T-Mobile Has Been Quiet With High End Android

T-Mobile just revived the Sidekick brand with Android as the basis. But since G2, there have not been any high end Android device that enticed me to sign up. I am eagerly waiting for the LG Optimus 2X. Due to my lack of familiarity with LG's track record in mobile and providing timely Android update, I am still waiting to see if HTC has something coming to T-Mobile.

Why T-Mobile? Well, it was the first US wireless network to introduce the first ever Android device, the G1. I was one of the first to rush to the website to order it. So you'll have to forgive me if I'm partial to T-Mobile.

This is what I hope to see from our favorite wireless provider here at On Android. I like to see the following three Android devices:

• Samsung Galaxy S II - this is the next upgrade from the Galaxy update.  It is a natural fit.  As one of the two networks without Apple's iPhone, I see Samsung and T-Mobile as a perfect fit to highlight non-Apple phones and devices, particularly Android.  And having it run on T-Mobile's HSPA+ network would be a plus.
• Because of Verizon's size and Google's eagerness to act as a check-and-balance to the Apple-ATT alliance, most people think Verizon And Droid when they think about Android.  Well, now that Verizon has the iPhone, I like to see Motorola bring the devices that are branded "Droid" to T-Mobile.  Yeah, give me a dual-core Droid-like device, and I'll sign up right this second.  Don't give me that Cliq or the Charm is the best Motorola can bring to the game here.  The Defy is okay but it's so 2009.  Give me Droid X2 or Droid 3 GSM version any day.  
• HTC - we need you.  The G2, while is a HTC-made phone, it is not branded so.  Regardless, HTC has been kind of MIA in my opinion.  Heck, give me the ChaCha which looks like the original Android prototypes.  Oh, but just don't call it the ChaCha on T-Mobile.  There's talk and rumblings about a high end device coming.  I hope so.  The G2 just isn't it.  

My hope is that T-Mobile will have a very active second quarter in Android.  After the Optimus 2X, maybe that'll be when we'll see a couple more high end devices for loyal T-Mobile fans. And yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing Sony's Play in here somewhere too.

Android Device Makers That Also Make TV May Have Advantage Over Others That Just Make Tablets And Phones

Android device makers, Toshiba, Sharp, Samsung, and Sony, all have one thing in common that Android makers do not have. They made TV. Specifically, HDTV. And that potentially mean their Android tablets may have greater living integration than anything from HTC, Dell or Motorola.

Sure, Google TV is suppose to be on the TV only and Android is Android. Then again, HTC’s Sense or Moto Blur are all device specific skins that work to the strengths of individual device makers.

I look for for incumbent TV makers to leverage this advantage over the traditional device makers. What better way to distinguish their tablets from others in the field than to offer a tighter integration with their other hardware? It’s what Apple do in creating their second-to-none ecosystem.

For instance, Sony may marry its PSP with Android. So potentially, specific apps can be written for closer integration with the Bravia TVs and PS3. This is even a step further than what Toshiba, Sharp, or Samsung can do.

We’ll see in the next 12 months when what all this means and if what I predict pans out. Let’s just say, if this doesn’t happen, HTC and Samsung will take everyone else to school with their tablets.

Skins Makes Android Popular But Also Fragmentation

One of the things I try to talk about here is on how folks use Android and what changes and developments in the Android realm that impact users. Well, skins developed by various Android developers are having a positive effect on Android adoption.

These skins like Blur and Sense are aggregating pertinent updates for users and provide an UI that Google did not include with Android. And in the next update cycle or two, these skins will become more intricate. However, there could potentially be a risk for Android as a whole.

The skins allow Samsung, HTC, and Motorola to differentiate themselves from other Android developers and each other. After all, Android is just competing with the iPhone, Blackberry, and Nokia but also with each other. These companies that make Android devices (soon, tablets as well) will need to stand out. After all, Android hardware developers are also compete with each other as well.

However, the fear is that even as Android market suffers from partial fragmentation, skin developments may further create rifts in the platform. And I fear this may potentially become an issue for app developers as hardware makers modify their flavor of Android further based on the skin they created.

We'll know if this is truly going to be a problem. Right now most skins are mostly widgets to update Twitter, text, and Facebook feeds. But look for the skins to improve and become more sophisticated. Perhaps, it would be good for Google and its Android partners to come to some sort of agreement on skin development as well.

