The android kicks ass (HTC G1)

[ohgood]

Ever since the g1 was rumored, I wanted to give it a shot. Awesome interface, awesome app store (lots of freebies! ), awesome hardware ... gps, 3g, wifi, smoooooth touch screen, qwerty keyboard, the list is so long.

They're finally starting to show up on craigslist on the cheap-ish. I picked one up this week, and am amazed. How the hell did they cram all this hardware into such a small package ? All this software into such a small memory ? Lastly, why the HELL do laptops such so bad comparitively ?

**********
I'm a big mac fan, but this operating system (android) makes mac seem like windows 95 vs Leopard. No, really, it's that smooth.

what, no mention of linux ? we all know that's what i'm pushing here anyway !

It really is an awesome machine. If you are in the market for a new pda/cell/mini-pc, check it out. You can thank the developers

[respite]

Ive been wanting an open source phone for a while now. I was excited about the openmoko neo phone, but development seemed to bomb. Thanks to google there is finally a good linux phone on the us market.

You can get the htc g1 for 100 bucks off amazon if you sign a new service contract. Too bad my at&t contract continues until december. Im going to break down and buy one.

[Bluesmudge]

Blah, my mom has a G1 and I think its garbage. The entire phone is far too cramped and slow, especially the tiny keyboard which is useless in the dark and impossible to type quickly or correctly on. Its better than some touch phones and I'm sure if I owned one I would get used to it, but its no iphone.
I'll stick with my blackberry circa 2004  for basic tasks (phone, email, texting) its actually faster.

[spc]

I'm an apple nut and LOVE my iPhone, but the G1 is a nice little machine.  I messed with one right after they came out and it was leaps and bounds past any other iPhone competitor.  Still wouldn't trade.       BTW, the rumor mills say  a G2 and an iPhone hardware update are due this summer   I'm gonna go broke buying iPhones

[Toogoofy317]

I like my little LG VU! LGVU.com what an awesome web site. This thing is soo much fun to hack! Tons of games and apps that folks have put up on the site! The TV is kewl too. Enjoy watching Comedy Central!

Mary

[ohgood]

Ive been wanting an open source phone for a while now. I was excited about the openmoko neo phone, but development seemed to bomb. Thanks to google there is finally a good linux phone on the us market.

You can get the htc g1 for 100 bucks off amazon if you sign a new service contract. Too bad my at&t contract continues until december. Im going to break down and buy one.

ya man. i just knew that someday the neo1972 (for anyone that cares) was going to be THE end all phone. it had so much potential

maybe someday it can be revived. android is leaps beyound it now, and has the CASH to keep on rolling. i bought mine off a fella on craigslist. it was cheap, but i'm not saying how cheap !

Blah, my mom has a G1 and I think its garbage. The entire phone is far too cramped and slow, especially the tiny keyboard which is useless in the dark and impossible to type quickly or correctly on. Its better than some touch phones and I'm sure if I owned one I would get used to it, but its no iphone.
I'll stick with my blackberry circa 2004  for basic tasks (phone, email, texting) its actually faster.

i'll agree the phone could use a change in ergonomics. mine isn't slow... i've heard some applications (and firmwares) can be slower than others. as far as in the dark, the keyboard is backlit, and quite useful, ime.

oh man, comparing a blackberry (or treo) to today's touch screens is unfair. they do so much less, and so much faster ! i have a blackberry coming this week for resale, but i'm not giong to say which model

if you love the iphone, wait till the Palm Pre comes out. Ya, I know, palm, but look at palm's website. This thing is apple like beautiful !

as far as iphone vs the world, the reason i don't want an iphone is how locked up and unopen it is. i love macs, love the ease of use and security, but they're so locked down.

[bill14224]

I'm going to sound like a dinosaur, I just know it.

What's wrong with surfing or computing on the computer, talking on the phone (or the computer), and listening to music on the stereo (or the computer)?  I have all that stuff already, and I don't need any more pricey service contracts that will confiscate my children if I lose my job and can't pay.

[ohgood]

I'm going to sound like a dinosaur, I just know it.

What's wrong with surfing or computing on the computer, talking on the phone (or the computer), and listening to music on the stereo (or the computer)?  I have all that stuff already, and I don't need any more pricey service contracts that will confiscate my children if I lose my job and can't pay.

ahh yes. the anti-contract guy. i am him, too. i won't sign a contract to services, won't allow the phone company access to my checking account (HOLY shaZam! BATMAN, THATS DUMB!), and won't give anyone my social security number. anyone. as far as buying a phone THROUGH the service provider, no, i won't do that either. this phone is 2nd (or third) hand. as is my car, truck, bike, pedal bikes, phones, etc.

i won't enrich a company that can only sell hardware by locking it's low low price to a 2 year contract consisting of allowing permission to rape and pillage the tender box. eff em. i buy used.


this phone, and others (if you want to refer to these awesome computers that fit in your hand) can do all of that, on the go. surfing isn't really so great, but reading the news (new york times, whoevers) while my boring mill takes a 3 hour cut is pretty sweet.

