With the mobile operating system market heating up with the upcoming launch of Palm's webOS and version 3.0 of the iPhone's operating system, it pays to take a good look at how the various mobile platforms compare to one another. This is exactly what Engadget has done.
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Member since:
2006-05-26
I suppose it all depends on your definition of "multitask" since it is incorrect to state that the iPhone does not multitask: not only can you write and execute multithreaded applications on it, but there's always more than one application running at once, albeit, without a jailbroken phone, the only ones allowed to run in the background are all Apple's applications, including iTunes and the various messaging and other phone-related things. To not currently (if ever, who knows?) enable third party apps to do full background execution was a deliberate engineering decision to ensure various things, like reliability of responsiveness for getting calls, and battery endurance, or at least that's Apple's explanation. As well, considering how resource-hungry the OS is, and the GUI, it also helps make it that much easier for apps to run in a sufficiently predictable environment.
However, the modal nature of a lot of things does tend to get rather obnoxious at times, and it'd be nice if things weren't that way. Then again, a lot of Mac OS X applications and the OS itself are fairly consistent in having the same issues, so... it's a matter of what you're willing to deal with, and if modal is a hangup for users, well... time to make another choice if it is really that important to you.
Member since:2006-04-03
Agreed. And the same can be said for the touch screen. Personally I laughed when everyone touted the keyboard on the Pre because I find the much larger touch screen buttons on the iPhone with its auto-complete so much easier to use than the keyboards I have used on previous Palm models, Windows Mobile devices and Blackberrys. I have big sausage fingers so none of the options are perfect for me, but the touch screen is a significant improvement. Landscape mode does / will make that even better.
I can also see that this is the direction of things - how much easier is it to allow for multi-lingual input on any device if the "keyboard" is simply drawn?
Member since:2005-07-06
In defense of the blackberrys the pearl and pearl flip have great keyboards for large fingers as well as an amazing auto complete function. Then there's the Storm which I have no experience with, but looks amazing. I can't stand a normal blackberry keyboard though, keys are too small.
Member since:2006-01-19
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:2006-05-26
You need to do more research: only if you lift your finger up from a virtual key without having gone off into some other space does it activate that key, in the same manner that left-clicking a mouse doesn't activate a menu item, but rather releasing the mouse button while still having it selected.
But, there's no logical reason to expect you to have researched that 
Member since:2005-06-29
YOU haven't done your research. The iPhone keyboard works like this: the key under your finger upon release is the one that's going to appear. It is impossible to rest your finger on a key without it producing a character. Other virtual keyboards produce a character on first touch.
Which was the OP's question: can I rest my finger on the keyboard without pressing any of the keys? No, you cannot. This is nothing like mouse behaviour.
Edited 2009-03-21 16:11 UTC
Member since:2006-05-26
Try again, oh foolish one: find an iPhone, place your finger on a character, and then drag your finger off, without it being on another key: it absolutely does NOT produce a keystroke that's registered! I assure you, I did exactly that on the virtual keyboard on my iPhone (OS 3.0, but I'm betting that doesn't really matter) right before I posted it.
Member since:2005-06-29
And the point goes way over your head.
1) Good luck finding a keyless space in the iPhone keyboard. You'll have to move all the way up to the content area. And more importantly,
2) You still do not seem to understand the question the OP asked. He wanted to know if you can REST your finger on the keyboard without activating any keys, and the answer to this question is: NO, YOU CAN NOT. Dragging your finger off the keyboard IS NOT resting.
On a normal, real-world keyboard, you can place your fingers on the keys, touching them, without activating any of them. You also do not have to move your fingers to a keyless area of the keyboard in order to avoid acitvation.
Is all this really so hard to understand?
Member since:2006-04-03
O RLY?!
On the iPhone if you accidentally touch a key you just slide your finger up and off the keyboard it doesn't produce a character. Or if you were extremely unfortunate and had that horrible event occur where it put a character in that you didn't want, there is this little delete "key" thing you can press - its sole purpose in life is to get rid of those errant characters - nasty things that they are.
Member since:2007-07-20
Member since:2006-05-26
And despite Thom Holwerda's stupid assertion otherwise in response to my post above this one, find an iPhone (mine currently has 3.0 on it) and test this:
1. Place finger on the virtual keyboard, choosing a letter.
2. Now that your finger is on that letter on the keyboard, you will see enlarge: but, the system has NOT committed to typing in that letter yet.
3. Drag that finger off the top of the virtual keyboard into the visible area of your application above it: note that you may have other letters enlarged on the way to the outside of the keyboard, but unless you lift your finger off the screen before you get off the virtual keyboard, it will NOT keep that virtual keystroke!
This is 100% repeatable, unless you're a so-called "journalist" that doesn't actually test things that are clearly stated, and instead likes to accuse people of not doing their research.
