Unfortunately, the official Twitter requires Android 2.1 or greater.

Twitter also shared that they had a great time working with the Android team. In the near future, Google will be open sourcing the code used in this app so that developers can create new experiences using the Twitter APIs.

My guess is we see Twitter fully integrated in Android 2.2 (similar to Facebook and 2.1). Twitter for Android adds the ability to sync all your existing accounts and updates under the Android accounts setting.

Gallery

After months of endless leaks which generated huge buzz, the Droid Incredible finally goes on sale at Verizon tonight at midnight.

With its 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, the Droid Incredible will become the fastest Android phone available at a U.S. retail store. Google’s Nexus One also featured the same CPU, but it has only been available online.

Loaded on the phone will be the latest Android 2.1 firmware with HTC’s updated Sense UI. I was a critic of earlier versions of Sense, but after getting some hands on time with the new HTC Desire and Legend I found myself liking it more and more.

Other notable features of the Incredible include an 8 megapixel camera, improved touch sensor, video out with optional accessory, FM radio, and increased internal storage.

The only downside to the Incredible might be its custom Sense UI. Other HTC phones with Sense have been slow to upgrade from Android 1.x to Android 2.1 and the Incredible could suffer the same fate. Android 2.2 is around the corner and will be released for the Nexus One first, but there is no telling how long it might take Verizon to send out an update.

Users who already own a Droid or Nexus One will want to stick with their phone, but the Incredible makes a nice upgrade for anyone coming from a first generation device. If you are new to Android, the Incredible is your best option right now and you can’t go wrong with the nation’s largest 3G network.

New Verizon customers (2yr contract required) can pick up the Incredible at:

• $299 at Verizon retail stores (plus $100 mail in rebate)
• $199 on Verizon’s online site
• Special introductory price from our online phone store (more details at midnight)

All the cool kids on the block got their demo units early, but we are still waiting to review the phone. Check out the dozen reviews below to get a feeling for what the phone is like.

Reviews are up at:

• Engadget: “If you’re on Verizon right now, you’re finally getting really great options for phones, but the Incredible is currently sitting at the top of that heap with a good bit of distance to the next in line.”
• Gizmodo: “It’s also possibly the best Android phone you can buy in the US for now—with the caveat that running a custom user interface introduces the high possibility it will get screwed on future Android updates from Google, as owners of HTC’s other custom Android phones could attest to, still waiting patiently for the update to 2.1 themselves.”
• Infosync World: “After an afternoon with the HTC Droid Incredible, looking at our iPhone screen was like going from Nintendo 64 to NES.”
• CNET: “With its polished design and user interface and blazing fast speeds, the HTC Droid Incredible takes pole position as Verizon’s top smartphone and is now the Android device to beat.”
• Android Central: “For our money the Incredible quickly has made itself the Android smartphone to beat, at least in the United States, and at least until the Evo 4G arrives. And even then, it’s going to be a tough battle.”
• Android Community: “As you’d hope, the Incredible’s still photos are, well, incredible. Packed with detail, they’re a noticeable step up from what the Nexus One is capable of.”
• SlashGear: “Incredible, they call it, and for once the marketing hyperbole may be right. The Verizon Droid Incredible by HTC takes a somewhat familiar spec sheet and squeezes out something different enough to stand out from the crowd.”
• BGR: “What we do know is that HTC has come up with another incredible device, pushing the boundaries of Android in practically every direction we can think of.”
• IntoMobile: “The Incredible’s feature-set is one of the most impressive of any smartphone currently available today. You get high-end hardware packed into a slim and sexy package – and the hardware works well, without lag or any major snafus.”
• Phone Arena: “Unfortunately, the minimalistic design approach is the one glaringly eye sore that hinders the Droid Incredible to be elevated to a level beyond its brothers, and with the HTC EVO 4G on the horizon, it’ll have a small window of opportunity to make its impact. “
• DroidDog: “In summary, the HTC DROID Incredible is a fantastic device. While it has some of the same Sense quirks that the Hero had, it’s leaps and bounds above the Hero.”

Droid Incredible product video:

One of our favorite sessions from last year was the Fireside Chat with the Android team members. Google allowed anyone to submit any question and then members of the audience voted up their favorites. It was a great opportunity to listen as the Google engineers took on all questions and candidly spoke about the topics that mattered.

