I’m fresh off the Webcast for the Googlephone. (There’s an on-demand version here for real die-hard fans of grainy video of pasty white dudes.) Cue Darth Vader sound sample: impressive.
The form factor isn’t in the same universe as the iPhone’s, which when you really think about it is still pretty breathtaking. And I’ll be curious about how that slider hardware wears over time. And there are some bars that the iPhone has set that just cannot be unset. 3G data. A pinchable touchscreen.
But there’s a lot to like here. Google street view, with real GPS and a built-in compass. The $179 base price tag. The chicklet keyboard (I still haven’t gotten up to speed on the iPhone’s glass keyboard). A good summary of basic features is here.
I’m not really clear on what kind of a business proposition Android is for Google, but given Google’s willingness to put their OS on any hardware whatsoever, Jobs has gotta be wondering if he’s looking at Windows all over again. I picture him like Sarah Connor in Terminator 2: It’s happening again …
A lot will depend on whether app developers embrace the platform. Basically I’m waiting for somebody to install Android on an iPhone. Hackers of the world, how long must I wait? A No-Prize to the first person who can send me a screenshot! (Failing that I would also accept a decent Photoshopped fake.)
