Carrie and I bought a pair of Android G1 smart phones a couple of weeks ago now.
So far this operating system has been the best I have used out all of the major ones including BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and iPhone OS. The Google developers did a fine job creating the software with the exception of a couple of little things that I used constantly with previous smart phones.
First off, the interface is remarkable. I have heard a couple of the tech community crowd people say that it is clunky and slow. The G1’s physical design is a bit clunky, but I have adapted the way I hold a phone, and that is no longer an issue. The second thing is the user interface is fast. I have not seen a lag or anything since I unpacked it from the box.
Since I have had a little bit of time with the hardware and software, the main things that I feel HTC and Google could have done better are these:
HTC needed a better designed handset. I have owned HTC hardware before and am actually a big fan of them. About two years ago, they released the xv6700 to Verizon Wireless, and that hardware was great. I think this design would have been better only because the keys were a bit larger and the button panel was attached to the slider top, rather than a separate, non-moving, piece that you have to maneuver you hand over to type.
xv6700
Android software is missing a couple of what I would call key features. The first thing it is missing is a native speed dial. That is a bit awkward that they would leave that out, but this is a Vs 1.1 OS, so I forgive them for that. The only other complaint is the battery. The HTC xv6700 I owned also had a bad battery issue. I had to buy an extended life battery for it, but I have no plans/options to do this for the G1. I can typically make it about eight hours of consistent use without issue. I have found out the method of use that gives me the longest battery life.
Google Latitude is a battery sucker. Latitude is the free location service Google offers. The way this works is it uses either GPS, or finding a relative position using the service towers. Once Latitude determines your position, it sends out your position constantly, like a beacon. This, and the GPS, are the worst battery killers I have found. Turning these off and the battery will last pretty much all day.
I would recommend this phone to my mom, because the software is very well designed and easy to use. These are a definite step up from the Blackberry Curve’s that we owned previously. The receiver inside is a very good one. We can actually make phone calls and data calls from within our home, which is something we could not do with our BB Curves without switching to UMA Wifi service.
G1
I look forward to seeing these scattered around more as it is developed more and more manufacturers release hardware with Android installed on it.
