A Practical Guide To Android [Update]

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When Google’s mobile operating system Android launched in 2008 you could only get one device and it remained that way for some time. That’s definitely not the case in 2010 with all major US carriers snatching up Android devices left and right. Here’s a rather lengthy but concise guide on every Android device that’s currently available or soon to be available. (This guide is applicable for the time being but will change over time as new devices are released along with new builds of Android. We will update accordingly.)

Three flavors of Android currently exist on a number of devices available today from all major carriers in the US. Here’s what you need to know about each.

Android OS version breakdown

1.5/Cupcake Features:

• Ability to record and watch videos with the camcorder mode
• Uploading videos to YouTube and pictures to Picasa directly from the phone
• A new soft keyboard with an “Autocomplete” feature
• Bluetooth A2DP support
• Ability to automatically connect to a Bluetooth headset within a certain distance
• New widgets and folders that can populate the Home screens
• Animations between screens
• Expanded ability of Copy and paste to include web pages

1.6/Donut Features:

• An improved Android Market experience.
• An integrated camera, camcorder, and gallery interface.
• Gallery now enables users to select multiple photos for deletion.
• Updated Voice Search, with faster response and deeper integration with native applications, including the ability to dial contacts.
• Updated search experience to allow searching bookmarks, history, contacts, and the web from the home screen.
• Updated Technology support for CDMA/EVDO, 802.1x, VPN, Gestures, and a Text-to-speech engine.
• Support for WVGA resolutions.
• Speed improvements for searching & the camera.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBRFkLKRwFw]

2.0-2.1/Eclair Features:

• Optimized hardware speed
• Support for more screen sizes and resolutions
• Revamped UI
• New browser UI and HTML5 support
• New contact lists
• Better white/black ratio for backgrounds
• Improved Google Maps 3.1.2 with Turn-by-Turn directions.
• Microsoft Exchange support
• Built in flash support for Camera
• Digital Zoom
• MotionEvent class enhanced to track multi-touch events
• Improved virtual keyboard
• Bluetooth 2.1
• Live Wallpapers

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opZ69P-0Jbc]

Still with me? Good. Two more things before we jump into the actual phones. HTC and Motorola have built custom UIs (user interfaces) or ‘skins’ on top of Android. Samsung also has a custom UI for Android, but we’ve chosen not to acknowledge it.

Here’s what you need to know about HTC’s Sense UI

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTDSfbcbBU]

An updated version of Sense UI is on the Incredible with one new feature: Leap.

And here’s Motorola’s MotoBlur

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YedunOzFCx0]

AT&T

AT&T currently offers two Android devices: Motorola Backflip and the Nexus One.

Motorola Backflip

Specs
• Full QWERTY keyboard
• 5-megapixel camera
• Wi-Fi
• 3.1-inch touchscreen
• GPS
• 4.7 ounces
• 2GB of internal memory
• Android v1.5 with MotoBlur

You’ve probably seen the commercials with Luke Wilson using the Backflip during March Madness, but don’t let that fool you, it’s not as easy as it looks. Some Android devices have navigation tools like a trackball or optical trackpad on the front of the device, but the Backflip has a touchpad behind the screen. You’re meant to use both index fingers to get where you need to go.

Yay or Nay
You’ll have to try this one out for yourself. It’s slow, navigation can be confusing with the rear trackpad, but the keyboard is great.

Price $99.99

Nexus One

Specs
• 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen
• 5-megapixel camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth 2.1
• 4.6 ounces
• Ships with 4GB microSD card (expandable up to 32GB)
• Android v2.1

Built by HTC, this is the Google Phone aka Nexus One (review) and it was introduced in January. Even though it runs vanilla Android, the Nexus One has the best available hardware. That is until the EVO 4G is released later this year for Sprint, but more on that later.

Yay or Nay
If you’re steering clear of BlackBerrys and the iPhone then the Nexus One is the device for you if you plan on sticking with AT&T.

Price $529

T-Mobile

T-Mobile was the first carrier to introduce an Android device in October of 2008 with the G1 and continues to enthusiastically support the open source operating system to this day.

G1

Specs
• 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen
• 3.2-megapixel camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Full QWERTY keyboard
• Bluetooth 2.0
• 5.6 ounces
• Android v1.5

The HTC built G1 was the first Android device to hit the market in 2008 making it the oldest Android device on the market.

Yay or Nay
We’re going to suggest you pass on the G1. It’s old and likely will not be upgradeable to Android v2.0.

Price $99.99

myTouch 3G

Specs
• 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen
• 3.2-megapixel camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• 4.1 ounces
• Ships with 8GB microSD
• Android v1.6

Rumors are swirling that an updated myTouch 3G is on the way (possibly this month) with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Yay or Nay
Nay.

Price $149.99

Nexus One

Specs
• 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen
• 5-megapixel camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth 2.1
• 4.6 ounces
• Ships with 4GB microSD card (expandable up to 32GB)
• Android v2.1

Yay or Nay
Yay!

