As the first Android phone, T-Mobile’s G1 was a much welcomed entry into the smartphone market. And it may have been considered the must-have smartphone were it not for a certain device from Apple. The reason is that while the Android platform itself has a lot of possibility given its open nature, the G1 hardware simply was not great when compared to something like the iPhone. But now T-Mobile is coming back with another attempt at an Android phone in the U.S., which it is calling the myTouch 3G — and it’s much better.
How do I know? Well because I’ve actually had a unit for a few weeks now. You see, the myTouch 3G, which will be available in early August for $199 with a 2-year agreement, is actually the same device as the Google Ion phone that was given to everyone who attended the Google I/O conference a few weeks ago. And technically, both are really the HTC Magic, which was released a few months ago in Europe, and more recently in Canada. But for the myTouch 3G, T-Mobile is offering some other bells and whistles to differentiate it.
The biggest thing T-Mobile is trumpeting for this device is a deep level of customization. Users will be able to customize the menus, wallpapers, icons and a range of other things on the device with the use of themes and skins. This is a sharp break from a device like the iPhone which has a completely un-customizable look and feel.
And the device itself will come in three colors: black, white and what it calls the “distinctive” merlot. (Which only makes me think of Paul Giammati in Sideways, “I am NOT drinking any fucking merlot!”). But there will also be the option to completely customize the shell of your phone too.
The other key point T-Mobile is touting for the myTouch is something called Sherpa, which T-Mobile worked with startup Geodelic to create. Basically, Sherpa is an application that claims to learn from a user’s actions. So, for example, if you’re searching a lot of Thai food, Sherpa should recognize that as something that you like in the future. And it uses your location information to give you tailored results for what it believes you will want based on what you’re around.
Here’s T-Mobile’s spiel on it:
At the heart of the T-Mobile myTouch, Sherpa™ is an application with a built-in learning engine that automatically customizes itself to your preferences. Created by Geodelic, the application learns your likes and dislikes through behavior and user feedback, prioritizing recommended retailers, restaurants and attractions. Seamlessly blending behavior recognition, a recommendation engine and location-relevant information, this combination of learning is exclusive to Sherpa and unlike any experience currently on the market.
The Hardware
But how does the actual hardware of the myTouch stack up against the G1? Very well.
The first thing you’ll notice is that it’s substantially smaller than that G1. This is all thanks to the removal of the physical keyboard. Because myTouch uses the Android 1.5 “Cupcake” software, it utilizes a virtual keyboard. While this will undoubtedly annoy some users, from a design perspective, it was a very good move. It allows for a device that is not only smaller, and lighter (it’s about an ounce and a half lighter), but it looks a lot nicer too.
And it’s gotten a little bump in its specs. While it features the same processor, the myTouch has double the internal memory of the G1 (now 512 MB), which makes applications load and run much more smoothly.
The screen size and resolution remain the same (3.2-inch TFT-LCD 320 x 480). And, unfortunately, while the display is capacitive, it still does not support multi-touch which is a key feature of the iPhone and the new Palm Pre.
The myTouch also has the same 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus that the G1 had. And the device also comes pre-installed with a 4GB microSD card, but this is user-upgradable to any size.
But the most noticeable difference has to be the battery life. In my experience, the G1 had very poor battery life. The myTouch offers a huge improvement in that regard. How much? Well just in everyday use with a couple applications running in the background, my G1 battery would be gone in a few hours. The myTouch battery easily lasts all day in the same environment.
The iPhone
While this device trumps the G1 in every way, the comparison that more people may be interested in for the myTouch is likely how it stacks up against the iPhone. With the removal of the physical keyboard, the devices are more similar now.
Before I get to that, I will say that the biggest factor for which one you’re likely to enjoy more will be if you’re a bigger fan of the more open Android platform, or the more tightly controlled approach Apple is taking with the iPhone OS.
In terms of hardware, there is still no question in my mind that the iPhone is still much nicer. HTC managed many solid improvements over the G1, but when holding the two hand in hand, the myTouch still feels plasticky, and as a result, cheap, compared to the iPhone.
If you have the original iPhone or the iPhone 3G, you’ll appreciate the 3.2 megapixel camera and the ability to shoot video with the myTouch, but the just-released iPhone 3G S matches both of those features now.
In terms of speed, it’s a bit hard to compare the two since the platforms run different applications. The myTouch, like the G1, features a 528 MHz processor which is a faster processor than the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G had. But again, the new iPhone 3G S meets that speed and even pushes past it, in terms of raw processing power.
