http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/ Engadget Comments for Android phones in AT&T's future? Hey, anything's possible! http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 11:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
Anyway, props to AT&T for at least speculating. Although I'm sure they will never adopt an OS that allows the owner to actually OWN the phone. No hate though, AT&T, we love you for the iPhone, still.

-D
http://www.androidboards.com]]>Apr 3rd 2008 12:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 12:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
Of course, I'm sure there'd be nothing keeping folks from installing a more lenient version of Android, but that's been going on for years with Motorola's base OS's.]]>Apr 3rd 2008 1:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
We Consumers can delete anything that AT&T installs, at will, and there's no way for AT&T to stop us from installing anything we want.

File under corporate mouth piece ignorance or outright lie.]]>Apr 3rd 2008 11:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 12:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
So they are happy that they can block SIP/Skype ( per Steve Jobs iPhone SDK rules ) being installed, but there's no acknowledgment that Android is completely open for countermeasures. He's not thinking it through, or is lying about being "happy".]]>Apr 3rd 2008 12:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
Well, they don't block SIP/Skype (or any applications, actually) on Windows Mobile phones. Removing AT&T's programs from their default install is as easy as hard resetting the phone as soon as you get it and canceling the AT&T customization after the reset. I don't really see how this would be different on Android based phones.

The iPhone is an entirely different beast that Apple gets a good chunk of the profits from. This is unique to Apple as a handset manufacturer, so it makes sense that Apple needs to lock down their SDK so that AT&T still gets their piece of the pie.

I'm not entirely trying to defend AT&T here since I obviously don't know their true intentions, I just don't see this cryptic stuff that you are. It just sounds like they initially thought they weren't going to be able to install stuff like AT&T Streaming Video. Now that they know they'll be able to, they're "happy".]]>Apr 3rd 2008 2:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
In other words: ugly.]]>Apr 3rd 2008 11:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 12:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 12:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 12:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
* Yes, I know. There is an emulator.

-D
http://www.androidboards.com]]>Apr 3rd 2008 12:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
]]>Apr 3rd 2008 2:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
It would be so much cheaper for everyone if we just had unlocked GSM phones like the rest of the world.]]>Apr 3rd 2008 12:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 3:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 3:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
I had a phone for five years. I liked it (until it broke or I smashed it, however you want to look at it). At 60/mo, I was paying for a subsidized phone, that I didn't have. I know I'm not the only one out there doing this. Some people just get a little phone that makes calls, and that's all they really want. They keep paying the subsidy regardless, because that's the price of the plan.

I'd much rather pay 5 or 6 hundred for a blackberry or Kaiser and then just pay the 30/mo or whatever for voice and data. It would also make much more sense since you'd be able to switch carriers with your phone with all your data in it.]]>Apr 4th 2008 9:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
So far I just get all these claims about its greatness, but no solid facts.

*Goes back to reading his OpenMoko forums*]]>Apr 3rd 2008 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 2:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 3:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 1:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
If anyone knows where I can get that, tell me.]]>Apr 3rd 2008 2:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 5:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/Apr 3rd 2008 7:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/
Apparently Andy and company have seen that even if they build a world-class programming environment, those restrictions result in a software ecosytem that provides only games, ringtones, and a biorhythm program. This again points to Google's Android being about openness, since Google's business model for seems purely defensive, betting it will prevent carriers from closing off up the billion cellphones (and another billion MIDs) from the real internet.

Now that the industry has woken up to the fact that mobile internet devices are not "smart phones" (i.e., cell phones with an "available" browser a la PalmOS), the carriers are seeing that they will no longer be able to enjoy their privileged position of getting people to pay for access to data or pay by the kilobyte, and they need a new business model. Yet, like the RIAA, they will try to cling to their role as gatekeeper and middle profiteer as long as possible.

Maybe Microsoft's acquisition of Danger will (I never thought I'd say this) force Danger to open up when they ditch the Java OS for WinCE. Microsoft will certainly acquire some UI expertise; someone need to tell them that a START button that takes up 25% of the screen isn't what mobile users want.]]>Apr 4th 2008 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/03/android-phones-in-atandts-future-hey-anythings-possible/May 24th 2008 5:35PM