The T-Mobile G1 (Google/Android) Phone.

[swanie]

As long as the price point comes in at the $149 range, I will most likely jump on the Dream/G1 bandwagon.

Outside of the BB Pearl, T-Mobile doesn't have anything remotely interesting in the smart phone category, so I'm willing to give it a try. I can't beat my rate plan so I won't switch carriers and the rumored data plans certainly sound reasonable. The T-Mobile folks didn't seem to be all that enthused about the Kickstart and with my phone on it's last leg...I don't think I can wait for the Javelin.

The G1 does have some neat features. Have any of you checked out the video of the google maps compass feature? It is a very cool GPS feature. It isn't an iPhone, but I wouldn't shell out the money for an iPhone rate plan. It seems to be a decent compromise and a nifty little toy...provided that it works.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by swanie

As long as the price point comes in at the $149 range, I will most likely jump on the Dream/G1 bandwagon.

Outside of the BB Pearl, T-Mobile doesn't have anything remotely interesting in the smart phone category, so I'm willing to give it a try. I can't beat my rate plan so I won't switch carriers and the rumored data plans certainly sound reasonable. The T-Mobile folks didn't seem to be all that enthused about the Kickstart and with my phone on it's last leg...I don't think I can wait for the Javelin.

The G1 does have some neat features. Have any of you checked out the video of the google maps compass feature? It is a very cool GPS feature. It isn't an iPhone, but I wouldn't shell out the money for an iPhone rate plan. It seems to be a decent compromise and a nifty little toy...provided that it works.

Of course there is the little issue that so far no one has been able to confirm that the G1 will in fact have GPS capability. It is noticeably lacking from the list of features provided so far by T-Mobile.

[katiesue]

so then if you just post every time you have an issue it'll be fixed. No problem.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Moonliner

By that logic a Motorola Razr would be the phone for you. It's the number one selling phone in the US. The iPhone is only the fourth or fifth best selling phone in the US depending on which source you credit. So you would get better support from the masses if you had a Razr.

I know you were responding to ISM on this point, but having THE most popular phone (or whatever) is not important to me. I prefer something that is at least sort-of common, but having the #1 is irrelevant to my decision.

Further, one cannot compare the Razr to a smart phone (such as the iPhone, Android or the T-Mobile MDA that I currently use).

Originally Posted by Moonliner

But yet you want the iPhone. Why? I assume it's because you want the value added features, in short: Data. Internet access, email, maps, and all that jazz. Which is where the Android should (in time) trounce the iphone.

And the (fill in the blank) was going to trounce the iPod.

Originally Posted by Moonliner

Why does the PC which is arguably technically inferior to the Mac still dominate the market? Why do over 90% of business run Windows and not OS X despite the incredible number of flaws in windows (no matter which version you are talking about)?

Before you give your answer, I will give one of mine: because corporate IT decision makers don't want to change. They know MS. It would be too expensive to change an entire corporate IT structure.

Originally Posted by Moonliner

It's the applications. Hordes of them. Millions of them. Every bloody thing you would ever want to use a computer for has a Windows application. Office tasks, manufacturing, shipping, medical, etc.. It's all there. That is why PC's are ubiquitous and that is why the Android will (in time) roll over the iPhone. Apple tries to control development. You have to be approved to sell your application at the apple store. Apple chooses for you. Google on the other hand, is offering $10,000,000 in prizes for anyone that comes up with cool Android applications.

And it is millions of applications that I don't need. And out of those millions of applications, a large number of them are buggy, incomplete pieces of crap. In my computing lifetime, there have only been three applications that have required a PC. One was a program that Susan needed for her Pampered Chef business (which she is no longer in), one is for her sewing machine, and one is for creating an index from PDF documents (and it has got to be one of the most inelegant programs I have ever used!). For every other need in my life, the Mac has worked just fine!

Although I haven't checked in a while, the most "mobile" applications were available for the Palm platform: by the logic given, one should invest in the (antiquated) Palm.

Also, while not a perfect solution (and Apple does sometimes go a little overboard with it), I like that Apple is selective about the third-party apps that go on the iPhone. This helps ensure better stability.

The smart phone I have been using for the last two years has been an unstable POS. It is not unusable, but definitely problematic. I know of three people with the same (or in one case, newer model) phone and they all report the same issues.

The single biggest reason I like Apple products is this: they work. Yes, there have been some hiccups along the way (I don't EVEN want to discuss the Performa line), but overall, I have enjoyed a stable computing environment. It is a computer that works for me, not vice-versa. I know there are people who enjoy building and tinkering with their computers (you and CoasterMatt come to mind, and I am sure there are others on this board and in this world), but I am not one of those.

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I've liked T-Mobile, but their policy of customers having to maintain a separate deposit account in order to have access to directory assistance really pisses me off.

I am not sure what you are having to deal with: I use their Directory Assistance all the time without having to have a separate account: I use it the same way as I have with other carriers. Yes, I am charged for it (I am too lazy to use the Google number), but I do not need to keep a separate deposit account. You must have really pissed someone off!

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

And the (fill in the blank) was going to trounce the iPod.

I'll make you the same offer I did ISM. I think the iPhone is a popular product and it's not going away any time soon but like the Mac vs the PC, the iPhone will be a small percentage of the overall market vs Android. In fact I think Apple wants it that way. It helps preserve the elitist image.

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

Before you give your answer, I will give one of mine: because corporate IT decision makers don't want to change. They know MS. It would be too expensive to change an entire corporate IT structure.

Sure that's the case now. But let's not forget, Apple was first to market with a personal computer. The PC eclipsed them due to open standards for hardware and software. I maintain the Android phone will do the same thing for the same reason. I do however agree that the other "iPhone/iPod killers" were strictly posers. I wonder if Apple will take out full page ads welcoming Andriod to the market...

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

The single biggest reason I like Apple products is this: they work.

That would be the primary reason I won't be jumping on the Android band wagon just yet. I don't want a phone that goes wonkers on me when I need it. I'll give it some time to prove itself.

[BarTopDancer]

Touching on the Corporate IT point - it scares me how many people can barely operate a PC. One thing goes wrong and they freak out. Having to access something a slightly different way caused mass confusion and near meltdowns.

I could not see Macs in the every day business world simply because there isn't enough people who are know how to use them or would be comfortable learning the OS.

[BarTopDancer]

I think that as long as ATT is the only provider that carries the iPhone within the US the iPhone will not be able to maintain a viable lead in sales. ATT service (coverage and customer) just isn't good enough throughout the entire US when it comes down to it.

If the iPhone is released onto Verizon's 3G network it may very well overtake anything else out there for non-corporate users.

[Alex]

Plus, I've never seen any evidence (an my own household anecdotal history certainly provides contrary evidence) that Macs are any more stable than PCs, the user just tend to be too busy having design-induced orgasms to complain about the physical failures.

Yay, platform wars.

[€uroMeinke]

I read the article in Wired on this before buying my iPhone and wondered if I should hold out. But Google is in a win-win situation, they're already making money off the iPhone since Google is the default search engine. Also I've found some of the Google integrations to be the best - good for the Android product I imagine. Maybe it'll have cut and paste?

I ultimately went for the iPhone becasue it was a known quantity, but I had the same Hitachi that Kevy had with T-Mobile and came to really like that phone despite it's quirks.

[CoasterMatt]

LoQ systems has an app like that in the pipeline.