Editorial: All I wanted this year was the best smartphone ever

This year, all I really wanted for the holidays was the perfect smartphone. Not too much to ask for, right? You'd think, but all I ended up with was constant swapping between 3 (or more) devices, hoping to find some balance of features that worked for me. Instead of one "go to" phone, I juggled the iPhone 3G, T-Mobile G1, and BlackBerry Bold for the last few months, desperately wishing I could merge them into one perfect device. I shall now break down my hopes for the upcoming year, with a prayer in my little old heart that manufacturers are listening.

1: Give me the iPhone's ecosystem, processing power, and polish without the draconian approval process and limits on what developers can do.

It's pretty clear that right now Apple's take on app distribution is the way to go, and it's also pretty clear that the iPhone has enough juice to carry out just about any task with reasonable speed (3D gaming included). Unfortunately, the limits on what you can do within the developer agreement, and the hidden, shifting rules on what flies and what doesn't in the App Store make the whole process disheartening. The G1 (with its Android Market) has this almost right -- but it's going to take some time (and end users) to get really refined apps out the door.

2: Give me the Bold's keyboard and speed.

Look, not only is this phone one of the more enjoyable devices I've ever had the pleasure of typing on -- it's insanely fast. The Bold is probably the fastest, most responsive phone I've ever used... and I've used a lot. Sometimes waiting for the iPhone or G1 to switch between apps can seem like an eternity, and don't even get me started on finding a phone number or email address. The Bold truly excels at speeding up workflow -- so manufacturers, take note. And the keyboard? Heaven on Earth. No, really. The iPhone's virtual keyboard is useable (with some serious practice), and the G1 works just fine (save for that annoying "chin," and the fact that you have to flip out the screen whenever you want to type) but I'll take the physical, portrait-oriented QWERTY of the Bold any day.

3: Give me the G1's open source roots and (most importantly) Gmail integration.

Sorry guys, but I'm far too hooked on Google's kooky email ideas at this point to tolerate anything less than its full feature set on a mobile device. The Gmail Java app for phones almost hits the right note in its newest iteration, but it's still lacking proper label management and push notification. The G1 is the only device that actually uses Gmail the way Google intended it. Couple that with the super-fast push service, and it's a regular love-fest. Lately, I can't stand to look at email on the iPhone -- so I carry the G1 just for that. Also, unlike the iPhone, I can actually use different browsers on this if I want, and developers can actually make apps the way they want.

4: Get syncing right once and for all.

Here's where the Bold takes a few hits. Sure, I can sync my contacts and calendars from Gmail, but good luck getting it from my laptop directly. No, for that an elaborate scheme is required involving third-party apps and a voodoo incantation I picked up in Haiti, and it doesn't always work. Ditto for pictures and music on the G1. There needs to be centralized, OTA syncing for devices, and it needs to happen yesterday. I'll give the iPhone this -- I can't even remember the last time I had to sync it physically. Once Apple got those MobileMe kinks worked out... it really does kinda work.

5: Make sure it has some screen real estate, and lose the resistive touch.

The iPhone and G1 sort of get this. But next year, these things better come to the table with Touch HD resolution. Sure, we've got decent browsers and video playback -- but don't make us squint anymore. This is why I jettisoned my Treo 750. And resistive touchscreens? Let's all just slide the styli back into their slots, and move towards a brighter, more capacitive future. Trust me, it is better.

So I know what you're thinking. Open source heart, some graphics horsepower, a nice landscape screen, but a portrait QWERTY keyboard... someone's going to come along with this thing, right?

Well, let's hope not, because I know you can do better. So listen giant cellphone conglomerates: 2009 will be our year -- let's make it happen... together.

And commenters, I'd love to know what you wanted (but didn't get) in a phone this year. Sound off below!

[John @ Dec 24th 2008 6:03PM]

you waited a little late to start asking, Josh...

[serialthriller78 @ Dec 24th 2008 6:19PM]

1. Google "ascii middle finger"
2. click on second link
3. ctrl + c
4. ctrl + v
5. ???
6. Profit

i've done it many times as well, my friend.

[John @ Dec 24th 2008 6:25PM]

you have to click on the reply link below, not above, the original comment.

i've done it many times as well, my friend.

