ZDNet: Google G1 Beats iPhone

Post by trog @ 01:13am 17/10/08 | 82 Comments

ZDNet have an in-depth review of the new Google Android G1 phone and have given it a pretty good rap:

Without a doubt, people will compare the G1 to the iPhone and out of the box you honestly have to say the G1 wins over the original iPhone with wireless syncing capability, cut/copy/paste, games, a wireless music store, application store and 3rd party application support, integrated GPS, multiple client IM clients, and multi-tasking capability.

I am guessing the "original" is added in front there to give a bit of wiggle room so they can say later that the 3G iPhone is still better or something, but it's still a pretty bold call.

The article features a stack of photos and videos and stretches over seven pages, going into some detail about the hardware, the operating system, and the applications, so if you're interested in the phone it's probably a good starting point.

google android mobile

Latest Comments

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trog
Posted 01:19am 17/10/08

The review author mentions a list of applications he'd like to see; the first one in his list is a Bible application, which seems like a bizarre thing to put at the top of the list, considering things like 'Exchange client' are below it. I think Exchange compatibility is a must-have for this thing for it to get some more uptake in the biz world.

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tequila
Posted 08:22am 17/10/08

Multitasking is what I would kill for on iPhone

why can't I have my skype client (www.fring.com) running in the background 24x7 along with my GPS plotter etc (www.instamapper.com)

why is that I'm restricted to running one application at a time, even windows 3.1 could multitask

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3dee
Posted 08:31am 17/10/08

Actually iPhone OS is perfectly capable as seen in jailbroken phones. After all, it is Mac OS X. Its Apple that restricts apps to only run one at a time and never in the background. If Apple didn't restrict this in the approval process then there'd be a bunch of really cool apps on the store.

last edited by 3dee at 07:31:51 17/Oct/08

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Spook
Posted 08:39am 17/10/08

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TiT
Posted 08:55am 17/10/08

lol spook! hahaha gold!!

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Opec
Posted 09:09am 17/10/08

Google G1 Beats iPhone

No surprises there.

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paveway
Posted 09:30am 17/10/08

lol spook, post of the week

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TicMan
Posted 09:41am 17/10/08

I can't see any phone that doesn't have an Exchange client beating the iPhone when it comes to the real end of the mobile phone market. 15yr old school girls who download Lady GaGa for a ring tone might like the G1 but the rest of the world wants to check their corporate email while out on the road.

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3dee
Posted 09:44am 17/10/08

Ha. They crippled the Bluetooth profile support to the same as iPhone. Also, apparently it only works with the included earphones/headset. So no listening on your $100 sennheiser in-ears... **plugs mine into iPhone har har**

The OS looks pretty nice though. I wonder what type of touchscreen it uses coz I know the type of screen they use in things like the Viewty and other touch screens are s***house. But it looks fairly responsive.

Good to hear the browser displays webpages normally instead of munted like on most mobile browsers.

last edited by 3dee at 08:44:45 17/Oct/08

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Farseeker
Posted 09:48am 17/10/08

Yeah, that's a pretty bold claim. Here's another one, a little more believable:

The iPhone is the greatest piece of consumer electronics that has ever been made.

It's the overall experience that makes the iPhone, not the features list... if you don't understand this, the G1 is the phone for you!# Especially if you like ugly, overweight phones. Definitely go for it.

last edited by Farseeker at 08:48:09 17/Oct/08

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Fireblood
Posted 09:56am 17/10/08

Lol Spook!

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Alt_F4
Posted 10:01am 17/10/08

Is this thing going to make it's way to Australia / be purchasable overseas?

Wikipedia says it's expected release date is the 22nd of this month.

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taggs
Posted 10:19am 17/10/08

It's the overall experience that makes the iPhone, not the features list...

LOL

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Spook
Posted 10:21am 17/10/08

haha, its the vibe of the iphone

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taggs
Posted 10:22am 17/10/08

it's about how the iphone makes me feel

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3dee
Posted 10:24am 17/10/08

All good inside?

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infi
Posted 10:46am 17/10/08

i'll stick with phones that look like phones.

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kos
Posted 11:00am 17/10/08

haha, its the vibe of the iphone

It's Mabo...

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Farseeker
Posted 11:03am 17/10/08

C****! I said overall experience (as in, end-to-end, how you use the thing to do stuff; you know, the point of carrying a device), not rainbow heart flower sparkles.