Free Android Devices From T-Mobile and HSPA+ Deployed To More Cities

Below is a repost from Onxo where I discussed the great news of HSPA+ now more widely available to T-Mobile's customers.  And just in time as well.

On June 19th, T-Mobile will give free phones to customers who signed up for qualified plans.  And these are not the run-of-the-mill handsets.  These T-Mobile's top Android devices that are part of the mix.  So if you're looking for a great Android device, T-Mobile has something for you.  Here is a list of what'll be part of this deal on Saturday:

• HTC - myTouch 3G Slide - keyboard is rather decent in my tests
• HTC - HD 2 - pretty nice but runs an aged Windows Mobile
• Garminfone - just released and T-Mobile is making sure this is part of the Father's Day deal.
• MOT - Cliq XT - not the best Android phone but it'll be free!
• There are other Android but since they're kind of old, I don't think it's worth mentioning.

Now, the repost about the HSPA+ network T-Mobile has implemented:

Full disclosure.  I am partial to T-Mobile USA. And Sprint PCS was my first mobile service provider back in the, well, dark ages of cellular service.  It's it's difficult for me to pit the two against each other but since I'm with T-Mobile now, I'm going to plug them a bit here.  And there's good reason.

And T-Mobile has announced its next generation 3G service, HSPA+ for 25 metropolitan areas including major cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, and Atlanta.  I've waited and waited and its finally here for my city.  By the end of June, HSPA+ service will cover 75 million users.  Devices that work includes 15 handsets and a dedicated USB modem, the webConnect Rocket.

Between now and then, T-Mobile hope to blanket over 185 million users with the service.  Furthermore, T-Mobile doesn't seem to imply it has issues its bigger rival, ATT, has.  Recently, ATT announced pretty anemic wireless plans that ration wireless Internet access.

T-Mobile, as well as Sprint, do not have any such plans.  In fact, T-Mobile is considering metered speed rather than rationed access.  Personally, with my two-year contract up and despite my love for the iPhone 4, I am not sure I'm going to migrate over to ATT just to use the latest and greatest mobile device from Apple.

More impressive is that T-Mobile seems to imply they've got plenty of bandwidth to go around.  I've advocated Apple bring the iPhone over to T-Mobile in the past and, recently, this seems more plausible.

So while Sprint has EVO, Verizon has Droid, and ATT has iPhone 4, T-Mobile has HSPA+ with devices like myTouch, Garminfone, and the upcoming Galaxy S from Samsung, T-Mobile's stars could be aligned for once:  strong lineup and the network to back it up.

More at Engadget, TmoNews,

Note:  HSPA+.  This is T-Mobile's "4G-like" 3G service with a theoretical upload of 21Mbps.  In reality, it's not even close but for the moment, users could care less as T-Mobile was a late comer to the 3G wireless services.  However, with this deployment, it has really surpassed Verizon Wireless as well as ATT and rival Sprint's WiMax, a true 4G wireless connection.

Another note:  On June 19th, T-Mobile will be offering phones to users who sign up for qualified plans.  A lot of these phones are Android-based.  This is one of the best deals I've seen.

Last note:  For more on the Father's Day deal, you can head over to T-Mobile or Tmonews has the scoop.

Third T-Mobile Android Device On Sale Oct 19th - Does It "Cliq" With You?

On the whole, things can't be better for the Android platform in its young life than at any other time.  Sure, there are some rumbling of developer discontent with Google but that's nothing most Android mobile warriors need to worry about in the long run. There are seven known Android devices and a dozen or so more will be available worldwide.  In recent weeks, the attention has been focused on Motorola and its first Android device, Cliq, and T-Mobile will be the first to offer it to its subscribers.

Well, we finally know the details.  The Cliq will be available for pre-order from T-Mobile on October 19th through November 1st and available on November 2nd. Other details we know:

• $199 with a two-year agreement (ouch).
• Available in titanium or winter white.
• Available for sale national-wide or online.
• Like other Android devices from T-Mobile, data plan will be required.
• There is a sweepstake for folks who register to receive updates.
• Will run MOTOBLUR.  It supports "Updates to contacts, posts, messages, photos and more are streamed together and synced from sources including Facebook^®, Twitter™, MySpace^®, Gmail™, and work and personal e-mail. "
• 3.1" Screen
• 3.5mm Headjack!
• 5MP camera
• 2GB of SD card for external storage.
• More specs on the Cliq, please visit Motorola's Cliq page.

