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Walt Mossberg - Google’s G1: First Impressions

51 points by nickb 18y ago

lemonysnicket 18y ago
iPhone has just lost a bit more if its luster with this release.
- jcl 18y ago
  Really? I get the impression that this phone lacks a lot of the iPhone's polish... various sliding/pinching gestures, tilt to change orientation, sync with PCs... Of course, the G1 is playing catch-up, and not doing a terrible job -- it has some of the features the first generation iPhone lacked (and vice versa). The real thing the iPhone loses is exclusivity. Now that they have some semblance of a competitor, will Apple make concessions to developers and customers to maintain their advantage?
  - lemonysnicket 18y ago
    the real thing the iPhone loses is exclusivity and thus has lost some of its luster -- its not the only player in the market anymore with an app store, touch screen, and all the other goodies
    - jcl 18y ago
      Ah, I interpreted "luster" as "surface polish", not "appeal". Sorry.
    - mechanical_fish 18y ago
      The iPhone doesn't lose luster when it acquires imitators. Far from it. The release of Android is a big, free benefit for Apple's marketing. The release of Android will inspire approximately 3e5 articles comparing the new phone with existing phones. And which is the existing phone that will be featured in every single one of those articles, cast (once again) in the role of the current gold standard for smart phones? It'll be the iPhone. Because stories with Apple in them are exciting stories. And because, from the market's perspective, Android is an obvious derivative of the iPhone -- except for the parts that are derivative of the Blackberry instead, like the hardware keyboard. (If RIM is lucky they might rate a mention in the fifth paragraph of these articles.) There will now be a big P.R. effort to define the entire smartphone industry as an epic battle between iPhone and Android. Which can only benefit both platforms, because the amount of downside to losing a bit of marketshare to your direct competitor is more than compensated by the enormous potential upside of growing the entire iPhone/Android niche of the industry. Remember, iPhone may be a hugely successful product, but it's still only a tiny percentage of the installed base of phones. There's a lot of potential customers still out there. Customers that might be drawn in now that they have a range of iPhone-like devices to choose from. The only way that Android would be a terrible blow to Apple is if it clearly and obviously kicked the iPhone's butt. But it doesn't. There will be a lot of little details that will lead some people to prefer one phone over the other, but there's nothing game-changing here that would cause me to abandon the iPhone. The big difference that folks here on HN notice is the openness of the software platform, but that might not actually be a competitive advantage -- and, if it does prove to be a huge competitive advantage, it won't be one for long, because Apple could eliminate it in fifteen minutes if they really wanted to. All it takes is a policy change.
      - lemonysnicket 18y ago
        "the iPhone with a keyboard." that's all you have to tell ordinary consumers (read: high school teenage girls and college-aged folks who absolutely OBLITERATE text messaging services and would never buy a mobile phone without a keyboard). as a phone, iPhone rates very poorly for two things: calls (poor reception, horrible battery life, etc.) and sms. G1 fixes one and possibly the other. i have an iPhone, FWIW
        whatusername 18y ago
        I can text reasonably well.. (aka - by sight while driving using T9). I don't know ANYONE who texts regularly with a QWERTY keyboard on their phone. Maybe it's just an australian thing? Certainly none of my teenage female cousins have one - nor people I catch a train with...
        niels_olson 18y ago
        > I don't know ANYONE who texts regularly with a QWERTY keyboard on their phone." You must not know many young docs doing their residencies.
      - dejb 18y ago
        Until somebody realease something that isn't a 'Brick with no video recording' perhaps.
- bprater 18y ago
  I don't see this device being a "must-have" device like iPhone is.
l_frequency 18y ago
Umm.. so it's a sidekick... I'm just glad the android developers finally have a device for their apps.
martythemaniak 18y ago
Seems like an OK device hardware wise, but that is likely to change fast and for the better. I'd expect there to be some really nice, polished devices by Holiday season 2009. Software-wise, it looks pretty solid. Has a number of neat features that the iPhone doesn't, but that's also true vice-versa. Seems users will have to think how they use their device to see which one fits them better.
quasimojo 18y ago
christ we are in the dark ages again i need a google account to use gphone i need itunes to use iphone i have to buy apps from approved channels it favors the vendors apps no thanks wake me when i can buy a device that runs apps i choose, connects to the network i want. i realize this is a pipe dream. the wireless world is a world of shit i might as well look for the smallest flash-based linux notebook possible that runs skype and just hold it up to my ear old-skule style like gordon gecko and that giant cell phone from wall street
- jcl 18y ago
  FYI, Android Market apparently will have no review process -- anyone can list an application without approval. And you have heard about OpenMoko, right?
  - nickb 18y ago
    FYI, Android Market apparently will have no review process -- anyone can list an application without approval. I wonder how long this will last. All you need is one malicious app and the party will be over. If not Google, then the carriers themselves will demand the locking up of the store... all in the name of security.
    - jcl 18y ago
      My understanding is that Android apps are sandboxed (a la Java or Flash applets) and need to request permissions for sensitive operations. This may help prevent obvious abuses and allow carriers to restrict problematic operations post-launch. And Blackberry, Windows Mobile, and Palm devices (and PCs) allow users to install arbitrary applications that they get off the internet, and their world has not collapsed yet. The Android Market might even be considered an improvement over these software ecosystems because it provides a de facto central location for flagging problem apps.
    - jonknee 18y ago
      Almost every phone on the market besides the iPhone can run an app without walled garden approval. I think it will be OK. I don't want my desktop apps being filtered any more than I want my mobile apps to be filtered.
subwindow 18y ago
Wake me when I can use Exchange or IMAP to connect to arbitrary mail providers without having to pipe everything through Gmail.
- tsetse-fly 18y ago
  Wake up. Android has both an email and Gmail application. You can use IMAP without having to go through Google.
sdurkin 18y ago
Jesus, guys, hire a design firm. This thing looks literally painful to use.
auston 18y ago
Am I the only one who realizes that this phone solves the syncing problem better than Apple & certainly for a much lower cost (free!). Your contacts/email/appointments move across computer & cell phone with every update. Copy & Paste is solved by the G1. There is 3.5G coverage & GPS built in as well as open standards for applications, so before you know it, you can video conference from your G1 over the net to friends in Argentina, Europe or Asia. Improved maps with a compass, walking directions & street view definitely does not hurt either. The G1 phone matches or exceeds the iPhone in everything except storage, which you can pay extra for.
iamah 18y ago
That was sweet, I hope there will be more applications like this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgkSZS6o050 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgkSZS6o050

