gizmodo.com — Following only two months behind iPhone 2.0 (but at a significant installed-base disadvantage), Android still has a long way to go. But there is definitely some early potential. Here's the favorite apps of the year.
Dec 26, 2008 View in Crawl 4
theliDec 27, 2008
Google doesn't make hardware.
Closed AccountDec 27, 2008
What next level? So far all I've seen from the Android is crappy battery life, mostly shoddy software (though admittedly some very interesting things as well), and T-Mobile's spotty service in the northeastern US.
burritoDec 27, 2008
It's a first generation product. They are always overpriced and shoddy.
fuckinloginDec 28, 2008
In terms of hardware spec can you name a single one that is better on the iPhone compared to the G1? It's more ugly, that's for sure, but it has better hardware and is more functional.The only thing I can think of is no multitouch on the screen. But the screen is actually a Synaptic screen just like the iPhone and iPhone 3G. The hardware is capable of multitouch, it's just commented out in the driver code. If you recompile that it does multitouch fine. The reason it is not enabled is that while Synaptic owns patents for multitouch technology, Apple has managed to convince the retarded US Patents Office that they own "gestures"... So no phone can use simple natural gestures like moving two fingers apart to zoom or pinching without the threat of Apple suing. With more multitouch capable phone coming out next year, it's only a matter of time before this ridiculous patent is challenged in court, however.
fuckinloginDec 28, 2008
Wait another couple of weeks when apps can be charged for, then you'll see more apps from the contest (not all of them are on the Android Market yet) and other apps who's devs have been holding out until they can charge for apps on the 15th of January.
fuckinloginDec 28, 2008
The GPS/aGPS on G1 is actually pretty good I have found (at least in London where I live). I don't even enable the GPS most of the time, the wireless network triangulation usually is enough to find my location with a decent accuracy. Right now I am indoors and it places me right outside on the other side of the road 10-15m from where I actually am.Turning on the GPS (outside, since it needs a clear view of the sky) makes the location more accurate usually. Comparing to my friends' Nokia N95 and iPhone 3G, I seem to get better results.The only issue with GPS on G1 is that it drains battery life faster when it is ON all the time. But personally I find I can track my location quite accurately when I use it to go around areas I am not familiar with or for location-aware apps.