There is a new technological development improving my long bus commute to the Eastside. Thanks to my Nexus One and the Froyo (Android 2.2) update, I can now turn my phone into a portable wifi hotspot. This allows me to pop open my laptop and be online throughout my entire commute. Sure, I frequently use the Internet on my actual phone to read the news, check my personal email, tweet, browse through Facebook, etc., but there are still some things that are easier to do on a laptop – like clear through massive amounts of work email or write lengthy replies. So that’s what I’ve been doing: I’ve been getting a headstart on my workday from the bus. Plenty of people do this using the wifi available on business-class trains and buses, but my Metro Transit bus is definitely not wifi-equipped.
I also used the portable wifi hotspot feature when my Internet service was down at home. I was surprised by how well it worked for basic Internet usage (next I have to test how well it works when I’m streaming video or downloading large files). The portable wifi will be very helpful on road trips or when staying with family members who don’t have wifi, though it requires me to have a strong 3G signal from T-Mobile and that’s certainly not always the case (like, say, at the Gorge Amphitheater in Washington state).
I had long been pining for the Android 2.2 update, which also allows me to view most Flash-based videos and graphics and to store apps on my phone’s SD card, rather than the internal memory. This is a great option because my phone’s memory is pretty much full of apps. But I’ve been disappointed to discover that most developers don’t allow their apps to be stored on the SD cards. Hopefully this will change with updates of those applications.
RIP Nexus One (2010-2010)
Since I last wrote about the Nexus One, Google announced that it was no longer going to manufacturer the phone. I was a little sad to hear the news but am extremely confident that the Android operating system will continue to thrive. Google’s approach — selling the phone directly through its website and offering an unlocked version, which you could take to the carrier or country of your using — was an important experiment. This approach was a major departure from the carrier-centric model that is standard in the United States today. Unfortunately, this approach also failed. I think most consumers like to test out a phone at a Verizon Store and know that they have customer support if they need it. With the Nexus One, there was no physical storefront to try out the phone and people were initially directed to Google’s online forums when they had problems with their phones. Neither of these factors really bothered me – I had read enough reviews to know that this phone was the one I wanted, plus I hate calling customer service lines and prefer to use an online system for help.
Though, having now dealt with a Nexus One out of the box and an HTC Incredible, I can see some advantages to buying your phone through the carrier. When the Nexus One arrived, I had to spend time on the phone with T-Mobile to transfer my number to this new device and cancel the new number they had mistakenly created for me. When my boyfriend’s HTC Incredible arrived from Verizon, it worked immediately without any additional steps. On the flipside, Adam’s Incredible just received the customized release of Android 2.2, several months after the update went out to the Nexus One.
Talking myself into a tablet
As an Android user and digital media dork, it’s been interesting to watch the growth of the operating system. I’m particularly excited about the forthcoming Android tablets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Although the iPad is a fun, shiny toy, I can’t see much use for it in my life (and the lack of Flash and a camera are big deal-breakers). But I might just be able to find good uses for the Samsung Galaxy Tab (complete with Flash, GPS and front and back photo/video cameras), depending on the price. I’d use it to read lengthy documents and books for class while riding the bus (or, on more relaxed days, watching movies and TV shows). My boyfriend would use it for reading comic books and other novels. And I’m sure we’d find countless other uses, like video-chatting with our families.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab will come with Android 2.2, leading me to wonder whether it will have the portable wifi hotspot functionality. If you have a Tab with 3G service, I wonder if you could then use it as a portable wifi hotspot. And, if it worked well, you could then cancel your home Internet and use the Tab as your wifi hotspot. Yes, I am always looking for a way to cancel my dysfunctional cable Internet provider. I’ve been researching this theory about the Tab, but haven’t yet found info to prove or disprove it. Please share if you’ve seen anything about this.
If I talk myself into buying an Android tablet, I’ll definitely be blogging about it. So stay tuned.
I want to be able to check my email, participate in a tweetchat or flip through photos on Facebook, but I also want to be able to enjoy long-form content, whether it’s a movie, a magazine cover story or a novel, without distractions. That’s where the $199 Fire comes in. For me, the Fire represents a break from incessant pings and notifications. I love my constantly connected life, but I also love taking the occasional break to focus.