[Samboini @ Dec 24th 2008 6:34PM]

Micro SD slot and 3.5mm headphone jack are a fucking must.

Expletive required to stress my point!

[Joshua Topolsky @ Dec 24th 2008 6:40PM]

@Samboini -- Totally agree with you on that. Memory expansion and a standard headphone jack are must-haves. Should have been in the post!

[T Hom @ Dec 24th 2008 8:32PM]

I couldn't agree more John. Josh has waited a tad too long on this one. Oh wait, actually it says these are his hopes for next year. However, on another note, I wish these other damn people that replied to your post actually said something that had to do with what you said. I hate that people reply to the first few posts just to be seen without saying anything related :/...

[John @ Dec 24th 2008 9:34PM]

i was commenting on the title; "all I wanted this year". The article is fairly incongruous with the title, yes, but still, had you looked at the title of the page you were reading, well, there it is.

[Chris Macdonald @ Dec 24th 2008 9:53PM]

Its funny. I stopped reading Engadget a few months ago because all the readers were douche bags in the comment section, and the writers were basically making every article an advertisement for the latest piece of shit Apple excreted.

I come back, Christmas eve, The article actually criticizes the iPhone, and there are only about 3 low ranked comments in the comment section!

What the fuck happened?

[Konstantin @ Dec 24th 2008 10:16PM]

You missed one very important feature: TETHERING!!!
I should have the ability to use service with my laptop/ netbook.

And yes, copy and paste is a must as well as the ability to view AND edit documents!

[anthony @ Dec 24th 2008 10:18PM]

For this very reason I have been more than content with my Motorola StarTAC on sprint service. I feel that every new smart phone released is junk (no one asked for a touch screen de-"revolution").. the only smartphone I have used and would continue to use if the software wasn't so unstable is the palm treo 755p (burgundy).

[loosely_coupled @ Dec 25th 2008 3:00AM]

- User interface with the simplicity, responsiveness, and polish of the iPhone.
- App store concept
- Fast, smooth, and intuitive browser (Safari-like)
- 3.5" 800x480 capacitive touchscreen
- ARM Cortex A8 + PowerVR SGX
- 256MB+ RAM
- decent camera with flash and video recording

Hopefully this is iPhone V3.0!

[CapnShiner @ Dec 25th 2008 3:24AM]

@Chris Macdonald:

I don't know, man, but, as the saying goes, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

[Joshua @ Dec 25th 2008 11:47AM]

All I want is a Blackberry Bold, though I'll have the money for it come my birthday in January. Oh, sweet 3G, how I do cherish thee.

[Mark @ Dec 24th 2008 6:04PM]

Tried a Blackberry Storm?

[Vincent @ Dec 24th 2008 6:18PM]

i'm pretty sure we can all agree that the black berry storm was a MAJOR FAIL... it was an extremely rushed phone that didn't live up to the hype. the tech behind it was great but all of the bugs that came along with it and the poor processor speed and all of the made it fail. I think i have to somewhat agree with the reviewer here because i don't really think of the G1 as a "smart phone"... just an intelligent consumer phone, its not quite there as far as a smart phone kind of thing

[John @ Dec 24th 2008 9:16PM]

I don't own a Storm and probably won't, but the iPhone 3G which I did own, came with its fair share of problems out of the gate too.

1) Signal issues
2) Activation issues
3) Lag issues
and more

A shit-load of Storms were sold just as the case with the iPhone 3G which many would have said was rushed to market.

[BrokenMonkey @ Mar 2nd 2009 12:44AM]

I agree 100%, going just by this article the Storm has all of the good features he wants and none of the bad ones, and it's on the best wireless network to boot. I've used a G1, iPhone, and Storm and by far the Storm is the best phone out there. Just can't wait for the app store, there's already thousands of apps out there for BlackBerry and it will be nice to have them all in one place.

[jspan @ Dec 24th 2008 6:04PM]

I agree with just about everything said here.

