yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[G1 General] fatso485:
whats with the hostility. I'm just trying to make android a more attractive platform by highlighting its business shortcomings.

if we can get developers interested in developing these kind of apps early in its life to make it more corporate friendly it would be great.

taking care of business and core features are far more important than cool 'n' pointless apps that the iphone seems to be handling pretty well.

more stuff:

8. remote desktop (windows, osX, linux)

9. maybe bundling all the business features as a single software pack (that does not need to be included with all sold phones if not many people are interested) this will simplify development and updates.

10. out of box wireless 3g/edge modem or something similar to WiFiRouter.
[G1 General] dagentooboy:
since it's linux I have no doubt that most of your worries will be addressed. I know Linux has a remote desktop app but the question is will the android run non-java apps? Will it have GCC and some libs? Can we download GCC and some libs to our microSDHC cards? Will SSH work? Will the android GUI have X11-like network support? I am not much of a programmer but if the android has gcc and libs I will be doing some compiling of linux apps.
[G1 General] mburris:
Im about 95% certain that all apps run inside android's java environment. Therefore any existing opensource application would have to be ported over to the specifications of android's java language.

Android as an operating system is just a linux executable binary. Think of it like X server. Android is just a GUI, but as of now everything that runs in that GUI has to be specifically written for android.

It may be possible to run seperate tty sessions... and that could allow you to run some sort of server in the background behind android that you could access from inside of android via a web browser (http://127.0.0.1 aka localhost style)
[G1 General] dagentooboy:
yeah... that's what I thought. I was hoping that wasn't the case.... I can dream right? Maybe it will be like the Zaurus all over again and we can write an X11 environment for it. :)
[G1 General] metempsihoza:
Nr. 1, the Exchange feature was mentioned at the launch, and the official answer was "we expect developers to provide applications for that". I think that also applies to the VPN part; since it's that open and that linux-ish, there will probably be lots of VPN/VNC/RDP/SSH clients available.

3 and 4, I don't even know what they are. Stuck in a Windows-based environment, with closed specs ? tough luck. That's vendor lock-in, you know.

5 - a firewall ? what for ? Your device won't be permanently connected, and you probably won't have lots of apps listening on your phone. Anyway, a filtering module will probably appear pretty soon. I'd be more worried about installed apps making hidden outgoing connections (apps calling home, or malicious apps), therefore a good app to have would be something similar to LittleSnitch.

6 - Google has service offerings for businesses, so you either choose to use their services, or you don't. If you don't like it, you shouldn't use this phone I guess :)

7 - the feature will appear for sure, at least the viewer part. Not hoping of a OpenOffice port for Android, though.

This phone actually doesn't look like it was built for business use, though; just take a look at the apps who won the contest, all of them are focused on fun, socializing, location-awareness and stuff that's useful to people, not business users.
[G1 General] metempsihoza:
Hmm, to follow up on the Office part:

http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/smartphones/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=210604042

"We expect it to be more for the consumer, not necessarily for enterprises," says Cole Brodman, chief technology and innovation officer at T-Mobile USA.

The 4.6-by-2.1-by-0.6-inch handset, which will go on sale in the United States on Oct. 22, will let users view Word and Excel documents as well as PDFs.
[G1 General] fatso485:
a few points:

a*you didnt coment on 8-10

b*the exchange feature needs licencing from mirosoft. i doubt the development comunity can do that. unless some genius cracks the airsync protocol

c*if you are on gprs/edge/3g then the phone is Always connected to the network. that why we have things like pushmail.

d*eap-tls is the most secure type of wirless access. and it uses certificates on both the server and client. the client normally needs to be part of the domain to be able to accept the certificate

e*almost all corporations are locked down to windows. its very imortant that buisness phones integrates very well with them if it were to be considered a buisness phones

f*dont you agree that having a buisness friendly is important for the sucess of any phone platform?

g* do you think that the lack of stylus or (resistive lcd) will hinder its ability to do remote desktop? the track ball thingy enough?
[G1 General] fhsieh:
Most of the above points (1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9) will most likely be addressed by developers and sysadmins in good time. In the case of Exchange, even if the platform is opensource, it doesn't mean that a 3rd party company can't license the technology to provide a solution. It might not be pretty (at first), but I wouldn't say it's impossible.

5. It depends on what specific vulnerabilities you're concerned about, whether on the app/run level or somewhere in the core Android stack. In general I doubt there's any issue that doesn't already exist on other mobile OSes, and given their respective solutions, the same is possible here. But if you have a specific concern in mind it would help to point it out.

