I don't have an Android phone yet, but I'm reading this group because I plan to buy one when my current contract expires in about six weeks.
I think the magic vs. G1 thing sort of shows why Android is better -- you can choose whether you want a keyboard or not. The iPhone is beautiful, and honestly the people at Apple who make the choices for you do a great job. But still, someone else is choosing for you. I've been using Linux for a long time, since the early 90's. I started because it was free as in beer -- I wanted to learn about Unix, and I didn't have access to a Sun workstation. But over time the value of real freedom becomes apparent. My argument here isn't that you can say to someone, "Buy this phone because it's about freedom!" Everyone who runs Linux knows that doesn't work. My argument is that freedom produces real benefits, and those benefits will turn into competitive advantages for Android over time. My 14 month old iPod touch's battery died -- the case is sealed and I can't fix it myself. Apple wanted *$200* to give me a refurbed model instead of the one I have. A company in Texas did it for me for $20, plus shipping. Apple gouges people because they can get away with it -- because the system is closed. That's why the system is closed. A friend has a Mac mini, and the CD-ROM drive died -- $299! A G1 isn't as sexy as an iPhone. But it's a lot more open. Everyone knows about the software, but even the hardware is better. You can buy a new battery and drop it in. You can buy a memory card. Etc. I'm going to buy an Android partly because I want to control my data -- I want to sync music and photos with my Linux desktop. But mostly, I think the cell industry is set up so that customers are at a fairly serious disadvantage with respect to the phone companies. Buying Android isn't a perfect response to that, but it's something I can do. I want to support people who are trying to support me. I know that most people don't see it this way. But I'll get a phone and an account with T-Mobile, and HTC and the telco will add my support to the support of the rest of you. Hopefully it will be enough and they'll decide to continue on. If they do, the software will just get better and more people will come on board. Eventually we'll form a critical mass. Again, I've been running Linux for a long time. And for years, people have talked about beating Windows. I don't care about that, which is lucky, because it never happens. I just want to do what I want to do, and for there not to be things in the way (things like not having hardware drivers, or my bank's web site not working, etc.). I don't care if Android beats the iPhone. I just want it to do what I want my phone to do. If someone else wants to buy a $300 iPhone, and a $70 extended warranty so they're covered when the battery dies, and then hope that Apple will approve the apps they want, more power to them. I just want it to do what I want. I'm pretty sure it will. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
