[kwlug-disc] Good android phones [was: MS Phone]

[Khalid Baheyeldin]

On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 5:59 PM, Lori Paniak
<ldpaniak at fourpisolutions.com>wrote:

> On Wed, 2010-10-13 at 12:42 -0400, Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
> > On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 11:57 AM, Johnny Ferguson
> > <hyperflexed at gmail.com> wrote:
> >         On 10/12/2010 10:05 AM, Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
> >                 On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 9:41 AM, Insurance Squared
> >                 Inc.
> >                 <gcooke at insurancesquared.com
> >                 <mailto:gcooke at insurancesquared.com>> wrote:
> >
> >                    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/11514901
> >
> >                    Microsoft launches phones.  Actually looks
> >                 interesting, not that
> >                    I'll be getting one personally :).  Looks like
> >                 they've got an app
> >                    development kit, for all you programmers.
> >
> >                    Not much in the way of details in the video, but I
> >                 expect everything
> >                    will be closed source.
> >
> >
> >                 This is not their "phone". It says Samsung on the
> >                 handset. This is version 7
> >                 of their Windows Mobile (previously known as WinCE).
> >
> >                 They had an initiative to have their own Microsoft
> >                 branded phone, called
> >                 Kin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Kin but
> >                 they discontinued it.
> >                 Maybe
> >                 because Google discontinued directly selling their
> >                 Nexus One? I don't know.
> >
> >                 As for Windows for Mobile phones, the phone I used
> >                 until over a month ago
> >                 was made by HTC, and had Windows Mobile 5. I liked the
> >                 hardware, but
> >                 hated everything about the operating system.
> >                 EVERYTHING! It was desktop
> >                 centric still, hard to navigate, many options
> >                 missing, ...etc.
> >
> >                 Everything they said in the video is available already
> >                 in Android (and I
> >                 assume
> >                 Apple too). The only exception (at least for Android)
> >                 is the "all your
> >                 friend's
> >                 activity in one place", so as to not go in and out of
> >                 apps all the time.
> >
> >                 Someone will write an app that does that I am sure.
> >
> >                 HD Video? Already have it! Easy navigation? Check!
> >                 AMOLED screen? HTC
> >                 Desire and Nexus One have it, and a bunch of others.
> >
> >                 Apple and Microsoft can keep their monopolies. I like
> >                 Android, and not just
> >                 because it is Linux underneath. It is functional,
> >                 open, extensible and has a
> >                 large app base.
> >
> >         What's a good droid phone in Canada? Essentially my definition
> >         of good is the ability to control the software that runs on my
> >         phone.
> >
> > Really depends on whether you want to go the rooted phone route, or
> > just
> > stick with the stock O.S.
> >
> > I have not tried rooting myself, since any time I read about it, there
> > is partial
> > support for this piece, or that part does not work. Mainly drivers. I
> > want the
> > full functionality (magnetic compass, accelerometers, GPS, WiFI, GSM,
> > ...etc.), not partial functionality. I installed ConnectBot and that
> > gives me
> > a shell. I can do ls, ps, top, ...etc. This is not root though. Also I
> > installed
> > ASTRO, and it allows me to install non Market apps. So if I am
> > inclined
> > to do so, I can download the Android SDK, Eclipse and I can write apps
> > for the phone, without having it rooted. The only thing you can't
> > change
> > is the operating system itself, but you can do whatever on the app
> > level.
> >
> >
> > I heard others on this list have rooted Android phones, so please
> > share your
> > experiences with this.
> >
> > Apart from rooting, look for a phone that has the Android Market
> > enabled. Do
> > not get a phone that has no market since it would be quite useless.
> > Some
> > carriers do lock the market out for some retarded business reason.
> >
> > Also get Android 2.1 or higher. I heard 2.2 has a just in time
> > compiler and
> > therefore potentially faster code execution.
> >
> > Depending on who your carrier is, an unlocked GSM phone gives you
> > certain freedoms, such as switching to another provider, or using a
> > SIM
> > card abroad if you travel, specially outside of North America.
> >
> > If you are looking for a phone with a physical keyboard, then don't
> > get
> > the Motorola Milestone (a.k.a. Droid in CDMA networks), which I own.
> > The reason is that the keyboard is almost unusable. It works fine as
> > a
> > touch phone, and is feature rich otherwise.
> >
> > One thing that I considered was to go on Kijiji and find a used phone.
> > Some are like $200 to $250 or so, even with a semi recent Android
> > 2.1.
> > Be sure to investigate that route before you pay $400 or so for
> > Milestone/
> > Droid, or $500 for an HTC Desire (the same as Google Nexus One).
> >
> > Examples:
> > LG EVE (has keyboard)
> >
> http://kitchener.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-phones-PDAs-ipods-LG-EVE-3G-5-0MP-Andriod-Touch-Screen-Amazing-Phone-W0QQAdIdZ234531931
> >
> > Acer Liquid E (decent specs, but heard they heat up)
> >
> http://kitchener.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-phones-PDAs-ipods-New-Acer-Liquid-E-Android-2-1-smartphone-W0QQAdIdZ235386649
> >
> > Go wild ...
> > --
>
>
> I picked up a Samsung Galaxy S a couple of weeks ago.  It is a wonderful
> device with a big, bright AMOLED touchscreen and plenty of features and
> performance with Android 2.1.  I have not rooted it or felt the need to
> upgrade to 2.2.
>
> The only downside is that the phone is only available in retail through
> Bell.  I just got off the phone canceling my contract with them for
> several reasons which I will save for another thread.
>
> Bottom line is if you are going to get the Galaxy S (or any other phone)
> and might have to call customer service one day, don't sign up with
> Bell.  Buy the phone unlocked (or outright from Bell - the unlock tool
> is freely available in the Android Market) and sign up with a different
> provider.
>

That is what I did: buy the phone unlocked off of Kijiji. I bought the
Motorola
Milestone that way, despite it being a Telus device, and I am with Rogers.

My daughter bought an HTC Desire (same as Google Nexus One) also
from Kijiji, also unlocked.

My usual rant about the North American mobile phone market will have
to wait for another time.
-- 
Khalid M. Baheyeldin
2bits.com, Inc.
http://2bits.com
Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.
Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. --  Edsger W.Dijkstra
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. --   Leonardo da Vinci
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