[haX0r @ Dec 24th 2008 7:15PM]

1) Good screen real estate 3.5 or better (at least 640 x 360-pixel screen)
2) Great qwerty
3) SD slot for memory expansion
4) 3.5 jack (in right place)
5) Decent 5 megapix camera with duel LED flash and Carl Zeiss lens
6) Video capable (HD even better)
7) Fast processor
8) Good OS interface
9) Bluetooh
10) WiFi
11) USB
12) 3G HSDPA, 3.6 Mbps
13) TV out
14) SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
15) Stereo Speakers
16) Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
17) Handwriting recognition
18) Stereo FM radio with RDS
19) Document viewer
20) Voice Dialer
21) Built-in handsfree

Oh wait, the Nokia N97 is coming soon: http://www.engadget.com/tag/N97/


Nevermind...

[lman @ Dec 24th 2008 7:24PM]

@haX0r:
I see what you did there.

Can't wait to replace my N95-3 with a N97,

I wonder if it will have 3D acceleration like the N95 ...

[Dave @ Dec 24th 2008 8:10PM]

ILoveApple

I had a diatribe written, four paragraphs long, explaining why ARM11 is by no means a "crap processor", despite it's shortcomings. I compared the stats with the ARM11 to other mobile processors on the market, and finishing with a direct spec-for-spec comparison between the N97 and the iPhone.

And then I read your username and deleted the whole thing. There is nothing I can say that would change your mind, and I hope that readers of your blatantly idiotic comment come to the same conclusion as I did.

Obvious troll is obvious, even though I didn't catch it the first time.

[Mike10010100 @ Dec 24th 2008 10:26PM]

@ILoveApple

Because the future product is going to be EXACTLY the same as the current product.

NOT. ASS.

[Squid7085 @ Dec 25th 2008 12:49AM]

It's people like you that give all Apple fans a bad name. No wonder despite what I say, I get low ranked because of my Avatar. I love Apple too, but there is no reason to be a jerk off ass hole. Competition is what got Apple where it is today, I would love to see some phone have a better processor, that will only push Apple to put a better processor in future products. Despite all the innovations Apple does come up with, other companies "are" capable or coming up with things that would make sense to implement in the iPhone. I love my iPhone, think its the best phone on the market currently, but I will be the first to admit the gap is shrinking, and that new Nokia sure scares me. And I love Apple too, probably more than you, but that doesn't give me the right to be an ass.

[David @ Dec 25th 2008 3:22AM]

@ILoveApple Dude... the iPhone hangs/lags all the time doing web browsing.. not to mention sms.. and many other apps that take a long time to open, sometimes lags, sometimes crashes, sometimes works. Not to mention the fact that it can't multitask outside of playing music while doing other things.. =/ Every time I want to do something other than what I'm doing.. like right now.. I'm playing a game of solitaire.. i get a text. If I hit reply, I can get the sms to come up so I can talk to them, but after that.. I need to hit the only button the phone has.. which takes me to the home screen then find my app again, and then open and NOW i can continue playing. If i hit cancel, then I can keep playing, but then to check the sms now.. I have to do the complete opposite.

Having one button may look simple and sleek.. but... I want a damn back button! or something!

And this is coming from a iPhone owner, who is thinking about picking up a blackberry (for the first time) but can't let his iPhone go because he likes it too much.

[David @ Dec 25th 2008 3:22AM]

Few things I don't like about the n97.

1) this is completely my own opinion/perspective but I'm very used to the iPhone keyboard, and so I am much more comfortable and can type much faster on a portrait keyboard. Like ones on blackberries rather than a landscape one on the n97. I think it makes me type slower (I type really fast) and tires my thumbs out faster because they have to move further to get to the keys they need to hit.

2) Resistive screen.. I agree with Engadget here. I much prefer my capacitive screen than resistive. Every resistive touchscreen I've used, and seen in action, always is much less accurate and just seems much more of a hassle than making things easier.

3) OS.. this is completely my own thing but I JUST got very accustomed to all the intricacies of the BB OS with a friend's spare BB.. so i don't feel like tackling on an entire other OS at the moment (but this is purely just me). And also.. I'm so used to the whole iPhone's little cute/fun touches like the bouncing, scrolling, etc. compared to something completely utilitarian like Symbian or BB OS.. so.. I think just the BB OS will do for now =P Although.. if Nokia comes out with some hardware that's just.. amazing/crazy/awesome (n97 isn't quite that for me) then I guess I wouldn't mind tackling a new beast, that is the Symbian OS. (I think although it's fun/nice to look at the little extra touches that the iPhone adds, after awhile it just takes up time and doesn't allow you to do things as quickly. I guess that's what these utilitarian OS's are all about =P But then again... I don't know.. I doubt I could ever completely get rid of my iPhone.. it's just.. too fun lol! I may end up doing the whole BB from 9-5 and iPhone from 5-9 deal!)

