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55 Comments
- psion01, on 04/06/2009, -2/+18Wasn't Android going to smash the strangle-hold the carriers had on the cellphone market? I miss that early enthusiasm and wish the market was such that any carrier that expected to charge you for transferring ring-tones or photos between your smartphone and PC would get laughed into Chapter 11.
- TheWilder, on 04/06/2009, -0/+14I think the stranglehold a handful of carriers have on the market is just going to hold back the open-source vision Google had for Android. The OS will not be able to live up to its potential if carriers don't share the same vision that Google does.
- fugeelama, on 04/07/2009, -1/+9What's wrong with T-Mobile? Granted I live in an area where their 3G coverage is at least as good as AT&T but in the 3 years I've been with them I've never had a problem with customer service or coverage/reception.
- NUMBER4940, on 04/06/2009, -4/+12I'm all for Google, but I'm not willing to switch to T-Mobile. So, I hope this will bring an Android handset to either AT&T or Verizon.
- MattB123, on 04/07/2009, -0/+7"Google has removed a third-party tethering program from the App Store, blocked users from installing custom firmware on carrier-subsidized handsets, and imposed limitations on App Store accessibility for users of unlocked developer handsets."
This sounds like they really caved to me. Too bad!
Samsung's proprietary connectors and accessories also piss me off. I had a decent phone from them but it had a stupid charge/usb/headset connector that wasn't even compatible with my wife's Samsung phone of a slightly different model. I won't consider them again unless they ditch that kid of BS. - Dankoozy, on 04/06/2009, -3/+9Android isn't really 'open'. You need a sploit to get root access and the firmware image is encrypted so only those approved by google and the carriers can be uploaded to your phone.
sadly in America everyone still thinks you need to buy the phone through a carrier and nobody has even heard of an unlocked phone or even a SIM card - yocouchdigga, on 04/07/2009, -1/+6Android is ***** awesome.
- Gizza, on 04/08/2009, -0/+5If their hardware is great, and the software is Android, then what's the problem?
- geodebug, on 04/07/2009, -0/+5Carrier and 3rd party restrictions make it sound a lot like what I don't like about iTunes and my iPhone.
- DCstewieG, on 04/07/2009, -0/+5"...the platform's growth has been stifled by cautious carriers who aren't ready to cede control or allow Google to disrupt the status quo."
This should surprise no one, least of all Google. - robdiggity, on 04/08/2009, -0/+4Wha-huh? There are many GSM carriers in the US, all of which (must) use SIM cards. T-Mo. ATT. Prepaid Mom & Pop networks, and MVNOs.
Hell, you can even (illegitimately) get an RUIM phone working on Verizon and Sprint if you know what you are doing and/or have help. - robotfriendly, on 04/07/2009, -1/+5T-Mobile's lack of 3G is a huge deal to a lot of people. Their 3G roadmap is on par w/ AT&T and Verizon's 4G roadmap. Definitely behind the times.
- lowe0, on 04/08/2009, -0/+2Hell no. Read the article - Sprint is going to ***** this up royally. By the time they're done, it won't even be recognizable as Android. Unless they let you un-Sprint-ify the phone, he's not going to get anything that remotely resembles the G1 on Sprint.
- ilgaz, on 04/08/2009, -0/+4No matter what OS it runs, Samsung is not a company you should buy a smart phone from. Not Windows, Symbian or upcoming Android.
Smart Phones really need vendor support, experience, Desktop multiplatform support. Samsung has none of them. They may provide excellent hardware but hardware isn't everything. - lowe0, on 04/07/2009, -0/+4Not a chance. The G1 is a GSM/HSDPA phone; Verizon is a CDMA network.
- quarando, on 04/07/2009, -0/+3I am really happy to hear this. I think Android is a strong platform and I will be in the market for and Android phone next year. So far there is no indication that Android will be available on AT&T or Verizon, however. This is a shame because I have AT&T and would like to renew with them if they can get their act together and pick up a decent Android based phone.
I am willing to switch if needed, however. - Samohtneas, on 04/07/2009, -0/+3My question is which two American carriers are getting them? My contract with Alltel (Verizon at this point) is up this month next year, and I am contemplating moving to another carrier. It said Verizon is open to the idea, but I'm tired of all this political mumbo-jumbo style answering that come down to "Maybe but we're not sure."
- murrdpirate, on 04/08/2009, -0/+3I think that's more true than most people care to admit, but I do think Google cares about more than just money. The two owners are still heavily involved in the company and I get the impression they are not completely focused on just money. It seems like their approach is to push boundaries, create great products, and money will come, in contrast to most companies that try to determine what will produce the most profit. We'll see how long that lasts though.
- hootenanny1, on 04/07/2009, -2/+4I had that Samsung 900-something iphone-like phone with Windows Mobile for a day a few weeks ago. I felt like using the digg bar in black little case :D I've never seen a more complicated or stupid to use operating system on a cell phone, so way to go to choose Android over Windows. And yes, I am a Windows user on my desktop PC, hell yeah, I even like Vista!
- HanSolo69, on 04/08/2009, -0/+2The G2 is supposedly coming to Verizon. Vodafone is releasing it internationally, but is expected to bring it stateside via Verizon.
- Samohtneas, on 04/07/2009, -0/+2I'm with you, but I'm still considered an Alltel user. The best we have is the Delve, besides a few Blackberries. But who doesn't carry standard Blackberries?