This year Google is hosting two fireside chats – one with the Android engineers and another with the handset makers. If you ever wanted to get those tough Android questions answered, this is likely your best shot all year.

How to play

Leave a comment to submit your question for the Fireside chat with Android handset manufacturers. The exact list of companies joining the panel is still to be determined, but I would expect to see at least HTC and Motorola participate.

The topic is pretty open as long as it is Android related and geared towards handsets. Feel free to ask about anything you think the handset manufacturers should address. If you have general questions about the Android OS, please save those for a future countdown post.

As the questions start to come in, use our comment rating system to vote up the questions you think we should ask and bury the stupid ones. There is no guarantee your question will be answered, but I’ll do my best to ask the questions that get the most votes.

Update: Submit as many questions as you like, but split them into different comments so users can vote them up or down.

I am SO surprised that even in its early state you can see how well this runs on my very limited G1. This may very well be the first SNAPPY 2.1 ROM for the G1.

The myTouch 3G Slide will be T-Mobile’s FIRST phone with Android 2.1 and HTC’s updated Espresso Sense UI and should be released sometime in June.

T-Mobile went to great lengths to make Android a little more user friendly to mainstream customers and not just power users like myself. It’s also more appealing to currently displaced Sidekick users and I feel like this is who T-Mobile is trying to target with this new phone in their myTouch 3G series.

After playing with a leaked ROM, it is easy to see that T-Mobile had a LOT more influence with this Android phone than any others before it. You can see their apps strewn about this phone and although most are pretty useless, I can see how some Android virgins may find them useful.

One I particularly liked was the myTouch Music app which is essentially a streaming radio station with the top 100 hits and you can even skip ahead to tracks. Nice! Most of the others were apps that overlapped with a lot of other fuctions already found on Android (like Settings). Some even seemed like T-Mobile trying to cash in on some of the more unsuspecting Android newcomers.

I did like how Swype came preloaded as well as HTC IME.

Overall, this ROM on the G1 is faster than ANY other 2.1 Sense UI ROMs I have tried. It’s crazy. Especially given the fact the myTouch Slide is much more powerful than the G1. This Sense UI is a little different than tradition Sense in that it’s technically a new version called Espresso. You can see some of the graphical changes such as the bubbles around the apps. Again, I can see what HTC was going for with this and trying to get a more uniform look to the app icons.

Either you love it, or hate it. I personally don’t mind it at all.

As of now, the only things not working in this ROM are WiFi, Bluetooth, Browser and Gmail. Although, I’m sure all of these will be fixed before I even finish this sentence. The Android community has been really great in pulling together and getting everything up and running. So much progress in so little time!

Here’s the link for the the version I’m using at the moment. Look for the Beta2 link.

“Verizon Wireless today announced that it will provide customers the option to use, on its nationwide wireless network, wireless devices, software and applications not offered by the company. Verizon Wireless plans to have this new choice available to customers throughout the country by the end of 2008.”Verizon Wireless11/27/2007

The year was 2007. Verizon was facing pressure for locking down their devices so the carrier announced a new Open Developer initiative to open up their network – specifically to “devices not offered by the company”. They claimed customers would be able to use “any apps, any device”, but that it turned out that Verizon didn’t consider a phone to be a device.

Verizon CEO, Lowell McAdam, thought it would open the door to new innovation and growth, but they have yet to open their network for phones they did not sell. When referring to the new initiative, McAdams said, “Verizon Wireless is not changing our successful retail model, but rather adding an additional retail option for customers looking for a different wireless experience.”

Fast forward to 2010. Google unveils the Nexus One with support for T-Mobile and announces support for Verizon is coming soon (Spring 2010). The Nexus One was a special Android phone because Google would sell it unlocked directly to customers and cut out the middle man (the carrier).

Coming soon no more.

This new approach to selling phones benefited the customer by giving them more choices. I purchased my Nexus One on day one and I was happy to pay full price to pair it with my no-contract Even More Plus plan on T-Mobile.

Common sense would tell you the carrier does not want to give up the sale (and software) of a phone, but Google must have made a sweet deal (or done some arm twisting) to get the carriers to fall in line. AT&T was the first to say ‘no thanks’ to the idea, so Google went ahead and still released a version which supported their network. Sprint was the last to weigh in, but they finally joined the party and said the Nexus One was a natural fit for their Android lineup.

