Truly Free phones?

[R P Herrold]

On Thu, 14 May 2009, Joseph Sinclair wrote:

> While Google (and others) develop the Android O/S, the 
> carriers make all the decisions about how open the phone is. 
> The G1 is a *T-Mobile* phone, not a Google Phone.  ...

> The T-Mobile G1, like any other T-Mobile Phone, is a locked 
> phone, and you can only run the apps that T-Mobile permits. 
> Google wrote the software open-source, but T-Mobile locked 
> down the phone environment.

well; not to my experience but on another chassis ... actually 
I presently run an unlocked phone from RIMM on US T-mobile; I 
am given to understand (OLS OpenMoko presentation, Android 
devel ML's) that there are binary radio and cell network 
datalink modules one has to feed thru a defined api, but that 
one can add additional modules, once duly signed.  And 
certainly I can manage the certificate (and thus signing key) 
chain it is using presently ...

> There are unlocked HTC Dream phones available running 
> Android, but I don't know of any US carriers that will 
> permit you to use them.

I have on order one "Dream G2 (Google Android, GSM, Unlocked)" 
and in transit from the manufacturer's sales agent in China; 
they represent it works on US T-Mobile, and I have no reason 
to disbelieve them .. we'll see

> Even the Freerunner is difficult to get service with in the 
> US, our carriers mostly still have Ma-Bell Monopoly envy, 
> and want to lock you into their network so they don't have 
> to actually compete.

I've also an 'I8' on the way as well (also called a 'A550+'), 
and pretty clearly it is running some Apple store content in 
screenshots, has an Apple style power connector, and may be 
intercepted at Customs as an infringing copyright knockoff [I 
hope it is just grey market goods, and will slip through] -- 
again, this (different) manufacturer's rep represents it works 
on US T-Mobile, and I have no reason to disbelieve them either 
.. we'll see

> There are supposed to be several more Android-based phones 
> (and a couple netbooks) released in the next 3-6 months, so 
> if you can wait a little bit, that might be good.

what fun is waiting, when one can be first on the block  ;)

> You can develop for the Android environment without a phone 
> using the development SDK, it's a qemu-based virtual 
> machine, so it works just like a real phone from a 
> development perspective.

similar to the Apple SDK's approach for developing toward 
iPhone and iTouch then, but with a better VM hosting layer -- 
Apple runs a VM inside the outer (OS/X) OS simulating the 
device

...

> Sometime soon I need to put together a 
> how-to-write-for-Android preso for devel, I just haven't had 
> any free time the past 7 months (although that's changing, 
> so I might be able to get it done soon).

looking forward to it

-- Russ herrold