It's kind of a shame that the smartphone universe is becoming so fragmented; iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Pre, whatever Nokia uses and Android. The result is a bunch of OK apps for each platform, rather than really good apps.
For me, owning a smartphone has been a big waste, since it doesn't actually do anything smart. When my contract runs out, I think I am going to get the simplest phone possible, and a 3G USB dongle so I can use a real computer for real computing. But it disappoints me, and I hope the market fixes itself.
Even though you didn't ask me I just couldn't resist anyway: I'm looking for a 100% POSIX-compliant machine, i.e. I walk into my house, it grabs my Wi-Fi, I ssh into it, compile and run any POSIX-compliant C code leveraging thousands (if not millions) of POSIX programs and libraries: from Python, Haskell and vim to RoR, Apache or MySQL if I wanted to... I could also run a proxy, establish ad-hoc WiFi network to several laptops to tether via 3G.
I want to write software that runs on my Linux, Mac and my phone simply by recompiling. I see no reason why not - these phones are equivalents of Pentium II of late 90s, they ran Linux just fine.
I don't need custom platform-dependent "development kits", fuck that - we've been through this on the desktop and it seems that unixes are winning, why going back into dark ages of platform APIs?
Yes, there are phone-specific things like graphics/GPS/address book integration, etc - give us specs and we'll write open sourced multi-phone libraries that abstract all that crap away, but the core should be POSIX/libc, not a locked up proprietary toy - there's no fun in it.
You probably also want a good mobile web browser, good software for making and receiving phone calls, etc. I think every OS I listed above fails at one or both of those, which is why I am annoyed. (I would write OpenMoko software, but they made some dumb design decisions I don't agree with, so it is not worth the effort. It's much easier to carry around an eeepc.)
"we've been through this on the desktop and it seems that unixes are winning"
As much as I would love thet to be true, I cannot agree. The Windows crap still seems to have a long future.
And unless you are talking GNUStep, you more or less can't compile a Mac app on a Linux box and expect it to work. A POSIX app, sure, but that's not a Mac application - it only goes as far as not being Mac-proof.
If they can make enough of a splash, they'll be able to co-opt Apple's post-launch publicity. If the Pre is seen as a credible threat, it'll be mentioned in the vast majority of articles covering Apple's new product, and dedicated comparisons will inevitably follow.
anyone explored their sdk and/or the Palm WebOS/mojo documentation yet? i'm curious to see how low they can set the app-creation bar, as development without the app store curatorial process could be an interesting differentiator.
One of my must-have applications for a smartphone is a SSH client. I'm really looking forward to seeing if that type of application can be built using the HTML/javascript API that has been such a hot topic, or if there will be another way to deploy something like this, or if it's even going to be possible at all on the Pre.
I'd also be curious to hear from anyone who has some hands-on experience with the emulator. From reading some of the documentation they've put out and watching a webcast about Pre development, it looks like building Pre apps is more or less like building web pages. On the plus side, this means they're easier to build than an obj-c gui. On the minus side, you have to use javascript for logic.
I'm predicting apps on the Pre will look a lot more like web pages and a lot less like desktop or iPhone apps. I wish you could use c/c++ and opengl on the Pre -- that's what would get me really excited about it as a platform.
On the minus side, you have to use javascript for logic.
That's not really a minus, in my opinion. Most of the problems with Javascript are really the DOM and lack of libraries, and I don't have many problems with the DOM these days due to jQuery and friends, so if they have the libraries...
JavaScript is still fighting the stigma of browser incompatibilities, but it's gotten much much better. It is still a little show though, but that'll change over time.
Currently on Sprint with a palm centro and for me they have to nail (Phone, Streaming Radio, Web.).
I don't want an iPhone since I want a keyboard, hate apple apps on windows and AT&T sucks in Los Angeles.
The company I work for has an AT&T plan for blackberry and I can't even activate the phones from my desk and I notice employees talking outside the buiding due to the horrible coverage. I have sprint and am streaming radio at my desk as well as my entire 1 hour commute. I probably will get the Pre when it comes out.
Seattle has a lot of dead spots on AT&T & T-Mobile and Verizon's EVDO network (last time I checked about a year ago) had a lot of dead spots as well (their EVDO is on a different band from the voice). Sprint's customer service has historically been terrible but their data network is really good, I've used them for EVDO for twoish years and usually get at least 1.5Mbps down / 500Kbps up wherever I am.
I was on Sprint for a long time, and am now on Verizon with whom they share. It's pretty much unbeatable. I got 3G coverage in random corn fields driving from Ohio to Cali. And anywhere even remotely civilized, never a dropped call or lack of blazing 3G.
I don't know anything at all about the merits of CDMA vs. GSM on a technical level, but as far as coverage in the USA it's not comparison.
The areas where I have experienced dropped calls or no service with Sprint all have very low population density. Examples: US54 between Dalhart, TX and Tucumcarin NM, Parker Dam area of AZ (move a little and the signal changes to 5 bars) and SE KS (Pleasanton, KS).
For me, owning a smartphone has been a big waste, since it doesn't actually do anything smart. When my contract runs out, I think I am going to get the simplest phone possible, and a 3G USB dongle so I can use a real computer for real computing. But it disappoints me, and I hope the market fixes itself.