Google Android catch-all

I got to touch it and look at it while Clover used it today. She likes it a lot and I will agree. Anyone know how to get the actual twitters from twiteroid on the notification bar on the top of the screen instead of just the notification of a new twitter?

edit: Any forums or sites for Android stuff? I'd like to read some more.

Edwin wrote:

edit: Any forums or sites for Android stuff? I'd like to read some more.

I've been lurking here: http://androidforums.com/
and the T-Mobile site: http://forums.t-mobile.com/tmbl/?cat...
(and I saw DSGamer posting his phone vs. EDGE issue there)

Neither is terribly informative.

Novocain wrote:
Edwin wrote:

edit: Any forums or sites for Android stuff? I'd like to read some more.

I've been lurking here: http://androidforums.com/
and the T-Mobile site: http://forums.t-mobile.com/tmbl/?cat...
(and I saw DSGamer posting his phone vs. EDGE issue there)

Neither is terribly informative.

Yeah. I bailed on the G1 in the end. I could reproduce it with 100% failure doing YouTube and 50% failure syncing Google. My wife and I were already paying an extra $70 a month for me to be on T-Mobile, so that instantly made it not worth it. Shipped it off to someone who bought it on eBay today. Bought a Sprint phone on Friday so at least I can get calls when the phone is doing Internet stuff.

Bummer. You seemed real happy with the G1 when you had it before the EDGE issue came up.

I have another week or so to decide if I want to keep the G1, or if I'm going to constantly have iPhone-envy, justifiably or not. You know what they say, sometimes the heart just wants what it wants.

Novocain wrote:

Bummer. You seemed real happy with the G1 when you had it before the EDGE issue came up.

I have another week or so to decide if I want to keep the G1, or if I'm going to constantly have iPhone-envy, justifiably or not. You know what they say, sometimes the heart just wants what it wants.

I loved it. I'll probably pounce on one if Sprint ever introduces one. But the marriage between always in the data cloud and an Edge network sucks.

Hopefully once 3G spreads in your area more it'll take care of it. I tested this with Clover's new G1 and was it interrupted her data session with my phone call. Seems she is on the NOM1 network here in Ft. Lauderdale. Does this only happen on EDGE (GSM 2G) or will it also happen on CDMA?

CDMA is fine. I tested it before I went back to Sprint. My cell phone is reachable whenever it's turned on. I like that functionality.

14 new Open Handset Alliance partners announced yesterday including Sony Ericson. HTC and SE have phones coming out in 2009 so I changed the thread to a catch-all for all Android based phones.

Here's hoping one works on AT&T's 3G network and will be cheap. Doubt it but I can hope, right?

Visa just released their app in the market place. Looks really useful. Just avoid Chase at all costs.

I'm really interested to see what happens when there are competitors with Android phones out there. Hopefully the price stays as cheap as it is for the majority of them and are designed better to what i'd like to see in a phone.

One of the exciting elements of Android’s open souce nature is that, while we still love to guess, speculate and hypothesize what will come next - a lot of it unfolds before our very eyes. Thus is the case with Android’s Cupcake roadmap in the source code, revealing that video recording and stereo bluetooth, among other things, are on the way.

While Cupcake is identified as “a read-only mirror of the private Android branch” and that “it is a development branch, not a release” they also say that it will be “merged into the master branch” and that it should be done by early January… yay!

So if there are some nagging little features you’re hoping are patched up, see if they’re in the list below or head over to the Cupcake Source for the whole shebang:

Applications

* MMS

o New features

+ Save attachments from MMS.

o Significant bug fixes

+ Faster conversation list scrolling

* Email

o Significant bug fixes

+ Accounts that were marked “never check” are not auto-checked.

+ Date & time displayed using user preference (e.g. 24 hr vs. AM/PM).

+ cc: displayed in message view.

+ Relaxed POP3 parser rules so it works with non-compliant email servers.

+ Password quoting bugs in IMAP. Makes it work for users with funny chars in their password (e.g. spaces).

+ Various sources of errors in auto & manual account setup.

+ Improvements on how we report various connection errors. Makes it much easier for user to diagnose failed account setups.

+ New-mail notifications for POP3 accounts.

+ Properly recover from POP3 connection failures, so that the next connection has a chance of working properly.

+ Remove automatic accounts setup entries that were broken or not testable. Minor fixes to a few of the remaining entries. Improvements to warning dialogs used for a few special cases.

+ New accounts are now set to check every 15 minutes (instead of defaulting to “never”).