I’ve only played with the iPhone 3G S for a few days, but I think it’s safe to say that for day to day use of any application and browsing the web, the new iPhone blows past the myTouch in terms of speed. But again, the myTouch seems noticably faster in many regards then the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G.
That’s not the say that the myTouch has no advantages against the iPhone. It has a huge one: It can run third-party applications in the background. Apple has been toying around with the idea, but the Android phones have done this since day one. And as I noted above, while this severely hurt the G1’s battery performance, the myPhone performs much better even with applications running in the background.
Price
But in a move that still isn’t being talked about all that much, Apple may have dropped a bomb on devices like the myPhone 3G not with the iPhone 3G S as much as with the $99 iPhone 3G. At $199, the myTouch is the same price point as the entry-level iPhone 3G S, but I can see a lot of new smartphone buyers opting for the older iPhone for $100 cheaper.
Pre-orders for the myTouch will take place for existing T-Mobile customers on July 8. The device will be $199 with a 2-year agreement, and generally availability is set for early August.
A 3G Phone for just $199 appears to be a steal and taking into consideration the new Android operating System I am personally going to get it for sure.
Considering how steeply the Rates of iPhone have come down, waiting about 2 months after its launch will surely bring the price tag to $150
1. Though this new Android seems to be game for an iPhone buyer/user, it is not as sleek as the iPhone. It is a little less rough than BlackBerry, but not definitely better than the iPhone. So, style gurus would grumble a bit.
2. Of course, Sherpa is something that adds weight. But we can tell more about it only when it the phone is released.
3. With the iPhone becoming a lot cheaper, with more battery life and enhanced features, I wonder is one would go for myTouch which does not have multi-touch feature.
I’m waiting for the release date to see how far myTouch stands up against iPhone.
(Note: I’m not from Apple. Neither do I advocate Apple products. I’m just a user who is crazy about smart phones).
Its really looking awesome. Its slim, cool and elegant what a master piece
nice move against Apple!
the mobile market is much too big for just 2 (or 3, or 4, or 5) big players in there
Yes, nice move against the iphone. Without a standard headphone jack, it’s sure to just crush Apple.
I mean, who actually makes a phone and doesn’t include a headphone jack in 2009? But you can customize the menu. Talk about missing the market.
I agree wholeheartedly. No standard headphone jack? Wake me up when you’ve got one.
Android is in dire need of good hardware. Its lack of a good phone has by far been its most crippling fault.
You have got to be f’in kidding me. Did they really put out another google phone without a standard headphone jack?
I understand why there is no multi-touch. I understand why the phone isn’t aesthetically polished. But no standard headphone jack? Amazing.
I’m really trying my best to hop on board the Android train but there is an Evil Apple train right across the street that has way nicer accommodations and travels much faster. If I wasn’t so adverse to being a trendy douchebag my mobile life would be much easier.
I had that concern too at first, but the MyTouch does come with a pretty cool (and right-sized) adapter which allows you to plug in any 3.5 mm headphones. It even comes with a built-in microphone so you can still use the phone while using your favorite headphones or ear buds. (I know this because I have a MyTouch in my hands right now…)
I can’t understand why everyone is crying about phones not having a 3.5 headphone jack bluetooth headphones are ten times better. And your right its 2009 we shouldn’t be using wired headphones any more.
Agreed. Headphone jacks and wires… ugh. They get all tangled.
Except that the quality of bluetooth headphones is awful. Sorry, I like my music to sound good.
Just wondering who are your target users, TechCrunch ? Is it people who are looking at information on Startups specifically, related to the Web 2.0 or maybe the entire tech related stories ?
I am asking this because I started being regular to the site since it was primarily covering startups but now the percentage of those stories is dwindling and all of us readers increasingly hear about a lot of other things.
We love TechCrunch and believe it is the best out there, though just wondering whats the positioning that you want to take and the kind of users you want on your site ?
sorry but theyre into the iphone, any article about a phone will have the word iphone in it because its so revolutionary. for example the new iphone: compass edition has a compass.
All Android Phones so far have a compass. Even the G1. On that feature the iPhone is late…
Great point. I wish techcrunch would be techcrunch again and not a second rate Engadget! I agree that Apple has an important place in tech (and I’m actually typing this on a 3G S!), but framing every story to emphasize Apple’s dominance is getting tedious.
