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[HamPster PamPster]

Why not get the Nexus One instead? Much newer hardware, better screen, better shell.

Unless a hardware keyboard is the deciding factor?

Hardware keayboard and cost. I have a ipod touch and I HATE the keyboard it has

The thing is a G1 is almost $100 more then Dash 3G (I'm on the plan which doesn't subsidies phones) and the keyboard doesn't seem as nice

But that weird flip out design has grown on me. I'm curious how the hinge, and the phone in general, holds up

 

[MrPliskin]

Well with Verizon the only Android choices atm are the Motorola Droid which is a pretty cool phone with a physical QWERTY keyboard but wish the layout of the keys were spaced it's kind of hard to type without pressing other keys.

And the other phone is the HTC Droid Eris, Verizon's version of the HTC Hero, it has a smaller screen than the Motorola Droid 3.2" vs the Droid's 3.7" and also has lower specs than the Droid.

The phone I'm holding out for on Verizon is either the Nexus One or Verizon's version of the HTC Desire(IMO), the HTC Incredible both will most likely be out in the Spring, hopefully sooner.

Just wanted to come back and say thanks for this I'll pass this info on. Great help man!

 

[panda21]

so i have a dumbass android question and i figure this is the best place to ask it:

- i downloaded a load of apps and now there are these notifications for them having downloaded in my status bar and they arent going away. is there some way i can clear them or will they just go away on their own?

- can i see how much data it has sent over 3g in total somehow? i'm using wireless mostly but i just want to check incase i'm going to go over my data plan and get charged for it, i have no idea how much i'm actually using

i tried googling this stuff but all i get is android developer pages

 

[SimleuqiR]

so i have a dumbass android question and i figure this is the best place to ask it:

- i downloaded a load of apps and now there are these notifications for them having downloaded in my status bar and they arent going away. is there some way i can clear them or will they just go away on their own?

- can i see how much data it has sent over 3g in total somehow? i'm using wireless mostly but i just want to check incase i'm going to go over my data plan and get charged for it, i have no idea how much i'm actually using

i tried googling this stuff but all i get is android developer pages

pull the notification bar down and then hit clear.

 

[panda21]

it pulls down! :O mind blown! thanks

 

[OriginalThinking]

so i have a dumbass android question and i figure this is the best place to ask it:

- i downloaded a load of apps and now there are these notifications for them having downloaded in my status bar and they arent going away. is there some way i can clear them or will they just go away on their own?

- can i see how much data it has sent over 3g in total somehow? i'm using wireless mostly but i just want to check incase i'm going to go over my data plan and get charged for it, i have no idea how much i'm actually using

i tried googling this stuff but all i get is android developer pages

There's an app called net sentry (or alternatively 3g watchdog) that can monitor your downloads on both 3g and wireless. Both are free and allow you to set data limits and refresh dates for your monthly renewal. I prefer the net sentry icon, but i think watchdog has more options.

 

[El Papa]

Hardware keayboard and cost. I have a ipod touch and I HATE the keyboard it has

The thing is a G1 is almost $100 more then Dash 3G (I'm on the plan which doesn't subsidies phones) and the keyboard doesn't seem as nice

But that weird flip out design has grown on me. I'm curious how the hinge, and the phone in general, holds up

I have a G1, pretty early adopter, got a month or 2 after it came out. It's my primary phone.

The keyboard takes some getting used to. It's kinda mushy. I came from the Helio Ocean which had a great clicky, responsive keyboard, so it took me a while to adjust. Once I did it was pretty second nature, and actually, I found the 5 row QWERTY a + over the Ocean's 3 row. The trackball helps immensely, if I make a mistake I can just scroll back a couple steps and correct.

I've put my G1 through a lot of abuse. It's still holding up pretty well. The soft touch back is relatively durable and the hing is, surprisingly, in good shape. I've even gotten the phone wet to the point where the screen glitched out and it still works fine.