+ Fixed a bug causing approximately 1 in 25 outbound messages to freeze up the IMAP connection (to a Gmail based server) when transferred to the Sent folder. This broke the entire connection so new messages could not be downloaded either.

+ Unit test framework so Email can be extended & tested more reliably.

+ Fix IMAP manually-created accounts so message delete works properly.

* Alarm Clock

o Significant bug fixes

+ Alert now plays audio/vibe directly, rather than through AlarmManager. AlarmClock alert starts playing audio/vibe in its IntentReceiver, rather than on activity start. These changes should prevent alarms from being blocked by modal dialogs.

* Package Installer

o Significant bug fixes

+ Bugs related to replacing existing applications.

* Settings

o New features

+ New menu option to list running processes in Settings->ManageApplications.

* Music

o New features

+ Music playback fades in after suspending for phone call.

+ New media search intent allows for 3rd party apps to launch or respond to media searches based on artist, album, or title.

Affects: Music Player, YouTube, Browser applications.

* Browser

o New features

+ Updated WebKit browser core, synced with Nov 2008 WebKit version.

+ Support for new, optimized JavaScript engine (SquirrelFish).

+ Copy / paste is enabled in the browser. To copy with touch, press and hold the shift key and select the text. Releasing the shift key or ending the touch drag copies the text. To copy with the trackball, press and hold the shift key, move the cursor to the selection start, click the trackball, and move the trackball to the extend the selection. Releasing the shift key, or clicking the trackball a second time, copies the text.

+ Find is enabled in the browser. To find text, choose it from the menu and type the text to find.

+ Drawing has been sped up substantially by supporting partial content invalidates and partial screen invalidates. Pages with animations are 5x faster.

* VoiceDialer

o New features

+ VoiceDialer supports ‘open app’ command

* Camera/Gallery

o New features

+ Video recorder mode

+ Share intent for videos

+ Video thumbnails

+ Local file playback

Download manager

* New features

o Support for HTTP codes 301, 302, 303 and 307 (redirects).

o HTTP code 503 is now handled, with support for retry-after in delay-seconds.

o Downloads that were cleanly interrupted are now resumed instead of failing.

o Applications can now pause their downloads.

o Retry delays are now randomized.

o Connectivity is now checked on all interfaces.

o Downloads with invalid characters in file name can now be saved.

Framework

* New features

o Support of touch events in WebView.

o New JavaScript engine (SquirrelFish) in WebView.

o Input method framework, for soft keyboards and other on-screen input methods. Includes new APIs for applications to interact with input methods, and the ability for third party developers to write their own input methods.

o Access to the raw audio data for playback and recording from application code.

o New PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT option.

o Support for top-level boolean resources.

o Tactile feedback to the LockPatternView. Tactile feedback can be enabled/disabled by going to Settings > Security & location and then checking/unchecking “Use tactile feedback”. Note that this can be used independently of the visual feedback of the lines (”Use visible pattern”). Thus it gives users a middle ground between showing the lines on the screen and having no feedback at all.

o PackageManager changes to support un-installation of partially installed applications. Added new flag PackageManager.GET_UNINSTALLED_PACKAGES to include partially installed apps in all relevant PackageManager api’s. ManageApplications screen now lists such partially installed apps and the user can uninstall these applications completely.

o Support third party updates of system applications. New menu options in Settings->ManageApplications to list updated system applications.

o Framework support to list current running processes. New API in ActivityManager.

o Framework feature to declare required configurations by applications. New manifest attribute uses-configuration in android manifest.

o Hardware accelerated video encode (video recorder) in opencore.

o Simplified SREC speech recognition API available.

o Streaming audio I/O for applications.

* Significant bug fixes

o Fixed issues with saving state in the view hierarchy, so that you can properly subclass from something like TextView and create your own state that inherits from that provided by TextView.

o TextView now implements onKeyMultiple(), so that flinging the trackball will result in accelerated scrolling. This required some changes to movement methods, and included some improvements to the acceleration computed when flinging.

o Framework bug fixes in PackageManager to share/un-share permissions for applications with shared uid’s.

o Significant rework of Settings->ManageApplications Performance and UI enhancements.

o A number of settings in android.provider.Settings.System were moved to android.provider.Settings.Secure. Only system software can modify these settings. Additionally, a new permission, WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS, is required to access these settings. The old constants in Settings.System have been deprecated. It is possible to read settings values via Settings.System using the deprecated constants. However, attempts to modify these settings via Settings.System will result in a log message and the setting value will be left unchanged.

o Many bug fixes in the media framework

Bluetooth

* New features

o Support for A2DP & AVRCP profiles.

