Well, here I am three weeks in to owning the new G1, and while tech blogging is something that I haven't really done in the past, since I have fallen in love with the phone (and as we will see later, really the software stack) I feel obliged to do a bit of proselytizing. First, because I have your best interests at heart (audible guffaw ensues) and second, because this may be a stock entry in all .blogger accounts, you wouldn't know would you? (You probably need to know Google owns this blogging client to get that joke).
As will be dealt with later it is a common misconception about the device itself, and perhaps amongst the coveted (my) demographic where it is most pervasive, that is the most confusing to the tech neophyte amongst us. So, assuming you still exist (how is North Dakota?) this starter-graph is for you. ANDROID and the G1 ARE DIFFERENT ENTITIES FOR MANY REASONS.
*Recover*
A (probably unnecessary) primer/exercise of egotism:
-Android is Google's open source, free SDK, mobile (for now) operating system that has been on everyone's mind since late in 2007. (See the timeline here.) This Operating System (OS) is the core, and basis for the G1 and all future "Gphones."
-The G1 is a phone devo-ed by HTC in coordination for Android's release as the vehicle to run the OS that Google has developed.
....Essentially, the "Gphone," as has been bandied about, is a bit of a misnomer. While the phone was done in coordination with Google, essentially it was made to harness the power of the 1.0 release of Android. The buzz around the "Gphone," is a manifestation (perhaps an outgrowth) of the current fanboy status of the Iphone in my opinion(In the effort of full disclose I am of these boys). Discussed mainly as a competitor to the Iphone, the market (and us) got extremely caught up in anticipating THE HARDWARE (ie the phone) that was to give us Android. We were told more about the Gphone than Android. This was a natural reaction, chiefly because we have bought phones for the phone sake, not the software's sake unto this point (Save for, arguably, the Iphone & Blackberry, hence the popularity therein).
Thus, by holding the G1 in your hand you hold a phone holding the true fruits of Google's labor (Android) and, for the following reasons, that is a beautiful thing.
1.) Why Android is such an interesting proposition, as I see it.
Remarkably, there seems to be those amongst you that seem to be indifferent to my various rantings and rambles and while I do advocate
Android is incredibly intriguing for several reasons and some of them are why you may not be all that excited about Android out of the box, but should be thrilled by the fact that it is out in the wild/in your hands.
A.) Android is completely open source. While at first the code source was not available, now it is. Android is completely open for devo and FOR FREE (there, I said it twice). This is exciting in strong opposition to the Draconian regulation of the Apple App store that has led to articles like this, truly sad indeed. Android, and by extension, the HTC Dream do not distinguish between core and third party applications. What does this mean for you? Well, if you don't like the functionality of User Interface (UI) of how your phone dials out, download something else and use that. Don't like how you send texts? Download something. Surely, you see the trend but this is just the start. True, traditionally that is exciting, but what, perhaps, is the most exciting is what is not yet thought of for the phone (deep I know). No phone/OS has allowed Developers, for free mind you, to simply re-write the entire phone using all of it's power. For lack of a better example, App's could exist that simply turn the G1 into a television...there really is no limit. Score one for the Gilmore Girls.
B.) This means that the phone that you took out of the box, while final and complete, is really a product in beta. As I will admit below, some of the native app's and process are not blindingly fun or powerful, however it was released this way on purpose. THEY CAN ALL BE REBUILT. Google, unlike Apple, understands that long-term growth and sustainability come from ingratiating yourself to the big players...i.e. big business and software and hardware designers:
a.) The Iphone is a wonderful product in the proud tradition of all recent Apple products. Complete seamless and intuitive UI with hardware second to none. That is why I am currently typing on a mac. However, by marketing to end-consumers with sexy high-end products, while extremely profitable right now and being the OVERALL business goal, of course, this does leave Apple open to the most simple of product ethos. They (the consumers) will eventually buy something else. Of course, I concede that Apple could easily and foreseeability continue to make products this wonderful and to innovate. I know they are hyper-aware of this principal, but their hands are tied in some respects. Their handsets are fun to use, wonderful but while still being adopted by business' at an astounding rate, they are not yet integral.
