As I predicted this afternoon, despite earlier reservations, I'm getting caught up in the hype surrounding the imminent launch of Google's Nexus One.

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...confirmation that Dropbox is definitely planning an Android application for it's excellent online storage service. 

I noticed this Job Posting whilst poking around Dropbox.com last night.

If you know any Android devs fitting the requirements I suggest you might want to share this with them. Dropbox must be one of the hottest web companies to work for right now, and the sooner we get to see Dropbox on Android the better IMO.

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Like most mobile geeks, I'm really enjoying all the Google Nexus One news; it's starting to sound like a very nice device, and it's obviously a very interesting move by Google. Seeing their vision of what a modern mobile device should be, and how far Google feel they can push their services into our pockets will be fascinating to see.

I've already pretty much decided that I'm going to give the Nexus One / HTC Passion or whatever it ends up being called a miss though. Not because I'm a total Apple fanboy, or because I'm one of those crazies worried about giving Google too much access to my data - I'm a very heavy user of all of Google's services, and have been ever since I opened my first Gmail account back in 2005.

Why the reluctance then? Android has many positives - mobile Gmail is great, Google Maps on Android is better than on iPhone, multitasking rocks and Android's notification system is just plain brilliant. But at the end of the day - from my experience (G1, HTC Magic and HTC Hero) - Android is actually a pretty sucky phone.

I think Ewan hit the nail on the head yesterday:

My biggest concern with Google is their apparent inability to bring anything to market that is actually ready for consumers to use.  I’m talking, of course, about the perennial ‘beta’ labels that populate their technology.  This beta policy makes a ton of sense — and I think the majority of geeks like me are thoroughly delighted to see the company make frequent updates to their services.  I wonder, then, how they’re reacting to delivering a physical product that can’t be changed.

To say that the Android phone experience is a bit unpolished (even when tarted up by HTC) would be a massive complement; take the iPhone away from your ear to "press option 3 to speak to an advisor" and the screen lights up ready for use - easy! Try the same trick with an HTC Hero and the screen will have locked. Go to press the phones usual screen unlock key and you'll have killed the call. It's this kind of thoughtfulness that I think Android phones will always lack, mainly because Android devs don't have a maniacal Steve Jobs standing over them yelling - "not good enough, do it again."

The iPhone might have limitations, and the App approval process does appear to make some rather perverse decisions, but Apple's rigid control of the platform undoubtedly makes it slicker. We had to wait far too long for 'copy and paste' to appear, but when it did it was perfect. Does any other device honestly have this feature implemented as well as the iPhone?

I'm also rather dubious about one of the Nexus One's really big selling points - availability as a carrier unlocked device. If this is true I really applaud the move, it could be a watershed moment for the telco industry, but I'm just not sure Google will be able to pull this off. They don't have consumer goods distribution experience; I suppose they could rely on HTC's sales channels, but this would be a really big ask. Google has previously given away unlocked Android devices to developers only, could they be dong the same with the Nexus One, planning to release the device to the public via one of the carriers (my money would be on T-Mobile)?

Then there is my final nagging doubt; good as the Nexus One may be, in my mind it's really a second generation future mobile device (1st gen = iPhone, 2nd gen = iPhone 3G/3GS). I'm sure it will stack up well against the iPhone 3GS, Palm Pre etc, but really we're still watching Android play catch up.

I still predict that the really big mobile news of 2010 will be the major update Apple announces to the iPhone platform in June, so for the meantime I'm sticking with Apple.

This post is also published on Mobile Industry Review.

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It's already been a great year for Android fans; the HTC Magic, Samsung i7500/Galaxy and HTC Hero have all impressed.  But what else can we expect to see this year?  Google are predicting 18 - 20 devices launched by the end of 2009 - so I thought it would be useful to do a round up of everything we know is in the pipeline so far:

1. The Samsung 'Bigfoot' (source Boy Genius Report)

Samsung's second Android phone, the Bigfoot, is supposed to be launching sometime over the summer on T-Mobile USA - it will be a UMTS/HSDPA device.  It's not yet clear whether/what other countries will also see the Bigfoot released.

Like the i7500/Galaxy the Bigfoot will come with an AMOLED touch screen display.  Unlike the i7500/Galaxy it supposedly has only a 3 megapixel camera and a very 'interesting' colour scheme...

2. Motorola 'Iron Man' / 'Heron' (source Engadget)

Motorloa are betting big on Android - the Iron Man / Heron is one of three devices they will release this year.

Originally planned to be powered by Windows Mobile this slider phone will apparently have a 2.8-inch touch screen, 3 megapixel camera with flash, aGPS, 3G and will be available on AT&T in the US around November time.  No word yet on other networks/countries.

