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12/12/09
12/12/09
I'm kinda curious as to how people coming up for contract on this are going to be effected. I mean the key here is they're not "getting" the phone. They're "supporting" the phone.
12/12/09
[developer.android.com]
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Thats how I'm thinking it works. Though I imagine its not going to be limited to just T-mobile.
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It would be against how it sounds like the phone is going to work if the carriers sold it on a subsidy. I think that google is going to subsidize it themselves. Thats just idle speculation though. I just can't foresee them just saying "here is an unlocked phone, look at how we've revolutionized mobile communication, hopefully it works on your carrier".
12/12/09
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That was just speculation on how it was going to relate to t-mobile from a t-mobile blog. Obviously they're going to be pulling for that even if it makes no sense at all.
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Further, HTC and Apple need to take some pointers from the Gizmodo-proclaimed graveyard of smartphones when it comes to cameras. If they did a camera like Sony-Ericsson, Nokia or even Samsung I'd be a lot more excited about their offerings. Some like to say that they are not supposed to be a full fledged camera but why make an all around device that can't do everything as well as the 'worst' in the field. (proud N79 owner)
12/12/09
I think its more than PoS thats changing its everything from how you get your phones to what you pay to the service.
Maybe it won't be all of that but I'm sure there is going to be more involved in it then just where you're buying the phone.
12/12/09
If I can buy this phone & all of a sudden my cancellation fees go away then that IS a change. Otherwise Brookspeed is correct. The only change is the point of sale. I already buy my phones unlocked & don't get a discount so this won't change anything imo.
12/12/09
I'm saying there has to be more to it than just selling an unlocked phone.
Like you said you can do that now, there'd be nothing that special about that. What I'm getting at is that google knows that too. If the rumors are coming out of T-mobile I'm thinking its got to be something different. Again, why would it matter that they're saying they'll "support it" like you said, they'd "support" any unlocked phone. For them to know about it already and adding to the rumor mill makes me think there is more to it.
I'm saying there has to be more to the change than just the PoS otherwise its nothing to get worked up about.
What I'm getting at is that if Google releases a phone unlocked for $500 no one is going to care. Nokia has been doing that for ages and they're getting nowhere in the US market. I can't imagine thats the game plan.
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try
"nice looking"
"sleek"
"sharp"
"classy"
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Makes more sense to me personally. You just wouldn't want to do it too far from the release of the phone. Rumors are already popping up that say Jan which makes sense from a 'buzz' perspective.
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I'm actually curious, will this be the year that the iPhone actually gets a real update? First time, add 3G and memory. Second time...add memory and make it faster.
How about some real changes to the OS and hardware?
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Now there's the decision on whether to wait for this to come out, or to switch to Tmobile now? I need 3G (and I'm not buying a mytouch/contract), so hurry up Google!
12/12/09
To me it still sounds like its going to be something completely different from what we're used to in the mobile world. I'd wait just because maybe you're not getting a t-mobile plan but a google plan or something like that.
12/12/09
No, no, no! Sign contracts based on the rumors that surfaced on Saturday afternoon! We don't need tech specs, reviews, or a firsthand account of what it is!
Don't drink the Apple Kool-Aid. Google is making its own flavor of Kool-Aid. And it will somehow be the only Linux device that has a well-designed UI and is perfectly suitable for the mainstream consumer.
12/12/09
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If he were just switching for the phone I'd of said go for it. Since its a phone that very well may have a whole different pricing/plan scheme I'm saying wait.
I said its ironic because I'm basing my wait on even more wild rumor and rampant speculation. If it was just wild rumor based on a phone its ok in my book ;)
12/12/09
12/12/09
Google is launching a phone of their own that is going to be "supported" by t-mobile. You buy it from google but use t-mobile or at&t as the "carrier". There is a CDMA one so it sounds like its going to be the same deal for the CDMA carriers.
Just so happens that HTC is making the phone.
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Dev phones were unlocked for developers to use test on where they might not have t-mobile.
This is a completely different approach to how phones are sold to consumers.
12/12/09
Hopefully it'll have At&t's 3G bands, and not cost more than $400. I had a G1, but hated T-Mobile... and the G1. I want to get back into Android, but I can't sacrifice 3G.