Customers eagerly waited for the Nexus One on Verizon, but an official release date never surfaced. We predicted the phone could launch at CTIA last month, but Verizon remained tight lipped. As we anticipated Verizon announcing the device, they went on to officially unveil the Droid Incredible (which is basically a cousin of the Nexus One).

Now today we learned that Google will not be selling a Nexus One with Verizon support. This comes as a disappointment to potential customers who wanted to purchase the phone and Google who was hoping to have the N1 on all four carriers.

So why the change in direction from Verizon? That is the key question – one we may never get a real answer to. Both companies are currently playing nice, but clearly something is up. Google looked to be the dominant partner calling the shots, but now we see Verizon is beginning to push back.

If Verizon really wanted to carry the phone by now, Google would have let them place it in their retail stores (like Vodafone). This would have it compete directly with their other new Android phone (the Incredible), which someone did not want to happen.

Verizon did not initially want to treat HTC (maker of the N1 and Incredible) as a first-tier supplier, but their attitude changed 180-degrees when HTC’s brand became popular with U.S. consumers. When the Droid Incredible launches on April 29th, it will be Verizon’s flagship smartphone.

It would have been nice to see the Nexus One experiment on Verizon’s network, but I guess it was a little too open for the nation’s largest carrier.

Oddly, Verizon has now placed the spotlight on Sprint who is still scheduled to release its Nexus One availability soon. There must be a boatload of CDMA-based Nexii by now, so let’s all hope they work out a deal.

Let them hear it

We know there is a nice selection of insiders who visit this blog, so let them know what you think about Google and Verizon’s latest move. Who do you think made the decision to nix the Nexus One on Verizon? Does it even matter with the pending Droid Incredible? Were you waiting on the Verizon N1 and now considering switching to another carrier to get the device? Do you think Sprint will still launch the device?

A miniature recap of Verizon’s goal of being open:

• November 27, 2007:  Verizon announces plans to open their network to support devices not offered by the company.
• October 6, 2009: Google and Verizon form a strategic partnership to “leverage (VZ’s) high-speed network and open Android platform for wireless innovation”.
• January 5, 2010: Google introduces the Nexus One and announces Verizon support coming in spring 2010.
• April 26, 2010: Google updates their Nexus One partnerships. Verizon support is no more. “Go buy an Incredible.”

Among the most interesting highlights of the phone is its mysterious high-powered graphics processing unit (GPU). Samsung’s Omar Khan claimed their 1 GHz platform could “process a staggering 90 million triangles per second” in a keynote speech at CTIA. They boasted the Galaxy S contained “at least three times the power of other smart phones”.

So what is this mysterious processor being used in the Samsung Galaxy S? Last month I authored a post which echoed Samsung’s claims – The Galaxy S would have 3x the GPU power of Snapdragon Android phones.

I do not have all the answers in this story, but I will share what I found so that others might be able to piece together the puzzle.

The official press release never mentioned which CPU was being used, so I speculated it was the new Samsung S5PC110 application processor (codenamed Hummingbird) which was announced last year.

After a couple of emails to our Samsung Mobile contacts, we were finally able to confirm the CPU.

“I apologize for the delay in getting back to you. The processor is the Samsung S5PC110 Cortex-A8 model. The only information I have about the Galaxy S memory is 16GB / 8GB; external memory slot (upto 32GB) . More specifics will be available closer to launch.”Samsung Mobile Spokesperson

So if there were any doubters left, yes the Galaxy S uses the S5PC110 “Hummingbird” CPU. The only information I have yet to see officially released is the actual GPU that is built in and the amount of RAM.

In Samsung’s press release for the S5PC110, they mention it includes a “PowerVR SGX 3D graphics engine”, but they do not include the model. Previously I speculated it might be the new PowerVR SGX540, but I had no hard evidence.

After digging around for a couple more weeks, I found another Android device using Samsung’s S5PC110 application processor. The upcoming ODROID-T from Hardkernel will also sport Samsung’s latest offering. This is notable because they list the GPU as the SGX540, which they claim does up to 20M triangles/s and 1000M pixels/s.

Since the GPU is built in to the application processor, then all S5PC110′s should include the PowerVR SGX540 GPU. Thus, the Samsung Galaxy S is likely using the PowerVR SGX540.