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paveway
Posted 11:13am 17/10/08

just used an iphone

mood: disappointed

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Mr Hardware
Posted 11:16am 17/10/08

i thought cathy freeman was the famous aboriginal

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Jim
Posted 11:28am 17/10/08

It's the overall experience that makes the iPhone, not the features list.

wot
it's the features and their implementation that make up the overall experience, surely? imo iphone is so awesome, yet so f*****g s*** at the same time.

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Nailbomb
Posted 11:36am 17/10/08

Shame these aren't out here yet or anytime soon cause the wife's phone died yesterday so I need to get her a new one. She wanted an iPhone but these G1 phones are at a much better price point. She's been using the RAZR V3 for several years so even if there are issues with either phone, it's still going to be s***loads better than what she had.

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3dee
Posted 11:45am 17/10/08

imo iphone is so awesome, yet so f*****g s*** at the same time.

That about somes it up. Albeit with less 'f*****g s***' than you said. The only two things I'd use which are missing is video recording (which I've got Cycorder for), and some more BT support.

C****! I said overall experience (as in, end-to-end, how you use the thing to do stuff; you know, the point of carrying a device), not rainbow heart flower sparkles.

You mean the way the entire operating system is smooth, consistent and well designed. No push here to open the menu button, no cluttered options menus that give you overly detailed flexibility that you'll never even use. The way the camera is just a phone camera and not a lens with all that AUTOFOCUS 2.8MM F3.4 CARL ZEISS OPTICS SUPER MAGNIFICENT LENS! crap plastered all around the camera. The way they managed to get rid of ALL buttons not just the keypad (its funny how iPhone killers can't seem to get rid of the call accept buttons). The way everything syncs with your PC with one single click inside a POPULAR media player which you've probably already been using for years. Not some Nokia Music Manager crap which requires you to duplicate your music library database and start from scratch.

Oh and the fact that it doesn't look like a generic brick phone.

last edited by 3dee at 10:44:19 17/Oct/08

last edited by 3dee at 10:45:49 17/Oct/08

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Farseeker
Posted 11:57am 17/10/08

The features list in and of itself isn't what makes the iphone impressive.

^ yeah, that :P

last edited by Farseeker at 10:57:48 17/Oct/08

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Opec
Posted 12:00pm 17/10/08

The features list in and of itself isn't what makes the iphone impressive.

OK I'll bite. What makes the iPhone so impossibly better than other smart phones out there then (and other than its feature list)

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giririsss
Posted 12:18pm 17/10/08

(its funny how iPhone killers can't seem to get rid of the call accept buttons).

Probably cause most people want them i'd suggest.

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tequila
Posted 12:27pm 17/10/08

I don't want them, I like sliding to open and push the top button to silence

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dafugg
Posted 12:37pm 17/10/08

3dee you say "get rid of" when talking about buttons. I want tactile feedback when doing something important on a phone like say... accepting a call. Are you retarded? Are you one of those people who finds "non-legacy" motherboards with no ps/2 port and then brags about it even though all you've done is f***ed yourself because the keyboard hardware support is still present and you're missing out?

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E.T.
Posted 12:40pm 17/10/08

Funny pic Spook, however incorrect.

My iphone has video thanks to a simple little application.

I don�t need to change memory cards when I have a 16gig hard drive onboard.

I also have MMS via yet another small ap.

Video calling, well I don�t have that, don�t need it or want it so meh.

Re the G1, it doesn�t excite me. I had way too many windows mobile devices over the last 5 years. I'm over anything based on it. My iphone is doing absolutely everything I want it too, and it does it in style. I'm happy to stick with it.

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VRBones
Posted 12:41pm 17/10/08

G1's aren't even on the horizon in Aus, maybe Q2 2009 :(
Impoting seems super dodgy at the mooment too. Gonna have to wait until a couple more Android phones hit the market ...

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giririsss
Posted 01:56pm 17/10/08

I gota say though, in comparison to the iphone, the G1 is the ugly red nut step daughter.

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Jim
Posted 03:14pm 17/10/08

word to that

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infi
Posted 03:16pm 17/10/08

just opened my shiny new n96. f*** the iphone!

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Nathan
Posted 03:24pm 17/10/08

I want tactile feedback when doing something important on a phone like say... accepting a call. Are you retarded?

But do you REALLY?

On my old phone if it rang, I had to be real careful pulling it out of pocket or I would accidentally push a button either hanging up or leaving the person saying 'hello? hello?' to no response.

