iPhone Killer ?

1649191 — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:59:00 GMT

Google launched their brand spanking new G1 mobile phone in New York earlier today and immediately it has been heralded as the iPhone killer... but in my opinion, it's hasn't got a hope in hell.

Why ? Well frankly the name is a bit crap (G1 isn't exactly as funky as iPhone), it really doesn't move the game on enough and it simply doesn't look as good (and in these image obsessed times that we live in, looks are everything... well at least when it comes to choosing a mobile phone).

I'm not saying it's a bad phone. Apparently it's pretty good according to most reviews. Physically it isn't that different to the iPhone. It has many similar features (touch sensitive screen, GPS capability, mobile internet access, built in camera which is 1 megapixel more than the iPhone... woo hoo... ).

Indeed the G1 has some additional features that the iPhone doesn't have. For example it has a Blackberry style thumb ball. And a slideout qwerty keyboard. Nice, but hardly revolutionary.

Actually the one area it genuinely excels over the iPhone, is in terms of browsing. Using Googles new Android 'Open Source" platform it allows browsers to quickly access the web but (more importantly) it allows anyone to write software / applications for the platform for free.

Actually, that's pretty cool. But seriously, how many people out there are going to choose that functionality over the way the G1 looks by comparison to an iPhone ?

The G1, using a HTC unit, will be available for free in the UK just before Xmas exclusively through T-Mobile on tariff plans staring at about 40 quid. And it may cause an initial wave of interest but nothing to that of the tsunami of hype created by the iPhone.

Maybe when LG and Samsung launch their more design focused units supporting the G1 platform next year will it have a chance to compete... but by then we will inevitably have yet another new version of the iPhone which will have moved things on even further...

The Guardian wants to know what we think. Cool.

2154489 — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:43:00 GMT

Full disclosure—I am a longtime brand fan of the Guardian, long pre-dating my residence here in London. People of my progressive political persuasion use their site to get a less biased version of news in American than our own mainstream media seems inclined to provide. And imho it is a newspaper that totally gets social media.

Today, folks at the office were viraling this: Jay Rayner is ..."just starting work on a large piece examining the arguments around genetically modified foods, and I want your help...

"We'd like those of you with something to say about GM foods to tell us what you think now, at the beginning of the reporting process, so that your take on the subject can become a part of the finished article"

How cool is that? Wonder if he will get a bunch of PR folks responding too. Hope they self-identify. You have to assume both the pro and the anti GM lobbies want in on Jay's article. But it is real people's opinions Jay Rayner is seeking and I hope he gets what he needs for a great article. Knowing much less about GM food than I do about open source and social media, my opinion is simply, "Well done Jay".

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iPhone Killer ?

The Guardian wants to know what *we* think. Cool.

The Guardian wants to know what we think. Cool.