* Significant bug fixes

* First connection after pairing always fails on many carkits.

* Mini Cooper and some late model BMW cars fail to use Bluetooth or take 2 minutes for Phone Book transfer.

System software

* New features

o New kernel based on Linux 2.6.27.

o Improvements to the wakelock API.

o Work to transition to the USB Gadget Framework underway.

o Basic x86 support.

Radio & Telephony

* New features

o SIM Application Toolkit 1.0.

o Green CALL button is no longer a shortcut for “add a new call”. This has been a rarely used feature and confusing if triggered accidentally.

o Longer in-call screen timeout when using the speakerphone.

o “Show dialpad” / “Hide dialpad” item added to the in-call menu, to make it easier to discover the DTMF dialpad.

* Significant bug fixes

o An obscure case where the Phone UI could cause the device to not go to sleep on its own. This would happen if user bails out of the in-call screen by hitting HOME, followed by the call disconnecting remotely.

o Don’t allow a single tap to open the in-call dialpad. It is now required to touch and drag it. This makes it much harder to accidentally open the dialpad by touching the screen with your face.

Developer Tools

* New features

o Enable handset manufacturers to extend the Android SDK with add-ons. SDK add-ons will include:

+ system libraries to let developers use additional APIs provided by handset manufacturers or from other 3rd party vendors that handset manufacturers chose to include

+ emulator system images, skins, and hardware configuration to let developers test their applications on their Android implementation

This is work-in-progress. Please note that the latest Android SDK (Android 1.0 SDK, Release 2) is not compatible with the SDK plugin in the new branch, please use ADT 0.8.0. SDK add-on support is planned for future SDK release.

Build System

* New features

o The functions in build/envsetup.sh should be much more useful

Okay, I'm done. I experimented with the G1 for about a month and decided to give it up over the weekend and go back to my Blackberry Pearl. The G1 didn't add a whole lot more functionality for me over my Pearl, and the few things it did add (web browsing, qwerty keyboard, mp3 player, etc) wasn't all that important to me.

My original idea was to find a device that would replace and combine my phone, my PDA (address and checkbook), and my mp3 player into one. The G1 sort of did it, but I still find myself going back to the separate devices from time to time. Plus it was bulky and the battery life was lackluster (barely lasting a day). It died on me half way through the day when I was out and about in NYC and left me stranded. That more or less push me over the edge.

The G1 is not a bad phone. It's just not really ideal for me. It offered too many bells and whistles that I don't really care about and at the same time under-performed in the areas I do care about. I'm a pretty basic smartphone user and I found myself missing the 'simplicity' of the Pearl. So I'm now in the market for an iPod Touch (hoping to combine the PDA and mp3 player) and trying to find a better home my G1.

Are there any new phones running the Android software yet?

I want Android but the G1 seems a bit bulky to me.

I'm back at the Palm Centro. I need a phone that's a good phone first (so the problem where the G1 won't ring through if you're on the Internet is obviously a deal-killer). That also means it has to have decent battery life. My Centro can go a day and a half with heavy usage. The G1 was barely 8 hours for me. The HTC Touch Pro I tried next was barely 8 hours. Forget it if I tried to listen to music. So I'm resigned to Centro + iPod for the time being.

My original idea was to find a device that would replace and combine my phone, my PDA (address and checkbook), and my mp3 player into one. The G1 sort of did it, but I still find myself going back to the separate devices from time to time.

My Sony Ericsson phones do all that without even being smartphones. On my current W760a, I have:

3G
Great media player
Great phonebook with home/work addresses, company/title/notes fields etc
Robust to-do and calendar, with month/week/day views, reminders, recurring appointments etc
Excellent phone functionality
Very decent web browser
aGPS with Google support, and awesome Tracker and Wayfinder Active fitness software
A very robust Java machine that smoothly runs everything from SEVEN and Opera Mini to all manner of games.
RSS reader, complete with scheduled automatic updates and support for podcast (with OTA downloads!)
Very decent desktop synchronization, including Outlook contacts/appointments/tasks/notes
OTA synchronization with SyncML services! (Funambol)
OTA synchronization with ActiveSync (Exchange!!)
God knows what else I am not remembering right away

all of that in an compact, attractive, pocketable, world-compatible package. There's hardly anything a "smartphone" would provide that I'd be missing. My point is that very often, you don't really need a smartphone -- you just need a good phone.

Hey, Novocain, want to trade my unlocked iPhone for that G1?

Lester - you don't like your iPhone?

