Samsung's Android phone hitting Sprint and T-Mobile by June
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Dec 19th 2008 5:21AM
posted Dec 19th 2008 5:21AM
[Via ModMyGphone, thanks Neerhaj]
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The clock's right!
Too much bezel, not enough screen. Shame.
Not know that it's a photoshopped picture of the Samsung Instict, shame.
know----> knowing.
I love the new comment editing system, very useful.
How did a comment about a photoshopped Instinct get high-ranked?
Im sorry but I need a physical keypad, which is why I'm sticking with my G1.
so how good is your G1? honestly. should i hold out for a different handset or succumb right now to the G1?
Everything about the G1 is pretty good, except for the battery life, which seems to come painfully short on most high-end HTC devices. My Touch Pro's just lasts me a whole day with moderate internet browsing, e-mail and a few calls. Heavy GPS, browser downloading and calling will mean you will need a charge before the day is over.
I really like the G1 alot, the battery life could be better, but once your done playing with everything for the first 4 days that you get it and calm down, you'll find the battery life to last one or two days if you use stuff like youtube sparingly. Other than that I couldn't be happier with it. I think it looks good in white and the keypad is awesome especially if your upgrading from a sidekick, you'll feel right at home.
The G1 is the best HTC phone I have owned. Not because of the hardware of design (my Touch was much more sexy), but because of Android. I would live without a qwerty keyboard, so I've already got my eye on anythign coming down the pipeline that have a sleeker design.
The battery always died quickly for me with normal use until I installed Power Manager Application and setup a bunch of profiles. I can now go 2 days without worrying about charging it.
Ummm you do know the picture is a mock up right? That is the Samsung Instinct which in real life does not have Android on it.
I love my G1, its a great phone. The keybaord is really really fast to type on. I'm considering getting an Android Dev Phone and passing my G1 over to my wife.
Come on Verizon! What is taking you so long?! My contract ends in April...
Verizon earlier this year, Verizon picked Linux over Android as their choice in open-source operating systems. I don't think we'll be seeing any Verizon handsets with Android on them in the near future.
Whoops, I mean
"Earlier this year, Verizon picked..."
I wish we could edit comments on this thing. :(
@Aaron: I would love to switch to T-mobile, if their 3G network was in more than a few cities... I don't care really who at this point I guess. I want something like the HTC Touch HD running Android on a 3G network. I'd rather it be Verizon because I have had them for years and not had a problem but like you said...
I agree. I am currently on Sprint, but was contemplating switching over to Verizon because they have a stronger network. The phone I was going after though was the HTC Touch Pro, which Verizon crippled horribly. I suppose the Omnia is an alternative, but I haven't done any research to see whether or not Verizon messed with that handheld as well.
Besides, I like the nice screen on my Touch Pro, and the sliding QWERTY keyboard. I've used that feature way more than the on-screen touch keyboard.
If only HTC would bring the Touch HD to the US, I would switch to whatever carrier got it first. I would imagine Sprint or AT&T getting first dibs on it though.
@Aaron: remember though, on VZW, unlimited data costs 3 times what it does on Sprint. Also Sprint lets you roam free on VZW (at least my regular old non-SERO plan does) and the recent Gizmodo survey shows them to have the fastest 3g network. They may be the underdog advertising and PR-wise but they are certainly a strong contender for best carrier as far as smartphones go.
The only thing between Verizon and a compelling handset is Verizon. They don't want a platform where they cede control over content more than they absolutely must (i.e. VZNavigator is a revenue source which suffers more as users have more freedom). They officially announced LiMo platform over Android almost certainly because it gets them a no-charge OS that still allows them to control the users.
It's unfortunate, as T-Mobile doesn't have 3g in my area or any coverage at all in places I tend to be. AT&T doesn't have any coverage in those areas either. Verizon has EVDO even in the places others don't have coverage.
I personally hope Sprint gets a better phone than the Samsung units. If they had something that left me we with the experience that the G1 trial did, I'd jump ship from verizon in a heartbeat. Good coverage where I am and the ability to roam to VZW on occasion. Of course a physical keyboard is a requirement for me.
it takes me to look forward it!
You may want to reread that comment.
wtf
Sorry, I didn't see any "f", just a phone.
Please, try to explain your point next time.
No longer about the hardware? Try telling that to HTC.
Yeah, thought that too.
