Google Android & different units

[riwiho]

Yet another mobile phone topic......

I am aware the HTC Dream or T-Mobile G1 will be released before long (good reading here) but to be honest I have never been a huge HTC fan and do not really find myself drawn to this unit, it's odd looking not to mention the lack of a standard headphone jack!

I am however interested in Android. The idea of an opensource community of developers working on apps appeals. This interest has probably stemmed from my love for my iPhone that is jail broke and has many bells and whistles to talk about, before any iPhone bashing takes place or comments that I should stick to the iPhone appear I would like to say that I enjoy new gadgets, good or bad, this is why I am interested.

So the main point of the topic. I am struggling to find any information about the other handsets that are going to support Android in the coming months. Are any going to provide a massively different experience to the HTC or should I hang on for an offering from Nokia or Sony?

Thanks

Edited by riwiho on Wednesday 15th October 00:57

[Plotloss]

HTC are merely first to market.

Every hardware vendor in the OHA will bring an Android handset to market, eventually.

[riwiho]

Plotloss said:

HTC are merely first to market.

Every hardware vendor in the OHA will bring an Android handset to market, eventually.

If you were in my shoes would you sit on my hands until an better alternative arrives in X months or dive in and enjoy?

[Plotloss]

I'm already in, just waiting for the bloody thing to arrive.

[tallbloke]

I was in two minds whether to hang out for Android or upgrade immediately. In the end I got a T-mobile HTC touch diamond, not because I'm a fan of windows mobile, but because it can run memory map with a built in GPS.

It's HTC's tilt at the iphone interface, and nearly pulls it off, with gesture zooming, nice finger size icons and a whizzy 520mhz procesor which nearly runs windows mobile quick enough to make it feel seemless.

I like linux though...

[Mobile Chicane]

I've got one in the office - doesn't freakin' work as most of the apps aren't currently supported - but the 'draw a shape' security thingy is rather cool.

[riwiho]

Mobile Chicane said:

I've got one in the office - doesn't freakin' work as most of the apps aren't currently supported - but the 'draw a shape' security thingy is rather cool.

Can I assume the app issue will be resolved for launch and that you issue is only because you have a unit pre-launch?

[rpguk]

tallbloke said:

I was in two

minds whether to hang out for Android or upgrade immediately. In the end I got a T-mobile HTC touch diamond, not because I'm a fan of windows mobile, but because it can run memory map with a built in GPS.

It's HTC's tilt at the iphone interface, and nearly pulls it off, with gesture zooming, nice finger size icons and a whizzy 520mhz procesor which nearly runs windows mobile quick enough to make it feel seemless.

I like linux though...

I've got one of those too (the T-Mobile branded one) but it's nothing like you describe. Maybe a firmware update my do the trick. Wheezy rather the wizzy my one. Hate the bloody thing. And does that funky wheel thing actually do anything?

Does anyone know if android will be able to install over windows mobile? Being OS I would've thought there no reason why not but I've not seen any mention yet.

Edited by rpguk on Wednesday 15th October 10:14

[Podie]

Plotters - you getting the G1 then..?

Picking mine up on Saturday...

[bobthemonkey]

tallbloke said:

I was in two minds whether to hang out for Android or upgrade immediately. In the end I got a T-mobile HTC touch diamond, not because I'm a fan of windows mobile, but because it can run memory map with a built in GPS.

It's HTC's tilt at the iphone interface, and nearly pulls it off, with gesture zooming, nice finger size icons and a whizzy 520mhz procesor which nearly runs windows mobile quick enough to make it feel seemless.

I like linux though...

As I understand it, Android is almost up and running on the 7200 series CPU's so all of the recent HTC stuff, from the Kaiser onwards, android capable.

[Plotloss]

Podie said:

Plotters - you getting the G1 then..?

Picking mine up on Saturday...

[Tycho]

bobthemonkey said:

tallbloke said:

I was in two minds whether to hang out for Android or upgrade immediately. In the end I got a T-mobile HTC touch diamond, not because I'm a fan of windows mobile, but because it can run memory map with a built in GPS.

It's HTC's tilt at the iphone interface, and nearly pulls it off, with gesture zooming, nice finger size icons and a whizzy 520mhz procesor which nearly runs windows mobile quick enough to make it feel seemless.

I like linux though...

As I understand it, Android is almost up and running on the 7200 series CPU's so all of the recent HTC stuff, from the Kaiser onwards, android capable.

XDA Devs have a version running on the Kaiser. Tried it the other day and wasn't impressed, however I will look at a dedicated unit at some point.

