You might notice that the keyboard is below the text entry field... you aren't really covering anything important.

not true... location based services continue to work. I definitely pressed "don't agree." btw, this is like the first screen you see when you turn on the pre out of the box... I was pretty shocked that the first thing I saw on my new phone was google trying to track me...

there is a separate option in 'location services' where you can toggle google data mining. again, this option is completely separate from the enabling/disabling of location based services. you can also choose whether you want to get more precise data by using gps (at the expense of battery life).

and to your other comment, of course google is spying on you... they sell targeted ads and they want every last scrap of info they can get.

sure, why not?

it sucks that the carriers have added bloat... but it is against the 'google experience' terms to add exchange support... which I would need for work.

At least, that is what BGR says: http://www.intomobile.com/2009/05/25/rogers-htc-magic-and-dream-to-come-with-exchange-support.html

So, if that has changed... and a 'with google' phone starts sporting exchange, then I would agree that carrier interference is better to deal with than google interference... google excluding a feature is as bad as rogers adding some...

eww... it is the 'with google' version of android

I don't think it is better for the consumer, but it is better for the manufacturer.

When windows is placed on a netbook, the manufacturer needs to pay MS for a license.
When linux is placed on a netbook, the manufacturer doesn't have to pay for the OS.
When android is placed on a netbook, the manufacturer *could* be paid by google.

The reason why it would be in google's interest to pay the manufacturer is because it locks the user into gmail, google maps, google apps, google search - which all generate ad revenue. (and a monopoly, eventually)

For MS, once the OS is sold, there is no more revenue stream. For google, paying to put the OS on the netbook is not a huge loss compared to the gain they can get in ad revenue and mindshare.

I can't remember where, but when android first came out, there was a semi-official thing from google explaining how it was going down this path to push google services and search... nothing more.

this last bit is kinda troll bait, but it is another way that google can look like they are offering something great while screwing open-source people who help work on their code (mozilla -> chrome, linux -> android)... basically monetizing other people's work.. ah well

building new rig, need video card

me please?

swag?

need new phone badly