Hank [BS/MSEE,
MSM $$$, Ph.D. Mgmt] teaches 
As most of you know who follow the tech gadget market, and what Gen-Yers don’t, Google & T-Mobile this past Tuesday rolled out their new cell phone offering, the $179.00 Android, available 10/22/08. At the high end of full service, that is voice, web, and unlimited texting, the Android @ $70.00/month beats the iPhone’s $90.00/month [don't forget the taxes!]. However, there is much much more at stake here than meets the eye.
Writing in SiliconValley.com’s “Good Morning Silicon Valley,” John Murrell in a very insightful article points out:
“…it comes down to closed vs. open. In political terms, the Apple environment is like Singapore, where some freedoms may be ceded in favor of providing a pleasant and orderly experience, and Google, with its Android platform, is like a loud and messy New England town meeting. Apple has one iPhone, a tightly controlled App Store for third-party programs, and a touchscreen design that favors consumption of iTunes entertainment. The G1 is but the first of many Android-based devices to come, all of which will be served by the wide-open Android Market, and its design, featuring a real keyboard, leans toward typing-oriented functions like mail, messaging and mobile search, not coincidentally all Google strong suits. If you’re already happy in the Apple ecosystem, or with an “it just works (most of the time)” approach to tech in general, and you’re in the smart-phone market, there’s probably not much that Android handset manufacturers can come up with that will tempt you away from the iPhone. If you’re already happy in the Google ecosystem, then the tight integration of Google applications and services and the breadth of third-party development possibilities will make an Android-based phone more appealing. At the core, the iPhone and the Android phones may not really be the direct competitors they’re made out to be, but rather comparable alternatives whose appeal depends mostly on whether your tastes and needs put you in the closed or open camp.”
Me, I prefer Open Source and am willing to give Android a chance. BTW, Google yesterday released the 1.0 version of the Android SDK; not beta, but 1.0. It’s going to get interesting! And you, the customer, will be the winner. There’s more talking head stuff in the video below. Hank
The G1 is produced by High Tech Computing (HTC) based out of Taiwan. I have the HTC Tilt and it works amazingly. HTC always seems to have the best technology in cell phones. I absolutely love the company, in fact, I tried to invest but they don’t have an ADR in any american markets.
Combined with Google’s Open Source Android, this phone is going to be a killer.
I heard of the android almost a year ago, and think that it is going to an amazing phone. I hope that AT&T gets on board so that I can get one.
Sounds like a great phone & if google is involved it must be a sure thing. At $70 a month this phone service beats its competetors quite some bit. T-Mobile has had a reputation as en economy option provider but provides a great service. I’ve used their services since I can remember & plan to upgrade to the new hype: The Android
As an iPhone owner I have mixed emotions about the new Android. First off, I love my iPhone 3G, but with that being said it does come with its difficulties and frustrations. I’ll be curious to see how well Google listened to the complaints iPhone users had when its first version came out and see if the Android has similar issues. I also feel that the Android lacks in the “showmanship” category. It isn’t as sleek and sexy as the iPhone is, but I’m sure where it lacks in form it makes up for in performance.
I think this is a perfect opportunity for google to get into the market. The iphone is diffidently in control of the market right now. Google has a great understanding of the internet market and a lot of consumers are behind them. The only problem is that this phone will only be available for T mobile subscribers. I think google should expand to make it available for everyone.
This is google continuing to show their innovative side. The iphone has been the most innovative phone on the market up until this point, now the Android can offer some competition. Honestly though, when people buy this phone I don’t think that a 90-70 dollars per month is going to be a large factor. Thats only about 240 dollars saved per year which is not much at all.
I think its a great product for google. T-mobile is a global communication company. I think its a good choice for google. It is especially good because of the open source. That means you are not locked away with using just apple products, you can use tons of different ones including creating your own applications for the phone. I think the price also makes it exceptionally over the top because not only is the service cheaper but so is the phone, in price of course. And most people dont think about the long run oh its only going to save me 240/year when they are shopping. They are mainly thinking about the 20 dollar a month difference. Sure its not a lot but people will be thinking wow this service lets me save 20 per month and its supported by google.
I belive that the new Andriod is going to be a hit, not just because google backs it, but also because the product is more open then the apple i-phone. I also agree that by incorporating googles experience with the internet the andriod will have an advantage over the i-phone.
I like the fact that the Andriod has a qwerty keyboard unlike the iphone. The iphone’s keys are sometimes hard to push and get the correct one because it is all electronic. With the new Android you will be able to push correctly what you want. I would love to try out this phone. Google has done many great things and this being an open source phone, how could you pass it up? It has a cheaper service than the iphone & you can actually type on it without messing up!
