Comments on: A new phone: Terrible timing? http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/ Coming soon in three dimensions Tue, 23 Aug 2011 03:46:56 +0000 hourly 1 By: PB http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-2910 PB Thu, 28 May 2009 15:41:28 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-2910 The Borg is waiting! Resistance is FUTILE!!! The Borg is waiting! Resistance is FUTILE!!!

]]> By: Dan http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1899 Dan Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:01:09 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1899 Linux has a FUSE filesystem for supporting iPhone/Touch. I haven't used it, so I can't vouch for it. That said, I really enjoy the G1. I live in an area where T-Mobile beats ATT coverage, and a cheaper plan is nice. Battery life when using 3G is bad for every phone. G1 is bad because so many things can be doing background radio access, unlike the iPhone. Linux has a FUSE filesystem for supporting iPhone/Touch. I haven’t used it, so I can’t vouch for it. That said, I really enjoy the G1. I live in an area where T-Mobile beats ATT coverage, and a cheaper plan is nice.
Battery life when using 3G is bad for every phone. G1 is bad because so many things can be doing background radio access, unlike the iPhone.

]]> By: Steve http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1895 Steve Mon, 20 Apr 2009 23:03:24 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1895 I'd vote for the G1, because I've got one. The device, although not as "shiny" as the iPhone, is cheaper (by a lot) and the service is cheaper (by a lot), and the functionality is pretty awesome. I really dislike Apple's proprietary stranglehold on the iPhone, iTunes, the app store, etc. Android is taking a really different approach, and I think it's just begun to gain momentum. If you're *really* into 'droid, then you could buy a dev phone, and go unlocked, get user builds of pre releases, etc. All this stuff is fun, if a bit time consuming. I think the real issue today (for either iPhone or G1) is whether you get locked into a 2yr contract or not. In 2 years, I'm 100% certain that there will be a much cooler iPhone and several much cooler Android powered devices out there. Heck, the whole market will have changed in 24 months. So, consider that: If you had to purchase the phone outright and go without a contract, which would you choose? This will give you more freedom in the future, for sure! I’d vote for the G1, because I’ve got one. The device, although not as “shiny” as the iPhone, is cheaper (by a lot) and the service is cheaper (by a lot), and the functionality is pretty awesome.

I really dislike Apple’s proprietary stranglehold on the iPhone, iTunes, the app store, etc. Android is taking a really different approach, and I think it’s just begun to gain momentum.

If you’re *really* into ‘droid, then you could buy a dev phone, and go unlocked, get user builds of pre releases, etc. All this stuff is fun, if a bit time consuming.

I think the real issue today (for either iPhone or G1) is whether you get locked into a 2yr contract or not. In 2 years, I’m 100% certain that there will be a much cooler iPhone and several much cooler Android powered devices out there. Heck, the whole market will have changed in 24 months. So, consider that: If you had to purchase the phone outright and go without a contract, which would you choose? This will give you more freedom in the future, for sure!

]]> By: Andrew http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1855 Andrew Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:47:06 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1855 Corey: Such would definitely be ideal. I was under the impression from what I read that the unlocked phones were limited in using Amazon for music and in buying paid apps in the App Market. Could you confirm that with your colleagues? If so, that might be my winner! Corey: Such would definitely be ideal. I was under the impression from what I read that the unlocked phones were limited in using Amazon for music and in buying paid apps in the App Market. Could you confirm that with your colleagues? If so, that might be my winner!

]]> By: corey http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1854 corey Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:28:12 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1854 Get an unlocked android: http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/google-offers-unlocked-android-developer-phone-for-399-2008129/ then you can just use AT&T still. There are a couple of guys in my office that use them and they love it. A ton of integration points, and easy to run off of...one of the guys got mono running on it(since our software runs on Mono) Get an unlocked android: http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/google-offers-unlocked-android-developer-phone-for-399–2008129/ then you can just use AT&T still. There are a couple of guys in my office that use them and they love it. A ton of integration points, and easy to run off of…one of the guys got mono running on it(since our software runs on Mono)

]]> By: Bill http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1833 Bill Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:22:15 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1833 to be honest, I can't think of one reason not to. to be honest, I can’t think of one reason not to.

]]> By: Andrew http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1832 Andrew Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:21:45 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1832 ...and as many reasons not to. :) …and as many reasons not to. :)

]]> By: Bill http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1831 Bill Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:15:49 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1831 There are many other reasons to jailbreak my friend... There are many other reasons to jailbreak my friend…

]]> By: Andrew http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1830 Andrew Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:35:57 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1830 ...only by jailbreaking, which I'm still not sure I'd want to do. Apple makes it impossible to circumvent iTunes "properly", and while I understand the reasoning, I'm not convinced I want to hack my phone just to do something I think I should be able to anyway. :) …only by jailbreaking, which I’m still not sure I’d want to do. Apple makes it impossible to circumvent iTunes “properly”, and while I understand the reasoning, I’m not convinced I want to hack my phone just to do something I think I should be able to anyway. :)

]]> By: Bill http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1829 Bill Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:15:06 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1829 You only need iTunes to update and backup the iPhone. There are ways to put music on it without using iTunes... You only need iTunes to update and backup the iPhone. There are ways to put music on it without using iTunes…

