As an old PalmOS user since its introduction (and PalmPilot user prior), I have tried all of the smartphone OS's over the years, but typically stick with Palm. I have tried WinMo, Blackberry, Nokia etc. and currently run a Pre. Android has caught my eye for awhile now, and if Sprint had the Moment out prior to the Pre, that would be in my pocket right now. Hopefully Sprint picks up an HTC device with 4g(Wimax) and a keyboard sometime in January/February.
Which leads me to my question, as was previously posted by the Nokia gentlemen. Do you all really think having all these different UI's from the different manufacturers is a good idea? Don't get me wrong, competition creates better products, but it seems to me HTC has set the bar (rightfully so) and maybe people either "settle" for a MotoBlur/Samsung etc. or wait for an HTC device. Would Google benefit from making an agreement with HTC and using their UI "Skin" as the default android topping?
To answer your question Matt, this would be my list of what I would need hardware wise before giving Android a shot. I have tried to "settle" for other devices before, including Palm, and decided after buying a TouchPro, Treo Pro, and Pre within months of each other and not being fully satisfied that I will not purchase another phone until my list is satisfied. This list isn't in any particular order, all are "deal breakers" for the most part, some more important than others, but this is not a "pyramid list" if you will.
1. Hardware keyboard. Call it old habits, call it sausage fingers or what have you, but I have tried just about all the on screen keyboards and CANNOT find one that I can type on reliably. Even some hardware keyboards are unimpressive (droid), but I find that I can at least grow used to one, where an on screen keyboard I just cannot get used to.
2. 3.2" screen or bigger. Captive/Resistive doesn't much matter, as long as its responsive. Resistive screens have the advantage of working with gloves, pen caps etc., while captive screens can multitouch and are super sensitive. Both are nice, and I love multitouch, but taking gloves off in winter kind of sucks. Coming from mostly smaller screen PalmOS phones, blackberry's, candy bar winmo phones etc. the Pre and TouchPro spoiled me. It seems to be a curse though. Now that I have a large screen, I have started to appreciate the multimedia aspects available to a smartphone, rather than just the PIM side of things, and have gotten addicted to the larger screens. Now 3.2" seems almost too small!
3. Sprint with WiMax. Sprint has its issues like every cell company, but it is the best fit for me. Acceptable service everywhere that I use a cell (with exceptions to certain phones with poor radios/antenna's) and has the most useful features for the cheapest price. With WiMax available in every area I use my cell, and as much as I use OTA sprint internet, 4g is a must for me on my next device.
4. 600mhz processor or larger. Even older OS's are starting to lag with 500mhz processors. Just too much going on with cell phones now. 500-600mhz has become the norm, and I believe the 1ghz Snapdragon to be the norm for 2010.
5. EXPANDABLE MEMORY. Really Apple/Palm.. I know Apple loves people to upgrade for memory, and that's cool if your into that, but Palm has no excuse. I mean, this is a company that put SD card slots in the TOPS of phones for easy access. I thought I could deal with large non-expandable memory, but I cannot. The convenience of swapping SD cards for certain things, slapping them into a computer when no USB cables are available etc. is unparamount. I would rather have to remove the battery door every time than not have it, but is it really a big deal to put them on the side/top/bottom like we used to?!
6. Ram. 256mb works for now, but 512 would be a nice upgrade, especially since android runs widgets.
7. 3.5mm heaphone port
8. Micro USB. Both need no explanation.
**9. Having a quick slider button for silence and sound on is nice, but I guess having a quick icon on the home screen works just as well. This one isn't a deal breaker since only Palm does it, but it would be nice.
10. 1500Mah battery or larger. Phones do a lot now a days, even in the background. Fast processors, crazy new screens, it all eats power regardless of how well programmed the OS is. Give us a usable battery size until battery improvements are made.
11. REMOVABLE BATTERY.
12. LOUD speakerphone. I was spoiled with Nextel's and older Treo's. Motorola T505s are nice, but should be left in a car and used in large settings. I shouldn't have to turn the phone to hear someone talking when a speakerphone is necessary, or have to have 3 people bumping heads trying to watch a youtube video with sound.
13. Good camera. MP doesn't much matter (3.2 or better is nice), as long as it takes acceptable pics. Cell phone cameras aren't standalone units, and I'm not asking for a Cannon, but some cells work VERY well, and some 5mp's seem to not work well at all. Obviously this is mostly software, but make the Camera good enough to stop the "Sorry for the cell pic" posts and texts. While your at it, toss in a flash. Focus optional.
14. Good antenna. You would think this would be obvious, but some of the newer smartphones I have used lately have HORRID coverage, on ALL carriers.
That would cover most of it. I think that's my "perfect" phone for the most part, and obviously would probably not be made all in one device. I can tell you though, I will not purchase a new device without a 3.2" screen or larger, hardware keyboard, WiMax, loud speaker, large battery that's removable, SD card, 3.5 jack, and microUSB. Obviously Android will be my next phone, I really want to give that a shot, and 2.0/2,1 would be preferable (not necessary). I would LOVE for HTC to build a device like that with senseUI, but for that phone, I would deal with just about any manufacturer. Anyone for an HD2/Passion/Dragon etc. with a slide out keyboard? :-D Sorry for the length, just wanted to give my .02.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram