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So it has been several weeks now that I've joined the Android army, and for the most part, I must say that I truly enjoy the experience, and it is a significant breath of fresh air from my work Blackberry. I appreciate the significant amount of apps out there, and I also very much appreciate the fact that I have working tools for things I need to do both work and fun. My G1 has both full GPS and a magnatometer, so I get the benefit of both. Google Maps app with Navigation is a blast, and my biggest issue now is finding a car mount I like well enough to use with it.
My foray has not been without bumps and bruises. My G1 came stock with Android version 1.5, which in this day and age is akin to saying your PC comes with Windows 2000 (and nearly as sluggish and bloated). Scanning the forums, I found upgrade ROMs to flash my phone and find myself in a different world. Eclair was reasonably stable, but a bit sluggish. Froyo has been the least stable on this phone (it is a significant shoe-horn fit), but has provided me with the most user-friendly experience, and so I have stuck with it. I am currently running one of the nightly builds from earlier in the week, and so far, I'm pleased with the results.
Applications are far and wide, but I generally like to keep things pretty neat and tidy. I have Pandora, the Bar Code Scanner application, Facebook, a compass application, Trillian, and a book reading application called Aldiko.
Overall, my biggest gripe is battery life, but with a plethora of access methods, and decisions about what applications should be connected and fetching information, I find that I have a bit of a choice on how long things last in general. That said, I was considering an extended battery even with the thought that it would thicken the entire case a bit, but instead, I've opted to flex my soldering skills and build what is called a Mintyboost, and carry that with a couple of AA's around in the event my phone needs a little more juice.
Another thing I love about the G1 specifically is that it charges with a standard mini USB connector, which means for all the other phones, gadgets, and things I've had in the past, I already have chargers and cables, and all sorts of stuff. Makes it a slightly cheaper venture, and I get to use all those cables I decided to store instead of recycle.
So not a perfect experience, but no major complaints. I continue to be surprised by functionality and am enjoying it more and more as time goes on.
My foray has not been without bumps and bruises. My G1 came stock with Android version 1.5, which in this day and age is akin to saying your PC comes with Windows 2000 (and nearly as sluggish and bloated). Scanning the forums, I found upgrade ROMs to flash my phone and find myself in a different world. Eclair was reasonably stable, but a bit sluggish. Froyo has been the least stable on this phone (it is a significant shoe-horn fit), but has provided me with the most user-friendly experience, and so I have stuck with it. I am currently running one of the nightly builds from earlier in the week, and so far, I'm pleased with the results.
Applications are far and wide, but I generally like to keep things pretty neat and tidy. I have Pandora, the Bar Code Scanner application, Facebook, a compass application, Trillian, and a book reading application called Aldiko.
Overall, my biggest gripe is battery life, but with a plethora of access methods, and decisions about what applications should be connected and fetching information, I find that I have a bit of a choice on how long things last in general. That said, I was considering an extended battery even with the thought that it would thicken the entire case a bit, but instead, I've opted to flex my soldering skills and build what is called a Mintyboost, and carry that with a couple of AA's around in the event my phone needs a little more juice.
Another thing I love about the G1 specifically is that it charges with a standard mini USB connector, which means for all the other phones, gadgets, and things I've had in the past, I already have chargers and cables, and all sorts of stuff. Makes it a slightly cheaper venture, and I get to use all those cables I decided to store instead of recycle.
So not a perfect experience, but no major complaints. I continue to be surprised by functionality and am enjoying it more and more as time goes on.