Here is the only issue I have with the G1 hardware wise: a few keys on the keyboard are not as responsive as they used to be, specifically the right side backspace and Alt. I blame this on my extended use Wifi tethering with my laptop. Wifi tethering makes the G1 heat up pretty good near the USB plug, which happens to be where the right side of the keyboard is. I now use mostly USB tethering (doesn't heat up as much) and wifi only if I'm on the futon or in bed.

The greatest thing about the G1 is the ability to customize it with a plethora of unique ROMs, mods, and themes. For example, the rom I'm using at the moment is a 1.6 based rom with a custom kernel, hack that allow more ram, custom 5 screen launcher, SMS app with black background, and more.

Like Andrex said, the G1 is still a solid phone, though it's 1st gen nature shows. If you're up to do some hackery, it will help you get the most out of the G1.

edit: I forgot to mention that my screen is cracked, happened when I put it in my pocket walked up a couple flights of stairs. I believe there was a flaw in the glass on my phone, but since cracked screens aren't covered under warranty, I've been stuck with a cracked screen for a while. I don't believe this is an issue with G1s as a whole, just make sure there's no chips or anything in the screen.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

I'm surprised T-Mobile still hasn't dropped the G1's price since the first $30 cut ages ago. You'd think with the Cliq and MyTouch getting all the ad spotlight they'd be pretty much forced to make it less expensive...

 

[MrJames]

Sprint Says First 4G Handset Will Launch By Summer

Now it appears the wait won't be much longer. Sprint tells Forbes its first 4G handset will launch in the first half of 2010--a few months earlier than many expected.

The phone will run on the 4G WiMax network Sprint has been building with wireless Internet service provider Clearwire Corp. (Sprint owns 51% of Kirkland, Wash.-based Clearwire.) This 4G service is currently available in 27 U.S. markets covering more than 30 million people and will extend to Houston, Tex. in the next few weeks. By the end of the year, the network is expected to include Boston, New York, San Francisco and Washington and cover up to 120 million people.

Paget Alves, Sprint's president of Business Markets, says the company views 4G as a multi-billion dollar business opportunity. Healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, media and retail companies are already using 4G to train and communicate with employees, he notes. Sprint says 4G technology can be up to 10 times faster than 3G, making it a good fit for bandwidth-intensive applications like streaming video, transmitting medical images and e-mailing training manuals.

This universal "need for speed" means businesses and government agencies--not just consumers--will likely adopt Sprint's 4G phone when it debuts, says Alves. He declined to disclose additional details about the handset, but online reports point to a touch-screen phone running Google's Android operating system, designed by Taiwan's HTC. Since Sprint's 4G network is not yet nationwide, the handset is said to be "dual-mode", automatically switching to Sprint's 3G network in areas where 4G isn't available.

 

[Big Chief Crazy Cone]

Had an Eris for a few months now, my first smart phone, and I gotta say I just love it. I'm coming from a long line of old Nokia's (tanks, they were), and once Verizon put this thing out for dirt cheap, I had to jump.

It's fast, decent battery life, easy to use, and Sense is really great. I find new things to get more out of the phone every day it seems. PDAnet with free tethering? Laptop remote? Yes please! And that isn't even with root. Even better, most of my complaints will go away with the 2.1 update; Navigation, improved market... although sometimes the phone forgets to become touch sensitive again when I end calls. Let's hope HTC finishes up soon and Verizon pushes it out quickly (which may be the case, if that slip-up is any indication).

I'm a full-on Android convert now. The Legend looks damn sexy.

 

[Bluemercury]

serious hotness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDEZZRJBE_I

Dont understand the sony love, there are a lot of android 2.1 phones from many companies and most sony handsets are not even out and they're not even coming with 2.1 version......you guys should check samsung beam.....

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Had an Eris for a few months now, my first smart phone, and I gotta say I just love it. I'm coming from a long line of old Nokia's (tanks, they were), and once Verizon put this thing out for dirt cheap, I had to jump.

It's fast, decent battery life, easy to use, and Sense is really great. I find new things to get more out of the phone every day it seems. PDAnet with free tethering? Laptop remote? Yes please! And that isn't even with root. Even better, most of my complaints will go away with the 2.1 update; Navigation, improved market... although sometimes the phone forgets to become touch sensitive again when I end calls. Let's hope HTC finishes up soon and Verizon pushes it out quickly (which may be the case, if that slip-up is any indication).

