Android!

[schild]

So. Installed Cupcake on my dev phone. It's a better experience overall. The on-screen keyboard is a bit snappier than my iPod touch. You can take video with the camera. Most importantly, though, is there's lots of little GUI changes that are nice. If you're using a retail phone from an operator, you'll get the OTA update soon I'd imagine.

[Tebonas]

I hope they really change the POS UI. Right now I'm basically done with this phone. Rant about Apple all you want, but they know how to make User Interfaces, The Android calender alone shows that nobody ever put any thought in usability.

[schild]

I hope they really change the POS UI. Right now I'm basically done with this phone. Rant about Apple all you want, but they know how to make User Interfaces, The Android calender alone shows that nobody ever put any thought in usability.

I don't understand what the problem is, or was for that matter.

[Tebonas]

The Event Handling is somewhat nonintuitive. You get a very limited list of your next events ( only the next view days, which can't be changed). Every change in views happens over that fold up menu, whereas on the iphone you have the buttons directly on the screen. Editing events has a much cluttier interface. Et cetera.

[schild]

The Event Handling is somewhat nonintuitive. You get a very limited list of your next events ( only the next view days, which can't be changed). Every change in views happens over that fold up menu, whereas on the iphone you have the buttons directly on the screen. Editing events has a much cluttier interface. Et cetera.

Yea, I've never opened the calendar on any device I've ever owned, hence why I asked. I figure if I ever need a calendar, I've finally found a job I don't like, and thus won't remember things. Are there no third party calendars worth trying? What about using the gmail calendar through the browser, I would assume that syncs up and such and is easier to edit. Could be wrong though.

[Tebonas]

Didn't find a good third party alternative yet. I just went the other way and use the calendar on my ipod Touch which syncs with my Gmail Calendar. Quite a roundabout way, but it works because I have to use the Ipod touch for hearing my Podcasts anyway.

[schild]

Didn't find a good third party alternative yet. I just went the other way and use the calendar on my ipod Touch which syncs with my Gmail Calendar. Quite a roundabout way, but it works because I have to use the Ipod touch for hearing my Podcasts anyway.

I don't use a calendar, like I said. But I just compared the iPod Touch calendar to my android calendar. I don't really see the difference. You just have to click menu to pull up all the stuff that makes it work like the iphone stuff, today, 7day, month view, add event, etc. /shrug Maybe it's a constant use thing that I just don't understand. As far as I can tell, in Cupcake, it works exactly the same, including the usage of the onscreen keyboard.

[Tebonas]

At the end, it boils down to one big thing, really.

Ipod: Calender -> List = All Events in the Future shown
Android: Calender -> Agenda = Only Events in the timespan you had your calender on (Today, this week, this month)

So you have to go the the exact month you have the Events in to see them. Which kind of invalidates how I use my calendar.

[Draegan]

I wish I could sync up google reader to my phone so I get notifications like gmail.

[Broughden]

I bought one tonight. My current phone was going down hill so rather than replacing battery and fixing I got the G1. So far so good. Love the feel and the intuitive operation. Havent really needed to open the directions for much at all. I like the black Body Glove soft phone case I got for it.

Any specific applications I should add to it? And if so why do you recommend them? What do they do?

Supposedly Louisville is slated for 3G in November. The frequencies they need to start operation will supposedly be up for grabs in November and then they will start it up.

Edit-
Okay here is a weird question. But why does the T-Mobile page list featured applications that dont seem to actually be anywhere in the market place. For example one called "Locale" which actually seems like a nifty little application letting you set up different profiles of phone features depending on where you might be located at the time. Cant find it anywhere in market place. But its on the T-Mobile website.

[Quinton]

Searching for "locale" in the market app finds it for me, and it's also findable at:
http://www.cyrket.com/package/edu.mit.locale

(Yes, it's a bit embarrassing that we don't have a web frontend to the market yet)

If this is the app I think it is, it makes heavy use of the GPS in the background (to identify your location), and this has a pretty big hit on battery life.

[IainC]

Isn't Locale just a part of the Google maps app on the phone? It was present (but not activated) on my phone when I got a G1 a few months ago.

[Quinton]

Isn't Locale just a part of the Google maps app on the phone? It was present (but not activated) on my phone when I got a G1 a few months ago.

I think you're thinking of Latitude (http://www.google.com/latitude/intro.html).  Locale is an app that adjusts phone preferences based on your location.

[Broughden]

Quinton thanks for looking, weird though that I couldn't find it. So here is a question. Video.
/movie viewing?
A) can I download flash in order to use hulu.com? If so what version?
B) is there some sort of software download which I can use in conjunction with my iTunes account  to download and watch tv shows or movies?

I got a 16 gig card for this thing in hopes of using it to watch programming, hopefully it wasn't a waste of money?

[schild]

A) can I download flash in order to use hulu.com? If so what version?

No flash.

B) is there some sort of software download which I can use in conjunction with my iTunes account  to download and watch tv shows or movies?

No itunes.

I got a 16 gig card for this thing in hopes of using it to watch programming, hopefully it wasn't a waste of money?

Convert it yourself?

http://forums.tmonews.com.s52300.gridserver.com/index.php?topic=3261.0

That should have everything you need. Once you do it once, it's cake.

Of course, if you buy stuff off the Apple store instead of acquiring it on the internet, well, I can't help you. I convert all my stuff for the iPod Touch with handbrake and the G1 with Super.

[Venkman]

Ya all see this already?

[Broughden]

A) can I download flash in order to use hulu.com? If so what version?

No flash.

B) is there some sort of software download which I can use in conjunction with my iTunes account  to download and watch tv shows or movies?

No itunes.

I got a 16 gig card for this thing in hopes of using it to watch programming, hopefully it wasn't a waste of money?