6, 9. Google is certainly pushing its suite of apps and for good reason (because a lot of consumers use them), but given the open nature of the platform nothing is cemented in place. So while the G1 comes setup for use with gmail/gcal/maps/etc, there's nothing that says a sysadmin can't strip and replace. Moreover, the G1 isn't being pushed as an enterprise device in the first place; there's every possibility that carriers could release other handset models later, preloaded with more business-centric software packages (and less Google apps), and are simply holding off during Android's initial launch. If you think about it, Android has a much better chance of having a strong launch on the consumer front than on the enterprise front. Take care of the former first, then the latter has a better chance of long-term success.

8, g. Same as above, but Google is also pushing the cloud which could lessen the need for VNC/RDP/etc. Sysadmins will have their doubts about security in Google's cloud, but there's nothing that says they can't first observe the model and then later implement their own solution.

10. Not as much of an issue with the software as it is with the carrier. T-mobile isn't just launching Android, it's also launching its 3G network. Providing tethering out-of-the-box could seriously cripple the network in its infancy, and that's the last thing the US 3G market needs. Face it, we need good competition to force carriers to pick up the pace, and in time we could see some competing tethering plans between AT&T, T-mobile, et al.

Some thoughts in general:

Businesses may currently be invested in Windows Mobile for their mobile solutions, but the point isn't to take Android and simply turn it into WinMo -- that would be a wasted opportunity. WinMo users are effectively tied to their PC in one way or another (sync, RDP, svn, tether, etc). Android has the chance to push the cloud (among other innovative models), so that users are no longer dependent on existing workflows. The handset would become just a terminal for accessing the cloud, and transition between terminals would be completely transparent (Android on a phone? How about a netbook?). Not that I expect Android to overtake WinMo (or BES et al), but it gives companies more solutions that better fit their individual needs, and helps MS, RIM, etc start evolving the existing systems that are frankly getting dated.
[G1 General] fatso485:
thanks that was quite insightful

i would like to point out that a big portion (probably the biggest) of the android users only bought the G1 phone because of its great value. think about it the unlocked $399 G1 has more features than the $700 touch diamond. most of these people couldn't care less about what google have in mind for the platform. all they want is for their phone to do certain tasks (like exchange email) a lot of the other google-pushed tasks will probably be unused
[G1 General] benjimen:
I think for you personally, the #1 most important feature the G1 >>needs<< to have is spellcheck :D
[G1 General] warwolfx0:
t mobile is a poor businesses Carrier

most of the big business i have seen use at&t

once tmobile 3g network become more mature they might get some more of the business market. but until they iron out the wrinkles in there new 3g network don't expect anything from tmobile. i don't think you want something like the iphone bill happening to all you business customers.

this is the first step tmobile has taken towards 3g in the US

i am sure there will be some stumbles.
[G1 General] scottwilkins:
I'm not 100% sure, but I think the Active Sync protocol needed for Exchange support is free to use from Microsoft. I see a LOT of it in many 3rd party email servers and applications. Many of which are in direct competition with Microsoft. So I think we can assume that Active Sync is very doable on the Android platform. Only needs a developer to do something about it.

Active Sync is my main concern too. Once that's in place, then some way to tether I'm getting me an Android phone quickly. :)

All the other concerns are too easy to fix either already or very soon, so the 2 problems I mentioned are the only show stoppers for me.
[G1 General] beartard:
There currently isn't even a foolproof activesync drop-in replacement for Linux desktop distros. There's multisync and synCE, but they're both hard to install, hard to configure, and far from perfect in their implementation. As for getting it working under Android, like everything else, it's probably a wait-and-see situation. Most software for Linux isn't written in Java (which Android prefers/requires?) It'll be interesting to see if a java implementation of activesync software could happen.
[G1 General] haitiankid4lyf:
does any1 know if the g1 has an on screen keyboard
[G1 General] fhsieh:
Currenly, no. The demo and preview vids show that you need to open the hardware keyboard in order to type (except for the phone dialer). But I'm sure SIPs will show up pretty quickly.
[G1 General] Black93300ZX:
Yeah, I hope they change that. When I had the Fuze I never liked pulling out the keyboard unless I have to type something long, an email or a long text or whatever. For normal web browsing, entering 1 URL, it's not worth it to slide it open, type and close it again.
[G1 General] bigdookie:
my biggest concern is an appointment calender. im so reliant on my appointment calander ion my Kaiser... i wouldnt know what to do without it. Also, a way to sync files would be great. maybe the phone will be integrated with Google Docs? That would be SUPERB! I take notes in my college classes using Office Mobile, but if Android syncs with Google Docs... good lawd.. goodbye to WinMo!
[G1 General] Black93300ZX:
Here's a video showing how well it syncs everything.

