[clug] Android developer phones?

[Arjen Lentz]

Hi Jeff

On 09/04/2009, at 3:23 PM, jm wrote:
> Starting to look seriously at getting a Andriod based phone, but  
> prefer to see one in the flesh first. Anyone with an Andriod based  
> phone going to tonight's psig talk?
>
> To any andriod based phone owners in general:
>
> * Where did you buy your phone from?
> * Is it the Dev version?
> * Had any problems with it?
> * How much did it end up costing you (in AUD please)?
> * Over all impression?
> * Anything else?
>
> Trying to find firm pricing for the developer version but don't have  
> a android market place login and don't wish to pay $US25 to join  
> just to get a price.


I got a G1 last week, through smoothmobiles.com.au which was just over  
AUD 600 including postage.
They ship it from Hong Kong and it's essentially a T-Mobile G1, with  
an AU adapter, a plug adapter (yes both) and a very nice screen  
protector added in.
It can also be recharged through the included USB cable, so I tend to  
not travel with the power adapter (a car with USB adaptor sockets or a  
laptop always being nearby).
Comes with a 1GB microSD, so you may want to get a bigger one (I got a  
16GB).

It's not a dev version, so if I'd want root on the OS I'd have more  
hacking to do (haven't looked into it yet). Wouldn't need it for apps  
writing I would think.

I'm pretty happy with it so far.
The "locked down" quirks (like you can't switch off 3G data without  
switching off the 3G voice too) already has workarounds, I installed  
the "APNdroid" tool from the Google Market which tweaks the APN name  
with a string so it becomes invalid, thereby disabling the 3G data.  
Brilliant!

Cheers,
Arjen.
-- 
Arjen Lentz, Director @ Open Query (http://openquery.com)
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