I’m not a very techno smart person, nor do I know much about phones. However, my two cents (and two points) are these . . . 1. The phone’s design and look is not that impressive to me. Assuming, as stated above, that there is an advantage to having a keyboard and not a touch screen, the Andriod did well. However, I cannot help but feel that it could have a more appealing/trendy look.My only other comment (point 2) is the lady in the video seemed to have no idea what she was doing. It’d be like if I tried to report on this upcoming Andriod. Her pauses were very long, drawn out, and uncomfortable . . . not that it has anything to do with the success of the phone. Just an observation!
I think it is a clone of the iphone. The only difference is that this phone has a full keyboard like the sidekick, which is a huge plus in my opinion. I love to text, this phone has that feature, and it has a touch screen. The only negative is that it currently is out for T-Mobile and there are not enough T-Mobile users out there. I also think that people will not be attracted to this phone as much as the iphone because the iphone has the apple brand name and att while this phone does not. I think it may succeed but not as well as it would if it came out for Verizon.
This will most likely not compete with the iPhone. It is a lackluster design, and doesn’t possess the hype or sex appeal of the iPhone. This thing has been in development for years and I’m honestly not that impressed. The only thing that can save it from the boring visuals, is absolutely stunning software.
I used to own this phone too, and like Jon Perl said it is an amazing phone. They are constantly coming up with new models. Just last year, I think I saw 3 or 4 new models since I got mine. With the open source it will develop faster and meet the users need, making this an even better phone.
I believe the anroid is going to be a far competitor to the i Phone it will be interesting to see how people react and to see what people have to say about the new anroid. I like this little battle between Apple and Google its beginning to take shape and will be interesting to see who comes out on top especially with the release of the anroid which has potetinal to confront i Phone head on if it becomes more available to more carriers.
I also would have to say that i believe the Android phone will be a hit. It’s software is better than the iphones and the service and plan is cheaper too.
I personally can’t afford either phone, but I do have to say that I lean more towards the iPhone for basic use. Unlike the Android, the iPhone offers features such as the music and video applications that android can’t. However, I also can appeal to Android since I can develop my own applications for it and it ties in the standard Google uses that I use everyday. Which to choose? That’s a good question. Like Hank said, it all about which feels better.
Android seems tight and hi-tech. It attracts me more than iPhone did and basically, what T-mobile and Google are doing is to surpass the Apple’s iPhone and at&t service in the mobile market. Although its features are similar to iPhone, it is “Google” which is going to play a major role in the game plan against Apple’s iPhone.
Finally, the iPhone meets its match. Apple now has competition with Google and it’s going to be a battle of the techies. Hopefully, with the pressure between the two companies to produce the best product, there will be an increase in the quality of the features offered within the product. Can’t wait to see what’s next!
yeah, Google strike back in .. They seek an opportunity and yes, they discovered the best. I know they bought this idea from a very innovative man but still, the two founders know what they have to do and when they have to do. They are the only ones who can have the most advanced coding methods and they make use of latest technologies available. They made quite alot of applications work in it. I don’t know about its Bluetooth but in iphone bluetooth can only be connected to a headset and not any phone(a big bug, which i found today). But iphone still rocks with its looks… Google made you do anything with this phone. They right now launched its 1.0 version but hope to see their beta version soon and also what they give you with android is a whole book on — How to code in their phone Android. That is really an efficient step. So, one wont be needing to go in and crack somethings to make applications work rather we can create our own ways to run them with the help of that book.
I really like that last feature–Go gOOgle.!!
Sounds like there may end up being either a price war (hopefully for us) or there may be a “feature war” where they’ll constantly come out with newer and better features. Which will obviously be good for us too.
i really think google will do whatever it takes to win customers over. Apple is usually stubborn, so they probably won’t change much, but Google can totally capitalize on this. I’m just looking forward to the upcoming months to see how the competition does and what it brings to the phones
This is a pretty exciting time in the technological world. Everything is being integrated together which will better serve the consumer. And this is just one more step Google is taking to trying to take over the world.
This looks and sounds exactly like the iPhone… I feel like I am a little behind the times when it comes to technology. I think I will stick to my envy phone for now! Lastly, when I watched the video over it I think I was too focused on how bad the girl was that was speaking.. Did anyone else notice that?!
Even though savannah is right on the fact that it is pretty much just like the iPhone, I am totally stoked. I am a t-mobile customer and I’m excited that something like that will be offered for us. I don’t like the touch-tone keypad therefore kind of like what they are doing with this one instead. I hope all goes well with it.
I am a iPhone uses and i must say it is very user friendly. It offers a lot of useful features such as music that android doesn’t. It is nice that the Android allows you to personalize your own applications. however, i’m sticking with the iPhone for now!
I’m thinking about purchasing an iPhone actually since the prices have gone drastically. I think it is a very cool phone with all the features it offers; for example, the picture on the screen that turns with any direction in which you turn the phone is pretty cool, I think.