Say goodbye, WinMo
[G1 General] fhsieh:
I wonder, if many people haven't seen that video, then maybe my comment (post #10 above) might not have made much sense. :p
[G1 General] ckthunda:
Is it just me?

Is it just me or did alot of people purchase this phone not realizing what they were getting into. Ive read a couple of other forums lately and so many are filled with polls for complaints and the negative rather than whats good about the phone and that its revolutionizing the mobile phone world. At least I can always come back to xda where i know people actually did some research and keep the complaining at a minimum
[G1 General] Ryanmo5:
You aren't the only one! The thing that kills me the most is after being out for 2 weeks and nowhere near its potential people already want to replace android with windows mobile.
[G1 General] Datruesurfer:
Android has good potential, but Google is in essence killing it before it even has a chance. I honestly think the whole open source thing is a marketing ploy, Google just wants to try and re-invent the wheel with their web apps on a phone.
[G1 General] neoobs:
I don't understand what you are talking about. It is fully open source. Sure it is a market ploy... same with every other free linux derived OS out there and even some you have to pay for that are Open Source.

We didn't pay for the OS... we paid for the phone itself. That is why the prices are so cheap compared to other phones with the same features.

And as far as google trying to reinvent the wheel... I think what they are doing is taking our phones to the next level. T-mobile set it up on other phones so we can sync our contacts to the web... now we can sync our contacts, calendar, and email all at the same time... And I am sure it will integrate even further into googles apps. That is what makes google so nice and easy to use... it is fully integrated into a one stop solution.
[G1 General] vwrpm:
Amen brothers. I did my research and knew I would have to give up a few things temporarily until an app came out in the market. So far the phone has been very easy to adapt to and I am happy with my upgrade.
[G1 General] sfdteam:
Dude, what are your points? Don't you like the device / the platform / the carrier or what? I just cannot understand what are the points. Can you please plainly explain, e.g. "In Android I don't like: 1) .... 2) ....". This would be much more informative. Please don't think of me as Android's advocate, I'm not, just want to understand where the complains are coming from and why.

Read you soon
[G1 General] chefgon:
What are people complaning about? Even with the OS in an arguably incomplete state, it's still miles better than anything else I've used. The web browser alone completely justifies the purchase for me, even on EDGE speeds you can casually browse real web pages without resorting to the crippled mobile versions of pages.

The apps and games available on the market are pretty lacking right now because people are still getting their feet wet with the SDK and professional developers are waiting for the payed download system to go live, but even the features that came with the phone are far above and beyond what I have experienced with Blackberry and Windows Mobile.
[G1 General] punkzanyj:
I agree, I think some people bought this phone for shallow reasons...

"oh a new touchscreen!"

"oh a new keyboard phone!"

"Oh a google phone!"

And then found out, of course, it didn't live up to whatever their assumptions of what a touchscreen, keyboard, and or google phone does. I see so many posts at other forums where people are asking questions that were answered in September via previews, statements from Google itself, or is right there in manual and start guide. Those of us who read the previews knew this would not have exchange out of the box, or tethering, or multiple gmail accounts, or a virtual keyboard, or a video player.

With the bare bones nature of the G1, perhaps Google was trying to find what people actually want and need on a smartphone instead of going with the assumptions of every other OS and phone manufacturer. If they're watching the market and taking notes, we the android users will basically tell them all they need to know to build the ultimate phone OS and phone experience. Over the years we've told them how to build a better email client, build a better blogging experience, build better maps, better search, better calendar. Seems appropriate to me that Android would follow that trail of improvement.
[G1 General] dta1974:
I did a lot of research on my own and I can't complain so far.....the battery life after some cycles is being better.I love my android although some people are speculating over and over,this is 1st generation device that I think is gonna change the market.

What kills me is the kind of people that only ask stupid questions and not even the developers or Tmobile CC have the answer.....some folks are having and obssesion not me....sorry I have a life and this is just an electronic gadget.

Enjoy your G1 guys,it rocks!!
[G1 General] giantcrazy:
No, it's just you! Two days after getting the phone, I'm incensed that there aren't thousands of freely available applications for it, I can't tether my phone so I can dump my ISP, and it's nowhere near as shiny as an iPhone!

/sarcasm

Seriously - people need to get a grip. My one and only major gripe about the phone thus far is the lack of good migration tools. I don't use Outlook (and didn't have a copy handy to install to do a sync with my Wing), so until someone on the forums mentioned nuevasync.com I was SOL trying to figure out how to export my contacts for import into GMail.