With the iPhone I have to drag my finger across the screen to answer, neatly solving the problem.

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ara
Posted 03:27pm 17/10/08

On my old phone if it rang, I had to be real careful pulling it out of pocket or I would accidentally push a button either hanging up or leaving the person saying 'hello? hello?' to no response.

i guess turning off anykey answer wasn't an option.

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Nathan
Posted 03:31pm 17/10/08

i guess turning off anykey answer wasn't an option.

I've never heard of that feature. How else do you answer it?

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ara
Posted 03:30pm 17/10/08

Just press the green button.

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Nathan
Posted 03:32pm 17/10/08

I dont know what you're talking about, my very complaint was that pressing the green button answers the phone, and its hard to avoid pressing that button as I drag it out of my pocket.

To be clear I'm talking about a HTC Wizard. The only buttons it has a green/red and a directional thing.

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VRBones
Posted 03:32pm 17/10/08

[quote]Re the G1, it doesn’t excite me. I had way too many windows mobile devices over the last 5 years. I'm over anything based on it.[/quote]
Uhh, you know that G1 is the first android phone, android being the open source operating system developed by Google? Since it's loosely based on Linux, Android has more in common with iPhone's OS than Windows Mobile. The fact that it's an open platform is what most of the fuss is about.

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paveway
Posted 03:34pm 17/10/08

E.T i can mod my car do to a 67 second lap of qr, but it doesn't mean i'm go comparing it to a purpose built v8 supercar

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trog
Posted 05:45pm 17/10/08

it's the features and their implementation that make up the overall experience, surely? imo iphone is so awesome, yet so f*****g s*** at the same time.

Yep, this is the thing. It's like this crazy headcase super hot chick. So many good things about it when you get her naked but it's ruined when she opens her mouth and starts talking.

I dont know what you're talking about, my very complaint was that pressing the green button answers the phone, and its hard to avoid pressing that button as I drag it out of my pocket.

I don't think I have ever, once, accidentally answered the phone taking it out of my pocket when it's ringing. Maybe that phone is just hyper-sensitive or the button is in a weird place for pocket retrieval.

Either way that problem is neatly solved if it's a really big deal - just add double pressing to answer. It would s*** me to tears to have to slide my finger every time I answered a phone call, especially because (if its anything like unlock on the iPod Touch?) the slider bar is at the very bottom of the screen - making it an awkward operation to perform with only one hand (at least for me - I can do it, but it's not a comfortable motion so I usually end up using two hands). If you can't operate a phone one-handed, it's too f*****' complicated!@#

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3dee
Posted 05:58pm 17/10/08

Are you one of those people who finds "non-legacy" motherboards with no ps/2 port and then brags about it even though all you've done is f***ed yourself because the keyboard hardware support is still present and you're missing out?

Are you retarded? Who the hell needs a PS/2 port if they don't and haven't used PS/2 hardware in lets see.. maybe 5 years?

BUT MY PHONE DOESN'T HAVE A DOS PROMPT WHAT AM I GONNA DO???

3dee you say "get rid of" when talking about buttons. I want tactile feedback when doing something important on a phone like say... accepting a call.

I actually prefer pressing a big software button than trying to find the often badly tactile green accept buttons on phones.

The decently animated UI with loud clicking sounds takes care of the lack of tactile feedback.

last edited by 3dee at 16:58:26 17/Oct/08

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Le Infidel
Posted 05:56pm 17/10/08

i want a phone the size of my new ipod nano, dont need any fancy touch screens, internet or any s***e like that

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trog
Posted 06:09pm 17/10/08

The decently animated UI with loud clicking sounds takes care of the lack of tactile feedback.

Yeh right, you are under the Jobs distortion field something fierce. Can you answer your phone reliably without looking at it and knowing confidently that it's actually answered?! Maybe with heaps of practice you can but it's nowhere near as simple or intuitive as pressing a button.

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Farseeker
Posted 06:34pm 17/10/08

Can you answer your phone reliably without looking at it and knowing confidently that it's actually answered?!

I never just answer the phone, I like to see who I'm talking to. It works great. To answer your question, yes. A swipe from left to right along the bottom of the screen is all it takes.. not too tricky at all. It's only intuitive because of how responsive the touch and visuals are, you can trust it.

I don't attempt to do any messaging while I'm driving now, but that's yeah, pretty much a very good thing... :P

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nF
Posted 06:46pm 17/10/08

E.T i can mod my car do to a 67 second lap of qr, but it doesn't mean i'm go comparing it to a purpose built v8 supercar

well done pave, was a stretch but you managed to mention your car in a completely unrelated thread.

