[geeks] iPhone alternatives

[Dan Duncan]

I've had my G1 since just before they came out, and I think it's a worthy
successor to the SonyEricsson P800 I carried for 5 years.  It's definitely a
1st generation device as far as design and usability go.  It has some major
advantages over the iphone:  keyboard, removable battery, open platform.
(You can install apps without the Marketplace if you so desire)  The
integration with Google apps is fine (not a surprise) but I find myself
wishing google offered a task list.  It uses google calendar and will even
share calendars with other people so my wife and I can actually have
appointments show up on both phones when entered on either phone or a
computer which is slick.  I constantly find myself bumping into the internal
memory limits on apps (which won't use the microSD card YET) because I have
140 or so apps installed.  (Yes, dammit, I need the virtual lightsaber)

If you get one, get the black one.  The contrast between the keys and the
characters on them is too low with the backlight on in medium light
conditions on the brown or white ones although someone did just post an app
to let you turn it off.

Dan Duncan via gphone

On Jan 29, 2009 11:36 AM, "Shannon Hendrix" <shannon at widomaker.com> wrote:

What do you guys think of iPhone alternatives these days?

I have decided to start using a PDA again, and of course I looked at iPhone.

However, I hate AT&T service, and I think the iPhone sucks as a phone.  I
much prefer T-Mobile service over AT&T and Sprint, at least in my area.

I thought about getting an iTouch, but Apple does annoying things like leave
off features and charge more than the iPhone, plus it would mean carrying
two devices.  Most important missing feature in iPhone is a GPS.  Seems a
really silly omission.

So, I'm looking at possible replacements for my Motorola KRZR to get better
PDA features.

Does anyone have any long-term experience with the G1 now?

I also see a few others from T-Mobile like the Sidekick.

One thing though: I would prefer to have generic WiFi support, rather than
only T-Mobile's "HotSpot" Wi-Fi.

Generic Wi-Fi is more widely available, and of course it is free.

Feel free to gush wildly about your favorite toys in this area...

NOTE: I'm not totally opposed to carrying two devices, just thinking about
trying to reduce it to one.

-- 
"Where some they sell their dreams for small desires."
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