The Android/iPhone tit for tat comparison is interesting from a consumer standpoint, but less so from the INDUSTRY standpoint that I come to techcrunch for.
Any word on whether it will allow push email and contact/calendar sync with Google Apps accounts, or will users still be forced into Gmail accounts?
The software is identical to the 1.5 “Cupcake” update the G1 just got. So, no real changes in that department.
I have had the UK version of this phone since it was out, and it works absolutely perfectly with my Google Apps account (including email and calendar sync).
Turn phone on.
Enter Google Apps account details.
You’re done.
We’ve said it before. Android is not there yet, but we think its going to achieve critical mass by the end of this year. The OS is superb, and now the devices are getting there.
Android is going to be a big player in the Mid Market and Enterprise space as Google integrates more of its Apps platform with the Android.
The OS is indeed fantastic, and its open-source nature allows for more frequent, meaningful updates. Its customizability is unparalleled. But I can’t agree with you on the devices. I have yet to see one Android device that matches the best ones out there (iPhone, Pre, etc).
it does look huge but it really isn’t that big!
i had a lil go on one today at the T Mobile store & loved it! i’ll probably get one in the new year!
Having used a G1 for months, I’m not going to upgrade. In fact, I don’t think I’ll get another Android phone ever.
“Ever” is a long time. I think that Android will eventually come to dominate the mobile market, but the software needs more work, and the hardware does, too.
I don’t understand why they’re launching a new $200 phone using the same processor as the G1. According the the recent page-rendering benchmarks, the G1 browses the web about half as quickly as the Pre and the 3GS. Factor in the lackluster T-Mo network, and you have the makings of an overpriced dud.
On faster hardware, the current Android OS would be pretty nice. Android will continue to improve, and once other carriers start to pick up some phones, and the handset manufacturers start one-upping each other’s specs, we’ll really start to see the power of the platform.
It won’t happen overnight, but they’ll catch up eventually. I think an Android phone will probably be a safe bet in another year or two, depending on how far Palm is able to get with WebOS by that time, and whether Apple makes any significant changes to the iPhone equation.
Your wishful thinking starts with “will eventually dominate mobile market” and ends with “but they’ll catch up eventually.” Way to go.
BTW, this is The Year of Linux on Desktop too.
hey dudes you guys do not know what the hell you are saying just to let you know that i worked for the apple company for 15 yrs and my job was trouble shooting the os systems the best HTC ever build is not the i phone the phone lacks a lot can’t tell you guys what it is cause of the settlement i got when i left apple corp just to let you guys know the i phone will be no more in the next 2 yrs the gps has a problem due to the sat that we have in orbit we have been having a lot of freeze os while testing and the new apps do not work on it the 3G network has too much that have to be correct and the corp will not spend to fix it and that famous multi tap say good bye why do you think the phone has gotten so cheap we import or parts from china i had 45 shares in the stock and just to let you know that i sold all 45 Its a HTC no matter what its all bye bye for the i phone
android is horrible and the only reason it gets press is because it has a google logo on it
myTouch? really?
I sold mine on ebay for $780
http://cgi.ebay...em=110396903141
I like the G1 better anyway. I like the physical keyboard. Plus I bought tons of cool sh1t with the Google money. I got no less than a MSA20 12 terabyte SAN, a RC10L3 complete with radio, 17.5T engine, and I got a Canon EOS XT camera from B&H photo used section for $249.
All purchased with Google charity givings. Thanks Google, you fscking rule!
In australia, Got mine today.
I gotta say this is a great phone
Gotta agree that “myTouch” is a horrendously awful name.
I just love that it’s officially the “myTouch 3G” – um, where did that come from?
Yep…its official…Googl is finally getting on the “My” party train brandwagon.
My-Touch reminds me of the iPod-Touch. Oh well better to arrive late to a party and a little dishevelled than not at all.
TouchLocator.com – can you feel me now?
until android phones get multi touch, iphone will always be better
Actually you can have multitouch on your G1 & G2 since the device supports multitouch, only the OS needs to be patched. As the OS is opensource, you can flash your phone with freely available patched image of the OS (see http://jf.andblogs.net/
)
Don’t know why it’s not incorporated by default in the OS, perhaps due to Apple patents…
honestly, multi-touch is a serious gimic on smart phones. Its like the first ten minutes of the phone you go “Oh wow i can pinch to make it zoom in and zoom out”… then 10 minutes later you forget about it.
