Dear Mobile Giants, Untether Us Already!
Google is set to announce the launch of their first fully-designed phone, the Nexus One. The Web is atwitter with chatter. Will the Android-based phone supplant iPhone’s mobile device supremacy? Who knows and who cares!
The Nexus One looks sexy enough, but I still have a major issue…
Forget technological advancements; what the mobile phone market really needs is an end to yearly contracts, especially ones that force consumers into a two-year deal. The lure of discounted devices (pay only $180 instead of $599!) is wearing off. This model worked well when devices were cheap and phones were released with less frequency. These days, things are evolving so fast that my LG enV (sitting in my junk drawer) already looks like an ancient relic.
So you have two choices: Commit yourself to “the man” and be forced to endure “old” technology for longer than you desire or pay out of the nose to be one of the “cool” kids.
If you are thinking of jumping in on an Android-based device, be warned that the Android Marketplace is seriously lacking. First, the site is branded very poorly, leaving first-time visitors wondering if they are in the right place. Second, Google is going the anti-Apple route and approving almost every app that comes their way. This leads to more choices, but ultimately a watered-down experience that buries the good stuff.
Rather than jumping for joy that there’s another horse in the race – we should be demanding a new race.
