First Android Phone from HTC

HTC has finally made details of their first Android phone available to the public. It bares the moniker “HTC G1“, may be it implies there will be subsequent versions.

It will launch in the USA through the carrier, T-Mobile on October 22, 2009 for USD179.00 and a 2-years contract.

One thing that is interesting, as reported by Engadet, is T-Mobile view on unlocking the phone. They will allow the unlocking of the HTC G1 after the initial 90 days into the 2-years contract, giving the HTC G1 an unlocked price of USD399.00 price.

There are two videos in Engadet’s Hands-on review comparing the HTC G1 to the Apple iPhone and showing off some of the 3rd party add-ons to existing built-in application. The latter is something that the OpenSource nature of Android has over the Apple iPhone.

HTC did not implement any multi-touch technology into the HTC G1. The use of on screen controls and hardware buttons makes the phone feel 1st generation. Also, in my opinion the look is also fairly ugly, but looking at the other HTC models in the past, one cannot expect the elegance of Jonathan Ive (arguably the best industrial designer in the world).

So far no news as to how the HTC G1 will be launched in other geographic locations.

[Update: September 24, 2008]
It is reported that T-Mobile will give away all applications on their Android Market Place free to the early adaptors to the HTC G1.

OpenClip to Bring Copy & Paste to iPhone

A student developer, Zac White, released a software framework to the Opensource community, in hopes to finally enable cross-application Copy & Paste on the iPhone/iPod Touch. He calls this framework OpenClip.

Zac claims that his framework does not violate Apple’s SDK rules. The following is a demonstration of the framework on some yet to release versions of iPhone applications.

Continue reading “OpenClip to Bring Copy & Paste to iPhone”

OS X 86 available for retail… in Bangkok

OSX86

The fact that retailers in Bangkok can openly display pirated software (although made up to look very authentic), is a perfect example of why education is greatly needed in Asia regarding piracy and its effect down the food chain.

For those who knows me, they know I am not typically vocal about piracy, but in this case it is despicable for these individuals (both the retailer and pirates; they may be both of the same) to capitalize on work of the OpenSource community.

Yes, I do not condone the actions of the individuals participating in the OSX86 Project, but at least those people are not trying to make money out of their collective efforts. They are instead volunteering their time and skills to produce something in demand by the public. As Apple has mentioned before, people are not buying Macintosh just for the OS, it is the revolution design and usability of the Macintosh that people are also buying.

These pirates in Bangkok are simply selling someone else’s work. That’s almost like charging for medical services provided by Médecins Sans Frontières. I guess that’s the basic definition of Piracy!

So, in Steve Jobs’ words, should “all pirates burn in hell”?