OK, shut up about this "G1 is/isn't trying to compete with the iPhone" crap. The fact is they're both cell phones from different companies, and are therefore competing with each other.
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WOW! T-MOBILE blew it
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OK, shut up about this "G1 is/isn't trying to compete with the iPhone" crap. The fact is they're both cell phones from different companies, and are therefore competing with each other.
I really don't think Google is trying to compete with the iPhone. Their goal is to make money. The cell phone market is hugh and there is money to be made.
Why not have an open O.S and see where the users can take it? it will be neat to see how it develops. Let people make their own choice based on their personal needs in a phone. Mine just happens to be Apple/iPhone and I don't see that changing. However? if the day comes that another device meets my needs better, I'm gone.
Remember?
It's all about you the user.
Why not have an open O.S and see where the users can take it? it will be neat to see how it develops. Let people make their own choice based on their personal needs in a phone. Mine just happens to be Apple/iPhone and I don't see that changing. However? if the day comes that another device meets my needs better, I'm gone.
Remember?
It's all about you the user.
Some people want laptops that are high powered. Some people want laptops that are cheap. Some people want phones with keyboards. Some people want phones that play media well. Some people will only use Verizon.
Many of these are preferences that override all other options in people's decisions.
The fact that you can look at that list and say that some of those things are opposites of each other is confusing to me. They all look like the same point to me.
But since you refuse to explain WHY you think some of them are different from the rest, I too can not continue the conversation.
A Cingular 8125 is also a cell phone made from Audiovox, running Windows Mobile. They are competing too. But with Windows Mobile, you're already having access to Outlook, MS Office, and other programs from Microsoft, as you're running Windows.
G1 is using a platform where snappable, pluggable applications can be added on for productivity, to go directly up against Windows Mobile; that is what Android was going for.
But don't take my word for it, because from the above, you think what I'm saying is a crock.
So.. Tell that to NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94953519
They devoted some time to this, and actually mentioned it in their audio clip.
BL.
Seriously, Google are NOT trying to compete directly with iPhone, Blackberry, or any Symbian/Windows mobile handset.
What they ARE trying to do - and what should concern you more - is develop an open mobile OS for ALL handset manufacturers to use and from there facilitate the development of a global community of 3rd party developers providing plug-ins/new feature sets etc. to the platform.
T-mobile is simply the first manufacturer to have a go at integrating the new OS into their hardware. So their effort sucks; okay. But if Google succeed there will be a steadily increasing stream of other attempts hitting the marketpace from a growing multitude of manufacturers. I suggest at least one of these will likely meet with your approval at some point.
Honestly, to dismiss the Android vision on the basis of one manufacturers attempt at utilising it is utterly missing the point. You are witnessing the birth of a very potent vision and I await with interest the battle between Googles open-source vision and Apples enclosed-garden approach.
Vanilla
Good point. Both are cell phones, both are advertising as "smart phones" instead of just a basic cell phone; so therefore they ARE competitors.
I hadn't thought about that. Good point.
Sorry, I cant ignore this.
I haven't explained why some of them are different because it goes without saying they ARE.
Macbook Pro - professional high-powered laptop. Not cheap. Slim. Good screen size.
$500 Dell - A consumer minded laptop, but not powerful enough to call professional. Cheap. Good size screen.
See the difference there? Power. That's usually what drives the prices in a computer. Failing to see that, you must be blind.
The Smartphone market is the same. And yes, the G1 has a few things the iPhone doesn't, and vic versa, but they're both looked at as consumer minded smartphones. Depending what carrier you want to go with, or whether you want a physical keyboard or touchscreen keyboard, you'll make your choice. The job of t-mobile and Apple (and their various partners) are to try and swing that customer in their direction. I'm not on O2, but would NOT consider getting the G1 just because I can't get an iPhone (because of the way the device looks, works and feels). T-Mobile did not make the G1 appealing enough. End of story.
But as I said, I think we can all agree that either way, these phones will (over time) push each other to become better. So we all win.
