Anyone else have a G1 / another android phone? (G1 Review )

[Pu-239]

I got my T-Mobile G1 three weeks ago (couldn't wait for MyTouch/HTC Magic and wanted a physical keyboard) and rooted it last weekend due to crappy performance on stock firmware, as well as a space crunch due to apps not fitting into internal memory. It takes SD cards, but in the stock state there's no ability to install apps on SD. Currently running Cyanogen 3.9.12 firmware


The pluses seem to be that it's more flexible than the iPhone in an unhacked state due to lack of app store restrictions (eg one can get a tethering app), and a wide variety of custom ROMs if one does root the G1/MyTouch. The app store seems to be okay (haven't used my sister's iPhone and bought anything to tell). One can run apps in the background, which is useful for apps like Google Latitude, the Locale app which performs various actions based on location, and MMS exists (although I've never had use for this). Google Voice exists but I've found this to be rather useless as I can't forward my voicemail due to being on a prepaid plan and T-Mobile being retarded about this, and I'm unwilling to change my phone #.

Disadvantages seem to be that performance sucks; even rooted w/ custom firmware which fixes issues w/ memory leaks and enables swap to reduce apps being suspended in the background, it doesn't seem as smooth as the iPhone. Rooting is almost required due to the lack of space on the G1 for apps (improved somewhat in the mytouch). Build quality isn't up to spec w/ the iPhone (obviously), and there is no multitouch (doesn't seem to be that big of a loss though) . T-Mobile signal isn't great, although I've had mediocre experiences w/ AT&T as well, so it's a crapshoot. The main gripe is performance.

Overall, I'm pretty pleased w/ the phone.

[JointStrikeFighter]

iPhone has MMS and tethering now.

[Stark]

I await every shortcoming of Android phones being waved away as 'teething issues' and 'oversights' and 'unnecessary features' while iPhone is pilloried for anything a given person doesn't like. AU telcos don't even provide iPhone visual voicemail!

Because Apple is evil, and Google is good. Right guys?

It's interesting you've got memory issues; they seem to be endemic in the iPhonealike market (and of course the iPhone has more than enough memory issues of it's own). I'm sure this is a useful review to the 99% of users who'll never hack the firmware on their phone.

[Sarevok]

Why does every discussion about smartphones must revolve around iPhones ?



Back on topic. As I understand both Symbian and Windows Mobile are terrific platforms. The biggest problem is that they are heavily closed source. Even when coding native Symbian or WM apps there is serious limits on what you can do. I was excited by Android because Google promised "openness" where nuts and bolts of the underlying OS is exposed for the brave and the foolish developer. How well have they delivered on that promise ? Also Android is new so current number of apps built for it must be low. How well does Android handle existing j2me apps ? Does it have seamless support like Nokias and Sony Ericssion or just crappy one like Windows Mobile ?

[JointStrikeFighter]

Every windows mobile phone I have used (dozens) sucked absolute balls.

[Resinence]

Why would anyone want to use phones as ugly as HTC's lineup, and to boot most of them are underpowered and Androids interface looks like ASS. Windows mobile should have stuck to PDA's, it's shit.

[Sarevok]

Top end Windows Mobile phones are nearly as powerful as full blown desktops from few years ago. What makes you think top end models like HTC phones are underpowered ?

[Stark]

Interface lag, maybe? PS, prove a HTC (for example) is equivalent to a lowend C2D in some way.

I'm actually not sure what the attraction to windows mobile is anyway outside of tight exchange integration (which is pretty fucking marketable but near useless for many people).

[MKSheppard]

I have one; and there are some nice full speed (or nearly full speed) emulators for it for the Genesis, SNES, NES, and GBA. Speed is acceptable to me.

My biggest issue is that they seem to have high failure rates -- they're very hit and miss when it comes to surviving stuff; my first one cracked it's screen simply by being in it's leather case in my pocket; while my second survived an accidental drop to the floor. Course that second one had it's battery totally die a few months in.

[General Zod]

Interface lag, maybe? PS, prove a HTC (for example) is equivalent to a lowend C2D in some way.

I'm actually not sure what the attraction to windows mobile is anyway outside of tight exchange integration (which is pretty fucking marketable but near useless for many people).

I wouldn't be surprised if one of the main attraction was "It's not Apple".

[Stark]

That in itself is a marketable, but near-useless feature.

But I hear having illegal emulators = phone is good? The iPhone emulators are surprisingly good given the disability they get with the controls (although amusingly may app makers just can't work out how soft sticks work).

[Stark]

Ghetto - how does Android handle application marketplace? I'm curious about DRM and support on an open platform (although until it gets more penetration it's probably moot).

[Pu-239]

Why would anyone want to use phones as ugly as HTC's lineup, and to boot most of them are underpowered and Androids interface looks like ASS. Windows mobile should have stuck to PDA's, it's shit.

Here's some screenshots of my phone, looks fine to me (looks better on the phone than screenshots on the monitor for some reason though, probably since the dot pitch is higher on the phone).

[Pu-239]

Interface lag, maybe? PS, prove a HTC (for example) is equivalent to a lowend C2D in some way.