I have a rooted g1 and use multi-touch but really its no killer feature. Its really just a salesmen gimic to show you how cool the phone is.. Its like vacuuming up marbles with a hoover… just a sales gimic…
i have to dissagree…
on my iphone (2g cuz im a rockstar) i use my multi touch all day like it’s my job…
maybe on the G1 with the keyboard it’s no big deal, but on a phone that lacks a physical keyboard there are no hot keys, therefore it’s pretty vital.
oh, and with that said, one last note…
i have no desire for a physical keyboard…
cheap little buttons just aggravate me.
Whether you like Java or not, Apple made a poor decision to not allow it on the iPhone. Java is the most widely used language and Android will benefit from it’s use:
http://www.tiob...tpci/index.html
From my experience with ‘C’ and Java, Objective-C is an ugly mutation of ‘C’ and OO – and albeit many developers aren’t touching the iPhone for that reason. Android will eventually outpace the iPhone.
“many developers aren’t touching the iPhone for that reason”
Err, doesn’t seem like that many.
I do agree their Objective-C choice isn’t exactly inspired. I’d have gone for C++ or Java, but that’s just me.
Android doesn’t have the “cool factor” that the iPhone does, and so it’s got little chance of becoming as popular. Android will get its chance from having many devices adopt it, like WinMo. This market is way too big for just 3 or 4 devices, so this is where Android and WinMo and other “open” platforms have the advantage.
No wifi. :..(
Umm it does have wifi.
It has all the features of the G1 phone, it’ll have wifi even if it wasn’t specifically mentioned above.
ummmm i like keyboards and… google?
T-Mobile is trying to trademark the word Sherpa? As a friend of Nepal, this makes me kind of angry.
I have the iPhone 2G and since 2 weeks i have the HTC (Ion) Magic Android Handy G2. I already ordered the iPhone 3Gs, because i´m selling the HTC device after one week!! Why? Because of the freaking short battery life. In one week of use i had to charge the G2 every day in the evening, altough i´m not using it obsessive (just some calls and little bit of email).
The day i decided to sell it i was coming home in the evening and was ready for a 30min run (I used the awesome “My Track” App from Google!). After 5 min of running the battery was empty!
Sorry but with my iPhone i can stay for at least two or three days of battery life (with the same tasks). Don´t even think of buying the G2! But if you´re from Austria feel free to buy it here: http://bit.ly/2bAKEg
Sounds like you’ve got something ridiculous running in the background eating up the battery. I’ve had my G2 for a week now and have only needed to charge the battery twice. (And I’ve got Twidroid running in the background constantly updating itself and notifying me.)
The G2 battery life is superior to any Apple phone released before Friday — it’s too early to say if the iPhone 3GS battery is better since I’ve only had to charge it once as well since I got it. I should be able to get a feel for it in about a week. Of course, I don’t have to concern myself with anything running in the background because the OS is so brain-dead.
I’ve had this phone for nearly two months now (it’s called the Magic here in Europe). All I can say is that it’s by far the best mobile device I’ve ever owned, and has some features that impress my friends who own iPhones. The customisability, Android Market and the OS itself are, for me, key advantages over the closed iPhone OS.
But there’s plenty of room for multiple competitors. I just hope that anyone thinking about a new iPhone or Palm Pre will consider this great little device too.
I agree. It’s by far the best phone I’ve ever owned.
i just got mine yesterday the mytouch i really love it.
I’m not familiar with new-contract hardware pricing in the States but when you say it’s $199 on a 2 year term, does this mean you also need to purchase an expensive data-plan like you do with the iPhone? If they are offering this price without a data plan then there is no question which phone wins out. To that end, the $99 price of the iPhone 3G is extremely misleading, seeing as how users upgrading from other phones will easily see their monthly bills double as result of their purchase.
I’ve had the Ion for just under a month. You can’t have it both ways. If you want background notifications/processes, it’s gonna kill battery life. The lightness of the Ion/G2 is nice compared to how the G1 felt like a brick.
The screen on the G2 is much more sharp than the G1. The whites are whiter/brighter. Multi-touch is possible on Android, I’ve seen trivial hacks enabling it. The issue is that Apple asked them not to put it in/the patent issue.
As for the data plan, the lowest data plan is about $25 for unlimited data. That’s where a lot of the savings come from. T-Mo is a much better carrier than AT&T.