So now we have Samsung claiming the Galaxy S can do 90 million triangles per second (Mt/s) and another source says it’s only 20 Mt/s. As you may remember from the first article, the Qualcomm Snapdragon GPU does 22 Mt/s, which would place both phones in the same range.

The PowerVR SGX family.

Not a lot is known about the SGX540, so it is hard to determine how fast it will be. Imagination Technologie’s spec sheet for the PowerVR SGX family does not provide specific performance for each model GPU.

In a press release for the OMAP4 platform, Imagination Technologies said it would also include the SGX540. They claim the OMAP4 will offer 5x the graphics performance of the OMAP3 series, which included the PowerVR SGX530. This is not a fair comparison with the Samsung S5PC110 (Cortex-A8) because the OMAP4 is based on the next generation Cortex-A9 platform.

What does it all mean?

I have no conclusion because the numbers still do not add up. Samsung is making some wild performance claims (90 M/ts), but the hardware they are using does not seem capable of producing those results.

To throw in an interesting twist since the last article, the company Instrisity who jointly developed the S5PC110 with Samsung has been acquired by Apple.

This post goes out to Sean since he is our new self-proclaimed GPU expert an obssessed tech blogger. Hopefully he can point out where I went wrong and help us get to the bottom of this issue.

1. Adobe Flash 10.1 and Air 2 beta signups

I start with this point because it is the most obvious and it comes directly from Adobe. Early this week Adobe began taking applications for public betas of Flash 10.1 and Air 2 for Android. In a post on The Flash Blog it was revealed that private betas had already begun with developers.

2. Flash 10.1 coming in the first half of 2010

We originally thought Flash 10.1 had been delayed till the second half of 2010, but we were wrong. Flash evangelist Serge Jespers was quick to point out that Flash 10.1 was still on track for a 1H 2010 release. That leaves about two months before it should be available.

3. Andy Rubin blogs about Flash for Android on the Adobe blogs

Google’s VP of Engineering, Andy Rubin, just authored a guest post on the Adobe Featured Blogs. He specifically mentions Google I/O and says we will learn more at the event.

“We also look forward to all the innovative content and applications created for Android and Flash. Join us at Google I/O in May to learn more about our work together with Adobe to open up the world of Flash on mobile devices.”Andy Rubin>Google

4. New version of Android with embedded Flash support

I already authored an entire post on this, but I think Android 2.2 will also debut at Google I/O. There is evidence that 2.2 is already in testing and signs that new Android features will be revealed at Google I/O.

Android engineer Chris Nesladek and a few others will lead a session titled Android UI design patterns. Part of their discussion will focus on “new patterns which will get an I/O-only preview”. There is also the session A JIT Compiler for Android’s Dalvik VM which is another new Android feature.

5. Flash devs are already making Android apps

What good is the beta of Flash 10.1 without some apps to try it out? Adobe has already provided many devs with early access to Flash and Air, while Google has supplied them with free phones.

If you visit The Flash Blog, Adobe has already listed a dozen Android apps which use Flash and Air. Each app has a corresponding blog post and video, so it looks like the devs have had access for awhile. I expect most of these guys will be at I/O to show off their work.

Based on the data from our analytics reports it appears Google has already begun testing on their next firmware – Android 2.2. Google engineers have routinely given codenames to future builds of Android (Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, etc.), but they don’t receive a point release till they are finalized and nearing distribution.

We have shared this reporting data before and people are always quick to point out that it can be easily faked, but I have spoke with additional sources familiar with the matter who confirmed Android 2.2 is currently being tested.

The feature set for Android 2.2 was frozen long ago, but it remains mostly unknown. Google decided last year that they would no longer publish public roadmaps for future versions of Android. Based on the information we can gather, it appears Android 2.2 will mainly focus on performance enhancements.

Some of the rumored features for Android 2.2 include:

• JIT compiler
• Free additional RAM
• OpenGL ES 2.0 enhancements
• Flash 10.1 support
• Fixed problem with “crazy screen” / Resolution of cross multitouch
• Activation of Color Trackball
• Enable FM radio

Some of these features are plausible and others we have no clue.

The JIT compiler has already been confirmed by Google and we expect to find out new details during Google I/O. Android engineers will be leading a discussion that informs devs how to test and tune their apps to work with the new compiler.

