David's Computer Stuff Journal

Android Phone - I want one!

Posted by David N. Welton Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:08:00 GMT

Early details:

  • Coming out in October.
  • UK in early November, Europe by first quarter 2009.
  • Simlocked to T-Mobile.
  • Source code! When the phone comes out. Hopefully someone will use it to unlock the thing.
  • 179$ - not bad.
  • MP3's from Amazon.
  • Market app built in.
  • Neat use of Google Maps street view.

I'm sold, I want one. It might not be quite as flashy as the iPhone, but I want something open.

4 comments |

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  1. foo
    about {{count}} hours later:

    Err, just get an OpenMoko instead. They seem to care about free software, whereas Google only cares about making a buck.

  2. Marius Gedminas
    about {{count}} hours later:

    Simlocked? I seem to remember a Google video presentation about Android that said locking is against the principles of the openness of the Android platform and that they won't allow operators do that.

  3. David Welton
    about {{count}} hours later:

    OpenMoko looks good, but once Android source code comes out, the combination of open source and big corporate muscle behind it is a winning one, and more likely to produce a big "ecosystem" (sorry, it's an overused term, but it works in this case).

    Simlocked is, I suppose, the price you pay for getting the hardware below cost. Presumably as things getting rolling, you'll be able to buy unlocked phones. Also, at some point, hopefully other manufacturers will jump on board - Android is an OS, not "The Google Phone".

  4. Grant
    about {{count}} hours later:

    I was initially very interested, but was disappointed to learn that it cannot be used tethered like a modem.