I'm a full-on Android convert now. The Legend looks damn sexy.

Welcome to the team! It's always great to see posts like yours. Makes the "cause" worth "fighting for." :lol

 

[Vanillalite]

It has the iPhone 3G to compete with at the same price point, and it will take more than an unusual form factor to win that battle.

Thinking more about this statement. The 3G iPhone kinda kills anything coming to AT&T that requires a data plan that's trying to be an entry level/ mid level smart phone. I don't see how anyone could sell a phone for $99 against a 3G, and that's probably why there isn't much choice on AT&T right now.

 

[panda21]

oh damn i love this thing but its confusing as hell the way it lets you do more than the iphone but hides a lot of what is going on from you

i downloaded tweetcaster since i wanted a full twitter client i could open when i want to as well as having motoblur running, but it seems since i opened it now its running in the background because it just vibrated my phone to tell me a new tweet appeared?? i don't want this! how do you even know what is running? i downloaded a ton of stuff, is this all running all the time now?

seems battery life is pretty bad too, i first charged it at 8pm yesterday and it was already down to 15% by about 12 today :S i know you need to charge these things like every day but am i doing it wrong? i used the wifi quite a bit and have some of the motoblur widgets on my home, that i assume are probably pinging my 3g/wifi fairly regularly. seems a shame to turn it all off though since that sort of defeats the entire point of having an android phone :lol

i vaguely remember reading about android showing you how much battery power each app is using or something? or did i just dream that?!

(have a cliq/dext that i got free on my contract.. its like the second cheapest contract on my provider too, guess they really want rid of these things)

 

[womp]

i vaguely remember reading about android showing you how much battery power each app is using or something? or did i just dream that?!

Settings -> About Phone -> Battery Usage

 

[WanderingWind]

So...is there a GAF app in the works?

 

[giga]

Engadget has posted impressions about the Mini 5: http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/19/dell-mini-5-prototype-impressions/

Edit: 405 MB of RAM

Edit 2: it's 152mm x 78mm x 10mm, which makes it thinner than the nexus one

Not sure why one want to use this over the nexus one as a phone? It's almost twice the weight.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

So...is there a GAF app in the works?

http://www.secondapps.com/neogaf

There is also a native app in development for iPhone and Android, but development appears to have stalled on the iPhone version, and the Android version was supposed to begin development after that.

Not sure why one want to use this over the nexus one as a phone? It's almost twice the weight.

It's not "supposed" to be a phone. It's a tablet with phone capabilities. If you were to use it as a phone, you'd most likely want to invest in a headset, and in that case, it wouldn't be that goofy.

 

[giga]

http://www.secondapps.com/neogaf
It's not "supposed" to be a phone. It's a tablet with phone capabilities. If you were to use it as a phone, you'd most likely want to invest in a headset, and in that case, it wouldn't be that goofy.

Kind of small for a tablet then isn't it? Can't see it replacing or competing with netbooks at that size unless it's less than 300.

 

[duderon]

Kind of small for a tablet then isn't it? Can't see it replacing or competing with netbooks at that size unless it's less than 300.

It's a small tablet/large phone. Kind of like a crossover vehicle. It's appealing to me because I want something with a large screen that I could carry around without having to lug around an extra bag. I'll probably end up getting the NotionInk tablet, however, because it looks too good to pass up right now.

 

[Vanillalite]

Kind of small for a tablet then isn't it? Can't see it replacing or competing with netbooks at that size unless it's less than 300.

It does appeal to some like the poster above, but I feel ya. I am kind of thinking the same thing in that it's either to big to be really THAT portable or to small to be THAT great of a tablet. IDK I guess the market is there, but to me it feels like it's trying to create a cross over market that isn't there. It could be there, and I'm just not a part of it though.

 

[giga]

It's a small tablet/large phone. Kind of like a crossover vehicle. It's appealing to me because I want something with a large screen that I could carry around without having to lug around an extra bag. I'll probably end up getting the NotionInk tablet, however, because it looks too good to pass up right now.

