Yesterday T-Mobile released the "G1", which is the first cell phone to be based on Google's new mobile operating system, Android. Now, some people seem to think, or would like to think, that this is finally an iPhone "killer". But a quick look will show that the G1 has hardly stepped on the iPhone's toes, let alone killed it.
Now, I obviously haven't actually seen one in person yet, but here are my first impressions:
Pros:
Touch screen
Real internet
Wifi capable
Slide out keyboard
Runs Android OS, which is open source so anyone can develop any kind of application
3 megapixel camera
Cut & Paste
MMS
Cons:
Cost - $179 (You'll see why this is expensive in a minute)
Only 1 GB of memory???
No Exchange support
Only plays DRM free music (and no iTunes support)
Slide out keyboard (more moving parts, higher likelihood of breaking)
Does not support standard headphone jack
Looks tacky, IMO
Somewhat bulky
No native video player
Open source potentially creates compatibility issues with applications
Now, being an iPhone user myself, I'm glad to see some competition, as hopefully this will make Apple develop some new features. BUT, the more I find out about the G1, the more it seems to be just a souped-up phone, and not an actual smart phone. Compared to an iPhone, or even a Blackberry, the G1 is greatly lacking, IMO. Especially when you consider the business world. With no Exchange support this phone won't even get in the door for the corporate world. However, to their credit, they touted the G1 to be more of a consumer device than a business device.
In summary, if you're looking for a potentially cool and fun toy, then go for it, get the G1. But if you're looking for a true smart phone, and a more practical solution to every day tasks, go with the iPhone (or at least a Blackberry).
3 years ago
2 comments:
i'd like to see more about the actually user interface of Android. I think this is really what makes makes the iPhone so remarkable. It absolutely KILLS all other phones in it's ability to provide a pleasant end-user experience. It's almost like aliens landed and offered a whole new way at looking at phones and internet.
So I think if Android is going to stand a chance it needs to have a very slick UI.
Agreed. When the iPhone first came out I remember Steve Jobs saying that the iPhone was five years ahead of the competition. At the time I was like,
"Yeah right. It's cool, but five years? That's a long time as far as technology is concerned. I could see maybe two or three years, but he's exaggerating with five."
Well, after all the hype about this G1, and now seeing the end product, I think he might be more right than I thought he was. I guess once I see a G1 in person I can make up my mind once and for all. But after looking online and reading about it, I'm less than impressed so far.
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