It's certainly no longer JUST about the hardware, but the hardware still is MIGHTY important. The best software is useless if the hardware is simply crappy.
Ah, but you have to remember; in North America, the iPhone is the be-all and end-all. Nothing can get better. So it's natural for everyone to think it's the best that technology has to offer in EVERY WAY.
It's too bad HTC can't even write proper video drivers to compliment their hardware. Then again, when you work with Qualcomm, something has to give.
another samsung's sausage?
Mr. Thomas, I can assure you that the hardware is just as important as the software to some people.
"Without a doubt, 2009 is destined to be the year of The Android."
Correction - 2009 is destined to be the year when we find out whether Android works or not. Certainly the Android platform has been released successfully to developers and there is a shipping phone available, but whether applications written for the platform with work the same on all phones remains to be seen. For the same reason that Java applications don't necessarily work the same on all platforms due to differences in the implementation of the JVM, so we wait to see if all manufacturers manage to implement Android the same or whether there are any differences. Fingers crossed...
This is the only thing that worries me about the platform.
Isn't Android based off a Linux kernel? If I am right about that, I doubt they will have any issues.
To be honest, I'm not sure what the issue potentially can be. It seems as though Google is providing the OS and JVM, plus associated libraries and applications, so applications written for Android should run the same on different handsets. However, there has been concerns that differences may appear (perhaps if the manufacturers provide their own versions of the software libraries in order to use functionality particular to their device) so I'm just waiting to see if those fears are founded at all.
Android runs a Dalvik Virtual Machine, not JVM. Dalvik runs so high up in abstraction from the physical hardware layer that you'll never see a compatibility issue across different handsets. If an app needs access to a non-existent GSP data from a phone that doesn't have a GPS chip, the app will not "crash" or fail to function, it will just complain elegantly.
Any warnings you read about turning of legacy Java code, written for handsets, being complied into new Android apps is just FUD from Microsft and Sun. Google's master stroke of genius is how they cheated their way around the licensing restrictions of Java. When you combine the Dalvik coup with the Apache license, you'll see why 2009 will be the year of Android.
More detail on the coup that is Android's use of Dalik here:
http://www.betaversion.org/~stefano/linotype/news/110/
@Todd
So the software platform that each Android application runs on will be the same across each device running Android? The comments that I've heard have been from developers rather than Sun or Microsoft, although it is possible that their concerns are based on FUD from those companies.
Ugh, my grammar sucks today. Then again, it is almost 4 AM where I live.
On-topic:
The thing I dislike the most about a lot of these touch-screen devices is the fact that many of them lack the proper hardware buttons to play games properly. The iPhone, sad to say it, currently has the best game support of any handheld on the market.
No, the hardware is even more important. The only hardware gone here is buttons, and that has huge drawbacks. The next big step will be hardware like this that gives good feedback.
Urh, why do I even bother.
Nice, I tried out a G1 for a while, my girlfriend kept hers and loves it. I just kind of felt like something was missing. I think it's just a lack of choice right now. Give it another year or so and several more devices carrying Android and I'll be a happy camper.
weAREengadget
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Nk8CH5UVc
The only thing I am concerned about is how developers create their apps. Since we know certain handsets will not have keyboards or touch screens, developers need to implement control systems for their app so that they can work with these various devices. Also, I'm hoping that the marketplace will get revamped so that you can sort the apps based on which ones work best for your handsets hardware.
My Sprint contract expires in a month. Should I renew now and get a new phone, or wait and get the Android phone. I have been keeping my eyes out on this story, and it's about time that Sprint picked up Android. I'm kind of curious to see how Android will do on the Samsung Instinct hardware (if that's what the phone will be based on).
I'd wait if I were you.
This is GREAT news for Sprint and Google/Android fans. Congrats on getting your platform on a Great service provider.
Wish me luck in getting my Windows 7 Device on Sprint. ;)
WTB unlocked G1/this phone/whatever Android device with 850/1900 HSPA. I realize that ATT is [foolishly] staying away from the OHA, but HTC could smarten up and release at least one device for those of us who need 3G in more than a few major cities and don't want to deal with the restrictions of a CDMA carrier. How hard could it be to swap the G1's current chip with one that has ATT spec 3G?
Whats with the "Sprint" phone having a T-Mobile "MyFaves" icon on it?
*sigh*
the sprint version looks waaaay better than the tmobile version. FUCK TMOBILE!!!!!
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