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E.T.
Posted 07:50pm 17/10/08

Uhh, you know that G1 is the first android phone, android being the open source operating system developed by Google? Since it's loosely based on Linux, Android has more in common with iPhone's OS than Windows Mobile. The fact that it's an open platform is what most of the fuss is about.

Hey Bones! WTF you been BTW?

Anyway, that makes it more interesting to me, I guess I'm wrong about the Windows mobile based thing in that case. I havent looked into the G1 that hard given I'm sop happy with what I have. But yeah, that does sound kinda cool. Looking at how it looks and what it does, that part I'm not excited about.

Oh and Paveway, if you could do that at no cost, I'm sure you would. But thanks for being as relevant to the thread as this picture :)

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Nailbomb
Posted 11:18am 20/10/08

Not full exchange sync'ing yet, but it's a start.

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3dee
Posted 11:26am 20/10/08

I never just answer the phone, I like to see who I'm talking to. It works great. To answer your question, yes. A swipe from left to right along the bottom of the screen is all it takes.. not too tricky at all. It's only intuitive because of how responsive the touch and visuals are, you can trust it.

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ComicJoshua
Posted 08:16am 22/6/09

I just returned the "New Iphone 16gb" because I hated it. I went back to Tmobile and went back to my G1.

I normally don't write in these boards because they are pointless, but right now I feel compelled to do so for some reason.

The IPhone is harder to use than the G1. Plain and Simple.

The touch screen on the Iphone is great if your fingers are as skinny as Mary Kate or Ashley Olsen.
But if you are a Man and have Man size hands.... it's very difficult to write with.
And how many of you really use your Iphone for work? You must not be too busy if you have time to sit here and compare phones.

So my suggestion to anyone reading this... buy the G1. It's cheaper and easier to use. You have the choice between touch screen or keypad.

And oh yeah.... The G1 has and Voice App for Turn by Turn GPS Instructions. Iphone does not.

Thankyah Thankyah Verah Much

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3dee
Posted 08:30am 22/6/09

Thanks for bumping an 8 month old thread...

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taggs
Posted 08:42am 22/6/09

OH NOES SOMEONE HATING ON THE IPHONE ON THE INTERWEBS, 3DEE TO TEH RESCUE!@!3121

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3dee
Posted 08:46am 22/6/09

lol

(postcount++!)

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exo
Posted 09:18am 22/6/09

The touch screen on the Iphone is great if your fingers are as skinny as Mary Kate or Ashley Olsen.
~~But if you are a Man and have Man size hands....~~fat american fingers like all those other fat americans with fat fingers it's very difficult to write with.

Fixed.

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taggs
Posted 09:24am 22/6/09

just out of interest, what technique do peeps use to txt on an iphone. i've had a bit of a play with my little bro's and i can't write txts using my thumbs like i do on a phone with a keypad. and my thumbs aren't american or fat!

i have to hold it in one hand and use my index finger on the other to type. it's not overly slow cause of the predictive shizzle but it sure as f*** is awkward and annoying.

amidoinitwrong?

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3dee
Posted 09:27am 22/6/09

I use use my two thumbs. I don't have fat (nor skinny) fingers mind you.

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Opec
Posted 09:34am 22/6/09

taggs, you just need to get use to typing on QWERTY on iPhone. I know it's cliche' but it's true. Once you've used it consistently for a few days you'll find your accuracy improved.

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exo
Posted 09:40am 22/6/09

urdoinitwrong.

You need to let go and allow the text-correction to do its job. I can now thumb-type with both thumbs in portrait mode.

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taggs
Posted 09:43am 22/6/09

fair nuff. might give it a bit more of a bash and see how i go.

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sparrow
Posted 10:08am 22/6/09

I used the index finger method too (on touch), but thumbs for my phone. I've written on the touch a fair bit, and am really quick with just my index finger with text-correction, so I see no reason to change.

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BillyHardball
Posted 10:28am 22/6/09

^The reason to change is that you'll be faster with thumbs.

just out of interest, what technique do peeps use to txt on an iphone. i've had a bit of a play with my little bro's and i can't write txts using my thumbs like i do on a phone with a keypad. and my thumbs aren't american or fat!

i have to hold it in one hand and use my index finger on the other to type. it's not overly slow cause of the predictive shizzle but it sure as f*** is awkward and annoying.

amidoinitwrong?

exo pretty much answered this already, but you don't have to try to be accurate. Whenever someone uses my iPhone they immediately try to be really precise with their touches, which slows them down and seems to cause them to be even more inaccruate. Apple are so awesome they use technology to compensate for accurate touches and s***. I'd be interested to see how much trouble experience iPhone users with massively fat fingers have.