- anthropodeus, on 04/07/2009, -0/+2for an example of how much verizon sucks when it comes to phones: my first verizon phone was a Motorola SLVR. AT&T had it for over a year before it was ported to Verizon, and in the process, it became both thicker and bogged down with Verizon's ***** OS. a real disappointment.
- vitriolix, on 04/08/2009, -0/+2Thats because its fundamentally different. when apple decides you can't have an app, you can't have it. On Android you can install an all from any of the 5-6 app stores or directly from the web browser. The only thing google did here was pull the tethering app from *t-mobiles* app market, not everyones.
- inactive, on 04/07/2009, -0/+2@Number4940
I'd guess the two Android devices would come to T-Mobile and Sprint, as they're both part of the Open Handset Alliance. - Cpt0bvius, on 04/07/2009, -0/+1Old news, samsung announced this the end of last year.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/19/samsungs-androi ... - quarando, on 04/07/2009, -1/+2Yes, but they are going to sell mainstream linux phones. This is a big opportunity for open source. If you boycott Android handsets from any company that has dealt with Microsoft we just may end up with Windows dominating yet another market.
Maybe paying MS for patent protection was a mistake, but selling and promoting Android is the right thing and we should support it. - mrBitch, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1RE: "...wish the market was such that any carrier that expected to charge you for transferring ring-tones or photos between your smartphone and PC would get laughed into Chapter 11."
This is another reason why iPhone was such a big deal when it was released, not only was the UI very different, but Apple had negotiated that they could upload photos and ringtones (via iTunes) to the iPhone for free.
I guess this also why it's taken so long for MMS to come to the iPhone, Apple had thought that if you provide a phone that allows you to send photos (for free) via email, why would anyone want to be charged for sending photos via MMS ? - Emachine, on 04/07/2009, -0/+1Hopefully we'll finally see some Android phones in Canada soon..
- inactive, on 04/07/2009, -0/+1Probably T-Mobile and Sprint, as they're both members of the Open Handset Alliance.
- inactive, on 04/07/2009, -2/+3the sentence that started with "granted..." is your answer. For many areas, T-Mobile's coverage is a joke.
- RyeBrye, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1android requires no desktop support (well, except to develop for it - but not for users)
- ig88b1, on 04/07/2009, -0/+1yah, but verizon does have better service. atleast around here (new hampshire)
- Gizza, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1The US really sucks for phones. Here in Australia it is a against the law to sell a phone that can't be unlocked and is tied to a single provider.
- Midnitte, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1Having to do that to get root access is due to the carrier not google or the phone developer, in fact you can get the developer phone for like $50 more so...
- mrBitch, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1Just be happy that Apple was able to negotiate with AT&T that you would be able to upload your own ringtones and photos for free. AT&T wanted to be able to charge you for that.
- ilgaz, on 04/09/2009, -0/+1Theoretically, Symbian or even iPhone (with recent enhancements) doesn't need Desktop support too but at some point, you may need it or feel better with it.
Trust me on that, having phone backed up in hard disk or easily editing phonebook entries with real keyboard or even basically iSync your contracts makes you feel better.
The company didn't code a single byte of OS X support. Never, ever even including iSync plugins which even a beginner developer (or even script kiddie newbie) can code with free XCode.
They are also supposed to ship Symbian S60 phones but somehow all the S60 apps fail on them, Developers go nuts about lack of support from them. Now things are changing but if we speak about a smart phone now, we must compare it to a recent Symbian or iPhone.
They even released their high end Omnia with beta operating system/firmware. - alamko1999, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1buy the developer's phone even if your not a developer
- DarkShroud, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1Cell phone providers usually slape their own GUI/interface over Windows Moble. That's part of the problem with the OS.
- Elranzer, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1Since the Palm Pre is coming to Sprint (first), you could always get it activated under Verizon technically, since they're both CDMA.
- ig88b1, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1Sprints service sucks here too. My girlfriend has sprint, and shes always using my cell because hers has no bars.
- geodebug, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1Yeah, though I've used iToner so it hasn't been an issue either way. Paying for ringtones of songs you already own blows. I just make my own custom one.
- Elranzer, on 04/08/2009, -0/+1A mobile OS shouldn't be limited to one carrier (T-Mobile, like iPhone is on AT&T).
Thank science that Windows Mobile and Palm OS (the only useful mobile OSes) are available on all carriers. - JesusSaidSo, on 04/07/2009, -1/+1My contract with my current carrier has expired. Once I see a decent Android phone on the market, I'll switch to a different carrier.
- inactive, on 04/07/2009, -2/+2There are other companies to purchase Android phones from, no need to support one of Microsoft's bitches.
- smashblu, on 04/07/2009, -1/+1Damn Verizon, I should switch to T-Mobile, but people tell me the service stinks. No way I'm going back to Sprint either.
- inactive, on 04/07/2009, -4/+4they all share the EXACT same vision as Google. To maximize profits.
The only thing about you that Google gives a ***** about is how much money they can eventually extract out of you. I cannot believe you still have some ridiculous notion that Google has some benevolent mission in life. - lemur, on 04/07/2009, -0/+0Switch to Sprint.
- hootenanny1, on 04/08/2009, -0/+0It looked pretty Windows to me...
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