I'd wait for something similar to the HD2 form factor then. Nowhere near as heavy as the mini 5 and is still relatively small to be able to fit in most pants and not feel awkward.

 

[DrFunk]

Apparently, it fits well enough in pockets:

it's relative, of course. But for a tall guy like myself, it works perfectly

 

[ILikeFeet]

are there any good android phones that can double as a multimedia player? I've been thinking about getting one around graduation time (about 3 months from now).

 

[ThatObviousUser]

are there any good android phones that can double as a multimedia player? I've been thinking about getting one around graduation time (about 3 months from now).

Best bet for that would be Sony-Ericsson's XPERIA X10, X10 Mini, or X10 Mini Pro.

 

[Iknos]

Not sure why one want to use this over the nexus one as a phone? It's almost twice the weight.

I can think of a few sort of people...

-people who want to primarily browse the web
-primarily watch movies

When I look at the SE X10 I see it perfect for those who...
-value taking high quality pics
-want something stylish
-like a sexy interface for all their contacts

Point is that each phone can be considered a phone as a secondary or complementary function to the other prominent features.

Does the Dell Mini 5 have anything like infrared capabilities? From the feature lists I saw it didn't have any...I was thinking that instead of getting another $200 remote control for my HT there is probably an app that could be used to turn this into one. If I could use it as a remote and then browse the web on it that would be far out.

 

[iapetus]

Best bet for that would be Sony-Ericsson's XPERIA X10

Fixed.

The Mini/Mini Pro really don't have the screen size to be used as a viable video player (which I'm assuming is part of the 'multimedia' definition. The X10, on the other hand, has an absolutely gorgeous screen. If you're interested primarily in audio playback, the smaller devices could be more appealing (depending on the headphone options - I can't stand the need for special headphones on other Sony devices, and don't know off the top of my head what the new phones offer in the way of headphone ports).

Personally I've found myself torn between the X10 and the Nexus One/HTC Desire as my choice of next phone. X10 has better camera and more sexy multimedia options, as well as a social networking UI that seems pretty slick at first glance if they've ironed out the performance issues some people reported. Nexus One/HTC Desire seem like better options as a pure Android device with a goal of keeping up the latest firmware etc. I'm leaning strongly towards the HTC Desire right now, assuming I can find an operator that'll make me a decent offer on it...

 

[ThatObviousUser]

I never thought I'd hear that coming from Mr. Sony-Ericsson Fanboy himself.

 

[iapetus]

I never thought I'd hear that coming from Mr. Sony-Ericsson Fanboy himself.

I just go where the best phones are. I've liked the design and build of a lot of SE devices, and it doesn't hurt that their software guys are really good. The X10's an awesome piece of kit for some people, but despite being wowed by it at first, it isn't quite the right device for me.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

I just go where the best phones are. I've liked the design and build of a lot of SE devices, and it doesn't hurt that their software guys are really good. The X10's an awesome piece of kit for some people, but despite being wowed by it at first, it isn't quite the right device for me.

Comforting to know. Although you have the benefit of future-vision™ when deciding purchases.

 

[giga]

I can think of a few sort of people...

-people who want to primarily browse the web
-primarily watch movies

So basically a MID/UMPC?

People don't want to put something that's .5 lbs in their pocket. If you have a bag or purse, sure I can see how it'd be nice to have like a DS or PSP. But a pocket device, along with keys and wallet? Pushing it.

The HD2, a behemoth itself in comparison to other phones, is .35 lbs. Nexus One .29 lbs. 3GS .3 lbs.

If they can keep the price down, it can be a damn good MID though since it has Android, a snapdragon, and that huge battery.

 

[Iknos]

So basically a MID/UMPC?

Yeah that's a good way to put it.

People don't want to put something that's .5 lbs in their pocket. If you have a bag or purse, sure I can see how it'd be nice to have like a DS or PSP. But a pocket device, along with keys and wallet? Pushing it.

You are probably right about most people preferring that but I've never kept a blackberry in my pocket...always on a belt clip. This may be too large for something like that. I won't know until I've tried it.