12/12/09
I think it all remains to be seen. What it sounds like to me is that they're going to make it availble to all. Want to use At&t go for it want to use T-mobile go for it, VZW, Sprint, same story.
I imagine its going to be cheap. I can't really foresee google just releasing it as a normal unlocked phone and calling it good. I'd even venture to guess it introduces a whole new low point for phones.
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[phandroid.com]
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If this is just some unlocked phone no one is going to care in the end. What I think this is is a smartphone thats going to work differently from other smartphones. You're using AT&T or T-mobile's data but thats it. Maybe unlike how data has always been the add on in the past now they'll give you voice minutes as an add on. I don't know how its going to work I'm just sure its going to work differently.
I'm sure they're not going to just say "eh we'll get 3G on one network and thats good enough." As you pointed out it wouldn't be good enough in this case.
12/12/09
Coming straight from Google I wonder if it will be unlocked and rooted to start? It they bring it out at decent price it could be the first nail in the coffin of phone being tied to carriers in the US.
12/12/09
Rumor is that it is coming unlocked straight from the start.
Rooted I don't know about. I'd imagine they still have a good reason for keeping you out of that part of the phone regardless of who launches it.
12/12/09
"Similar form-factor to the iPhone, but with a smooth-brushed-metal-looking shell" - doesn't appear on first read (assuming that the multiple hypotheses add up!) to be the "passion" pictured above, that looks more "brushed plastic" to my eyes!
12/12/09
At the same time though you've got to question why else it would have a droid on it. The g1 "dogfood" had a droid on the back too.
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If its going to have the same "supported" by set up that its sounds like the GSM device is I think you'll be in the clear.
The part I'm worried about is the plans. Are the plans going to be google too? Am I going to be stuck in my current contract and this phone isn't going to be an option?
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Or perhaps the "no carrier" part of the rumor is just that. A rumor. This mystery device seems to be all about the device. For all we know it could simply the next default dev phone.
I look forward to seeing where this goes, but as hopeful as I am for Google to simply step in and clean up the carrier mess, they won't go down without a fight. (Except possibly Tmo, who's actually been pretty cool with their plans lately.)
12/12/09
What I get out of the tmonews articles is that t-mobile is just along for the ride. I'm guessing the other carriers are going to be along for the ride too.
I'm not sure how google is getting them on board. It certainly seems like they've got at least one. Maybe they're subsidizing something on the back end that makes its too good of a deal to pass up, don't know. Makes much more sense for them to work with the carriers then to try and work around them though. Maybe they're just seeing the writing on the wall.
12/14/09
Step 1: Buy the phone
Step 2: Insert SIM Card into the phone
Step 3: Use the phone
That's how it usually works in Europe anyhow. The individual carriers do sell subsidized phones, but you can always use any phone on any carrier. None of the "I can only get X phone on Y carrier" BS that you have to put up with in the US.
I guess that's what Google would most likely want to have, since there would be no need to make 9898797 variations of their phone. Just make one phone, that works wherever.
Of course with all the incompatible cell phone standards that will probably not happen, especially not if the carriers have any say in the matter, but one can always hope.
12/14/09
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I'm getting the impression its not going to just be a t-mobile device. Its going to be a phone you buy and pick the carrier. Thats why they're phrasing it as "supported" by t-mobile and not carried by t-mobile.
12/12/09
They are already the goto place for maps and search, which not just keep plugging away until they're the undisputed webapps king.
Apple knows how to monetize hardware, music and movies. Google monetizes webapps and ads. It seems to be a pretty good combination. I'd rather have the best of both worlds, rather than have to choose.
12/12/09
After all its still an HTC phone. I think its more about shaking up the carrier world than the handset world.
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12/12/09
No one really knows what that is a picture of. It was called passion/dragon when it first trickled out on the net but now it sounds like those are two different phones.
Could be the passion but it doesn't match exactly with what the bravo looks like (which is also supposed to be the passion).
Basically there have been a lot of supposed versions of what the passion is I'd wait 'til I actually see one.
12/12/09
Android _
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The Moto Droid lacks multitouch though, right? And officially, isn't Google unable to support it due to some kind of legal battle with Apple?
12/12/09
There is no active legal battle on the matter. There are a lot of questions about what might happen if they did us support but no real answers.
12/12/09