A great article over at Frankie’s Blog lists five things he’s like to see Android devices do.
He has some great ideas and as an Android phone user, and technician, I have an Android phone because I want the freedom to use it the way I want – not the way I’m forced to.
When people come to me and ask, “Should I buy an iPod or an Android phone?” my response is basically this: What do you want this phone to do for you? Is it just a phone with convenience and social features? Well then you probably want an iPod.
However if you want this phone to be an extension of you and how you live your life. If you’re a technician and a “tinkerer” (is that a word?) and you want to use this phone in different ways depending on whether it’s business or personal, or you’ll focus on different things next week than you are focused on today. Well then you’ll probably want an Android phone. If you’re willing to play with it, work with it, and tweak it to bend it to your will, then you’ll want an Android phone.
I’m also an advocate of Open Source and that amazing juxtaposition of widespread apps from the “collection of masses” down to a specific app from a small but dedicated group. The Android OS is (hopefully) that platform. It still fully remains to be seen but I guess I have shown with my wallet that I want an open market and the freedom to load whatever I want on my phone.
I particularly like Frankie’s points 2 and 3. Yes I’d like to point my phone at my TV and/or any other device and control it. It’s my handheld computer. And Yes, I think my Android phone should have a dock in my car, bedside table, computer, laptop, voip phone, scanner, etc. If it could scan my wine bottles and manage my collection that would be nice too!
Here’s Frankie’s five points:
- – Android devices should advertise freedom and functionality
- – Android devices should include a darn infrared emitter/sensor
- – Get a standardized dock/interface connector
- – Still be a smart device when docked to my computer
- – Let users earn revenue from data collection