[CJ @ Dec 25th 2008 11:21AM]

@David:

I understand where you're coming from, man, but almost all of your points are the exact reason why I DON'T like the iphone/like the N97:

1: Unfortunately for me, pianist though I am, I don't have the slim, tapered thumbs required to type effectively on the iPhone's keyboard. Nor are my thumbs transparent. I know that there are ways around it, like highlighted letters, but I find that extremely annoying to have to put my thumb down, search for the right letter, lift my thumb off. I'm just about to get a Samsung Omnia (unfortunately, my N95 was recently stolen, so I'm down a good phone), and the resistive touchscreen means I can use a stylus, or (and this is the most likely senario) my slightly-too-long thumbnails to type with the onscreen keyboard, it means I can see a lot more surface area, and I don't have to hunt-and-peck as much as with the iPhone. I used the browser on a DS for quite some time, and the qwerty keyboard on that is exceptionally small, but I had less trouble with it than the iPhone's, simply because of the resistive touchscreen.

2: See above.

3: I'm a hardcore symbian fan, because for all it's shortcomings, it's a great balance between media and tools. Okay, mabye not that hardcore, but as I said above, I'm going to be trying out Windows Mobile for the first time, and that's a big leap for me, because I've heard nothing but bad stories about it. Mostly from here, mind you.

[Throwback @ Dec 25th 2008 12:33PM]

At&T is the reason I don't and won't own a I-phone

[haX0r @ Dec 26th 2008 1:05PM]

@ILoveApple before you make 'stupid' comments and showing your fanboi status on Engadget, please make sure to comprehend the technical specifications of your iPhone and others you compare your 'God' Phone to. The Nokia is a workhorse phone, the iPhone is an iPod touch with phone capabilities. Not everyone on this planet wants their phone to be their full media player (I have an iPod for my music). I have had an iPhone and didn't like the following: Call Quality, crappy speakerphone, no copy and paste, etc.

Here is some N97 info for you below. Now read and learn something.

http://www.umpcportal.com/products/Nokia/N97

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/12/07/nokia-n97-carrying-over-old-processor/

The processor is thought to be an ARM11 which will be overclocked (still a rumor and unconfirmed).

iPhone specs: http://www.answers.com/topic/iphone-1

Dump Nokia's browser for Opera. Problem solved with loading times.

[Kris120890 @ Dec 24th 2008 6:06PM]

I couldn't agree more MR Topolsky. I want exactly the same thing. I hope we get it this year. I was going to buy the iphone but decided against today. Merry Christmas to the engadget team.

[TRAFFICBLOWS @ Dec 25th 2008 8:46AM]

Amen!

[Derek @ Dec 24th 2008 6:07PM]

I don't understand how you want a giant screen AND hardware keyboard. Maybe a slide-down like the Touch Dual?

[Hotrod @ Dec 24th 2008 7:48PM]

I'm still optimistic that someone will eventually get the touch screen keyboard done right. It would need a bigger screen in order to have bigger (virtual) keys, haptic feedback with zero lag, very snappy response time and a capacitive touch screen.

[Mark Anderson @ Dec 24th 2008 6:07PM]

The iPhone, Bold and G1?

Oh right, this is primarily a US blog, isn't it?

[mark balcerak @ Dec 24th 2008 6:10PM]

That would be a sweet phone, iPhone's design, Blackberry's keyboard and Google Android OS.

All it would need software-wise is to be able to sync to MS Exchange and be able to use voIP.

[Joshua Topolsky @ Dec 24th 2008 6:47PM]

@Mark Anderson -- I actually really like the E71, but these phones are what I found myself gravitating towards. I don't mean to discount other devices -- these are just the ones I've been using, and the observations I've made.

[Mark Anderson @ Dec 25th 2008 6:18AM]

A fair comment.