51 points by nickb 18y ago

lemonysnicket 18y ago

iPhone has just lost a bit more if its luster with this release.

jcl 18y ago
Really? I get the impression that this phone lacks a lot of the iPhone's polish... various sliding/pinching gestures, tilt to change orientation, sync with PCs... Of course, the G1 is playing catch-up, and not doing a terrible job -- it has some of the features the first generation iPhone lacked (and vice versa). The real thing the iPhone loses is exclusivity. Now that they have some semblance of a competitor, will Apple make concessions to developers and customers to maintain their advantage?
- lemonysnicket 18y ago
  the real thing the iPhone loses is exclusivity and thus has lost some of its luster -- its not the only player in the market anymore with an app store, touch screen, and all the other goodies
  - jcl 18y ago
    Ah, I interpreted "luster" as "surface polish", not "appeal". Sorry.
  - mechanical_fish 18y ago
    The iPhone doesn't lose luster when it acquires imitators. Far from it. The release of Android is a big, free benefit for Apple's marketing. The release of Android will inspire approximately 3e5 articles comparing the new phone with existing phones. And which is the existing phone that will be featured in every single one of those articles, cast (once again) in the role of the current gold standard for smart phones? It'll be the iPhone. Because stories with Apple in them are exciting stories. And because, from the market's perspective, Android is an obvious derivative of the iPhone -- except for the parts that are derivative of the Blackberry instead, like the hardware keyboard. (If RIM is lucky they might rate a mention in the fifth paragraph of these articles.) There will now be a big P.R. effort to define the entire smartphone industry as an epic battle between iPhone and Android. Which can only benefit both platforms, because the amount of downside to losing a bit of marketshare to your direct competitor is more than compensated by the enormous potential upside of growing the entire iPhone/Android niche of the industry. Remember, iPhone may be a hugely successful product, but it's still only a tiny percentage of the installed base of phones. There's a lot of potential customers still out there. Customers that might be drawn in now that they have a range of iPhone-like devices to choose from. The only way that Android would be a terrible blow to Apple is if it clearly and obviously kicked the iPhone's butt. But it doesn't. There will be a lot of little details that will lead some people to prefer one phone over the other, but there's nothing game-changing here that would cause me to abandon the iPhone. The big difference that folks here on HN notice is the openness of the software platform, but that might not actually be a competitive advantage -- and, if it does prove to be a huge competitive advantage, it won't be one for long, because Apple could eliminate it in fifteen minutes if they really wanted to. All it takes is a policy change.
    - lemonysnicket 18y ago
      "the iPhone with a keyboard." that's all you have to tell ordinary consumers (read: high school teenage girls and college-aged folks who absolutely OBLITERATE text messaging services and would never buy a mobile phone without a keyboard). as a phone, iPhone rates very poorly for two things: calls (poor reception, horrible battery life, etc.) and sms. G1 fixes one and possibly the other. i have an iPhone, FWIW
      - whatusername 18y ago
        I can text reasonably well.. (aka - by sight while driving using T9). I don't know ANYONE who texts regularly with a QWERTY keyboard on their phone. Maybe it's just an australian thing? Certainly none of my teenage female cousins have one - nor people I catch a train with...
        niels_olson 18y ago
        > I don't know ANYONE who texts regularly with a QWERTY keyboard on their phone." You must not know many young docs doing their residencies.
    - dejb 18y ago
      Until somebody realease something that isn't a 'Brick with no video recording' perhaps.
bprater 18y ago
I don't see this device being a "must-have" device like iPhone is.

