I've had the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream) for a few days now and I can safety say that Nokia and S60 are in serious trouble if they don't step it up. Android might be new and, yes, over-hyped but for good reason. The G1 is far from perfect but it is a first generation Android product and the first Linux based mobile device to gain such recognition and attention, perhaps more due to Google than Linux. Of course I know there have been Linux PDA's before, I've used a few, but not like this.
Let me say that I didn't expect to like Android. I was tired of the hype and kept saying and thinking, %26quot;Common people its just Linux, so what Google is making it.%26quot; Google may be making it but that's not the only thing what makes it a great device, or is it? I haven't drummed up the courage to flash my N810 with Android but I just might, now. My feeling is Android for the N810 isn't nearly as ready for prime time as it is on the G1. Let's get into the meat of what makes Android better and where S60 still edges it out.
There is so much customization and personalization available and built into the G1 right out of the box. A few examples:
Each contact has the option to send straight to Voicemail
Contact Groups - they come across when syncing (I hate PC Suite that doesn't do this)
Contact Favorites - This is much more than speed dial as it can be for email, sms or calls.
Simple contact editing - easily change info from Home to Work to Other with two taps, no more add the field then copy and paste -- not even Outlook does that much.
Contact to Map integration - Select a contact's address, bam it's coming up on the map. Nokia Maps is the other way around only and then hit and miss.
Sounds - device sounds and multimedia sounds have seperate controls
Email - Full HTML support
Seemless and Integrated Online Syncing - I realize Nokia has released the syncing of contacts, calendar and notes online but it's not automatic, not even on schedule. The best you can hope for is automatic Bluetooth syncing if so configured. There is no configuring for the G1, it just happens!
Screen customization - You decide which applications on on your home screen, as many or as few (up to 16 on each, left, center and right) as you want. Choose where each sits along with widgets.
Open Source - This is the biggest advantage Android as a platform has over any of the other OS's available today on mobile devices whether it be Nokia or Apple.
There are more of these examples, too many in fact. Of course there are things that S60 and Nokia excel over the G1. Here's a few of those examples:
Offline mapping - There is no offiline mapping. If you're not online you don't have mapping available.
Navigation - Google maps as great as it is at finding locations it doesn't have voice navigation or even turn by turn directions.
Camera - The camera on the G1 is one of the poorest I've seen in a while. In low light, which isn't all that low in my opinion, the camera is useless. In bright sunlight its usable but hardly acceptable for camera rated as a 3.2mp. I've seen iPhone 2mp images of far better quality. Nokia devices even at 2mp have great quality.
Audio - Currently no A2DP (Stereo Bluetooth), fix is expected soon for Android.
Outlook/Exchange - As poor as PC Suite might be at syncing Android doesn't support two-way syncing to either solution. Until there is support for Exchange including group policy and security tools Android won't ever catch on in the business world.
Bluetooh - DUN, OBEX. The G1 currently lacks all Bluetooth protocols other than Headset. Something is said to be fixed in future release but still a current flaw.
I struggle to find areas where S60 excels over the G1, something I wasn't expecting from a first generation device. The bottom line is Android is new and has so much undeveloped potential, as does S60 for that matter. Maybe Android won't over take S60, its still yet to be seen how much Android is going to be accepted over the long run. For a first release device Google did a lot right, more than they did wrong.
What are your thoughts? Is Android a real threat or another passing phase from a long list of other platforms?