]]> By: Andrew http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1828 Andrew Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:04:23 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1828 Donald: I should've specified: One of the big things I want to do with my next PDA is to replace my (dying, decrepit, etc.) music player. So being able to drop my music on my PDA is nigh essential, and basically, the process with the iPhone would be as follows: [ahem] <block>Create a virtual machine, connect it to my host OS with USB, install Windows/iTunes there, transcode my lossless FLAC audio to MP3/AAC, copy it to the virtual machine, import it into iTunes, and copy it to the iPhone.</block> Needless to say, I'd really like to avoid that. :) Donald: I should’ve specified: One of the big things I want to do with my next PDA is to replace my (dying, decrepit, etc.) music player. So being able to drop my music on my PDA is nigh essential, and basically, the process with the iPhone would be as follows: [ahem]
Create a virtual machine, connect it to my host OS with USB, install Windows/iTunes there, transcode my lossless FLAC audio to MP3/AAC, copy it to the virtual machine, import it into iTunes, and copy it to the iPhone.
Needless to say, I’d really like to avoid that. :)

]]> By: Donald http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1827 Donald Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:00:05 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1827 I would say get the jPhone, but wait until after June. If they come out with a new phone it'll be then. Either way, 3.0 will have background apps and a slew of other things we should have had from the beginning. I can survive easily without jailbreaking. Plus it gets a lot of attention from Google and integrates well. The only thing is I don't know how you'd run it off Linux. I would say get the jPhone, but wait until after June. If they come out with a new phone it’ll be then. Either way, 3.0 will have background apps and a slew of other things we should have had from the beginning. I can survive easily without jailbreaking. Plus it gets a lot of attention from Google and integrates well. The only thing is I don’t know how you’d run it off Linux.

]]> By: Andrew http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1822 Andrew Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:37:37 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1822 Bill: You more or less convinced me that T-Mobile wasn't dismissable out of hand; otherwise I'd have little doubt. So it's sort of your fault I'm so conflicted. :P Joshua: I haven't seriously thought about Palm in years; while the Pre seems like a big step forward for them, I'm more or less avoiding Palm's products these days (and definitely avoiding Sprint/Nextel). Bill: You more or less convinced me that T-Mobile wasn’t dismissable out of hand; otherwise I’d have little doubt. So it’s sort of your fault I’m so conflicted. :P

Joshua: I haven’t seriously thought about Palm in years; while the Pre seems like a big step forward for them, I’m more or less avoiding Palm’s products these days (and definitely avoiding Sprint/Nextel).

]]> By: Joshua Blount http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1821 Joshua Blount Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:25:03 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1821 Have you thought about the Palm Pre at all? In the demo videos, they've seemed pretty sharp, and it'll be out shortly. Have you thought about the Palm Pre at all? In the demo videos, they’ve seemed pretty sharp, and it’ll be out shortly.

]]> By: Bill http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1819 Bill Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:15:25 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1819 I vote iPhone. I understand that it is not open source, but jailbreaking will allow you to do most of what you can't do with it normally. With the 3.0 firmware that is coming out you will be able to run background applications. It seems that they are responding to peoples demands, they added copy and paste as well as MMS in the new firmware. That said, there are rumors of another version coming out in June, so I would wait till at least then to see if that pans out or not. If you don't want to switch from AT&T then I agree, you will be waiting a while for an Android phone on their network, especially since they are trying to extend the exclusivity deal with Apple. For what it is worth, T-Mobile has been building out their 3G network in the major metro areas so the argument about their network not being as big is getting smaller. I now have coverage where I never did before. Hope this helps, see me for more insight if you like. I vote iPhone. I understand that it is not open source, but jailbreaking will allow you to do most of what you can’t do with it normally. With the 3.0 firmware that is coming out you will be able to run background applications. It seems that they are responding to peoples demands, they added copy and paste as well as MMS in the new firmware. That said, there are rumors of another version coming out in June, so I would wait till at least then to see if that pans out or not. If you don’t want to switch from AT&T then I agree, you will be waiting a while for an Android phone on their network, especially since they are trying to extend the exclusivity deal with Apple. For what it is worth, T-Mobile has been building out their 3G network in the major metro areas so the argument about their network not being as big is getting smaller. I now have coverage where I never did before. Hope this helps, see me for more insight if you like.

]]> By: Andrew http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1818 Andrew Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:55:07 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1818 Sarah: Way to play up both sides; THIS IS NOT HELPING. :P Sarah: Way to play up both sides; THIS IS NOT HELPING. :P

]]> By: sipes http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1817 sipes Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:53:32 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1817 The Borg is waiting! Resistance is FUTILE!!! The Borg is waiting! Resistance is FUTILE!!!

]]> By: sarah hay http://andrewski.net/2009/04/a-new-phone-terrible-timing/comment-page-1/#comment-1816 sarah hay Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:49:40 +0000 http://andrewski.net/?p=343#comment-1816 i have tmobile and like them quite a bit for the most part...a few dropped calls here and there, but honestly it's not much different than when i had verizon...and it's WAY cheaper!!! i have to say, you can't beat "favorite 5", and now you can get a home phone line through them for 10 bucks a month and all calls you make from your home even on your cell phone (i'm 99% sure this includes your cell phone too) aren't counted towards your minutes. can't beat it! i also have the itouch...just like the iphone w/out the monthly rate and on-demand internet...and i love it. i don't know how it would do as a phone too, but the itouch is the best toy i've ever purchased. lol i have tmobile and like them quite a bit for the most part…a few dropped calls here and there, but honestly it’s not much different than when i had verizon…and it’s WAY cheaper!!! i have to say, you can’t beat “favorite 5″, and now you can get a home phone line through them for 10 bucks a month and all calls you make from your home even on your cell phone (i’m 99% sure this includes your cell phone too) aren’t counted towards your minutes. can’t beat it!

i also have the itouch…just like the iphone w/out the monthly rate and on-demand internet…and i love it. i don’t know how it would do as a phone too, but the itouch is the best toy i’ve ever purchased. lol

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