b.) How do you get integral? Just ask Microsoft. How do you think they have been able to hang (dominate) around so long despite everyone hating them with reckless abandon? Its simple, they are rooted in. They are Wall Street (notably not Detroit) they cannot fail, they must be used because they are so inherent to the computing environment. I believe Google knows this/is taking that route with Android. Of course it is fun to use, etc. but the real appeal,right now, is for developers. A free SDK and OS backed by Google. This is exciting for free (and in the future once the Android Market becomes proprietary) a person/company can rise to star status with no shackles on computing resources.
c.) This is also appealing to the hardware designers depending on the BIG IF. That if is, and the entire success turns on this, the software must develop critical mass of use. To demand apps and functionality there must be users, but if it gets there (and this is why it may have been a misstep for them to leave end users so aggressively wanting more on the initial release) the appeal to manufacturers is large. Developing phones in the past has meant software devo issues. No longer, make a phone, flavor Android to you liking (which in this postulate has millions of believers) and you have a product.....this is an invaluable. This gaining of ground and staying power seems to be enhanced by Google's reputation and financials.
d.) A minor point (but not in the long term sustainability of the OS) is the adoption by business. RIM capitalized on being a professional grade smartphone that syncs well and is functional. Conceivably, why not Android?
2.) Next,a scatter-shot review of the HTC Dream, G1 with Google.
It is a fun gadget to use and the layers of functionality keep pouring themselves out as I use the phone. It seems to grow in intuitiveness with every use. Essentially, as you would anticipate, the real strength of the phone is in the power of Google. Their strong presence in the Cloud is unmatched and perhaps insurmountable (sorry Mobile Me).
THE SOFTWARE, et. al.
Set-up was a, pardon the pun, dream. You simply sign in with your Google account (if you don't have one, set-up is slightly longer as it is compulsory + you want to if you own the phone) and configuration takes about 30 seconds. The phone comes pre-loaded with Gmail, Google Maps, Google Docs, Google Contacts, etc. If you are already using these, lucky you. If you weren't, like me, good luck making the switch. The migration assistant/process from anything (notably Exchange) to Gmail and the subsequent contacts is pretty horrible, but do-able. There are several FAQ's and tutorials over at www.talkandriod.com and www.likehacker.com which are two of my favorite sites.
The push from the web to your phone is what is simply stunning and will get you to swear your allegiance. Often I receive Gmail's on my phone seconds before my comp and when you read them or reply to them in either location it is reflected on the other. Perfectly synced.
An Additional cool-ity. If you are calling someone whom you have emailed, and their contact info on Gmail lists their phone number, the G1 imports all of the information INCLUDING their Gchat photo when you are calling, pretty neat.
FEATURES:
Standard with a 1(one)gig MicroSD card (upgradable to 16) the slot is located on the "chin," of the phone. There is a trackball in concert with 4 other buttons bringing the total count to, a slimmer than the number would indicate, five. The phone is nothing if it is not "usable," from all angles. It has touch-screen, trackball, and many more ways to navigate. This may seem cluttered but I find it pretty easy to navigate and almost over-ergonomic.
QWERTY key board is full and hard and the slide out function is sturdy with the keys a bit soft and perhaps too flush with the homeboard.
Camera is 3 MP and functions mainly in landscape mode which compels you to hold the phone like a real camera by virtue of the button location. This is a nicety. Given the right light it takes some decent photos like:
(..ain't she beautiful?)There is no soft-key keyboard yet but several apps have one for certain functions and it is really only a matter of time until it comes around, until then, it is not missed by this user. I preferred the G1 over the Iphone, initially anyway, because of hard keyboard.
The device's 3g network is spotty as of yet, I am assured (like I would be) that it is being upgraded as we speak. Which may be T-com speak for "up-yours," (which is what T-Mobile translates to from the German) but a guy can hope.
The touch screen itself is REMARKABLY crisp and responsive. A "long-press," is the equivalent of a right click and thus there IS (drum roll ) copy and past functionality.
Overall I find the phone to be user-friendly, exciting and intuitive. I think you'll find it this way also, but the real value is in the future. I understand sitting on the sidelines for now. Unless you want to Google Talk with me, which I assure you, is not pleasant.
-AJS
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