3. Motorola 'Calgary' (source Boy Genius Report)

Not much is known about the Motorola Calgary, but design wise it looks very exciting.  Could this be the first Motorola phone to both look good and have a decent operating system?

The Calgary will be a swish looking QWERTY slider phone available around the end of this year on Verizon in the US (again no word on availability outside of the States).

4. Motorola 'Morrison' (source MiniSuit and Engadget)

Moto's third Android phone, also due around the end of this year, is the somewhat 'Fisher Price' looking Morrision.

Like the Calgary, the Morrison will be a QWERTY slider style phone, probably running the Android 'Donut' release given it's end of year release date.  The phone will defiantly be available on T-Mobile, featuring prominently the networks 2009 device roadmap.

5. & 6. SonyEricsson 'Rachel' (source PCWorld and Mobil.nu)

SonyEricsson are also getting into the Android market with the impressive looking Rachel (likely to be known as the Xperia X3) in the pipeline.  No launch date or network availability details are available for the Rachel at present, although it's generally assumed it will be in the shops by Christmas.

The rumored device spec is very impressive; 1GHz Qualcom processor, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 8.1-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash probably all running on version 2 of Android.  The UI also looks to be heavily customised - SE creating their own impressive looking interface rivaling HTC's sense.

LG 'Eve' / GW620 (source Android Central / NieuweMobiel.nl)

Anything Samsung can do LG also have to try... so it's no surprise to see the LG Eve also in the pipeline for sometime later this year.  Details are really sketchy on this one - no pictures but Nieuwemobiel.nl found details of a 320 x 480 pixel touchscreen, UMTS/HSDPA 3G, QWERTY keyboard speced device on an LG product website recently.

HTC 'Click' (source UnwiredView)

After wowing us with the Hero what next for HTC?  Apparently something aimed more towards the entry level end of the market.  In the last few days news has just began to break on the HTC Click - an apparent low end Android phone likely to be due out in Europe by the end of the year.  No specs or pictures just yet, but after the Hero I can't wait to see what else HTC have lined up.

This is every device I'm aware of so far - is there anything else out there rumored or confirmed?

This post is also published on Mobile Industry Review.

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Visual Voicemail is one popular feature the iPhone has that Android still lacks... but this could be about to change if these videos found by TMONews (the Unofficial T-Mobile blog) are reliable.

They've got their hands on 3 vids of a T-Mobile rep apparently demonstrating the Visual Voicemail interface, including the ability to save messages to memory cards, on the upcoming T-Mobile myTouch (Vodafone / HTC Magic most other places in the world).  Is this an early view of a new feature in the upcoming 'Donut' Android update?

To my eyes the interface doesn't quite match the base Android OS so I'm wondering if this is an in house solution developed by T-Mobile purely for the myTouch?  Many T-Mobile US phones come with a similar looking 'myFaves' application, could this be one of the reasons why T-Mobile US have apparently said no to the HTC Hero (G2 Touch)?  Maybe they have plans for a T-Mobile specific Android build, and this visual voicemail feature is the first evidence?

Anyway three demo videos are up over at TMONews.

This post is also published on Mobile Industry Review.

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Wow, two Android scoops in one day!
 
After playing with, and being impressed by, the HTC Hero earlier today I decided to head to the shops after work on the off chance of finding out some news about the 'missing in action' Samsung i7500.
 
Today is the first Friday of the month you see - it's when the new mobile catalogues hit the high street and when most stores find out what new handsets they'll be getting to sell.
 
Like a lot of Android fans I've been waiting to see when the i7500 would hit the UK, so I was pretty excited to find this on page 6 of O2's July catalogue. Talking to the guys in the store they confirmed they're expecting it to be on sale in August.
 
So O2 will soon have the Android i7500, the iPhone, and if rumours are to be believed, the Palm Pre on offer. Quite an impressive device line up.

This post is also published on Mobile Industry Review.

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I just got to have a 10 minute play with an HTC Hero, and I'm impressed.
 
First impressions - it feels great in the hand. It's a very angular shape but is very comfortable to hold.
 
The material is a soft plastic. It seems to resist finger prints and feels much nicer to hold than my iPhone - it doesn't get slipery or greasy like the back of the plastic iPhone's can. It also feels quite small to hold - it's not as big as the pictures I've seen suggest.
 
The UI is 'whizzy'. Feels more consistent than the vanilla version of Android. Didn't get much time to play with it but it does look good and felt reasonabley fast.
 
The grey colour that Orange will be selling this in looks very smart, really makes it look like a desirable handset.
 
I had planned to be getting a Samsung i7500 (if it ever shows up) at some point over the summer but now I'm not so sure!

This post is also published on Mobile Industry Review.

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