Talking to people with an iPhone on the other end is an exercise in patience. The Androids are coming.....
Yeah, who cares? Who buys a phone to talk on it anymore Truth is, the first generation I-phone was exponentially worse. I had a friend that had very very limited coverage range with his
Yeah. Doesn't it seem that Google really ramped up its anti-Apple activities since that incident between them concerning an app? The aggressive marketing of the Droid, specifically targeting the iPhone, plus reports of Google's interest in starting a music service to compete directly with iTunes, make me curious. And you just know that if anyone was gonna take down Apple's dominance in thiose two areas, it was going to be Google, not Microsoft.
Well to be fair, it's the telecos who are marketing it right now. But I wouldn't be surprised if revenge is on their minds. And Google is definitely best equipped to knock Apple off its perch in this arena. The Google Audio thing looks like it could easily compete. They've got some heavy hitters involved. And since the Android OS was built to integrate with Google products...... The days of iPhone dominance are coming to an end. Basically, everybody else will be able to have a badass life device. And there are more 'everybody elses' than iPhone users. It will force Apple to make a better phone. But will they embrace open development like Google? Will they loosen the stranglehold iTunes has on the thing? With Androids, you can drap-n-drop whatever you want to/from your device. The first iterations of these devices are pretty damn good already. Hardware needs to catch up, and it should by early next year. What I'm really curious about is the Google Phone. Free phone. Free domestic calls (supposedly low international rates). No telecos involved (on the user side). The catch is that it will serve ads of some kind. They were trying to get it out by Christmas.
Wow. Skype already has phone over IP, even dedicated numbers, and the service is CHEAP. The flaw with Skype is people calling you could incur long distance charges, which is actually a step backwards from mobile service, where there essentially is no LD. As you know I was in the wireless industry, and I told one of my bosses in 2001 that there would be a time soon when per-minute charges would be a thing of the past, and he basically scoffed. We're already seeing it with Sprint-Nextel's Everything Plan, and it won't be long before smaller competitors like Metro and Boost keep pushing the oligopolists ATT and Verizon to accept the future instead of fighting it. I want the Droid, but I'm conflicted because I really don't like T-Mobile; plus its market weakness continues to make it an attractive takeover target for The Big Two. And whatever happens, I don't want my next service plan to revert to one of those bastards. As for iTunes...it stands as one part of Apple which is comparably arrogant to Microsoft. I'll be glad when Google rolls out their service.
For the record, you can have 3rd party apps if you jailbreak your phone, which is really easy. I used to have internet tethering enabled, but the latest update disabled it.
Love my iPhone. I had serious dropped call issues when I first got it but they only involved my girlfriend (who got an iPhone at the same time as me). About a week later, after MUCH frustration OS 3.0 came out and every issue I had with the phone was gone. ...well accept for the hysterically pathetic battery life. If I browse for an hour (which is very common for me in a day since the map/gps is broswer based to go with email checking and normal internet browsing at breaks) the battery is dead by the time I get in my car to drive home.
Love my iphone. Never experienced the first issue. I've had some dropped calls, but I can live w/ that.
The fact that you won't have to 'hack' your Android phone (i.e. void your warranty) to add 3rd party apps is another advantage. Your parents have no idea what 'jailbreaking' is, nor will they need to. As for call quality of iPhones, usually it's the person on the other end that is suffering. AT&T admits (complains) that they can't sufficiently support the iPhone. I'm excited that I will have an awesome, open phone on my rock solid network.
I'm actually one who has a phone but doesn't talk. I don't even have a voice plan. I have unlimited texting and data. I'm seriously considering getting the new Droid with Verizon but going to wait until I see what Google comes out with.
Yes the Droids are coming I can say with certainty, having used both Droids already...this is going to blow everything else away. *cough not like the Blackberry storm*...even though I love it
From what I understand, it wouldn't be over IP. Google would act as a MVNO. I'm sure there would be some limitations (no 900 numbers, etc.) to keep it within reason. But you bundle that with Google Voice and maybe you've got something completely revolutionary. Bro if I were you, I'd wait. These Android-based phones are going to be all over the place. Every carrier has one (or more) already. But if you wait a little longer, the platform and hardware will be that much further along and hopefully battery life will follow suit (more power = more juice needed). All will be at least Android 2.0. Sucks cuz I want one right now (almost got the Hero). But we'll have more/even better choices in a bit.
Who do you have a texting and data plan with? I am getting a voice plan from my work, but I won't have data capability, and will have limited texting. I'd like a phone for just text and data, and not have to pay for a voice plan that I don't want or need.
I've got Verizon. http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/messagingplans.jsp It's .40 a minute if you do use any voice. Depending on where you work, you could qualify for a monthly discount. I pay around $29 a month for it with taxes. Going with a smartphone would raise the price though.