T-Mobile introducing first Android-based mobile handset (live)
T-Mobile is currently holding a press conference to introduce the first mobile phone based on Google's open Android platform.
A Live Feed of the event is available. This article will be updated with notes of interest from the presentation.
Notes of interest
Since Android is an open platform that's extensible by individual developers, Google believes Android phones will be "future proof."
The United States leads the world in voice and text message consumption, yet internet penetrations still lags. Today Google, HTC and T-Mobile are looking to "change all that" with the G1 -- the first Android-based mobile handset.
Some of the G1's interface features:
Long press on touch screen to open up new features or delve deeper into features.
Frame photos and drop them to the home screen.
Drag and drop any application.
Window shade feature allows users to keep applications active, like instant message clients.
Street view and Traffic view in Google Maps.
Compass mode moves Google Map scenes as the user moves.
Global search function searches the entire handset.
On-screen controls for zooming sections of websites.
Multiple websites can be opened simultaneously.
"Long press" for sending email links from the browser.
Android Market has user reviews like the App Store.
Priced below iPhone at $179
G1 will cost $179.
$35 for a data package with unlimited internet and text messaging. $25 for a data package with limited messaging and unlimited data.
Existing T-Mobile customers can order over T-Mobile's site beginning today and have it shipped to them.
G1 will be available in 22 US markets beginning October 22nd from select T-Mobile stores and third-party retailers. Early November for UK, across Europe in Q1 2009.
Hardware features, software features and limitations
Will be SIM-locked to T-Mobile.
Includes Wi-Fi.
Will be available for non-3G markets, but 3G is preferred experience.
Will include Push Gmail and IMAP.
Allows viewing of Microsoft Office documents and PDFs.
No desktop syncing app -- all syncing over the back end and the network.
Syncs well with Google services such as Gmail, Calendar, etc.
Supports Bluetooth handsfree; A2DP coming later.
Dual-band and Quad-band so it will work on any GSM and GPS network in the world.
Built-in accelerometer.
Will include "Chrome Lite" browser based on Webkit.
First implementation of 'online presence' through GoogleTalk on a mobile phone.
Supports AAC, WMA, MP3, but content from iTunes would need to be DRM-free to be compatible.
Google has a focused Android software roadmap for the next two years and will release the platform as open source next month when the first G1 handsets hit the market.
Advertising
T-Mobile will launch biggest marketing campaign for a mobile device ever.
Other
Google expects G1 to be more of a consumer device than an enterprise device -- no Exchange support.
Google co-founder keeps referring to the Android Marketplace as "The App Store."
They're taking a lot of onstage "joint photographs" at random intervals during the press conference -- very odd.
A Live Feed of the event is available. This article will be updated with notes of interest from the presentation.
Notes of interest
Since Android is an open platform that's extensible by individual developers, Google believes Android phones will be "future proof."
The United States leads the world in voice and text message consumption, yet internet penetrations still lags. Today Google, HTC and T-Mobile are looking to "change all that" with the G1 -- the first Android-based mobile handset.
Some of the G1's interface features:
Long press on touch screen to open up new features or delve deeper into features.
Frame photos and drop them to the home screen.
Drag and drop any application.
Window shade feature allows users to keep applications active, like instant message clients.
Street view and Traffic view in Google Maps.
Compass mode moves Google Map scenes as the user moves.
Global search function searches the entire handset.
On-screen controls for zooming sections of websites.
Multiple websites can be opened simultaneously.
"Long press" for sending email links from the browser.
Android Market has user reviews like the App Store.
Priced below iPhone at $179
G1 will cost $179.
$35 for a data package with unlimited internet and text messaging. $25 for a data package with limited messaging and unlimited data.
Existing T-Mobile customers can order over T-Mobile's site beginning today and have it shipped to them.
G1 will be available in 22 US markets beginning October 22nd from select T-Mobile stores and third-party retailers. Early November for UK, across Europe in Q1 2009.
Hardware features, software features and limitations
Will be SIM-locked to T-Mobile.
Includes Wi-Fi.
Will be available for non-3G markets, but 3G is preferred experience.
Will include Push Gmail and IMAP.
Allows viewing of Microsoft Office documents and PDFs.
No desktop syncing app -- all syncing over the back end and the network.
Syncs well with Google services such as Gmail, Calendar, etc.
Supports Bluetooth handsfree; A2DP coming later.
Dual-band and Quad-band so it will work on any GSM and GPS network in the world.
Built-in accelerometer.
Will include "Chrome Lite" browser based on Webkit.
First implementation of 'online presence' through GoogleTalk on a mobile phone.
Supports AAC, WMA, MP3, but content from iTunes would need to be DRM-free to be compatible.
Google has a focused Android software roadmap for the next two years and will release the platform as open source next month when the first G1 handsets hit the market.
Advertising
T-Mobile will launch biggest marketing campaign for a mobile device ever.
Other
Google expects G1 to be more of a consumer device than an enterprise device -- no Exchange support.
Google co-founder keeps referring to the Android Marketplace as "The App Store."
They're taking a lot of onstage "joint photographs" at random intervals during the press conference -- very odd.
Comments
2) I'd like to be able to keep multiple active internet windows open
3) I don't really care about global search but some seem to
4) I don't really care about background processing, which I'm still not sure I'd even want, sometimes people are just a little *too* connected IMO especially considering the drain on both battery and processor capability
Eh well, at least this gets more people away from Windoze Mobile right?
