I wanted to post my take on it and will continue with this thread as I find out new things I can do with this totally amazing Linux Kernel based device.
Of course, I'm totally thinking about how this device can interact with my PIC projects. It's a platform that can be programmed for, and totally portable.
Enjoy! And please offer your comments.
Hop
I did a contract with Verizon. Mine was coming up in a few months anyway, and they knocked $150 off of it, or half actually. =)
I normally stay completely away from state-of-the-art technology, but it is built on a Linux kernel, makes full use of open source software, has an amazing accelerometer, digital 3 axis compass that is very accurate and sensitive, amazingly sensitive GPS, WiFi, bluetooth, the most intensely gorgeous HD display touch screen, and a 5mb camera that shoots HD video. Stereo speakers, a 32gb flash card capable (mine is 16gb), ability to assign ANY audio to a ring tone locally, semi-rubberized backing so it doesn't slide off metal surfaces, and so much more. Slide out hardware keyboard AND a virtual one.
The free apps are nothing less than utterly amazing! One I have scans UPC codes and then uses internet to get information on it, even pricing and store location. Even COUPON DEALS! No laser needed. It just takes a picture and analyzes the bar code. Another app I have allows you to hold the unit to the sky and it uses the accelerometer, compass, and GPS to figure out what it is pointed at. It then shows the sky map on the display with labels, constellations, etc. It moves right with your movements too. I was so blown away by that.
Once WiFi is connected, you can use a Putty app or other terminal apps to sign onto a Linux machine on your local LAN. Before I set the settings, the characters were like 1/10 of an inch high yet no jagged edges or blurring. I could actually read them with a magnifying glass!!! HD video is stunning and the audio is wonderful, especially through my Sennheiser over the ear headsets.
The Google Maps Navigator is as good as anything stand alone and I can see it putting those hardware companies out of business. It's speech recognition must have some serious DSP on it because I can talk fast and casual with very little or no errors. Even with the TV playing in the back ground, and I once did that in a noisy store with lots of background noise. I also use that feature for google searches, and the translator. The spoken speech is not quite there yet but I hear it is coming along with a new patch soon. It sounds very inhuman.
I already have instructions on how to 'root' the Droid but I haven't found a need for that yet. A friend of mine has done it and is running a few of his apps on it. I'll jump off that cliff when I get to it.
It's a dream come true big time and isn't Windows Mobil or iApple. It's so blazing fast too! I recorded HD video while using the Google Navigator app without a stutter or hitch at all.
It boasts a huge standby duration and long use duration before needing to be charged, but those statistics are for a really casual user. With MY use, I have to charge it once or maybe even TWICE a day. That's no biggy though. My laptop will trickle charge it at work just fine and I'm constantly moving files back and forth to and from it. The WiFi settings and accurate GPS settings I picked, and the brighter display is what sucks the juice I'm sure. If they offer a 2100 mAh battery option I'll jump to it and keep a couple spares in my tech bag. The current one is 1400 mAh I believe.
That's my long-winded take of it. It's truly amazing Graham. You would love it!
The things I hate about it... I can't hold or grab the thing without brushing up on a touch button or two, usually ending up with a Google search app opened up, or other app unintentionally executed. I'll have to explore the touch control sensitivity settings and duration pressed before acting on them. I'm sure there is a free app to help that.
OH! Another thing that is great about it! You don't like the clock? Get a free app that does it different. Mad about only having a maximum of three alarms? There is an app that does that too with unlimited options. Don't like the power monitoring and control interface? Get another free app to exploit those features. Don't like calls from unknown sources? There is an app for that too that even prevents them from texting you and leaving voice mail. I have NO IDEA how an app pulls that off.
All these apps make this thing a complete and powerful data assistant. I won't need my iPaq anymore, or a personal GPS, or an MP3 player, or a media player, or a portable game machine. WOW!
Gary
P.S. Maybe I should post this as a hardware review on the forums. lol