l_frequency 18y ago

Umm.. so it's a sidekick... I'm just glad the android developers finally have a device for their apps.

martythemaniak 18y ago

Seems like an OK device hardware wise, but that is likely to change fast and for the better. I'd expect there to be some really nice, polished devices by Holiday season 2009. Software-wise, it looks pretty solid. Has a number of neat features that the iPhone doesn't, but that's also true vice-versa. Seems users will have to think how they use their device to see which one fits them better.

quasimojo 18y ago

christ we are in the dark ages again i need a google account to use gphone i need itunes to use iphone i have to buy apps from approved channels it favors the vendors apps no thanks wake me when i can buy a device that runs apps i choose, connects to the network i want. i realize this is a pipe dream. the wireless world is a world of shit i might as well look for the smallest flash-based linux notebook possible that runs skype and just hold it up to my ear old-skule style like gordon gecko and that giant cell phone from wall street

jcl 18y ago
FYI, Android Market apparently will have no review process -- anyone can list an application without approval. And you have heard about OpenMoko, right?
- nickb 18y ago
  FYI, Android Market apparently will have no review process -- anyone can list an application without approval. I wonder how long this will last. All you need is one malicious app and the party will be over. If not Google, then the carriers themselves will demand the locking up of the store... all in the name of security.
  - jcl 18y ago
    My understanding is that Android apps are sandboxed (a la Java or Flash applets) and need to request permissions for sensitive operations. This may help prevent obvious abuses and allow carriers to restrict problematic operations post-launch. And Blackberry, Windows Mobile, and Palm devices (and PCs) allow users to install arbitrary applications that they get off the internet, and their world has not collapsed yet. The Android Market might even be considered an improvement over these software ecosystems because it provides a de facto central location for flagging problem apps.
  - jonknee 18y ago
    Almost every phone on the market besides the iPhone can run an app without walled garden approval. I think it will be OK. I don't want my desktop apps being filtered any more than I want my mobile apps to be filtered.

subwindow 18y ago

Wake me when I can use Exchange or IMAP to connect to arbitrary mail providers without having to pipe everything through Gmail.

tsetse-fly 18y ago
Wake up. Android has both an email and Gmail application. You can use IMAP without having to go through Google.

sdurkin 18y ago

Jesus, guys, hire a design firm. This thing looks literally painful to use.

auston 18y ago

Am I the only one who realizes that this phone solves the syncing problem better than Apple & certainly for a much lower cost (free!). Your contacts/email/appointments move across computer & cell phone with every update. Copy & Paste is solved by the G1. There is 3.5G coverage & GPS built in as well as open standards for applications, so before you know it, you can video conference from your G1 over the net to friends in Argentina, Europe or Asia. Improved maps with a compass, walking directions & street view definitely does not hurt either. The G1 phone matches or exceeds the iPhone in everything except storage, which you can pay extra for.

iamah 18y ago

That was sweet, I hope there will be more applications like this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgkSZS6o050 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgkSZS6o050