[yamahonkawazuki]

Meh im not a fan of apple os' BUT ive got a few macs and such. i dont hate em except for two things. i cannot gam e on one. if i used an emulator. wouldnt be playable. and no mac versions available. that aside, i am a fan of the htc phones. ive got an older one. and HTC ppc 6700. and love that thing. i text a lady friend of mine on0 it constantly lol . anyhoo sorry for teh threadjack [/threadjack]

[Bluesmudge]

Considering how many apps there are for the iphone, I don't care that it's a closed system. In fact, since I'm cheap and won't pay the iphone contract I want to get an itouch so that I can make use of all those cool apps and keep using my ancient blackberry for phone stuff (and reading GStwin.com wherever).

There is a backlight on the G1 keys but it seems really dim, and the spacing on the keys is just far too close together for me. I don't think I have very large fingers either. That's my main problem with it. It does a few things very well -- like skype for example. And general web browsing seems just fine (I just miss the speed of zooming in and out that I've felt on an iphone). The home screen is beautiful and I like the user interface.

Macs, yeah I love them. Not good for gamers but there are enough games. I for one only need one good game and it will last me years. Heck, I still play starcraft (looks around guiltily). I have COD2 and Battlefield 2142 and Quake 4 on my mac. Good games I guess, but just not as fun as classics like starcraft or halo that I play all the time. Yeah you can't buy every game and play it on the maxxorzed out settings but that's not the user apple is trying to capture. If you have a new mac you could run windows on it to play all the new games. That's what I used to do before I realized I didn't care enough.

[ohgood]

Considering how many apps there are for the iphone, I don't care that it's a closed system. In fact, since I'm cheap and won't pay the iphone contract I want to get an itouch so that I can make use of all those 1) cool apps and keep using my ancient blackberry for phone stuff (and reading GStwin.com wherever).

There is a2) backlight on the G1 keys but it seems really dim, and the spacing on the keys is just far too close together for me. I don't think I have very large fingers either. That's my main problem with it. It does a few things very well -- like skype for example. And general web browsing seems just fine (I just 3) miss the speed of zooming in and out that I've felt on an iphone). The home screen is beautiful and 4) I like the user interface.

Macs, yeah I love them. Not good for gamers but there are enough games. I for one only need one good game and it will last me years. Heck, I still play starcraft (looks around guiltily). I have COD2 and Battlefield 2142 and Quake 4 on my mac. Good games I guess, but just 5) not as fun as classics like starcraft or halo that I play all the time. Yeah you can't buy every game and play it on the maxxorzed out settings but that's not the user apple is trying to capture. If you have a new mac you could run windows on it to play all the new games. That's what I used to do before I realized I didn't care enough.

1) crackberrys rock. insanely rock. really ! preach it !
2) try using the on screen keyboard (which is a really good interface anyway) and you'll go back to that small, dim keyboard with joy and happiness
3) 'cupcake' update has zooming, on screen keyboard, backup utility (full phone, OS and all), and a few dozen other awesome things
4) the interface is ownage. complete and total ownage of mobile operating systems. imagine a desktop UI as intuitive. it would own also. we can dream, can't we ? apple ? hello ? paying attention apple ?
5) i'm concerned about my lack of fun via gaming. i don't own one single game. sure, i've downloaded a few, but they bore me quickly. maybe a wii with 1000 games on it could keep me interested. no. not really. i need message boards, craigslist, and ebay. dammit !

good points, very good points and comparisons !

[jserio]

i have a cellphone for making phone calls/texting and a computer for well, computing. whatever may fall into that category. (email, research, post-whoring etc).  is there really a need for them to be combined? seriously? or is this more about, "keeping up with the jones's" kinda thing?   

[spc]

I can't count the hours I've killed surfing the web on my iPhone, hell a good chunk of my posts here are from it.  I constantly check AP headlines using their app, get exploded diagrams of weapons for on the fly PMCS at the range, get GPS directions, put a marker where I parked my car, etc.........  I don't know what I'd do without my iPhone.

[jserio]

on a side note, i must say that the rental i had last summer had gps and it was nice to have. i'm thinking of getting one for my car actually.

[ohgood]

i have a cellphone for making phone calls/texting and a computer for well, computing. whatever may fall into that category. (email, research, post-whoring etc).  is there really a need for them to be combined? seriously? or is this more about, "keeping up with the jones's" kinda thing?   

no, cause usually the joneses don't know wthell that new thingy they just FINANCED can be exploited to do

i have a sniping program (ebay) that runs on the laptop at home, and remote into my home laptop from work on my phone. between samba shares (pictures/videos/audio) and ebay/craigslist, i manage to stay awake at work. barely. usually i mean.

the news browsers found on some phones really do rock. and then there's The Onion for the really slow days. Liike tomorrow. 2 hours per cut. Then the grinding. another 2 1/2 hours per pass. then spark out. sheeeeesh i need a new career. :|

[jserio]

i kinda miss being in the machine shop actually. i did have days where all my parts where 45 minutes each. (take, out, clean, rotate to different section of fixture, repeat.....) but then there were days i had 30 second parts. like, it would take me longer to unload the fixture and load it back than it did to do the actual operation. 

[yamahonkawazuki]

i use my 6700 to keep track of my hedge fund shares and such.  may be selling my stake if i make a move in teh future. i liek the apps for that. and my 6700 takes some good ebay photos as well, and has a BITCHING bright flash light