Now, if you don't understand that, then I suggest you carefully read everyword with a dictionary at hand. It's pretty clear and factual.
Spot on.
It is now each companies job to attract the customers who would like a smartphone (feature set, looks, feel etc).
I just have one point to add - anyone who claims that multitouch is such an important feature is really just looking for bulletpoints to compare. Despite all the hype, multitouch is a very small feature on the iPhone - it's mostly used for only one purpose: pinching to zoom in and out, woohoo. In my mind there are three things that set the iPhone apart from the competition: the *responsiveness* of touches (normal single touches and swipes and stuff), the great user interface, and the single powerful system spec among all the iPhones (as opposed to the real lack of hardware requirements of competing cell phone OS's).
Wow, all the fanboys are circling the wagons.
Many seem to forget that this is the first device to be released and Google doesn't release them. They only provide the OS. Many companies will be releasing phones that run this OS. They'll be thin, fat, slow, fast, pink, black, white, etc. We may see 4 more by the end of the year. We may see 10 on the market by the end of next year. We do not know.
There is no exclusivity contract. Android phones may appear on any carrier. In the US, this means the OS isn't locked to a carrier that has meager "3G" speeds. If AT&T sucks in your area (imagine that...), then you can get an Android phone on Verizon, Sprint, T-Mob, whatever. This is a big "win" for Google. We'll see how many bail the iPhone 3G when AT&T has an Android device that aren't bailing now due to a $175 ETF.
One can put any application they want on an Android OS phone. Big "win" again with this strategy. How many iPhone owners Jailbreak their phone? Many. Why?
Many seem to forget that this is the first device to be released and Google doesn't release them. They only provide the OS. Many companies will be releasing phones that run this OS. They'll be thin, fat, slow, fast, pink, black, white, etc. We may see 4 more by the end of the year. We may see 10 on the market by the end of next year. We do not know.
There is no exclusivity contract. Android phones may appear on any carrier. In the US, this means the OS isn't locked to a carrier that has meager "3G" speeds. If AT&T sucks in your area (imagine that...), then you can get an Android phone on Verizon, Sprint, T-Mob, whatever. This is a big "win" for Google. We'll see how many bail the iPhone 3G when AT&T has an Android device that aren't bailing now due to a $175 ETF.
One can put any application they want on an Android OS phone. Big "win" again with this strategy. How many iPhone owners Jailbreak their phone? Many. Why?
I'm going to revive this thread 2 years later. My original complaints were essentially that google showed up to their iPhone slaying with hardly no ammunition. Let's see how some of my complaints from 2 years ago fare today.
Let's revisit my list from September 24, 2008: (original list in standard print and my new comments in bold print)
-Let's see, the iPhone lacks A2DP-what do you know, so does the G1!
Now all Android and iOs phones support this.
-3.5 mm headphone jack-oops iPhone has that one!
Also pretty much standard on all phones now.
-No video playback! They are counting on a 3rd party to add this functionality to their "app store". Apple has this more than covered, their iPod app is brilliant
Both platforms now support this natively and via 3rd party apps.
-Speaking of their app store-it is totally unregulated. Should be filled with viruses and 25 flashlight apps for the grand opening! Apple takes a lot of heat for their app store policing, it is done for a good reason.
This one is pretty much still true. Apple highly regulates their app approval process while the Android Market is full of a lot of crap. Despite the regulation, arguably the app store is full of crap too.
-No desktop app to sync the phone! iTunes, 'nuff said
Still exactly the same limitation! HTC has an app that works with select phones but there is no unified application to handle syncing. This is still a major shortcoming of the Android ecosystem.
-No exchange support built in-iPhone +1
Now built into both platforms.
-No integrated memory. Granted it has a micro SD slot but c'mon iPhone has a minimum of 8GB, eventually it will reach 32GB. Don't forget the phone is not $179 after buying your memory card anymore.
