The Android OS has been lurking in the shadows for some time, and even after the SDK was released, the project still seemed somewhat a mystery. The lurking will end as soon as T-Mobile starts shipping its new G1. It’s already listed on their Web site for pre-order here, but the Google-based phone has not grabbed the limelight—yet. How does this mobile Johnny-come-lately stack up against Windows Mobile? Let's take a look under the hood and see if Microsoft should be concerned.

Large Touch Interface--Easy To Use

After the success of the iPhone and the newer Windows Mobile devices with enhanced “touch” interfaces, it’s clear that users want touch screen devices that allow easy access and control without a stylus. Tasks like web browsing or checking e-mail, for example, should not involve painful hunting through menus, and using vertical/horizontal scrollbars. It’s obvious that the Android OS was built with ease-of-use in mind, and the G1's large 480X320 screen won't hurt any in that regard.

Much like the iPhone, the G1 focuses on a solid set of mobile features, which include a Web browser, maps, messaging, etc. In addition, HTC (the manufacture of the G1) has packed in a decent range of hardware features, including a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, trackball control, 3.2 MP camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and 3G data connection. But in the end, the OS and user interface will probably be the defining difference with this phone.

Based on what I’ve seen, the crisp, large GUI will appeal to users who don't want to spend a lot of time getting to know their phones. In addition, I expect that third-party developers will jump on board to provide enhancements to the Google based widgets and services, like the included Gmail, Google Chat and Google maps.

The Home Screen

A bad home screen can be a deal-breaker with any device (it's the first thing you use). Fortunately, the Android’s home screen is uncluttered, with attractive Google-oriented icons and widget shortcuts. Like both iPhone and WM touch devices, a status bar with network status icons extends across the top of the screen. Drag the status bar downward to review the latest status alerts. For example, incoming messages will appear in the status bar, and you can reply right in the same expanded “mini-blind” window.

Icons and shortcuts can be placed or moved on the home display as desired. The main application-launcher menu can be made to pop-up by tapping on the up-arrow icon at the bottom of the screen. A hardware button on the G1 is also assigned to this function. An extended desktop is available by dragging the home screen to the right, much like iPhone or the iPod Touch. UI replacements for Windows Mobile devices, available from third-party developers, do much the same thing, but changing the home screen is infinitely simpler in Android. Just “long press” on the home screen wallpaper and a menu will appear to let you add widgets, shortcuts, or customize the home screen in other ways.

Apps Without Borders!

Android's Java-based platform is structured to easily interface with Google services. For instance, when you first go to the expanded desktop, a Google search widget is displayed (Fig. 2). As you type in a search term, Android presents a list of word hits. Scroll down through them and select the one you want with a flick of your finger. Another Android developer concept is termed “Apps without borders”, and as seen on the G1, is pretty impressive. Data from one application is quickly cross pollinated to others. Tapping a location address from the contact list automatically opens the mobile maps application zoomed in to the location (same with the web-browser). If you add a contact to the contacts app, or a calendar item, it is also added to Google services so that it will be apparent when you log in from your desktop. With the added power of Google services and widgets, such features can easily be added for customization and enhancement in Android-based devices. With the SDK, and the requisite developer knowledge, you might even join the community and develop your own Android app. Google’s open form of java is specific to Google, however, so Java apps that run for instance in the Jbed midlet manager would not work on this phone.

Web Browser

Windows Mobile has always had a pretty limited Web browser, but several third-party products rose to fill the gap (Opera Mobile being one of the best). The iPhone Safari Web browser definitely set the bar higher for mobile devices. Android’s Web browser is based on the same browser engine used in Safari mobile and is at least as good as the iPhone’s browser. The Interface is very easy to navigate, offering much the same finger-scrolling and zooming functionality of other mobile browsers, including the ability to quickly scroll, slide, and zoom in/out. However, it does not incorporate the iPhone’s 2-finger zoom in/out feature. Quick zooming is in fact similar--a bounded box that can be moved around the page to expand a page view--to zooming in Pocket IE on Windows Mobile.

Selecting Menu brings up the browser controls. A multi-window view of the loaded pages is also available. The browser is fully compatible with most sites I tested requiring JavaScript, etc. However, it does not appear to support flash.

Maps

As you would expect with a Google-based device, Android shines in the area of GPS and mapping. The mobile version of the Google Map utility supports Google's unique “street view,” which allows you to zoom down to the level of the street. Most large metro areas in the US have street-level imagery to support street view. This is an extremely useful feature for figuring out exactly what a location looks like from the ground. The G1’s motion sensor and digital compass even appears to give the ability to pan the street view in 360 degrees by moving the phone around.

Messaging

E-mail messaging is probably one of Android's weakspots. Currently there is no support for enterprise mail services like Microsoft Exchange or mail clients like Outlook. If Android is to compete in the mobile business realm, it will need to address this limitation. Windows Mobile definitely has an edge against all comers in this regard—as far as the ability to work easily with both Exchange and Outlook—though RIM does a fine job (as long as RIM services are available). With the release of the iPhone 2.0 OS upgrade, the iPhone also supports Exchange push. Google Talk is supported on the G1, and other chat services will be intergrated as well. The G1 supports the full suite of phone messaging (MMS, SMS, etc.).

Multimedia:

Instead of a separate 3.5mm headphone jack, the audio port is integrated into the mini-USB connectivity port. That means that you need an adapter to connect your pricy headphones to the G1. This is probably not a deal breaker for road-warrior types, but combine that with the lack of messaging support and T-Mobile may have some problems attracting power users. There is also no built-in video player in Android, but a YouTube application will be featured in the G1. The music player is better than adequate comparitively to Window's Mobile, but does not match the flair of the iPhone multimedia capabilities.

Conclusion:

The G1 is a nice looking and powerful device, and Android has a lot of positives. But Google is going to have to fine tune it if they expect it to attract a large-scale following. As it is, it probably won’t break sales records like the iPhone did. But given time, it might break the hold Apple and Microsoft have on the smartphone market, as more apps and features are added. This is something Microsoft might want to keep an eye on—while they aren't watching Apple, that is!

For more information, visit T-Mobile’s Web site here...

Check out the SDK

If you want to check out Google's new mobile operating system, you can do so for free by downloading the SDK (http://code.google.com/android/download.html). Versions are available for Windows, Linux, and Mac, but be warned; it will cost you roughly 289MB of space on your hard drive after you download and extract the zip. The SDK technically is a plug-in to a Java development environment (Eclipse, JDK, or Ant). You don't need a dev kit to run the emulator, which is under the tools directory). Simply use a Windows command prompt (Start >> Run >> cmd in XP, or Start >> cmd in the Search Window in Vista) and then navigate to the directory to where you extracted the package and then execute it like thus: 

cd \path where you extracted\tools

.\emulator -datadir .     OR

emulator

Note:  Power Shell users on Vista might want to try the former command, and cmd shell users the latter...

The emulator has several command line arguments that allow you to change aspects of how it will run, from skins to network options. To retrieve help with a list of the arguments, simply run it using the -h option. A good tip is to use the -help-all option and redirect it to a text file like so: .\emulator -help-all >> AndroidHelp.txt

You can check out a short video of the emulator on YouTube from ThoughtsMedia writer Rocco Augusto...

Quick Specs: