Hi guys,

I'm quite surprised there's not a thread about smartphones using the Android OS yet, I guess they're not as popular as the iPhone, Symbian, Blackberry, etc.

Anyway, I wanted to know what other users of these smartphones thought of their phones. I've had a HTC Magic on Vodafone in the UK for a couple of months now, and I've got to say it totally rocks for me. It's the first smartphone I've had that actually makes decent phone calls (strange requirement of a phone I know ), and in addition I can do VOIP, IM, I can webcast, read ebooks, sat-nav, etc, etc. Just like the iPhone in that respect.

Of course, there are downsides. It's user-friendly but only to a certain extent; I sometimes need to read forum guides in order to use features like Swype (dragging your finger across the letters rather than tapping as you text/email). Also Google Maps Navigation in the UK requires a bit of a hack in order to work, Google could take a leaf out of Nokia's book and do what nokia did with Ovi Maps (free for all satnav).

To tell the truth, it's a bit of a geek's phone (due to the Android OS). But that's why it suits me .

Wonder what the rest of you think.

Cheers.

joe

In other words, I rock

yeah, I have you on my phone too

I'm using the HTC Google G1, which is basically the first android phone and I still prefer it over the later models because it has a nice physical keyboard. Still hoping that android 2.0 and flash will be pushed on my phone, but I do start to think that android 1.6 is as far as i can get with it... well, I might upgrade to the nexus when it comes out here.

Just bought a HTC Tattoo and loves it. Been wanting an Android phone for a while, but all the other phones like the Hero was a bit pricey for my taste. The Tattoo is quite affordable, and is well worth the money. Ok, it doesn't have as good a screen as the Hero, but I don't care.

My friend has a Huawei android phone, on Canada's newest wireless provider, Wind Mobile... It looks like a sleek phone, I poked around with it for a couple minutes, but I don't think it has a keyboard, so that's kills any selling interest for me... I know that other android phones have keyboards, but this one isn't for me. Plus, my z6w is half the width. I just can't be bothered to circumvent the DRM.

Welp coming from my iPhone, now on a Droid, I can't say i'm too satisfied but meh, it's still a great smartphone.

I got an HTC Hero a couple of weeks back, very pleased with it so far. I thought the touchscreen would drive me batty but I'm used to it already and it's faster than normal texting, And being able to switch to a phone-style pad for texting on the move is a neat feature.

Wish there was a media player app with built-in EQ, but HTC's player that still lets you pause/skip when the screen is locked is well thought out.

Favourite app at the moment is Google Sky Map, I'm always fiddling with it when I pop outside for a smoke.

Quote from ColeusRattus :

Still hoping that android 2.0 and flash will be pushed on my phone

I've had a T-Mobile G1 which was a great phone, I had a HTC Hero rom on it so I could watch flash videos/games etc. (ColeusRattus - you should try this? You can also install a 2.0/2.1 rom :/)
Recently got a T-Mobile Pulse (Huawei U8220) which was £139, I think its the cheapest android phone on PayGo, Its supposed to get Android 2.0 in April and 2.1 sometime after..

Android is proberly the best Mobile OS I've used, its simple and fast to navigate around the phone..

Quote from Joe_Keaveney :

I can do VOIP,

Now how can that work? I'm afraid to even think of the ping with a 3g connection

Quote from ColeusRattus :

I'm using the HTC Google G1

+1.

Best phone on the market (imo) with a full size QWERTY keyboard.

Because I r Geek i've rooted / modded (Apps2SD etc) mine, so know have (most) of the 2.0 goodness.

Saying that though I had a play on an iPhone and I think I know what my next phone will be, simply because they have created an on screen keyboard that doesn't drive me insane...

Quote from Jakg :

simply because they have created an on screen keyboard that doesn't drive me insane...

Have you tried HTC_IME.apk? Its the keyboard from Hero's etc, its wayy better than the stock android keyboard, try it out

Edit- Or u can use Swype, where u 'Swype' from letter to letter, its really good and accurate to use, fast way to type without pressing the individual letters?

I've tried HTC IME on a friends Magic but it still isn't really that good

I have the HTC (T-Mobile) G1/Dream too. Got it October 2008 and its been great so far, although a little slow. I hacked it with CyanogenMod and that helps a ton, esp the Apps2SD and having roooot.

Been thinking about the unlocked Nexus One but its kinda spendy for what I have now. Hmm.. Once I can drop the voice and text msg plans I will switch ASAP. I FRAKKING HATE the txt msg markup crap.

I bought a Droid shortly after it came out.

The Android OS is quite capable. I've really not much bad to say about it. Google Maps however is a pain in my arse. I will not trust the navigation feature for quite a while as it told me to turn around 30 miles into my trip to go back to where I came from. I even checked and I DID have the correct destination. It just wanted me to go back for some stupid reason.

Also, at least around my area, the place marks are all wrong. It gave me 6 different entries for the same rental car agency at the airport...

The only other thing is that it keeps trying to launch apps that I don't want running. Why the heck does "messaging" keep popping up when I haven't used it for hours, and am not receiving any messages? Same goes for the alarm clock, calendar, and several others. I find myself using an app killer EVERY time just before I turn off the screen...

Still the best investment I've ever made even though it put me in debt for 2 months.

My Droid specific problem is the headphone jack crackling during playback. Still looking for a fix on that as that's 80% of the reason I bought it.