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BillyHardball
Posted 10:30am 22/6/09

Also, just saw spooks pic for the first time and I lol'ed.

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sparrow
Posted 10:31am 22/6/09

^The reason to change is that you'll be faster with thumbs.

What proof do you have of this? i challenge you to a type-off!

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BillyHardball
Posted 10:57am 22/6/09

Haha bring it on. But first, I challenge you to a logic-off!

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sparrow
Posted 11:00am 22/6/09

Ok, I get your logic that two thumbs should be better than one index finger, but your assumption involves hand coordination as another variable, as well as the assumption that thumbs and fingers have the same dexterity. Logic that stats boy.

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BillyHardball
Posted 11:03am 22/6/09

Hnad coordination is more important for using an index finger, because (I'm guessing) you don't rest your hand on the device when typing with the finger, whereas both hands are rested on the device when typing with thumbs.

+ practice = win.

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taggs
Posted 11:06am 22/6/09

yeah, but billy's main point is that the hand-eye coordination isn't required so much as the predicitve interface makes up for a certain amount of inaccuracy. i didn't realise this when i tried it, wanna have another go now.

edit: tooslowlol. need to stop opening tabs to reply to junk then getting distracted eh

last edited by taggs at 11:06:19 22/Jun/09

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BillyHardball
Posted 11:06am 22/6/09

ACtually, from my experience it seems one of the more important thing is that you press the spacebar at the right time. If you f*** that up it can get painful.

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sparrow
Posted 11:08am 22/6/09

The predictive interface makes up for alot of my inaccuracy, why would it make up any more time when using thumbs as compared to index finger?

Also Billy, I mean hand-hand coordination, coordinating the two thumbs to work together, whereas when you just use one index finger there are no timing issues.

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taggs
Posted 11:12am 22/6/09

do you use your index finger or thumbs for typing on a non-iphone mobile?

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sparrow
Posted 11:14am 22/6/09

I used the index finger method too (on touch), but thumbs for my phone.

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BillyHardball
Posted 11:15am 22/6/09

Sparrow, I'm not really sure if I understand what you're saying, but my basic point is two thumbs will be faster than one finger, because there are two.

Do you type on a computer keyboard with one finger? I usually use 8-10 digits, and I don't seem to have any problems coordinating between all of them.

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Jabroney
Posted 11:15am 22/6/09

i can ensure i have fatter thumbs then all of u and i can still use the iphone touch screen to type with fine. it just takes practice and about a week and u get it.

and no its not because i ate too many cream pies, just blessed with large appendages.

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sparrow
Posted 11:17am 22/6/09

Sparrow, I'm not really sure if I understand what you're saying, but my basic point is two thumbs will be faster than one finger, because there are two.

Do you type on a computer keyboard with one finger? I usually use 8-10 digits, and I don't seem to have any problems coordinating between all of them.

Yeah, i'm just trolling now. My only reply would be, I don't feel the need to type any faster, when others can't keep up with me anyway :p

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infi
Posted 12:24pm 22/6/09

I use the real QWERTY keys on my N97.

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BillyHardball
Posted 01:31pm 22/6/09

I think you mean tactile, not "real".

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greazy
Posted 02:09pm 22/6/09

I use the real QWERTY keys on my N97.

What kind of f***ed up keyboard only has 5 keys?

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infi
Posted 02:14pm 22/6/09

haha greazy you're a classic.

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Hogfather
Posted 02:23pm 22/6/09

On the iPhone I go landscape and use four fingers (no thumb), and let iPhone fix the erorrs which it normally does OK but sometimes gays up my message.

I can probably type at 80-90% of my keyboard rate now but its pretty tiring for some reason?

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greazy
Posted 02:36pm 22/6/09

im starting to fall in love with you infi

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kos
Posted 07:14pm 22/6/09

I use the real QWERTY keys on my N97.
What kind of f***ed up keyboard only has 5 keys?

I don't want to be a stick in the mud, but doesn't QWERTY have 6 letters?

Also lol at hardcore Apple fans 3dee and Billy jumping to the defense of something Apple within the space of 14 minutes.

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