Posts tagged G1
My Life With The Nexus One (or, How I Became a Rabid Android Fanboy)
Mar 11th
It was almost like Christmas, and I was an 8 year old boy again. Only it wasn’t Christmas and this wasn’t a puppy I had found under the tree. It was just after Valentines Day and this was a brown cardboard box in my hands. This brown box was a gift from The Greatest Girlfriend In The World, and it was my drug of choice… a brand new gadget. But it wasn’t just any new gadget; it was a Nexus One.
And now it was mine.
I feel as though I have joined a club… When encountering another Nexus One owner, we both readily whip out our phones to share any tips or tricks (did you know that speech to text recognizes supercalifragilisticexpialodocious?). I don’t see this camaraderie with any other type of device. Sure, while some would say that Apple/iPhone users share a bond, I’d go so far as to say that it’s more like a cult with His Holiness Jobs looking down from on high instructing his minions on what to do. I have made friends with people in other cities, states, and even nations… simply because of our shared ownership of this handset.
Might We Suggest…
Minor G1 Update Happening Right Now
Mar 1st
A minor update to the T-Mobile G1 started to trickling out late last week. Designed only to improve call performance, Android 1.6 update (DMD64) should be complete by the middle of March. All flavors of the myTouch 3G including the Fender Edition have already received this update. If you own a G1, look for your notification over the next two weeks.
Might We Suggest…
The Future of MotoBLUR, Sense and TouchWiz
Feb 17th
Android is on the verge of earning the moniker “the future of the mobile operating system.” Although it is still in its infancy, the Android platform currently operates on nine handsets in the U.S. Five of the nine handsets, the G1, the MyTouch 3G, the Moment, the Droid and the Nexus One, run the standard version of Google’s mobile operating system. The remaining four, however, run operating systems that are customized by the device’s manufacturer. The Hero and Eris run HTC’s Sense, the Cliq runs Motorola’s MotoBLUR, and the Behold II runs Samsung’s TouchWiz.
Prior to the release of the Nexus One, and more importantly Android 2.1, these custom operating systems were incredibly appealing, and may still be to some users. The standard version of Android, prior to version 2.1, featured a measly three home screens, and to many was very bland. I, for one, had no interest in Android until HTC’s Sense UI debuted. HTC Sense expanded the number of home screens from three to seven, added useful widgets, and completely altered the theme of the operating system from a white, playful theme to a clean, black and grey theme. MotoBLUR also features a number of custom widgets and social-oriented theme to differentiate itself from “vanilla” Android.
The release of Android 2.1 raises an important question: What is the future of the manufacturer customized versions of Android? Android 2.1 is a vast improvement over previous versions of Android. Since it has been discussed ad nauseam, I will not go in depth into said improvements here, but cards and added home screens come to mind. Furthermore, these manufacturer customized versions of Android fracture the fledgling mobile operating system. Currently, the Hero, Eris, Cliq and the like run Android 1.5, the G1 is runs 1.6, the Droid runs 2.0, and the Nexus One is runs 2.1. Some may not consider that to be an issue, but there are a number of applications, specifically widgets, that are unavailable for Android devices running Android 1.5 or 1.6. I fear that Android, if it remains fractured, may find itself in the same position as Windows Mobile.
While writing this editorial, I spoke with our insightful Editor-in-Chief to get his opinion. He posed an interesting question: How does a handset manufacturer differentiate its product without a manufacturer customized operating system? Hypothetically, without a customized operating system, the only differentiating characteristics would be the phone’s design, the screen size/resolution, and the phone’s internal components.
I have decided to stick with Sense UI in the future because you always have the option to turn off Sense UI. Regrettably, upon turning it off, you are most likely going to find yourself stuck with an antiquated version of Android. Ultimately, consumers will decide the fate of these manufacturer customized operating systems.
What say you, loyal readers of AndroidGuys.com?
Might We Suggest…
Non-Google Android Languishes in Obscurity
Feb 13th
So I have several G1’s, a myTouch 3G, two Motorola Droid’s, and just one Archos 5 Internet Tablet. While, certainly no expert, I have been using Android the week the G1 was released and was following it before it was a Google acquisition and the only device that I have chosen to not keep is the Archos 5 Internet Tablet.
