A year ago, I started the Android discussion with a post regarding the T-Mobile G1 and what was then an introduction to the Android OS. With the launch of the recent 2.0 release, I'd like to reopen that discussion and see what everone's experience has been so far with Android. Ever used it? What did you think? What did you not like? Do you own an android phone? Killer apps? etc.
I'll kick things off with an introduction to the new user features of Android 2.0 which was released last week I believe.
Android 2.0 New User FeaturesContacts and Accounts•Multiple accounts can be added to a device for email and contact synchronization, including Exchange accounts. (Handset manufacturers can choose whether to include Exchange support in their devices.)
•Developers can create sync adapters that provide synchronization with additional data sources.
•Quick Contact for Android provides instant access to a contact's information and communication modes. For example, a user can tap a contact photo and select to call, SMS, or email the person. Other applications such as Email, Messaging, and Calendar can also reveal the Quick Contact widget when you touch a contact photo or status icon.
Email•Exchange support.
Finally!!!•Combined inbox to browse email from multiple accounts in one page.
Messaging•Search functionality for all saved SMS and MMS messages.
Surprisingly useful!•Auto delete the oldest messages in a conversation when a defined limit is reached.
Camera•Built-in flash support
•Digital zoom
WIN!•Scene mode
•White balance
MORE WIN!•Color effect
•Macro focus
Android virtual keyboard•An improved keyboard layout to makes it easier to hit the correct characters and improve typing speed.
Thank you!•The framework's multi-touch support ensures that key presses aren't missed while typing rapidly with two fingers.
•A smarter dictionary learns from word usage and automatically includes contact names as suggestions.
Always good.Browser•Refreshed UI with actionable browser URL bar enables users to directly tap the address bar for instant searches and navigation.
•Bookmarks with web page thumbnails.
Sweet!•Support for double-tap zoom.
•Support for HTML5:
◦Database API support, for client-side databases using SQL.
◦Application cache support, for offline applications.
◦Geolocation API support, to provide location information about the device.
◦<video> tag support in fullscreen mode.
Calendar•Agenda view provides infinite scrolling.
•Events indicate the attending status for each invitee.
•Invite new guests to events.
I've had my G1 for about a year now and I still find new cool things every day. Here is my latest discovery...
This is not an Android specific service. But Android contains a Google Voice app for easy/instant access to its most POWERFUL feature...visual voicemail. Google Voice is currently an "Invite Only" product, kind of like Gmail started out and is available in two different ways. You can sign up using your current mobile number or you can request a new number from google.
I hate voicemail. I hate it. I always have. In my voicemail message I used to tell people that if they needed to get a hold of me they should probably just send me a text. But I don't have to do that anymore because instead of my unanswered calls going to my T-Mobile voicemail, now they are sent to my google voice voicemail. Google Voice transcribes the voicemail message into text and then I am notified by my android app that I have a new message. I can then just read the voicemail like a text, skip to any part of the message that is unintelligible, or delete instantly if necessary. No calling into a voicemail box, listening to the menu options, listening to the person ramble on etc. Just quick and easy.
For those of you without Android phones. This service will can also send you a text or email of the transcription, however you will still have to call into a voicemail box if you want to hear the actual message. Or if your phone has internet access you can listen to the message online at your google voice homepage. It's a pretty awesome service.
Google Voice has additional features that are of little use to me but may be awesome for other people including: International calling, Free SMS, Conference calling, Options for recording calls, custom greetings for callers (i.e. when Will calls me I can have a personalized message that says "Will, you are a poopface, but leave a message anyway.), as well as options for blocking calls.
Click
here to request an invite.
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