Many Android devices now include integrated memory, so this problem is no longer relevant.
-No multi-touch! How do you bring out an iPhone competitor without one of its most brilliant features?
Now supported on many Android phones.
-Finally the design is just awful. iPhone is the benchmark in elegant and useful phone design.
A matter of opinion but there have been many aesthetically pleasing Android devices since the G1 debuted.
Let's revisit my list from September 24, 2008: (original list in standard print and my new comments in bold print)
-Let's see, the iPhone lacks A2DP-what do you know, so does the G1!
Now all Android and iOs phones support this.
-3.5 mm headphone jack-oops iPhone has that one!
Also pretty much standard on all phones now.
-No video playback! They are counting on a 3rd party to add this functionality to their "app store". Apple has this more than covered, their iPod app is brilliant
Both platforms now support this natively and via 3rd party apps.
-Speaking of their app store-it is totally unregulated. Should be filled with viruses and 25 flashlight apps for the grand opening! Apple takes a lot of heat for their app store policing, it is done for a good reason.
This one is pretty much still true. Apple highly regulates their app approval process while the Android Market is full of a lot of crap. Despite the regulation, arguably the app store is full of crap too.
-No desktop app to sync the phone! iTunes, 'nuff said
Still exactly the same limitation! HTC has an app that works with select phones but there is no unified application to handle syncing. This is still a major shortcoming of the Android ecosystem.
-No exchange support built in-iPhone +1
Now built into both platforms.
-No integrated memory. Granted it has a micro SD slot but c'mon iPhone has a minimum of 8GB, eventually it will reach 32GB. Don't forget the phone is not $179 after buying your memory card anymore.
Many Android devices now include integrated memory, so this problem is no longer relevant.
-No multi-touch! How do you bring out an iPhone competitor without one of its most brilliant features?
Now supported on many Android phones.
-Finally the design is just awful. iPhone is the benchmark in elegant and useful phone design.
A matter of opinion but there have been many aesthetically pleasing Android devices since the G1 debuted.
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Nice thread revival.
I bet you didn't predict that Android would be kicking iOS's a** in sales, availability, and features.
Even the Woz predicts market domination for Android.
-EDIT-
BTW, Itunes sucks and definitely isn't an 'advantage'. Even the manufacturers who have their own interface apps (Samsung has Kies, I forget what Motorola's is called) find that they are rarely, if ever used. Android syncs and updates OTA and all you need is a simple USB cable or SD card reader to get media/data on and off the phone. No proprietary cables or buggy software needed
I bet you didn't predict that Android would be kicking iOS's a** in sales, availability, and features.
Even the Woz predicts market domination for Android.
-EDIT-
BTW, Itunes sucks and definitely isn't an 'advantage'. Even the manufacturers who have their own interface apps (Samsung has Kies, I forget what Motorola's is called) find that they are rarely, if ever used. Android syncs and updates OTA and all you need is a simple USB cable or SD card reader to get media/data on and off the phone. No proprietary cables or buggy software needed
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Um, wrong. There isn't a single Android phone that is outselling the iPhone. Yes, the 120+ different models on multiple carriers are collectively outselling the 2 iPhones on one carrier here in the U.S., but if you want to compare "collectively" then again, no, Android OS is not outselling iOS either (iPhones, iPod Touches, iPads.)
So, either way, you are wrong and just trolling... But it is also not the quantity, it is the quality and more importantly, the user experience and THAT is what iOS and Apple in general has always been about. This topic has been so beaten to death over and over, do we really need to get into again...
As for the "Woz" quote, he was taken out of context (of course) and he immediately contacted Engadget with the following update:
TS, besides re-answering your questions, you should explain if T-Moblie is still blowing it on their phone selections when compared to the rest...
@infoware: Tarzanman is a troubled android fanboy that likes to start flame wars on the iPhone forum, so just ignore him...
@infoware: Tarzanman is a troubled android fanboy that likes to start flame wars on the iPhone forum, so just ignore him...