Convert it yourself?

http://forums.tmonews.com.s52300.gridserver.com/index.php?topic=3261.0

That should have everything you need. Once you do it once, it's cake.

Of course, if you buy stuff off the Apple store instead of acquiring it on the internet, well, I can't help you. I convert all my stuff for the iPod Touch with handbrake and the G1 with Super.

Thank you very much for the links Schild. Much appreciated. Yes, I admit I have been using either the iTunes store or Hulu for most of my video viewing. Cheap or free (in Hulu's case) and easy. I used to torrent but havent in awhile.

I have to admit I see this as one huge glaring hole in the G1 capabilities. All the cool shit it can do, and I cant watch TV on Hulu (which seems pretty damn stupid considering it will let me view Youtube), or upload multi-format movies and view them?

[schild]

I have to admit I see this as one huge glaring hole in the G1 capabilities. All the cool shit it can do, and I cant watch TV on Hulu (which seems pretty damn stupid considering it will let me view Youtube), or upload multi-format movies and view them?

Youtube has a huge and growing collection of tv shows and movies to compete with hulu.

I don't know when/if this'll come to the G1, I'd imagine so though.

upload multi-format movies and view them?

Never gonna happen, video formats are a mess and a lot are processor intensive pieces of trash.

[Draegan]

Love the 1.5 update.

Need dual touch screen now.

Anyone install different themes yet?

[Delmania]

Me want Android, but me want it on Verizon.

[Broughden]

Love the 1.5 update.

Need dual touch screen now.

Anyone install different themes yet?

All I can tell it has done for me is add the ability to shoot video (but still not upload or watch my own movies) and some new "Phones" application to the main screen.

[schild]

I can't answer questions about T-Mobile software anymore because I'm using a dev phone. Thing is stripped clean. Needless to say, it's faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasteeeerrrrrrrrrrrrr when compared to my old phone.

[Draegan]

Dev phone is expensive.

[schild]

Yea, well, it's also unlocked. Of course, I'll probably upgrade when HTC brings out Lancaster with the hero revision of the OS.

[Yegolev]

I need a new phone and I don't want a iPhone.
Would I like HTC?
[ ] yes
[ ] no

[schild]

I need a new phone and I don't want a iPhone.
Would I like HTC?
[ ] yes
[ ] no
maybe

[Viin]

I need a new phone and I don't want a iPhone.

Don't fight it! Just get one.

One of us!

One of us!

One of us!

Seriously, a day with an iPhone will blow you away. Screw HTC.

(see if someone will lend you one, a lot of folks are upgrading so someone may have a 3G or Edge iphone waiting to get offloaded)

[Venkman]

Ok, I am biased by the iPhone, and even after extensively using the G1 for a few weeks on and off, I still don't quite understand the allure. The hardware I don't care so much about (it's clunky and ugly, but that's easy to change). It's the user experience. It just feels like a generic PDA that seems to do everything slower and with the same compartmentalization I'm used to from PDAs. Any Blackberry can do that easily enough.

So what is it about Android? The promise of open-source? The promise of some future version? More appropriate alternative to those used to tactile thumb keyboards? Or is there some awesomeness I'm missing?

[Engels]

Just curious, what's the monthly bill on a google phone? For me, with an Edge iPhone still, I'm paying ~50 voice, 20 data. If I upgraded to a 3G, I'd have to pay 30 data. If I want to tether my new 3GS, I'd have to pay extra for that! Seems like daylight robbery to me, especially since I already pay ~50 a month for DSL at home.

[Trippy]

If I want to tether my new 3GS, I'd have to pay extra for that! Seems like daylight robbery to me, especially since I already pay ~50 a month for DSL at home.

AT&T hasn't said if there's going to be a charge for tethering and if so what the price will be. People are spreading the "tethering will cost $55" rumor around but AT&T flatly denies this.

[Logik]

Just curious, what's the monthly bill on a google phone? For me, with an Edge iPhone still, I'm paying ~50 voice, 20 data. If I upgraded to a 3G, I'd have to pay 30 data. If I want to tether my new 3GS, I'd have to pay extra for that! Seems like daylight robbery to me, especially since I already pay ~50 a month for DSL at home.

For my G1, I'm paying 75/month for 600 "whenever" minutes with unlimited nights and weekends, plus an unlimited 3G data/SMS plan (This is a month-to-month t-mobile plan).  There was a tethering program for root users, but I'm not sure what the current status of that is.

[Engels]

If I want to tether my new 3GS, I'd have to pay extra for that! Seems like daylight robbery to me, especially since I already pay ~50 a month for DSL at home.

AT&T hasn't said if there's going to be a charge for tethering and if so what the price will be. People are spreading the "tethering will cost $55" rumor around but AT&T flatly denies this.

Well, this rumor is being spread by some dude that works at the AT&T store in Northgate Mall in Seattle! Shame on him!

[Trippy]

Apparently he didn't read the memo:

http://www.facebook.com/ATT?v=app_7146470109

[Quinton]

Fun fact -- it's hard for carriers to actually prevent tethering since they stupidly focus on trying to cripple the client devices or guilting users into paying for more expensive plans.  I pay $60 for an AT&T data+voice plan (cheapest "unlimited" data plan they had a year or two ago when I switched) and use the SIM with any number of devices, with or without laptop attached with no pain.

There are a number of tethering programs out there that don't depend on low level OS support -- all you need is to be able to install an app, for the app to be able to make outbound tcp/ip connections, and for there to be some way for the app to communicate with the attached device.  This is possible on all modern smartphones, to my knowledge, either as base OS features, or with readily available "hacks".

[TripleDES]

If the HTC Magic had a built in headphone jack, I'd be there. I don't get why HTC is still clinging to that shitty multifunction USB port thingy.