1) The idea that any piece of hardware is "future proof" is laughable.
2) I'd like to be able to keep multiple active internet windows open
3) I don't really care about global search but some seem to
4) I don't really care about background processing, which I'm still not sure I'd even want, sometimes people are just a little *too* connected IMO especially considering the drain on both battery and processor capability
Eh well, at least this gets more people away from Windoze Mobile right?
But will the push work?
iPhone has nothing to worry about. Microsoft has everything to worry about.
Street View Compass Mode is awesome.
http://gizmodo.com/5053612/t+mobile-...?autoplay=true
1) The idea that any piece of hardware is "future proof" is laughable.
2) I'd like to be able to keep multiple active internet windows open
3) I don't really care about global search but some seem to
4) I don't really care about background processing, which I'm still not sure I'd even want, sometimes people are just a little *too* connected IMO especially considering the drain on both battery and processor capability
Eh well, at least this gets more people away from Windoze Mobile right?
Count me as one of those who care about global search. I could do this in 1996 with my original Palm Pilot, but sadly cannot with my iPhone 12 years later.
Ohh, and it has Copy & Paste
copy and paste is something I miss
2) Maybe Apple will learn from Android and the iPhone will improve and catch up. Feature leapfrog between competitors is not the worst possible world.
3) Price competition, too (especially long-term data costs?).
4) How is T-Mobile net service compared to AT&T?
It doesn't work with Exchange and it doesn't support flash.
It only has 1 gig of memory and you need to buy another battery.
Forget it, nobody will buy it.
[/tongue in cheek]
One thing to remember though is that Apple's demo of their push email and syncing services was easily as impressive as this is, but as of yet (for me and many many others), doesn't actually work yet. Apple's mail clients, both on the desktop, in the cloud, and on the mobile are a confusing mish-mash of cobbled together junk for the most part, despite the slick demos and happy-smily help videos on the Apple web site. I wouldn't expect Android to be any different. Likely they only "sort-of" work at this point, just like Apple's stuff.
Also, I notice they do the same thing Apple does which is make the web pages, and the maps load about four times faster in the demo, than they actually do in real life situations, even when you are using Wi-Fi.
Finally, if you watch carefully, the person fingering the interface is being very, very careful with their positioning and pausing ever so slightly with each touch. That is a complete give-away that the touch screen might not be that responsive if they have to handle it so gently.
BlackBerry doesn't have anything to worry about.
Windows Mobile has everything to worry about, because this OS will kill off any hopes they had of expanding into the consumer market, and BlackBerry and now iPhone are eating their business market.
Symbian will probably keep on ticking but I personally feel as if the writing is on the wall, in the long term.
Android is still clearly a very young mobile phone OS, so it is lacking features (cut and paste aside) and shine. I think we should revisit in a year's time to see how they're doing, and what their choices (background apps on a memory, cpu and especially battery limited device!) result in.
Count me as one of those who care about global search. I could do this in 1996 with my original Palm Pilot, but sadly cannot with my iPhone 12 years later.
I used to get over 40mpg on the highway with my 90 civic and here we are today and the brand new civic is listed at 34mpg (http://www.edmunds.com/new/2008/hond...chlanding.html) - wth?!?! it's 18 years later and the fuel economy has actually become WORSE?!?!
Anyway - aside from searching in Safari what would you be searching for? (I really am curious, I can't think of any application other than that).
I was kind of impressed by the videos actually. Android phones are the first phones to have most of the same features as the iPhone and to actually have a few features that the iPhone doesn't have. That being said, I found the interface waaay confusing also. It just wasn't clear what was happening or what was supposed to be done, whereas in Apple's demo videos everything that happens is clear and simple.
One thing to remember though is that Apple's demo of their push email and syncing services was easily as impressive as this is, but as of yet (for me and many many others), doesn't actually work yet. Apple's mail clients, both on the desktop, in the cloud, and on the mobile are a confusing mish-mash of cobbled together junk for the most part, despite the slick demos and happy-smily help videos on the Apple web site. I wouldn't expect Android to be any different. Likely they only "sort-of" work at this point, just like Apple's stuff.
Also, I notice they do the same thing Apple does which is make the web pages, and the maps load about four times faster in the demo, than they actually do in real life situations, even when you are using Wi-Fi.
Finally, if you watch carefully, the person fingering the interface is being very, very careful with their positioning and pausing ever so slightly with each touch. That is a complete give-away that the touch screen might not be that responsive if they have to handle it so gently.
Exactly. What most people don't realize is that one touch screen is not equal to another. The iphone touchscreen is much more sensitive and has a wide dynamic range of pressures which helps it be a lot more accurate than other touch screens, which are basically just on/off. This is just another example of how Apple focuses on the overall package while others focus on how many feature boxes they can check in the add brochure.
the next iphone NEEDS a hardware compass for street view.
Street View Compass Mode is awesome.
Really? Seems like a silly gimmick to me. What's the big deal about swinging around and having the street view move with me? It's actually easier to use your hands to swing around at that point. Especially if I'm looking at the map while I'm walking forward, as I often do when I'm trying to find a place. Why would I want to stop and turn around?
Now street view in general would be a nice addition to the iPhone. And the accelerometer already in every iPhone would make the compass feature very easy to implement. But I don't care if they actually do.
Keep in mind, not all Android phones are going to have an accelerometer. Or a touch screen, for that matter. The hardware will vary from device to device.