We've been slipped some additional information on Motorola's imminent Android-powered
i1 for iDEN networks today -- actually, one correction and one interesting note. First, the correction: we're now being told (by the same tipster
as before) that it's actually got a 5 megapixel camera on board, a nice upgrade from the 3 we'd previously been told to expect. More interestingly, though, we're also hearing that
Opera Mini has been tapped as the i1's default browser -- a move that Moto is more than welcome to make since this is a
Blur-powered, non-"Google Experience" device. It's also a possible admission that third-party Android browsers are currently outperforming Google's own, something Microsoft has long dealt with on Windows Mobile as companies like HTC ultimately ended up bundling Opera Mobile with virtually every model they sold. So, Sprint Direct Connect and Boost Mobile customers, you getting excited about this thing or what?
posted Mar 10th 2010 6:38PM
I dont think the people on this network care about smartphones... that's why they signed up - for cheap calling and texting.
@masta vaan Where you at? They also enjoy the unlimted DATA.
@Dick Lynch
but how many people would actually switch to it, for data... my friend doesnt travel a lot, so he just needs 2g txting and calling coverage where he lives... that's what he uses it for.
@masta vaan Didn't they recently add the old Blackberry Curve? Maybe low-end smartphones wouldn't b e such a bad idea for this type of network.
@NYNY
yeah, but only low end. plus, how many manufacturers would put their phone on an iden network? and how many of us would not want to kill that company for putting such a good device on an inferior (by coverage and speed, not cost) network?
@masta vaan
The cheap data is actually nice for just using lightweight apps like gmail mobile, which actually caches the content of your messages. I'm sure most people will just use wifi for data though.
@masta vaan
the people that buy iden phones want smartphones, they just cant afford the monthly service. i know a lot of people that would love this just to have a phone looks cooler than the regular flip crap.
@Dick Lynch
First of all, what's most disappointing is that people are starting to refer to the PTT on iDEN as "Sprint Direct Connect." For all of us Nextel and Boost iDEN users, it's NEVER been called that by the company...it's still NEXTEL Direct Connect. It's insulting to every iDEN user to hear that Sprint name besmirch the network that, although slow, works better than Sprint's CDMA ever has.
Secondly, the i1 does have some impressive features that I think many an iDEN subscriber will like, especially that WiFi feature. Now, if Sprint isn't stupid, they will let us iDEN users buy the phone and use it without having to upgrade to one of their stupid Everything Data plans. If they allow us to do that, then the phone will most likely be a big hit (as far as iDEN phones go). If not, it will suffer.
And finally, to all of those haters, grow up. Why complain about a phone that is on an allegedly "inferior" network? Did YOU want the phone THAT BADLY? If not, then just talk about the phone's features (or lack there of). And as far as features go, the only thing that disappoints me (and yes, I am an iDEN user) is the lack of WiMAX on this phone. WiFi's nice, but WiMAX would really make this phone a killer phone. But leave it to Sprint to screw that up too.
@torch29
Can't afford the monthly service? Are you nuts? Post-paid iDEN users (aka Nextel users) typically pay a premium compared to their Sprint CDMA cousins. So please, don't even TRY to claim such stupidity. Most Nextel users, however, do NOT need smartphone capabilities. Why would they? All we need is for the phone to do 3 things extremely well:
1. Take/Place a phone call.
2. Take/Place a push-to-talk (aka DC) call.
3. Allow for some basic messaging.
Anything beyond that is gravy. Now, I personally would love a touchscreen phone, and the i1 fits that bill brilliantly. Hopefully it will be as polished as the MyTouch 3G that's on T-Mobile, but I seriously doubt it will be. But hey, hope does spring eternal.