I love the keyboard of the G1 but the battery life and crispness of the Ion/G2 makes me do without.
I believe, as Palm is finding out, Apple has a patent over multi-touch for a mobile phone. So unless that patent is over-ruled then I don’t know that multi-touch will be coming to Android’s mobile phone offering. Yet another reason why the patent system in the US needs to be overhauled, what a ridiculous patent.
As a G1 user, I am overall very pleased with it. The two most annoying things are occasional moodiness of the phone where the program will just cash or freeze “do you want to wait or force quit?”. The second is the battery life is really really horrible… you pretty much do need to charge multiple times a day. It’s workable, just plug it in at the office but annoying.
I will not be upgrading to this new phone though because I do not care for virtual keyboards, so the physical keyboard of the G1 was a big selling point to me (I am a Blackberry convert). I like the new virtual keyboard option on the G1 with Cupcake for when I’m using it one handed… but if I have the option physical keyboard is so much more accurate and quick.
Looking forward to future iterations of Android and the next hardware upgrade with a physical keyboard!
This does look much slimmer and easy on the pockets than the G1. The European version was pretty well-received. T-Mobile must be hoping to springboard off the success of the G1. I wouldn’t bet against it.
Yeah….that is what i was looking for…..Great..
Put it like this – if you’re someone who thinks that multi-touch is even in the same league as background applications in terms of usefulness, you either don’t know what a background application is, or Android simply isn’t for you.
Either way, you have no decision to make here. Move along
I agree 100%
I have patched my android to have multi touch (example I can pinch on Google maps to zoom out/in) and I basically never use it.
Customizable notifications however is great and super useful – example: notification when an open wifi is detected, weather alerts, chat, mail, sms etc… (all this customizable: on/off/vibrate etc…) and allowed to 3rd party apps.
How did you patch your android to have multi-touch? I would like to do this.
Wow $199 is cheap! This phoneis cool, love the customisation levels and it doesn’t lag much.
I’m coming up on the end of my 2 year iPhone/AT&T contract and will definitely be getting an Android. I like the design of the iPhone but these new Androids are close hardware wise – and with the custom apps and configuration, they are sweeet. Screw Apple and it’s closed platform – friggin control freaks!
When I read the first part of the title “T-Mobile Will Drop Its Second Android Phone”, I thought you meant that t-mobile is going to “drop” (ie. stop releasing) g2 and panicked for a few seconds. lol
Well, seeing as the IPhone 3G kicks everythi9ng else to the curb, I am not surprised!
RT
http://www.anon-tools.tk
This article so much fawning trash. The Android software is truly a ’second runner up’ compared to the iphone stuff… Yeah, you get to run background apps, and say bye to your already substandard battery life.
I have the G1, it is not a great phone. The virtual keyboard sucks in cupcake, and my phone has gotten slow in various ways since the upgrade.
Will any android phones be worth buying? I doubt it. The iPhone is the best platform to be on for mobile, now if only AT&T wasnt so evil.
Why release a phone that is not superior to the iPhone? I love my G1 and am waiting for the next generation, but I dont understand the logic on releasing after new iPhone and still be less superior. I would give up the keyboard (which I love) for a faster processor and multi touch. I need more motivation to upgrade (granted I would love the longer battery life).
When someone asks me about the g1 phone, I say the battery sucks, however, I always say if you are near a computer, then it will not matter since you can charge it.
Android is definitely for the geek/nerd group, which is why I love it, iPhone is for people that just want a cool phone without knowing freedom that exists on other phones.
I have a G1 and with the stock battery, after some minor conditioning (sharging only below 5% and only fully charging) I get about 40 hours of use between charges with light use (background stuff on), 20 hours with heavy use (mp3/video/gps/background stuff heavily on) Also, it does have multi touch, just not supported stock. The physical keyboard rocks IMHO and the apps are great. Compass, GPS, Video record and upload, upgradeable memory, and customizable with skins and widgets and all. Good article but you shouldn’t have to diminish the G1 just to make the myTouch 3G look better by comparison.
Ok the fact is most of the people who buy smartphones don’t need one for work so it’s obvious the people who buy them just need to show off, which is why the iphone wins. Its got a lot of cool factor that everyone is trying to copy buy fail just because of apples stranglehold on everything trendy.
Is it the best smartphone out there? Maybe. Depends on who you are. A Mac or a PC.. a person who likes touch screen or physical keyboards.. a person who listens to others, or makes up their own damned mind.