Additional free RAM should come thanks to the new Linux kernel being used in Froyo. Google is moving from 2.6.29 to the newer 2.6.32 which makes it possible to address the extra RAM. This has already been done in custom ROMs like CyanogenMod so expect this feature for sure.

I’m no expert on OpenGL, but it has long been rumored that Froyo (or a future build) will add new APIs to the Android NDK which will let Java devs have full access to the OpenGL ES 2.0 library.

Flash 10.1 is coming in the first half of the year. It is entirely possible it could be tied to a future Android firmware and be included with an OTA update.

We have already addressed the HTC touch sensor issues. It sounds like a future software update could be used to clean this up a little.

Multicolor trackball notifications are definitely coming. Android hackers like ChainsDD have already unlocked this feature for users of custom ROMs. Google advertised the multicolor trackball during its launch of the Nexus One, but the feature was cut from the final Android 2.1 build.

When it comes to the FM radio, I have no idea. Other HTC phones on a similar Snapdragon platform (Desire and Incredible) include the FM radio so it’s not out of the question that the N1 has it too.

I spoke with Google’s Erick Tseng during CES and he told me there were many secrets left in the Nexus One that we would discover later.

When is it Android 2.2 coming out?

Circle May 19th on your calendar. This is the opening day of Google I/O and I’m anticipating the release of Android 2.2 (and maybe the Flash 10.1 beta) will be tied to this event. Google has provided every developer attending the event a free Droid or Nexus One, so it is possible to see a simultaneous release on both devices.

I’m really curious how first generation devices are going to play with this release. We are expecting most phones to receive Android 2.1 this month, so it will be interesting to see how Froyo fits in. Some of the Android engineers have been talking about Froyo on the Google boards and it is unclear if the HTC Dream and Magic will be able to support it since they only have 192 MB of RAM.

What features do you want in the next version of Android?

What is the biggest issue that you think Google needs to address in the next release of Android? Are you satisfied with the rumored list of changes? Is there some glaring feature that you think Google is overlooking? Share your hopes and predictions in the comments and let us know what you think.

When the car dock first made a cameo appearance in the “Nexus One: The Story – Episode 1: Concept & Design” video I knew I needed one. And when Google announced it was available for sale I was one of the first to place my order. Does it live up to the $55 price tag?

The Nexus One Car Dock comes in a gorgeous hard box very similar to the one the Nexus One comes in. Inside are the car dock, 12v cable, mounting disc, alcohol wipe, instructions and warranty information.

My first thought after playing with it on the kitchen counter for a few minutes was “Over engineered”. The thing swivels every which way. I was sure it wouldn’t have a firm grip on the phone or the windshield. I thought I had wasted my money. Boy, was I wrong.

I installed the car dock following the instructions (wiping the windshield and suction cup with the alcohol wipe, etc). It took a few times to figure out a good spot so that it was in arms reach but not in my way. There is a locking mechanism on the base that you twist and it is on until you untwist it. I haven’t had it fall off since that first day. We will see how it does after a few weeks in the Texas summer (which weakens all but the best suction cup car devices) but I think it has a good shot at surviving.

Power is supplied by using a 12v cigarette lighter adapter. The actual adapter part again feels real solid and heavy when compared to your average $5 adapter. The cable is the perfect length and part of it is coiled so it isn’t laying at your passengers feet all the time. I did not test out the mounting disc (which adheres to your dash so you can mount the card dock to the disc if having it attached to your windshield is illegal or not possible) but it feels of higher quality than others I have seen.

To snap the phone in you have to use a little bit of force. I was hesitant at first but the clasp doesn’t scratch the phone and gives a good loud click when your phone is secure. In less than a second your screen turns on and the Car Home app is launched giving you large icons to access to View Map, Navigation, Voice Search, Contacts, Search and Home. After playing with the orientation a bit I found I prefered the horizontal (sideways) positioning even though many apps and the regular home screen do not orient sideways (though the latest CyanogenMod ROM allows the home screen to rotate). The car dock does allow you to rotate the device easily without being so loose that it moves on its own.

The phone connects to the speaker in the dock via bluetooth. You can assign the speaker to act as a speaker phone and/or play music and media. This allows you to play music out the headphone jack and into your car stereo and still have the dock as your speakerphone. Very cool. The speaker in the unit is pretty good, a lot better than the speaker in the phone itself, but not so good that I’m going to stop using my car stereo. The dock also has up and down volume buttons which seem to work for some media but not others. It’s a little odd and people have complained about the buttons not working at all, so there is obviously something going on there that needs to be looked at.

