Comments on: Google Phone rumors resurface. Good or bad for Android?

By: CJ

CJ — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:14:44 +0000

Tom, I would bet my testicles that there isn’t going to be “Google Phone”. As you pointed out it would piss off the current Android partners if Google sold their own phone with their own special Android variant. As it stands now the “With Google” version of handsets guarantees that you get the Android experience in the way that Google wants you to get it which is minus all the Sense UI, MotoBlur crap that manufacturers are layering on top of the OS.

By: CJ

CJ — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:10:57 +0000

You could use the Motorola Sholes which is the GSM variant.

By: Tom Robson

Tom Robson — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:30:57 +0000

Releasing their own phone now will irritate handset makers who have recently committed to Android, like Samsung and Motorola. It’s not that hard for a company to switch from one OS to another, Motorola have just done it (embracing Android) and there are alternatives to Android, like Symbian, Blackberry OS, Maemo, etc.

Big mistake IMO and will make people think twice about partnering with Google about anything in the future if it’s true.

By: lock

lock — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:41:54 +0000

hmmmm you know…not to put more fuel into the fire, but sprint did say they would have a Wimax phone coming out next year and the speculation is that it would be running android….

By: just some dude

just some dude — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:24:53 +0000

you can get the new maps nav now, if your rooted. i have it running on my Mytouch 3g. voice with turn by turn and street view too. head over to the XDA forums to get yours.

By: just some dude

just some dude — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:17:41 +0000

The article mentions that Google will have the upper hand when it comes to the better version of android, I don’t think so. They will simply have the same version the other OHA members do they will simply add there own apps/skin on there phone. If we remember back a few months iphone had the better version of google maps and it took a while before it trickled down to other carries. Google’s reply was that the android team have developed for iphone first, so i think it does not show favoritism. I think there phone stands to be the best design yet, but others are realizing androids potential and will step up there own R&D.

By: chewtoy

chewtoy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:59:26 +0000

Hoped for features in any new phone (aka what it would take to make me happy):

* The speakerphone should be loud enough to really use, anywhere except front row at a rock concert.

* The microsdhc slot must be accessible EASILY.

* The camera must kick the crap out of all the existing phone cameras — there’s no reason my phone camera shouldn’t be able to capture great still pics at night and fast motion pics without blurring in the daytime!!! NONE!!! That is just inexcusable!!!

* Just the standard android interface — screw all this idiotic custom android crap! The only software any OEM should contribute is kickass hardware drivers. Leave the OS and interface to a single branch, the main branch.

* An FM tuner would be nice.

* Storage of voicemail ON THE PHONE would be nice — my sanyo phone from 8 years ago was better in that respect than any existing smartphone. Way back then I could screen calls and speed up or slow down playback of voicemails, because someone at Sanyo was bright enough to realize that there was no reason the phone couldn’t outperform an answering machine and beat the heck out of carrier-provided voicemail just by using its onboard flash memory.

By: anthony

anthony — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:03:30 +0000

Here is my grain of salt on this. This is no different from releasing android 2.0 on the motorola droid first. Other companies will be able to get their hands on this. Regards to carriers….they make a lot of money off a 30 data plan so a 60 data plan is more loot in their pockets. One it will not be wildy adopted so no fears. Also data only plans may be the future and google is just getting ahead of themselves. Just let me know where the line starts for it

By: mantrik00

mantrik00 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:00:05 +0000

There is some logic for a Google branded phone:

1. Most manufacturers are skinning the Android with their own GUI. There exists a demand for an Android phone with the unchanged features. Google can fit in here.
2. Most manufacturers have made a token presence with Android OS. Majority of their devices still use other more established OS. Google can give that push for mass adoption of the Android OS.
3. Most manufacturers have been lagging behind in adopting the latest version of the Android OS. Google’s direct presence will bolster driver development for the latest versions of the Android OS.

Lastly, I think Google will be able to retain members of the Open Handset Alliance if it remains concurrently open to all of them about the future development of the Android OS.

By: 94wolf

94wolf — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:53:52 +0000

And now comes this from Tech Crunch:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/18/the-google-phone-may-be-data-only-voip-driven-device/

???