Sent from my shirty G2 while listening to music with my included headphone adapter
Ha, shitty auto fixed, I gotta customize my phone not to do that now..
They took the keyboard off and yet it’s much better? That was the best feature by far if you ask me. If this would have been the phone to launch the Android platform instead of the G1, I wouldn’t have bought it.
I have been waiting for the second iteration of the Android Phone. I am a t-mobile customer and have had a blackberry pearl for almost 2 years. I know several friends that have iPhones and love them, so I am not going to trash that phone.
I used to think that I wanted a physical keyboard, but now that my blackberry keyboard is wearing out and no longer is responsive, I have begun to rethink needing a physical keyboard. Correct me if I am wrong but a virtual keyboard won’t wear out. ( i don’t know if a touch screen will get less sensitive over time).
Android’s openness I think is a huge advantage, and the fact that there are supposed to be more than 15 Android phones hit the market this year means that it is highly likely that Android can grab a significant share of the market. Once more and more users get android phones, the app store and innovation should move exponentially faster than the iphone which is tightly controlled.
“While this device trumps the G1 in every way,”
Huh? It doesn’t have a keyboard. Repeat after me. It doesn’t have a keyboard. It doesn’t have a keyboard. It doesn’t have a keyboard.
That’s not an improvement “in every way,” that’s a tradeoff.
I wouldn’t buy an iPhone because – guess what – it doesn’t have a keyboard. So making an Android phone that’s more similar to an iPhone will undoubtably appeal to some people, I think it shows a lack of understanding of your readers to think that removing a keyboard and thus making a smaller, prettier device is an “improvement in every way.”
“I used to think that I wanted a physical keyboard, but now that my blackberry keyboard is wearing out and no longer is responsive, I have begun to rethink needing a physical keyboard. Correct me if I am wrong but a virtual keyboard won’t wear out. ( i don’t know if a touch screen will get less sensitive over time).”
A virtual keyboard won’t wear out over time, and if the screen is made of a quality material like glass, it shouldn’t show wear, either. However, no matter what anyone tells you, you will never be as fast or accurate with a virtual keyboard as with a physical keyboard – at least not in the foreseeable future. Virtual keyboards are great for googling stuff. They are not great for writing three or four paragraph emails.
I got a T-Mobile Wing (HTC) from a guy off of Craigslist who upgraded to the G1. (I’m a Mac, my phone is a PS) My Wing recently started freezing up on me every time I use it and I don’t want to change phone carriers. A friend of mine owns a Samsung HTC phone from another carrier and likes the customizable features on it which are similar to Android. I just pre-ordered the myTouch 3G today. Looking for more myTouch 3G owners to join http://www.myTouch3GForum.com
Take care.
I think by far the mytouch is the best i mean wo gives a shit about physical keyboard
I think the keyboard issue is amplified by the lack of commitment to tethering.
At least let us plug in a usb keyboard or hand-held wheel keying device.
Why doesn’t the palm pre support stylus entry?
Its almost like they want these to be one-way devices to conserve bandwidth?
Hey all,
former G1 user here in Virginia. I currently have the iPhone 3G on AT&T, but really love the Android concept and although I used to have an active G1 (still have it, just use it on WiFi), I am really thinking about getting the black MyTouch 3G on Wednesday. I think it is an improvement on the G1; I feel also that after nine months, that there should be better hardware in it–it many ways it’s so similar to the G1. Thoughts? Also, how’s the call quality? Reviews so far say not bad.
share your view with me at http://www.myTouch3Gforum.com
My phone came in a couple of days ago. There are certainly ways to improve it but I expect that they will be implemented in time, The 3.5 mm headphone jack isn’t a priority for me. The iPhone is less appealing given the many ways in which Apple seeks to exert control over its consumers. I used to buy Apple hardware for years and I just won’t do it any more. I think that Android will throw Apple into an infinite loop at some point. Bad joke.
I love the G1 because of the keyboard. There are so many more Android phones coming out that I hope they make it affordable to upgrade every few months
I looked at the htc new google phone today. I upgraded my 2g iPhone on 8/6 so I can return the 3gs for a couple of days. I determined that the 3gs plus crappy att&t is still the right move. Glad to see the competition catching up. Next replacement in two years I believe I will have a true choice. I like apple products but I am not a fanboy. I want someone to give them some competItion so they don’t turn into another Microsoft that thinks they are above the law for the good of the know nothngs.