And on the off chance that the phone has a WiMAX module, then I'll happily upgrade to an Everything Data (or even the Simply Everything) plan. After all, then I'd have the best of all worlds: fastest PTT and fastest data. :)
@masta vaan
Keep in mind that the ONLY companies allowed to make iDEN handsets for the North American market are Motorola (the owner and originator of all the iDEN patents) and RIMM (aka the company that makes Blackberries). Outside of the North American market, the only other official company that Motorola allowed to make handsets for iDEN was Kyocera. So, companies like HTC, Samsung, Google (with their Nexus One), Nokia, etc. can't make phones to sell on iDEN...and most likely that's because Motorola doesn't want the competition. That, or these other manufacturers simply don't see iDEN as anything more than a niche market, and making handsets would cost them too much in terms of royalties anyway.
It kind of looks like the htc tatoo
@snowrid3r You're right! That photo also makes it look like a Dream, Magic, Hero, Legend, Nexus One, Cliq, Droid, Galaxy, i3, and O1!
Intriguing...
iDEN? I thought that was "iDEAD". Ha ha ha. Oh crap..
(Hides behind cover from people without humor)
@foxh8er2
it's not that I don't have a sense of humor, it's just you aren't funny.
on second glance this looks like its running a custom version of android
@snowrid3r Yes, Blur.
For the slowness of iDEN data, Opera Mini is a better browser than Android's native one.
I wonder if HTC will still be allowed to bundle Opera Mobile with Windows Phone 7, considering the stricter rules on Windows Phone 7.
Tha'ts an interesting name for a device since x-rite already has a pretty popular (at least in the color science world) device named i1.
I can see Opera Mini's server side compression being a plus on a slow iDen network, but Opera Mini for Android is a usability nightmare. Seriously, go download it. It's horrid.
I have a Blackberry 8350i (made for Nextel) and it's the most feature packed smartphone available for Nextel right now. I wish Nextel would keep up with the rest of the market place and release higher end phones, although I know why they don't. I create mosaic art work in huge warehouse, an environment where millions where, where all they care about is using the Direct Connect radio 95% of their on the clock time. Companies buy these Nextel phones by the dozens or hundreds and just want VERY basic functionality, calling, and two way radio. I'd add texting to that short list but the capability is included on 99% of phones although I'm well aware employers don't have to sign up for a texting plan.
Um, iDen data is so slow that even mobile sites would take awhile to load. Isn't iDen's data like, slower than GPRS?
@Valicore Yes extremely slow the only way i would use data on this phone is threw wifi.
I would guess the Opera Mini move has less to do with the performance of the default Android browser, and more to do with this phone being iden only. The server-side compression might help pages load faster.
I have an 8350i also (and a Droid) and the data is so slow it is useless, although the 8350i has WiFi (and the BB browser...). The 8350i is a fail because it isn't a hybrid phone (Sprint data and voice, iDen direct connect) and it doesn't look like this new Android is, either. I keep my 8350i work phone because it has better email, especially Exchange, than my Droid. Awesome keyboard. Otherwise I'd just get a dumbphone for work. This Android iDen phone is LAME on Nextel's network only.
I wouldn't say that opera is better than the regular browser but it's really really fast. faster than iPhones safari or what ever palm has but it's anoying too. if your on a big page it won't load all the pics and there are other things. I just want everyone to know that it's not a replacement it's good for loading bigger pages with less bars (us tmobile owners know about that) basically it's bitter sweet please don't compare the android browser too Internet explorer thank you :)
Opera Mini loads full pages, formatted as well as any webKit browser, with all images. Everything.
The only difference is that any JavaScript calls the server to be performed, so it's a little clunky for JavaScript heavy sites. But otherwise, perfect mobile browser. Much better than webKit.
@leykis101
All of your comments are golden dude, keep up the good work.
Please don't change the search engine!
I'm fine with Opera Mini.
Moto, don't fuck this up.
There are millions of Nextel users waiting for a nice iDEN phone.
Where they took this picture? I wish i could see more pictures, i'm tired to see that pictures of the stolen one, they are really bad!
Its a smart choice since iden data is so slow
I hope it comes to the brazilian Nextel. Maybe that's the excuse I need to to those expensive, unlimited radio plans
How much would this phone cost? anyone have a ballpark estimate?
i like firefox~