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AT&T: The most crippled Android experience

From Android and Me

We try to be fair to every handset, but the are some we just can’t help but make fun of. Everyone thought Verizon was going to cripple Android, but they became friends with Google and offered the full Android experience.

AT&T is in bed with Apple and has gone to extreme measures to make sure their first Android phone, the Motorola Backflip, was under-powered and locked down. We already knew about the lack of Google search and today another limitation has surfaced.

The Backflip has no option to install applications from unknown sources (aka non-Market applications). This is important to note because every Android phone (that I know of) has included this as a default option of the Android OS.

Maybe it was done to “protect” the users, but this blocks the install of apps purchased on alternative markets and beta apps like Swype. Developers will also be unable to easily load and test their apps on the device before they release them.

Basically, AT&T is offering the same locked-in market experience that iPhone users get to enjoy put up with.

To add insult to injury, customers are also not allowed to remove the dozen or so AT&T apps that come preloaded with the device (bloatware). Android phones already struggle with limited storage space and having the carrier dictate which ones are installed on a user’s phone is a disappointment.

So to recap the AT&T Backflip:

Outdated Android 1.5 with Motoblur
No Google search (replaced by Yahoo)
Unable to remove AT&T bloatware apps
Cannot install non-market apps

Let us hope that AT&T offers a more open experience on their future devices, because this is not the Android that we know and love.

Updated: Added some quotes of Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T Mobility from Engadget’s 2009 interview. Classic!

“We like the Android as an operating system on its own, but we want to make sure that we have, and customers have the option, to put applications on that device that are not just Google applications. And we want to give customers the choice of other applications on that device, not just the same Google applications.”Ralph de la VegaCEO of AT&T Mobility

Update 2: Someone over at xda-developers already posted the hack to get around the non-market apps block. It’s is actually not a hack. Users just need to download the Android SDK and run a few console commands. Tether away.

Download Swype Beta for Android now

From Android and Me

We previewed the Swype keyboard last year and now a public beta is available for a limited number of participants. Android users just need to visit the Swype Beta site and register to become a tester. An email will then be sent to the user that allows them to download the installer and begin using Swype.

I know this has been available on some phones like the new myTouch 3G with 3.5 mm headset jack, but this is the first time many users will get to experience this innovative input method.

If you check out the beta, please let us know what you think and what improvements Swype could make for Android.

Check out the video demo below and head over to Sywpe’s site for more tips and tricks.

Here are the details:

Initially we will have a limited number of participants – we’ll expand it soon
In English and Spanish – more languages to come
Limited Features – some key features of Swype require OEM integration
HVGA and WVGA Resolutions – don’t worry we’ll detect this automatically
Limited End User Support – mostly via our forum
If your phone came pre-installed with Swype DO NOT download this beta (it won’t work)

Google Phone “Passion” headed to T-Mobile?

From Android and Me

Our friend David from TmoNews has received some inside information that T-Mobile will be the first carrier to launch the much rumored Google Phone. His source tells him the device will be landing in the first two weeks of January. The project is codenamed “Passion” so this would lead us believe the phone will be the highly anticipated HTC Passion (Dragon). I know David pretty well and he is not the kind of guy to just make stuff in order to get traffic. Expect more details to be leaked over the coming weeks.

Why should you care about the HTC Passion? For starters, it should be the first 1 GHz Snapdragon Android phone that is available for purchase in the United States. It will also be the first Android 2.x device for T-Mobile and could be the first Android 2.1 device in the United States. The device will also feature HSPA 7.2 which will make it the fastest 3G in the nation.

Reported specs include:

1 GHz CPU Snapdragon QSD8×50
4.3 in capacitive multitouch display
5 megapixel camera with LED flash
512 MB ROM / 256 MB RAM
Android 2.x
3.5 mm headphone jack

Could this end up being the Google Phone?

Android advertising assailment advances

From Android and Me

Are you getting sick of the Android TV spots yet? I can hardly turn on my TV without coming across one of the dozen ad spots currently in rotation. Expect the onslaught to continue through the holiday season. Verizon is spending 100 million on Droid ads and HTC claimed they would have “more media coverage than Coca Cola“. Sprint also shows no signs of slowing down and has begun giving their Hero phone more airtime.

Which company do you think has the best marketing campaign so far?

Sprint