I suppose from a UK point of view it's just that range of smartphones available to us is far better than you have in the US - that's just the way it is until the manufacturers sort out contract arrangements with your big carriers and decide it's worthwhile building radio transmitters attuned to US 3G frequencies.

In the UK the only stand-out from the three you mention is the iPhone which is a really good - if a bit limited - device and which is this year's trendy phone in the same way the N95 and its variants was in 2007. The Bold is nice but most businesses are still using the Curve or, if they use Symbian, E61s or E71s. The G1 is merely a curio here - WinMo phones like the Omnia and Touch HD sell far more.

Were it me I would go for the following:

1) Omnia
2) iPhone
3) N85

That said, when the 5800 CWM goes on general release I'm getting one. Sorry guys, but like most Europeans I'm a Nokia man at heart.

[adriaaan @ Dec 25th 2008 7:30AM]

I can't see how you would rank the Omnia as the number one smartphone. Say what you want about Windows Mobile but in the end it's gonna come up short comparing with an Android, MobileOSX or even Blackberry based smartphone.

[Mark Anderson @ Dec 25th 2008 7:41AM]

Since I've used all of the phones mentioned and the Omnia is the one I prefer I'm actually pretty comfortable saying it's my preference.

As for WinMo 6.1 and the TouchWiz interface, can't say I've had any real issues with them. YMMV.

[burnblue @ Dec 25th 2008 8:35AM]

@adriaaan Why does it have to come up short? I've used all the OSes mentioned and Windows Mobile is my clear preference. You may find it inferior for your own reasons, but to just say it "comes up short" as if its gospel that needs no accompanying arguments is, well, silly

[adriaaan @ Dec 25th 2008 10:56AM]

In my experience, Windows Mobile devices are generally laggy and slow. But then again the only recent WinMo device I've used is the HTC Kaiser.

[McLovin @ Dec 26th 2008 1:54PM]

I'm an American who imports his devices being frustrated with the the lack of options here, I own a G1, iPhone, and som WM phones, I used the iPhone for a few months, the G1 for a couple months, and I went back to WM, particularly the Touch HD; same size as iPhone, Slick UI, comparable to the Android but keeps the versatility of WM

[yopladas @ Dec 24th 2008 6:08PM]

"All I wanted this year was the best smartphone ever"

Don't we all? Or at least, if we have the "best smartphone ever" that it stays the best?

[Mitch @ Dec 24th 2008 6:10PM]

It'll never happen. As much as I would like it to. The closest we will ever get to is putting the iPhone's sexiness, Blackberry Bolds Speed, The G1s backing of Google and pure magnificence into a blender, then cramming the contents into what ever phone that is pictured at the bottom. And last but not least, praying to every god that we can think of that it comes out alright.

[Gabe @ Dec 25th 2008 7:07AM]

Are you saying they will, in fact, blend?

[Mitch @ Dec 25th 2008 12:44AM]

That is where the praying will come in handy.

[CleverEndeavor @ Dec 24th 2008 6:11PM]

bad Photoshop alert! (first pic)

[Knee to the Groin @ Dec 24th 2008 7:18PM]

Oh! All this time I thought it was a real device!

[Colonel Kernel @ Dec 28th 2008 12:06AM]

Oh, Fuxxing Der!

[Johan S @ Dec 24th 2008 6:12PM]

Here is the specification of the phone I want:

1. Dual HD or Half-HD widescreen touchscreens.
- The form factor should be like Nokia's N97, Xperia X1 .. if it has a DS style form factor then it needs an outside screen too.
- The second touchscreen should allow a keyboard or gamepad to be locked on top of it (so it should have a lock or sliding mechanism that can accept a thin keyboard or gamepad)
- It should be possible to close the phone with the keyboard or gamepad locked in, and third parties should be able to make them in different styles such as gamepads that allow you to see parts of the touchscreen underneath it.

2. It should have a good camera that has a decent lens, OK to sacrifice megapixels for that. A front facing camera for video conf. like the RAZR2 or Xperia have would be good too.

3. Video capability so that it can be possible to record and transmit video at the same time in the middle of a call.

4. Android

[Matthew C @ Dec 25th 2008 3:53AM]

what qualifies as HD on a phone?

certainly not 720p / 1080p.

are you requesting vga/wvga?