It’s for Vodafone this time, so get ready for Android, Hong Kong!
As we twittered earlier this week, the Googlephone Version 2.0, or professionally known as the HTC Magicwas unveiled as a streamlined version of the G1 they released via AT&T in the U.S., late last year.
Oogle all the specs below, but keep in mind although no official statement has yet been made we would venture a guess that this time it’s coming to Hong Kong via Smartone-Vodafone. Rumours say this phone will show up in Europe in April so it shouldn’t be too long afterwards that it pops up here. We’re using the G1 and we love it. The Android operating system is comparable to the iPhone in terms of features and ease of use, albeit its lacking in those delicious and slick icons, and with their own Android Marketplace opening up with paid apps we see 2009 to be the Year of the Android.
Still not sure about the Pre? Here’s a battle royale to give you the goods.
We’re been trolling the web and the outburst of excitement for the newly announcedPalm Pre has reached a hysterical level. We still don’t have confirmed release date or price – but Gizmodo featured this great comparison chart – pitting the Palm Pre against the iPhone and the Android-based G1 – that we wanted to bring it to your attention. Comparisons like this:
2. Multitasking: One of the beefiest of our beefs with the iPhone SDK is its insistence on Apps running one at a time. The G1′s notifications drawer was definitely a step in the right direction, but the Pre’s interface is the first smartphone OS that was built with multitasking as a core design element. Resembling the Xbox’s old Blades, or a less-jarring OS X Expose even, the Pre’s “Cards” interface always places you in the context of every app running for fast switching, and notifications from other apps don’t pull you away completely from the task at hand. Multitasking is hugely important on a phone, and it’s a good sign that Palm recognizes. Advantage: Pre
We’ll have to wait till one of Hong Kong’s carrriers brings it to our city to have a real hands-on review, but keep it tuned here as we’ll definitely be keeping a Neonpunch eye on this new battlefield.
The worst kept secret ever is finally officially revealed, T-Mobile announced the very first phone with the Android operating system called the G1.
See Gizmodo for all their great coverage of the official press conference and how the G1 October 22nd in the U.S. for $179US with a contract and in the UK in November and rest of Europe by Q1 2009, so unfortunately not available in Hong Kong just yet – BUT and here is the big BUT – the phone is also available CONTRACT-FREE for US$399 (HK$3200), and you now what that means – we’ll be checking Mong Kok for the parallel import/water stock during the first week of November.
Remember here, its not the phone design that is the main thing, its the Android OS that will no doubt be on every other major handset manufacturer in the world. So if you held out on buying an iPhone because of its cost, Google has just created something equally powerful at a much lower cost.
UPDATE: Sweet video collection of many features here. Look at this one, instant Geotagging and Copy and Paste – ooh, its like a slap in the face to Apple:
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