Otherwise, so far, so good. Last night, while out with the kids at dinner and they were getting a little restless, I flipped on an episode of Spongebob over Youtube (you know, the Youtube that sucks so bad it makes some new G1 phone owners want to kill kittens). Worked just fine!
[G1 General] Datruesurfer:
See this thread on the android development forums: http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/thread/86cd71e88ac56ed3

The whole concept of an open platform is that EVERYTHING can be customized to your liking. If i want to mess with the root filesystem, i should be able to, and I shouldn't be told by Google what I can and cant access. I understand the platform needs to be secure, but there are better ways to do it.
[G1 General] neoobs:
It is an open platform... but the t-mobile version is locked down. You can still load a different rom on it and have root access. You could even mod and load one of the previous RC's before 1.0 and be able to have one just like the emulater. That is what is open. For some reason thou they locked us out on the shipped version... not sure why.
[G1 General] goodwinm:
I settled on nuevasync to copy my contacts over. And what it did was remove my windows live messenger contact list in the process. Not a huge deal, I keep that backed up on the PC because that has happened to me enough already...

People need to understand the business perspective of Google here. They are going after the iphone. That is what everyone wants to do right now. They're not making an iphone clone, I wouldn't have bought it if it was. But it has similarities, they want similarities in the user experience, ease of use... that's where the iphone has the advantage right now.
[G1 General] punkzanyj:
I disagree. I don't think they're going after the iPhone. I don't think i've read anywhere that said they were hoping for an iPhone killer. The scope was actually quite different. The iPhone is a device, Android is an OS. They're looking at the bigger picture. The G1 is just the first phone to have it, there will be others of all shapes and sizes and colors and setups...and the iPhone will still just be one device. Self contained little world of one device. Android will be on all sorts of phones, some of them with beefier hardware than the iPhone, for sure, but iPhone isn't even on the radar.

The only thing I can think of to compare is rather simple.

iPhone is a concept phone. Phone + iPod. It's morphed into something of a smartphone, but look at the iPod Touch, it's the iPhone without the phone part.

Android is more like Google + Mobile. I doubt it will be limited to phones. It's certainly possible this will be on laptops, maybe eventually a PC.
[G1 General] neoobs:
T-Mobile planned on the phone being the iPhone killer and have heard t-mobile employees say the same thing... of course these are the same employees that told me other things that I laughed at in the store. The funniest one I thought was that the manager said she didn't like google LOL so she doesn't use her google mail... and that she had issues with the battery so she bought a usb portable charger from Motorola lol
[G1 General] ckthunda:
I think that after reading two pages of responses I can clearly see who bought the phone because of the potential and research and patience and people who bought the phone to clearly just keep up wit the latest and greatest.:) people can clearly not see that this is a developers phone and that anyone who has it is basically a beta tester. And I think its silly for anyone to purchase a device without knowing what its capable of. The phones arent meant for basic users. These phones are power horses.. Just like Alienware is aimed for a certain type of computer user.. HTC devices and Android are all aimed for a specific type of consumer. Its just ignorant to purchase something to complain about it.
[G1 General] Yos025:
Thank You... Finally something that makes sense.
[G1 General] punkzanyj:
That's T-Mobile. We were talking about whether Google was planning Android as an iPhone killer.
[G1 General] neoobs:
Was just stating where people might have heard it. I for one don't think it will kill the iPhone but it should even the playing field.
[G1 General] ckthunda:
I dont think google intended this phone to be the iphone killer... I think the whole point of google creating the android system was so people can customize and create a platform that you can do beautiful things with. Why is it that every phone that comes out has to be compared to the Iphone. We have had phones with touchscreens and g sensors way before the iphone was even a thought then the iphone comes out and people think that a forum such as this and the people that are in it are new to this game and that the iphone is this amazing thing. Its really not.. I can go all day with the flaws of the iphone and in my opinion the iphone couldnt hold a candle stick compared to the htc wizard if it was tweaked and optimized right
[G1 General] papito2181:
G1 Rant

I hate, no wait, I HATE, all the kids that bought this phone as an upgrade to the sidekick. I know it might be petty, but i also know that i'm not the only one that is getting peeved with all the "First" responses, all the dumbasses who rate an app 1 star then say "I don't know what this does" or "This app doesn't do this" yet the developer never stated it did it to begin with, and just the overall asshatness(?) that's going on.

Google gods please moderate the app comments before i have to make a friend make a malicious app to grab personal info of said dumasses (it's Du-mas, lol) and gps locate them and go on a crusade all in the name of sanity. Amen.

/end rant
[G1 General] Brother_Mechinus:
This man speaks the truth!
[G1 General] bps725:
Here Here... I completly agree.