Scorp, I answered some of your questions about android stuff in this thread (that link might not work unless you have your post view set to 50 per page)

THere is nothing illegal about jailbreaking an iPhone...

Hmm pretty sure it a violation of the DMCA, which thanks to our FTA I think makes it questionable here. Heck I think even linking to it is "questionable" ...

I'm not convinced the hardware is that great; I sort of agree with Nathan that it looks a bit lame - but lots of reviews I've read from people say it actually feels like a pretty solid piece of hardware to hold, so I'm looking forward to scoping it out IRL.

I'm not convinced either. After playing with the BB Storm (which I found to be a hunk of s*** - clicky touchscreen ftl) I guess I understood what a quality piece of hardware the iPhone really was.

I just think the G1 looks plasticy and cheap, as well as being really chunky for no good reason.

I just think the G1 looks plasticy and cheap, as well as being really chunky for no good reason.

I think its really chunky because of the massive f***ing keyboard it has built into it

Size comparison... I guess 17mm isn't that thick.

Xperia X1 - 110.5 x 52.6 x 17 mm
JasJam - 112.5 x 58 x 21.95 mm
Dream - 117.7 x 55.7 x 17.1 mm
iPhone - 115 x 61 x 11.6 mm

last edited by mongie at 17:59:52 05/Feb/09

I do not see how the DMCA would apply, as you are not circumventing a copy protection device.

You are breaking the EULA but that is a civil issue, not criminal.

As crap as the pricing is, it's a bit better than what I'm on now, so I'm kind of leaning towards getting it. I have no issues with the size, I like the look of it, and would absolutely love to have a device with a full qwerty keyboard.

The open source docs licenses in the about menu on the G1 is massive, with text from almost every contributor and even a google-like 'do no evil' blessing in there. It's a great phone just a shame to see them cutting the physical keyboard out in the G2.

last edited by trillion at 20:44:51 05/Feb/09

last edited by trillion at 20:45:21 05/Feb/09

I do not see how the DMCA would apply, as you are not circumventing a copy protection device.

Jail broken phone modify Apple firmware, a copyrighted work. So if you do it unassisted to your phone aparently it's ok. But If you use a program or get direct assistance its not ok. Or some crap.

Host jailbreaking stuff on a US host and you will get a DMCA Takedown notice

Tethering the G1 on T-Mobile in the states is against the EULA afaik. Its just a lot easier to install an app on the g1 that enables it than it is on the iPhone. That being said for a few days there was a tethering app on the iphone appstore that let you tether for free.

The main issue with tethering is that this new generation of phone makers are in bed with the cell network companies. If you allow tethering on the phones, then the cell network companies can't make money on selling 3g modem plans. This is more of an issue in the states where data plans are giant compared to here. The rumor is AT&T will soon allow iphone tethering for a monthly cost.

Sounds kind of silly, but the phone network market over there is completely different than here. Over there you pay for each sms you receive, and sending sms is free. Crazy huh

ah the G2, somehow uglier than the G1.

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/7820/dscf1558gk8.jpg


http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/4931/dscf1559nz9.jpg

Farseeker maybe design appeals more to you ?

To anyone who is unsure of what data plan to get, I am on 250 meg a month and I have never come close to using it all. I feel like I hammer my 3G (I don't really bother connecting to wireless anymore) but usage is fine. It might be a little different if I could download files to device, but no by much. I find it hard to imagine how people could use more than 500meg a month, unless they are hammering YouTube and tethering to a pc to do more than check emails.

As for iPhone jailbreaking, technically its illegal against some agreement, but you can just restore and it leaves no traces whatsoever so all good.

Farseeker maybe design appeals more to you ?

The iPhone does this already without the need for any buttons. Not to mention you get your screen real estate back when the keyboard resigns.

last edited by 3dee at 08:30:03 06/Feb/09

I actually don't mind the design of the phone... Even though to me, design is nothing compared to functionality. You cant really compare size to the iPhone as the iPhone doesn't have a full qwerty keyboard.

as the iPhone doesn't have a full qwerty keyboard.

Well, not a physical keyboard, but it does have a full QWERTY keyboard (and about 30 other keyboards thanks to the fact its a software keyboard).

I think this is one of the major localisation advantages of software keyboards (of which the iPhone is probably the easiest to use due to the good touchscreen). To add a localised keyboard, you don't have to roll out new phone hardware, you just add it to the software.

Not to mention that when Apple was implenting the Emoji emoticon functionality for the Chinese (or Japanese?), the way they implemented makes its extremely easy to access the 4-500 icons as its merely another "keyboard". To type words you use the QWERTY keyboard then simply tap the (world) button to change the keyboard to the Emoji keyboard and starts emoticonning away, to get back you just tap the world button on the keyboard, and the great thing about this is you can do this in any application since Emoji icons are just Unicode characters.

last edited by 3dee at 09:13:47 06/Feb/09

Can someone explain the concept of "tethering" to me, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Tethering is using a mobile as a 3g broadband router essentially

Yeah, basically using your mobile phone as a modem for your computer. The stupid thing is that even though it's using the exact same transmission technology, data charges are ridiculously higher than the same providers' USB modem plans.

Oh... and how is that illegal exactly?

Is it that both phones (iPhone and Dream) don't support it by default?

Well, not a physical keyboard, but it does have a full QWERTY keyboard (and about 30 other keyboards thanks to the fact its a software keyboard).

Point taken. I actually prefer to type out emails on the physical keyboard of the Dream, I find I can type faster that way.

Looking into it further, tethering still in its infancy for Android I guess.

I'll probably just get whatever 3G Touch I can find I guess.

Kind of amazing that Windows Mobile is the LEAST restrictive phone OS. WTF?

what planet are you on?

Hi, care to elaborate chuckles?

I can use my Touch Windows mobile phone out of the box as a tethering device. iPhone and Android both seem to need to violate EULAs and s***.

I don't need Microsoft's permission to install, write, distribute or run sotware on my win mobile phone. They also don't take a cut if I sell something that runs on it.

What's not to understand? The phone's interface is f***ed (thank god for the HTC Touch overlay) but the OS itself doesn't tell me what to do.

last edited by Hogfather at 14:58:26 06/Feb/09

Oh... and how is that illegal exactly?

There is no way by default or via apps from the app store to tether an iPhone, hence you have to Jailbreak it which is a grey issue (becuase of the DMCA and FTA). I believe in part the block on tethering is because of an agreement Apple signed with a British Teleco.

Steady on Hoggy, it's an Android/HTC thread; not a WinMo 6.5 launch thread. You'll have your turn to prove whatever it is you are pushing

last edited by trillion at 16:15:13 06/Feb/09

I'm not pushing anything?

If you bothered to read the lead-ins I am considering buying a Dream and proper tethering is a deal-breaker for me. I am able to tether my current Touch, but I'm limited to GPRS and am looking at a 3G device on Optus.

It was just a side remark noting that a s***ty OS like WinMo devices made by the princes of OS evil actually made their software less restrictive for a lot of uses.

So, kindly piss off hey? :)

last edited by Hogfather at 16:39:34 06/Feb/09

There seems to be a few reviews coming out about the phone...

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Reviews/Phones/S2N5T9V4

http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25029446-15302,00.html

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/02/hands_on_with_google_streetview_compass_mode_on_the_htc_dream.html