Let’s begin. The A5 IT debuted with Android 1.5 and has just gotten a critical update to 1.6 that added global search, widgets, and other system updates but mobile phones are marching their way towards Android 2.1. Even though, I enjoyed the novelty of the A5’s ARM Cortex 800 MHz processor and 800×480 4.8 inch screen I could not get over not having Google applications like Gmail, Contacts, Voice, Maps, Market and the almighty sync feature for my Google ID. And don’t even get me started on Archos’ AppsLib.
So even when I tried to use the native e-mail application I had to either manually enter my contacts or load them via USB from my PC, not a good solution when you have as many as 1,600 contacts or more. And even though the A5 has GPS it doesn’t have Google Maps so you are forced to use the maps application that has flaky GPS connectivity and dubious directions at best.
Archos is rumored to deliver the new A7 Internet Tablet soon and Camangi released their WebStation to minimal fanfare and even worse reviews. Can non-Google survive in the wake of Nexus One’s, Droid’s, and Hero’s? I don’t think so. Without Google apps and sync ability, the plain Android OS is just like any other OS. Is it open, is it still Android, can dev’s write for it? Yes, yes, and yes. Is it useful for everyday consumers without Google apps/sync? Not really.
When we pick up and use Android phones, rooted or not, we are accustomed to the fact that we can just enter our Google usernames and passwords and get all of our critical data back. I flirted with a TouchPro 2 recently and without Google sync it was not useful. Ditto for non-Google Android.
Is this just my opinion or do you think vanilla Android will survive or is it just a hobbyist’s dream platform?
Might We Suggest…
Need for Speed
Feb 12th
You know all those Android phones out there running on the same 528Mhz processor? Well, they’re about to get some help.
DroidDog and Engadget are reporting that Myriad Group AG, a new member of the Open Handset Alliance, has introduced a brand new high performance virtual machine yesterday, named Dalvik Turbo that would replace the standard Dalvik engine that Android currently uses to run applications. From Myriad’s website:
Dalvik Turbo increases application execution speed by up to three times ‐ allowing OEMs and operators to bring smoother delivery and more complex applications to Android phones, while also providing substantial battery life improvements when running resource intensive tasks. It also enables developers to take full advantage of Android, allowing them to create games boasting advanced graphics and complex models while retaining full compatibility with existing software.
I don’t know about you, but my HTC Hero on Sprint could really use this boost, not to mention those of you with G1’s. I’m excited to see what this could mean for getting even more life out of your Android phone as newer versions are released. It would be great if this were included in any 2.1 updates rolling out this year, but it’s not likely. At least not for the 2.1 update for Droid is rumored to be coming this week. ‘Substantial battery life improvements’ should really get you going too as that’s by far one of the biggest complaints of modern smartphones.
We’re sure to hear more about this soon, especially with the Mobile World Congress coming up in Barcelona from February 15th-18th.
Might We Suggest…
G1 & myTouch 3G Get a Speed Boost
Feb 8th
I never get tired of talking about the awesome stuff that Eugene has his hands in. G1 and myTouch 3G owners can now make their devices go over the previous top speed of 528 MHz. In the pic you can see that Eugene now has the processor passing up 600 MHz like yesterday’s news. According to him, the processor can run stable at 628 MHz. Leave it to Eugene to do what “they” said couldn’t be done before. Now he’s shooting for 800 MHz, but unsure about the stability. Possibly more later …
Thanks Eugene!
Update: New pic added, 780 MHz seems to be the max this CPU can handle on battery power. Good work Eugene.
Might We Suggest…
Winner of the Rooted G1 Retweet Giveaway
Feb 3rd
Congratulations to Leslie W. of Cerritos, CA, who just earned himself a hacked phone with nothing more than a tweet! I’m not sure what the next giveaway will be, or when it will begin, but we’ll put *something* cool together. Stay tuned to DroidDog and follow me on Twitter for updates.
Thanks for your support, Leslie!
This post shares tags with:
