Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Android G1: Hardware

Can't stop comparing the G1 with other phones I've had in general, and BlackBerry Curve in particular.

Operating system aside, G1 seems pretty flimsy compared to other phones. However, the keyword may just as well be "seems".

I've read an article once about differences between German and Japanese engineering. In an essence...

German engineering is exact and elegant. The buttons will always feel the certain way, the tactile feedback would be just like you expect, the doors will thunk just like so (did you know they design sounds?), and, in general, the experience would be exquisite.

Until something breaks, that is.

Right there and then everything will cease to work completely.

Japanese designs, on the other hand, would feel like crap, look like crap, buttons may plonk deep or not move at all, but everything works. For a long, long, long time.

The explanation is difference in design tolerances.

Back to phones - G1, so far, seems to belong to Japanese school of design. Either that, or it's just outright flimsy. Time will tell.

I'm looking forward to "German" engineered Android. Of course, the market positioning and the price would be different, but it would be interesting to witness nonetheless.

And if my gut feeling is right, it may be manufactured by RIM. Or Motorola...

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