My first impulse was to get this as soon as I humanly can and drop my G1.  But after I've taken a breath or two, gotten some oxygen into my brain, reality set in.  $199.  I like Facebook.  I like Twitter.  And I like the idea of being able to access all my contacts and updates easily.  As nice as MOTOBLUR is, it's not for everyone.  And at $199, it isn't for me.  

I've looked through may comments from Android owners and potential buyers and while there is a lot of excitement, the price was higher than most expected.  Then there's the Boy Genius Report hands-on with the Cliq.  Like the HTC Hero, the Cliq suffered from sluggishness.  More damaging in my mind is the report about the battery life.  In BGR's words, " the Motorola CLIQ has possibly the worst battery life of any phone I’ve tested in recent memory with the current software. Maybe Motorola’s BLUR back-end isn’t optimized yet, maybe the phone software isn’t final, but this is ridiculously bad."

Bottom-line here:  If you're in the market for a smartphone, you can't go wrong with the G1, myTouch, Hero, or the Cliq.  Android is a rock-solid mobile platform supported by Internet giant, Google.  Having said that, the inner workings of these devices are more than a year old.  That was also the concerns of many commenters.  Not much has changed since the G1.  Given the price of the Cliq, one would expected better battery life and faster CPU.  Some more along the line of the jump from iPhone 3G to 3GS.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.

For currently Android owners, I preach patience.  For instance, the Acer A1 sport a 768Mhz CPU, a 45% increase over the 528Mhz CPUs used by the current Android lineup.  That's what I'd wait for.  And when Android 2.0 comes out, Android devices may require additional resources and horsepower that the current Android devices will have trouble keeping up.  For instance, Android competitors sport 8-32GB of internal storage.  

Still, like I said above, things are looking up for Android fans and I expect better devices in 2010.  Should the Cliq drop to $99 or less, I'll revisit my decision.  After all, the iPhone can be had for $99 and the Palm Pre as little as $79.  T-Mobile and Morotola needs to do more to draw in more adopters.

I'll be visiting my local T-Mobile store on November 2nd so I can play around with one.  And I suggest other Android fans do the same.

More on the Cliq pre-order, here is T-Mobile's press release and the pre-order page.

State of the Android

Here's a quick post on this matter. Many folks are looking into the Android phones that are available for purchase now and coming our way. So what are you waiting for? G1ers, you upgrading?

Well, I don't imagine a lot of folks upgrading from the G1 to MyTouch, which is basically a keyboardless G1. Then you've got the Hero coming to Sprint this fall and the current media darling, the Motorola Cliq.

Here's my recommendation for potential Android adopters. Wait for the Cliq. It's only a month or so away from shipping with T-Mobile. The same goes for the Hero as well but for Sprint. By October or so, you will have at least four Android phones to chose from.

But how about G1ers? It's a little more complicated. If you want to stay with T-Mobile, you've got MyTouch, which isn't an upgrade considering that you're going from having a keyboard to no keyboard. So, my recommendation is to sit tight until the Cliq comes out and see where it goes from there.

With the Cliq, we're looking at a nice camera upgrade, more memory, and better battery life. Best of all, Motoblur of course.

But let's slow down a for a second. I'm excited but I'm kind of torn. The inside of Hero, Cliq, and a couple of other rumored Android devices have similar chips at the G1. We're not really looking at a big jump in performance. Not in the same way when Apple upgraded the iPhone 3G to 3GS.

Here's the bottom line, if you're looking to jump into the Android realm, you're in for some treat. Basically, your choice increase by 4-folds from last year when there was only the G1. For G1ers, it's more complicated. Hero and the Cliq has skins from THC and Morotola respectively that takes the Android to another whole new level. We're not looking at a huge speed increase or battery life but as far as functionality, you will definitely see something that will make some G1 owners contemplate upgrading.

Personally, I'm waiting for the pricing on the Cliq before making that call. Word is that it maybe free to $199 with a two-year contract. I don't know if T-Mobile will love us enough to give G1ers an upgrade path.

More about the Cliq at T-Mobile. And let's not forget HTC Hero at Sprint.