I'm actually not sure what the attraction to windows mobile is anyway outside of tight exchange integration (which is pretty fucking marketable but near useless for many people).

I wouldn't be surprised if one of the main attraction was "It's not Apple".

Normal android phones aren't really entirely open (otherwise there'd be no reason to have to root them). DRM support for apps does exist- the phone is supposed to be "open" in that anyone can write stuff for it w/o approval from google or paying fees to get the SDK, not in that one can do anything w/ the phone (although w/ rooted/dev phones one effectively can). Haven't bothered to look at how effective the DRM is, since I purchase apps legally (most are cheap around 1-2USD, some are fairly expensive like the GPS app, but I haven't bothered to get that yet). As number of pay apps aren't DRM protected, it appears this is optional (which is nice, since every time I update to a new incompatible firmware I have to redownload the DRMed apps which becomes a pain).

App selection is okay; I have about 50 apps installed on mine, not all necessarily useful though (metal detector?).

The useful/cool ones that don't come w/ the firmware seem to be:
Last.FM - Internet radio thing
Wikitude - augmented reality using camera, GPS, compass (but doesn't work really well due to lack of landmarks in Fairfax, VA
Azilink - Tethering over USB (one is not really supposed to use tethering on T-Mobile data plan, but...)
Locale- Changes various phone settings depending on location like wifi, brightness, etc.
Barcode Scanner- Self explanatory
Where's My Droid- Disables silent upon receipt of special text message, optionally returns location via GPS.
Math Alarm Clock (Pay, 0.99USD) - Solve math problem in order to turn off alarm
SnapPhoto Pro - Uses accelerometer to attempt to get a stable camera image (G1 camera still sucks though)CCoo
ConnectBot - SSH Client
Astrid - RememberTheMilk reminder client w/ locale integration.

Still waiting for the rumored Facebook app though. And no really good client-only multi-protocol IM client (I"m a bit leery of Meebo and others that require your IM account passwords). I'm currently making do by having my own server act as an AIM->Jabber transport for me to talk to AIM over gtalk.

[Stark]

I have to lol at return addresses on phones. The iPhone has like ninety-two apps about telling people who you are to return it. It's absurd.

App-wise I'm curious how they'll approach sale/DRM - is it a store, or does it have a pc-based installer for whatever (ie, is it like an iPhone or like a jailbroken iPhone ). It amuses me that G1 ALSO has apps that make the shit camera less shit.

[MKSheppard]

App-wise I'm curious how they'll approach sale/DRM - is it a store, or does it have a pc-based installer for whatever (ie, is it like an iPhone or like a jailbroken iPhone ). It amuses me that G1 ALSO has apps that make the shit camera less shit.

There's an online marketplace that you download things from. No need for PC installer.

[Pu-239]

Stuff like Azilink have to be downloaded though, since obviously tethering apps are officially a no-no. That's really the only example I can think of, since even apps explicitly for rooted phones are on the market.

[Pu-239]

Also Android is new so current number of apps built for it must be low. How well does Android handle existing j2me apps ? Does it have seamless support like Nokias and Sony Ericssion or just crappy one like Windows Mobile ?

It doesnt have any support natively, although there seems to be an app on the android market for it. J2ME apps suck though, there seem to be a fair number of android apps for most purposes (other than a good multi-protocol IM client that doesn't go through 3rd-party servers - using jabber to route gtalk through AIM for my purposes.).


Layar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b64_16K2e08
seems to be a fairly cool app that just became available in the US. Something the iPhone doesn't have (Although from what little I've played w/ it, not that useful other than the gimmick aspect)

[Sarevok]

There are a few J2Me apps that are very vital. Such as Opera Mini for instance. If I were to get to an iPhone it would be very crucial for me and others in my region since unlimited data plans still cost considerable extra money. Browsing the web on Internet Explorer or Opera burns through account balance quickly. I imagine the same is more or less true for Androids provided browser.

Also the IMing problem would completely dissappear with good J2Me support. There are tons of multi protocol applications for that. I use mig33 myself.

[Stargate Nerd]

There are a few J2Me apps that are very vital. Such as Opera Mini for instance. If I were to get to an iPhone it would be very crucial for me and others in my region since unlimited data plans still cost considerable extra money. Browsing the web on Internet Explorer or Opera burns through account balance quickly. I imagine the same is more or less true for Androids provided browser.

Also the IMing problem would completely dissappear with good J2Me support. There are tons of multi protocol applications for that. I use mig33 myself.

There's a version of Opera Mini for Android. I don't know if it's custom made or J2Me though.

As for the HTC Android phones, so far I'm underwhelmed because either they're unwieldy and clunky (G1) or lack a physical Keyboard (Magic & Hero) or introduce WinMo's "laggyness" to Android (Hero).

Looking forward to what Motorola and Sony Ericsson make out if it.

[Pu-239]

There's supposed to be a new firmware update to Hero which increases performance.

I really don't think the G1 is that clunky, although the hard bodyglove shell I put on it certainly makes it so.