The dock also has cutouts for both of the microphones so the noise cancellation works. Additionally there is a cut out for the camera lens. This allows the phone to sit flush in the unit and also allows you to have a dashcam if you wanted to record your driving.

As you would expect, the dock recharges your phone as you drive without having to plug in additional wires. I was able to to listen to the MLB At Bat app (listening to radio broadcast over 3G) and still end up with a little more battery than when I started.

All in all this is a rock solid accessory. True, the price tag is a little steep. I would have preferred that they used less elegant package design to shave a few dollars off, but the device itself is so well designed and such a perfect compliment to the phone that it is well worth it. Over the life of other phones I have had to buy three or four car docks for $12-15 that didn’t do anything but hold the phone. This one does a lot more and I think will last a lot longer. Money well spent.

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[images]

Quick look video

First off, we are being told the final name for the phone is the myTouch 3G Slide. No launch date has been provided, but it sounds like the device will launch in May. The phones given out are using the final hardware, but the software is still in beta as T-Mobile works with HTC to tweak it.

The following are some quick notes I jotted down during my tour of the phone. No spec sheets were provided with the devices, but we were able to discover most of the major specs.

Display: It is hard to tell from the leaked pictures, but the Slide will feature a larger display than the original MT3G. Our source compared the display with an iPhone 3G S (3.5 in) and said they were the same size. I was unable to determine if the display was AMOLED or not.

Camera: The Slide features a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus. This is an improvement over the MT3G which had 3 MP and no flash.

Processor: We don’t know the exact model number, but I did confirm it has a 600 MHz ARM11 processor. This could be the Qualcomm MSM7227 or MSM7627.

Memory: From what we can tell the Slide features the same 512 MB ROM / 512 MB RAM as seen in the HTC Nexus One. The phone should ship with an 8 GB microSD card.

HSPA+: The source claimed the Slide will be used by T-Mobile to promote their HSPA+ network, but I do not think it supports the full HSPA+ speeds. Instead I believe it supports HSPA 7.2 which is compatible with the new HSPA+ network. Qualcomm just started to sample some of their HSPA+ chipsets (MSM8260, MSM8660 and MSM8270), but those have a 1.2 GHz Scorpion processor which is faster than what is used in the Slide.

Battery: 1300 mAh as reported earlier.

Operating system: This was already known, but the Slide has the latest Android 2.1 firmware (still kernel 2.6.29) and HTC’s new Sense UI. All of the latest Sense UI features like Leap are included, but the UI has been tweaked to T-Mobile’s liking. It is the same UI as the leaked Espresso ROM that was revealed earlier this year. Users can select between 5-7 home screens.

Hardware extras: The Slide features a proximity and light sensor. The external speaker is much louder than the original MT3G. An optical trackpad is used in place of the trackball.

Multitouch: The Browser, Gallery, and Maps applications all support pinch zoom.

Live Wallpapers: Sorry, these are not supported. This is not that big a surprise considering the processor is ARM11 based.

Accounts & sync: Since the device is Android 2.1, it supports multi accounts. There were a few new additions not seen on my Nexus One. Flickr is now an integrated account you can sync. There is also the option to sync your T-Mobile account so they can store your photos.

Software extras: Lots of T-Mobile bundled apps like AppPack, My Account, and more. There is a myTouch Music app which is a semi-clone of Pandora. Quick Office is included along with some games like Abduction. None of the bundled apps can be removed at this time. Swype is the default virtual keyboard, but users can switch to the HTC keyboard or a new one called Dragon Dictionary.

Gaming: Our unofficial gaming benchmark for mid-range Android phones has become Raging Thunder 2. The game was designed for high-end phones like the Droid and N1, but the source claims it plays at an acceptable frame rate on the Slide. This is a surprise because we tried the game in our Motorola Devour review (also 600 MHz ARM11) and it was not playable. The additional RAM found in the Slide could be the reason for the performance boost.

Overall impressions: Our source claims they were extremely satisfied with the Slide (and they came from the G1). The phone is slimmer than the G1 which is nice for those considering an upgrade. The performance of the Sense UI was great and no lag was experienced on the home screen. The battery life is typical of any Android phone and got them through the day.