[tallbloke]

rpguk said:

tallbloke said:

I was in two

minds whether to hang out for Android or upgrade immediately. In the end I got a T-mobile HTC touch diamond, not because I'm a fan of windows mobile, but because it can run memory map with a built in GPS.

It's HTC's tilt at the iphone interface, and nearly pulls it off, with gesture zooming, nice finger size icons and a whizzy 520mhz procesor which nearly runs windows mobile quick enough to make it feel seemless.

I like linux though...

I've got one of those too (the T-Mobile branded one) but it's nothing like you describe. Maybe a firmware update my do the trick. Wheezy rather the wizzy my one. Hate the bloody thing. And does that funky wheel thing actually do anything?

Does anyone know if android will be able to install over windows mobile? Being OS I would've thought there no reason why not but I've not seen any mention yet.

Edited by rpguk on Wednesday 15th October 10:14

Well I just got back from a lightweight backpacking trip to Spain where I used the t-mobile branded HTC touch diamond for 10 days for GPS mapping, photography, music, radio and even as a phone. It did well all in all. Battery life is low, but I expected that from a unit weighing only 100 grammes. I bought 2 spares and a charger which plugs into USB on a laptop or car lighter adaptor, my solar panel etc.

The funky wheel thing zooms into webpages, photos etc.

Windows mobile is an inherently sluggish overweight operating system. I knew this when I chose the unit. I just adopt a mindset which includes being patient and not repeadedly stabbing at buttons while the thing is catching up.

You wouldn't be able to install android, at least not until the clever linux kids port it to the phone hardware.

[tallbloke]

bobthemonkey said:

tallbloke said:

I was in two minds whether to hang out for Android or upgrade immediately. In the end I got a T-mobile HTC touch diamond, not because I'm a fan of windows mobile, but because it can run memory map with a built in GPS.

It's HTC's tilt at the iphone interface, and nearly pulls it off, with gesture zooming, nice finger size icons and a whizzy 520mhz procesor which nearly runs windows mobile quick enough to make it feel seemless.

I like linux though...

As I understand it, Android is almost up and running on the 7200 series CPU's so all of the recent HTC stuff, from the Kaiser onwards, android capable.

I'd just like a way of being able to boot either system. The lack of an sd card slot doesn't help.

[Podie]

Tycho said:

bobthemonkey said:

tallbloke said:

I was in two minds whether to hang out for Android or upgrade immediately. In the end I got a T-mobile HTC touch diamond, not because I'm a fan of windows mobile, but because it can run memory map with a built in GPS.

It's HTC's tilt at the iphone interface, and nearly pulls it off, with gesture zooming, nice finger size icons and a whizzy 520mhz procesor which nearly runs windows mobile quick enough to make it feel seemless.

I like linux though...

As I understand it, Android is almost up and running on the 7200 series CPU's so all of the recent HTC stuff, from the Kaiser onwards, android capable.

XDA Devs have a version running on the Kaiser. Tried it the other day and wasn't impressed, however I will look at a dedicated unit at some point.

Last I saw it was running as an executable on top of the WM OS.

I had about 30 minutes on a G1 at the weekend, and was impressed with how quickly it responded and how smooth the user experience was.

It's been enough to tempt me away from WM after years of using them...

[Tycho]

What is the GPS like? Most reviews say it is pretty crap. Is the Android Marketplace filling up with decent apps?

[tallbloke]

Tycho said:

What is the GPS like? Most reviews say it is pretty crap. Is the Android Marketplace filling up with decent apps?

Your probably referring to the G1, but I'm happy to report the GPS in the HTC unit exceeded expectations, getting a quick fix even when out of signal for AGPS updates. Less than 10 seconds for reaquisition and less then a minute from cold.

[simonrockman]

Any mobile OS takes a while to find its feet. Apple have done a stunning job and even that doesn't run Java or allow you to have an app that runs while in a call - so you can't do a voice recorder for instance. Windows Mobile and Symbian both took about five years to get sorted. I'd come back to Android in 2012.

Simon

[Podie]

Barring cock-ups at T-Mobiles end, I get mine Saturday - will create a "blog" thread in due course...

[Tycho]

tallbloke said:

Tycho said:

What is the GPS like? Most reviews say it is pretty crap. Is the Android Marketplace filling up with decent apps?

Your probably referring to the G1, but I'm happy to report the GPS in the HTC unit exceeded expectations, getting a quick fix even when out of signal for AGPS updates. Less than 10 seconds for reaquisition and less then a minute from cold.

Yep, I'm getting more and more interested in this now.... Look forward to more in depth proper user experiences here rather than reviews from people who have used it for 10 mins here and there on pre-release kit & sw.