Price $529 Unlocked, $179 w/ service

Motorola CLIQ

Specs
• 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen
• 5-megapixel AF camera (no flash)
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Full QWERTY Keyboard
• Ships with a 2GB microSD
• 5.6 ounces
• Android v1.5 with MotoBlur

Yay or Nay
We’d pick this one over the XT but only because of the keyboard.

Price $149.99

Motorola CLIQ XT

Specs
• 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen
• 5-megapixel AF camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Ships with a 2GB microSD
• 4.6 ounces
• Android v1.5 with MotoBlur

Yay or Nay
If a physical keyboard makes no difference to you then pick the XT over the Cliq. Of the three MotoBlur devices currently available, the Cliq XT is the speediest.

Price $129.99

Samsung Behold II

Yay or Nay
Read my review and make the call.

Price $149.99

Garminfone

Specs
• 3.5-inch touchscreen
• 3-megapixel AF camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS (built-in Garmin software)
• Android v1.6

Yay or Nay
The Garminfone doesn’t ship until the spring, so we’re going to have reserve judgment until we receive one for review. But if it’s anything like the AT&T nüvifone G60 then you’ll want to pass. T-Mobile’s Garminfone ships in June but it’s running Android 1.6.

Price $200

myTouch 3G Slide

Specs
• 3.4-inch touchscreen
• 5-megapixel AF camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Ships with 8GB microSD
• 5.8 ounces
• Android v2.1

Yay or Nay
T-Mobile has built an interesting UI for the upcoming successor to the myTouch 3G. Check out our hands-on here.

Price $TBD

Sprint

Sprint currently offers two Android devices with three shipping in the coming months.

HTC Hero

Specs
• 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen
• 5-megapixel AF camera (no flash)
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• 4.5 ounces
• Bluetooth 2.0
• Ships with 2GB microSD
• Android v1.5 with HTC Sense UI

Yay or Nay
The Hero has been around for a while and has since been supplanted as the top dog by other HTC devices in the pipe for Sprint. Wait for the Nexus One or EVO 4G.

Price $99.99

Samsung Moment

Specs
• 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen
• 3.2-megapixel camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth
• 5.67 ounces
• Ships with 2GB microSD
• Android v1.5

Yay or Nay
The Moment is a no frills device with a solid keyboard and beautiful AMOLED screen. It’s only downfall at the moment (pun intended) is that it’s running v1.5 of Android. If Sprint can push 2.1 then we’d have no qualms recommending this device.

Price $99.99

Motorola i1

Specs
• 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen
• 5-megapixel AF camera
• Android v1.5

Yay or Nay
If you need a push-to-talk device that happens to run Android then the i1 is probably going to be the device for you!

Price $TBD

HTC EVO 4G

Specs
• 4.3-inch touchscreen
• 8-megapixel AF camera (rear) with HD video capture, 1.3-megapixel camera (front facing)
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Built-in kickstand
• 4G compatible
• Android v2.1 with HTC Sense UI

Yay or Nay
Sprint says the Evo 4G will ship this summer June 4, so you can either wait or pick up one of the other Android devices currently available from Sprint. We suggest you wait.

Price $200

Verizon Wireless

HTC Incredible

Check out our review. It currently holds the title of best Android device available.

Price $199.99

Motorola Droid

Check out our review. It’s one of two devices (or three depending on when you read this) available on the market with v2.0 or higher. And the keyboard isn’t too bad.

Price $199.99

HTC Eris

Specs
• 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen
• 5-megapixel AF camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth
• Ships with 8GB microSD
• 4.23 ounces
• Android v1.5 with HTC Sense UI

Yay or Nay
The Eris is all but obsolete with the Incredible shipping on 4/29, but it is pretty cheap.

Price $79.99

Motorola Devour

Specs
• 3.1-inch HVGA touchscreen
• 3-megapixel camera (no flash)
• Wi-Fi
• aGPS
• Ships with an 8GB microSD
• 5.89 ounces
• Android v1.6 with MotoBlur

Yay or Nay
There’s nothing wrong with the Devour, but there’s really no point in passing over on the Droid if you’re looking for an Android device with a keyboard.

Price $149.99

LG Ally

Specs
• 3.2-inch touchscreen
• 3.2-megapixel camera
• Wi-Fi
• GPS
• Bluetooth 2.1
• 4GB built-in with microSD port
• 5.89 ounces
• Android v2.1

Yay or Nay
The QWERTY keyboard on the Ally is very nice, but the screen is a bit too small. Despite a few shortcomings we’re impressed with LG’s first Android device.

Price $99.99

More on Techland:

18 Best Android Apps To Get You Started

8 Netbooks Worth Buying Right Now

Nexus One Review: The Hardware Isn’t The Problem, Android Is

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