Android Phone 2: HTC Magic

Finally, a second Android-based phone! You can read (and view photos!) CNet UK's first look at the phone here.

Well, right now I'm just curious if the battery life is better than the HTC Dream (G1). Other than that, well I could care less for a touchscreen-only phone. (One of the main reasons I didn't get an iPhone.) Other than that, the HTC Magic looks pretty slick and seems to be a nice addition to the Android family.

Cheers!

Hello, Android SDK

So in an attempt to stay on budget and yet keep myself entertained through this recession, I finally set up my Android SDK on one of my computers. I also finished up my first app! Ok, ok, so it's the generic "hello world" app that all newbies start off with, but hey I still haven't decided what I'd like to build. It's always just fun to tinker around a system anyway.
Let the fun begin!

Cheers!

It's 2009 and I Am Back!

Well, it has been over two months since my last post. I have been unfortunately out of ideas on what to blog about. So, perhaps I will slowly stray away from my usual format of blogging about technical recipes and code to bantering on about anything random. Hmmm...we'll see.

Anyhow, happy 2009! I was given an awesome present of a [t-mobile] G1. Yay! I've only had it for a little bit over a week now, but it is awesome. I've managed to get root thus far; but stay tuned for more updates.

First Android Phone Available October 22

At last, Google/T-mobile have announced a release date of October 22, 2008 for the HTC Dream (aka T-mobile G1) in a press conference today. The phone is priced at $179 with a 2-year contract with T-mobile. I'm curious how much it is without those restrictions...hmmmm...

One major concern for me is the tether-ability; From Ars Technica, "In response to a question about whether the device will be tetherable to a laptop, the company said that the G1 was 'meant to be used as a mobile device, not as a tethered modem.'" Now, I actually love being able to tether my Nokia N810 to my phone just for the accessibility of ssh, email, and the web. Though, I suppose I should be able to get the same functionality via the HTC.

I'm sure another big issue at hand for companies thinking about rolling this device out to they're staff is the support for MS Exchange, which "there is currently no Exchange compatibility". Though, this does not seem to worry any prospective buyers who only want access to their Google Apps as Gmail, Google Maps, etc. will work perfectly fine.

I'm sure the iPhone lovers are curious to compare the similarities and differences that stand out. Right now, it looks like an Amazon (DRM-less) MP3 store and an "Android Market" will compete with the iPhone's iTunes Store and Apple App Store respectively.

I have to admit, I've been anxious about Android ever since rumors flooded the web about a "G-phone", so I'm admitting to being a bit biased. Though, I think that the true test will be when users get their hands on these devices.

Now when does my current cellular contract end... :)

Cheers!

References: T-Mobile, Google finally unveil the first Android phone