 

[Stat Flow]

So how long does it take to get used to the non-responsive upper half (or is it the lower half that doesn't work) of the touch sensitive buttons? I was trying out a Nexus One the other day and it was pissing me off.

 

[Bboy AJ]

Few days. I'm used to it now.

 

[DeadFalling]

Sprint Says First 4G Handset Will Launch By Summer

Why can't Sprint just hurry

I want to ditch my Touch Pro 1 so bad, it's like falling apart, but at the same time I don't want an old-ass Hero...

 

[Zinga]

As a former owner of an Xperia X1, let me advise you guys to stay away from Sony Ericcson smartphones, or at the very least the XPERIA brand. The phone was designed by SE and contracted to HTC to build, sadly HTC's famous quality was left at the door thanks to this arrangement.

After a few months of use the phones literally began to fell apart, hairline cracks formed on certain parts of the cases and then the hardware keyboards started to play up as dirt got inside the keys which required you to strip down and rebuild the phone to fix. Today the issues are rampant, only the lucky few have avoided it so far and its only a matter of time before it happens to them.

To add insult to injury Sony then told many an angry Xperia user that they would not be upgrading to Windows Mobile 6.5 even though the X2 internally has the exact same chipset and will be running 6.5... that was the final straw for me (even though I was already running 6.5 and HTC Sense thanks to custom ROMs from Xda-Developers).

Bought a HD2 and never looked back. I would definitely get a HTC phone because it means they have control of the entire design process and are far more likely to produce a quality design than SE.

 

[Kapsama]

As a former owner of an Xperia X1, let me advise you guys to stay away from Sony Ericcson smartphones, or at the very least the XPERIA brand. The phone was designed by SE and contracted to HTC to build, sadly HTC's famous quality was left at the door thanks to this arrangement.

After a few months of use the phones literally began to fell apart, hairline cracks formed on certain parts of the cases and then the hardware keyboards started to play up as dirt got inside the keys which required you to strip down and rebuild the phone to fix. Today the issues are rampant, only the lucky few have avoided it so far and its only a matter of time before it happens to them.

To add insult to injury Sony then told many an angry Xperia user that they would not be upgrading to Windows Mobile 6.5 even though the X2 internally has the exact same chipset and will be running 6.5... that was the final straw for me (even though I was already running 6.5 and HTC Sense thanks to custom ROMs from Xda-Developers).

Bought a HD2 and never looked back. I would definitely get a HTC phone because it means they have control of the entire design process and are far more likely to produce a quality design than SE.

First of all, lol @ famous HTC quality. The Touch Pro that came out alongside the Xperia 1 was riddled with defective hardware.

Also, the Xperia X10 has nothing to do with the X2 or X1 except for name.

 

[tokkun]

Why can't Sprint just hurry

I want to ditch my Touch Pro 1 so bad, it's like falling apart, but at the same time I don't want an old-ass Hero...

It gets worse. Sprint issued a statement saying that article was wrong and they were only committed to having a 4G handset by the end of the year.

 

[Zinga]

First of all, lol @ famous HTC quality. The Touch Pro that came out alongside the Xperia 1 was riddled with defective hardware.

Also, the Xperia X10 has nothing to do with the X2 or X1 except for name.

yes quality in their high end lineup at least, own an ipaq from years ago built by HTC and it still works so you can't say they don't design good shit.

And we'll see who has the last laugh on the X10, I can certainly tell you I wasn't laughing about my X1 especially when it cost me AU$1300.

 

[abstract alien]

First of all, lol @ famous HTC quality. The Touch Pro that came out alongside the Xperia 1 was riddled with defective hardware.

Also, the Xperia X10 has nothing to do with the X2 or X1 except for name.

I've had an HTC Touch(sprint) since day 1, and haven't had a single issue with it. As a matter of fact, it has withstood quite a bit of harsh punishment, including countless trips to the wet sauna, and all without a hiccup in performance.

 

[Kinitari]

Yay, good news, getting a promotion at work. While I am trying to be frugal and save money for my eventual stint back into post secondary education this fall - I do want to give myself a present. Mind you I never buy myself more than a game every few months, so I am really due - I am thinking about either a Droid or a Nexus one. Except in Canada the Droid is called the "Milestone" and the Nexus One doesn't exist.