My contract is up in two weeks and I was planning on going for the iPhone. G1 was also interesting, but doesn't seem to have garnered quite as much praise.

DSGamer wrote:

I'm back at the Palm Centro. I need a phone that's a good phone first (so the problem where the G1 won't ring through if you're on the Internet is obviously a deal-killer). That also means it has to have decent battery life. My Centro can go a day and a half with heavy usage. The G1 was barely 8 hours for me. The HTC Touch Pro I tried next was barely 8 hours. Forget it if I tried to listen to music. So I'm resigned to Centro + iPod for the time being.

I'll still recommend the Nokia E71 for an attempt. I only use it for phone, email, and web but it does all of that pretty well. Battery life is about as good as the Centro. I'm not overly fond of the UI, but it's workable.

(ObDisclosure again: I work for Nokia now. Doesn't mean I'll blindly recommend them but figured I should say.)

DSGamer wrote:

I need a phone that's a good phone first (so the problem where the G1 won't ring through if you're on the Internet is obviously a deal-killer).

That's hardly the phone's fault, though.

Yeah, I don't think the iPhone will ring through when you're on the Net either, if you're on the 1G network. Only 3G can do both.

It's poor design; they were able to do call waiting with ANALOG, fer chrissake. There's just no excuse but stupidity for failing to get that right on a packet-switched network.

SommerMatt wrote:
DSGamer wrote:

I need a phone that's a good phone first (so the problem where the G1 won't ring through if you're on the Internet is obviously a deal-killer).

That's hardly the phone's fault, though.

You're right. I have no idea whose fault it is. Likely the network. I'm going to seriously consider Android if it comes to Sprint someday.

DSGamer wrote:
SommerMatt wrote:
DSGamer wrote:

I need a phone that's a good phone first (so the problem where the G1 won't ring through if you're on the Internet is obviously a deal-killer).

That's hardly the phone's fault, though.

You're right. I have no idea whose fault it is. Likely the network. I'm going to seriously consider Android if it comes to Sprint someday.

There's actually two types of Edge networks out there. One will ring through just fine, the other; no dice. Unfortunately you can probably guess which type most of the US uses...

Weird. I'm in Boise, ID (So, not exactly a center for technological innovation.), and my phone will ring through on the internet. That sucks about you having issues though.

On the sunny side, everything I've heard is that sprint is charging ahead with android phones, and they might be next to market with one. (AT&T is probably complacent with the iPhone, Verizon and "open" don't go together, and T-Mobile has one.)

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Lester - you don't like your iPhone?

My contract is up in two weeks and I was planning on going for the iPhone. G1 was also interesting, but doesn't seem to have garnered quite as much praise.

No, I like the iphone.

I just like new gadgets more.

Kannon wrote:

Weird. I'm in Boise, ID (So, not exactly a center for technological innovation.), and my phone will ring through on the internet. That sucks about you having issues though.

On the sunny side, everything I've heard is that sprint is charging ahead with android phones, and they might be next to market with one. (AT&T is probably complacent with the iPhone, Verizon and "open" don't go together, and T-Mobile has one.)

Well, as stated earlier, on T-Mobile's network calls will only ring through when you're on 3G. Maybe Boise is small enough/the network good enough that you're always on 3G. I was rarely on 3G here in Portland, Or. so the G1 was a non-starter for me on T-Mobile. Waiting to see what Sprint does as their network is generally better IMHO.

Sprint uses CDMA as stated earlier so they wont have a problem. The issue only happens with ONE type of Edge network.

Edwin wrote:

Sprint uses CDMA as stated earlier so they wont have a problem. The issue only happens with ONE type of Edge network.

I know. I've always had great luck with Sprint minus their lagging handset selection.

DSGamer wrote:
Edwin wrote:

Sprint uses CDMA as stated earlier so they wont have a problem. The issue only happens with ONE type of Edge network.

I know. I've always had great luck with Sprint minus their lagging handset selection.

Don't forget the absolutely crappy customer service!!!

Other than that though, yeah. Hoping they get on the ball shortly.

LilCodger wrote:
DSGamer wrote:
Edwin wrote:

Sprint uses CDMA as stated earlier so they wont have a problem. The issue only happens with ONE type of Edge network.

I know. I've always had great luck with Sprint minus their lagging handset selection.

Don't forget the absolutely crappy customer service!!!

Other than that though, yeah. Hoping they get on the ball shortly.

Odd since they routinely score high.. (or at least they did)

I think part of Sprint's issue is they are completely dragged down by that horrible acquisition of Nextel.