure it does what you want it to, on whatever hardware you put it on, but that which is, for the most part, bloated, inefficient, buggy and sensitive to certain hardware. Ultimately I see something that's going to be too stretched to run as well as the iPhone OS. And that smooth running characteristic counts for everything on a mobile device that is, by nature, not the most intuitive or comfortable environment to work in.

3) Yes, I agree it remains to be seen, so I'm not going to condemn Android or anything. I just worry that it's going to end up being too much. An overcomplicated system that just has too much input from too many people with differing visions of the phone's end-game. Apple has focus on their side. I think that's why, at least from my perspective, it makes more sense to support software development in a somewhat confined way. Sure there is lots of innovation to yet be thought of, but by having some measure of control just see Android being pulled too many directions, without a clear focus, ultimately ending up a bloated platform. But like you say, only time will tell. Just my 2 cents on the topic .