So the options are, going with a Milestone within the next few weeks, or waiting who knows how many months for the Nexus One to get here. Advice?

Quick bit to note - this will be my first cellphone... ever. Forget smart phone, this is completely new territory to me. Also, I have a few methods to get a greatly reduced monthly plan cost, so I could get a decent data+phone plan for 30-35 dollars (before hidden fees).

Any input anyone?

 

[Hawkian]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/21/htc-desire-rom-shoehorns-htc-sense-and-flash-10-1-onto-the-nexus/

...DROOL

 

[sun-drop]

another REALLY good look at the x10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTELV9ZWl6A

 

[DrFunk]

yes quality in their high end lineup at least, own an ipaq from years ago built by HTC and it still works so you can't say they don't design good shit.

And we'll see who has the last laugh on the X10, I can certainly tell you I wasn't laughing about my X1 especially when it cost me AU$1300.

To be fair, the HD2 came with a shitload of bugs, including the famous pinkie camera and one where you couldn't send or recieve text messages. They have wonderful designs, but HTC does have issues with hardware. Spending an hour on XDA will tell you that.

 

[DrFunk]

Yay, good news, getting a promotion at work. While I am trying to be frugal and save money for my eventual stint back into post secondary education this fall - I do want to give myself a present. Mind you I never buy myself more than a game every few months, so I am really due - I am thinking about either a Droid or a Nexus one. Except in Canada the Droid is called the "Milestone" and the Nexus One doesn't exist.

So the options are, going with a Milestone within the next few weeks, or waiting who knows how many months for the Nexus One to get here. Advice?

Quick bit to note - this will be my first cellphone... ever. Forget smart phone, this is completely new territory to me. Also, I have a few methods to get a greatly reduced monthly plan cost, so I could get a decent data+phone plan for 30-35 dollars (before hidden fees).

Any input anyone?

If you want something now, go with the Telus Milestone. Hardware Keyboard, solid smartphone. The Nexus One is fantastic, but the 3G frequencies don't work with Canada's (850/1900).

Fake edit: wait, which provider do you use?

 

[Kinitari]

If you want something now, go with the Telus Milestone. Hardware Keyboard, solid smartphone. The Nexus One is fantastic, but the 3G frequencies don't work with Canada's (850/1900).

Fake edit: wait, which provider do you use?

I don't use any provider - I don't have, nor have I ever had a cellphone. But my Sister works for Telus, and she claims she can get me a bargain.

 

[DrFunk]

I don't use any provider - I don't have, nor have I ever had a cellphone. But my Sister works for Telus, and she claims she can get me a bargain.

Then go for it tiger. The Milestone is the best Android smartphone in Canada atm

 

[FunBoy]

So I rang rang T-Mobile (UK) up and I was told that the HTC Desire could be available from late march!

GIMME IT NOW

 

[DeadFalling]

It gets worse. Sprint issued a statement saying that article was wrong and they were only committed to having a 4G handset by the end of the year.

Hmm... Would you suggest just biting on the Hero then? I don't want to wait 6 months+ on a new device.

 

[tokkun]

Hmm... Would you suggest just biting on the Hero then? I don't want to wait 6 months+ on a new device.

It is tough to say. If the Android 2.1 update on the Hero improves performance as much as the leaked update did on the Eris (and it should, since they are nearly the same hardware), I think the Hero looks quite competitive with phones like the Droid or Nexus, despite having a slower processor. I'm sure that Sprint will get some sort of upgraded HTC phone this year - be it Supersonic, N1, Desire, Legend, or whatever, but nobody but the insiders really know which phone or when it is coming.

The phone industry is a lot like the computer hardware industry. There is always something new and improved coming out 6 months down the road, so if you are worried about having the latest and greatest phone, you will either never buy anything or buy so many new phones you go broke. The key is to just figure out the most important things you need from a new phone. If the Hero meets those needs, buy it. If it doesn't, then wait for something that does.