(edited below to be above in response to correctly state the relative post)
Edited 2009-03-21 20:51 UTC
Member since:2006-04-03
No - touch screen meaning you touch it activates. Resting your fingers on a phone's built-in keyboard? I'm just finding it hard to visualise it unless you have tiny hands and fingers. I generally use three or four fingers to type on the iPhone's keyboard but can't say I've ever needed to rest my fingers on there - maybe I'm just not understanding. :S
Member since:
2005-11-15
I read the engadget report and thought wow missing the point. I would say half of the points are completely irrelevant.
For example: Kernel adaptibility? WHO FREAKENS cares... These are not PC's where you install. These are dedicated devices where the producer of the device will make sure things work.
Or how about UI skinning, again we are not talking PC. We are talking dedicated device.
Here are some stats I would have liked to compare:
Readability for youngsters, older people, etc.
One hand usability, where people who are standing in a bus or train need to operate the device.
Speed of doing things, since often making decisions involves split seconds and the question becomes does the person need more or less time to get a split second answer.
How many decisions need to be made to get anything done. When I need to do X I want to be able to do it as fast as possible. I don't want to have to navigate.
Again this review read like something only a personal computer person would be interested in. Not a person who actually uses a mobile device from the perspective of a mobile device.
Member since:
2005-07-09
I enjoyed Engadget's article. It was a decent read. Sure its not a perfect article for example it did not mention HTC's touch stuff that they have built on top of Windows mobile as an example. I wanted to read more about that since on HTC's website it does look quite cool.
That said having played both with the Iphone and the G1 Android phone I kind of like the G1. I wish the handset looked more professional instead of a kid's toy type thing but there is one thing I definitely like and its the slide out keyboard. I also like the Android phone's responsiveness. I also like the builtin camera it has.
For me personally it is a tie between the latest 3.0 Iphone OS and the latest Android Cupcake. All that remains is the hardware and I think the Iphone edges this one a bit because of the way it looks and the larger display but the G1 does have that slideout keyboard which I prefer. Oh and one last thing is the manufacturer. I dislike Apple quite a lot. So because of that and their crap Itunes software which you have to install to pair up the Iphone with your machine, I will simply just go with the Google phone. Thanks for helping me make my decision Engadget.
Now if in the future some of those more badass HTC phones get the Android treatment, it will just be a matter of take my money and give me that phone!
Member since:
2008-08-26
I know we choose our phones as an expression of how we like to get work done. For me, it is the BlackBerry 8320 (to be replaced by the 8900 when it comes to AT&T).
Physical keyboard I can easily use while riding (passenger) in a car on a bumpy road.
Physical keyboard allows access to keyboard shortcuts so I don't spend time finding touch points on a screen.
Physical keyboard so that I can start dialing immediately, not tyring to find the keyboard/phone application.
When I don't want my keyboard, voice activation makes it a treat to place a call.
Member since:2005-07-06
Amen. I've played with multiple touchscreen only phones, and while neat for some tasks, they cant compete with a hardware keyboard for *MY* uses.
I finally played with a touchscreen only WM6.1 phone and it... sucked. Bad. I can honestly see why people bitch about WM phones, finally. I've only ever used Treos and my first WM phone was my Treo 800w, and its amazingly quick and easy to use with all its extra buttons and proper display drivers.
Member since:2006-03-14
I finally played with a touchscreen only WM6.1 phone and it... sucked. Bad. I can honestly see why people bitch about WM phones, finally. I've only ever used Treos and my first WM phone was my Treo 800w, and its amazingly quick and easy to use with all its extra buttons and proper display drivers.
I think touch screen devices are capable of so much more than most Windows Mobile devices would have you believe. Most WM devices have either very small screens, which makes them useless for finger navigation, or really badly thought out interfaces, making them clumsy at best to use.
They suffer from trying to force the Windows desktop paradigm into the mobile space. I have an iPod touch, and am actually pleasantly surprised at how a touch interface can be made to work very intuitively. It's also extremely important to have a large screen by the way. Small screens and touch interfaces don't mix.
Member since:
2009-03-22
The poor perception of Symbian S60 is surprising. Working in an IT department supporting handhelds has provided me experience with most on the market and S60 is, by far, the most advanced, stable, and modern operating system intended for pocketable devices. Other mobile OSs are inefficient and generally based on older software that was never intended for devices with limited power requirements. Until reading this article I was unaware anyone thought differently. S60 (especially Nokia's E series distribution) provides the most robust set of functionality and the most efficient interface available.
S60's functionality can easily be discussed in an article by itself, but, in short, it offers functionality akin to a full computer system via a system designed from the ground up for pocketable devices. Having access to a real file system, working with many file types, printing, ability to connect to SMB file servers, choice of full office suites, robust e-mail support for working with both RTEN and push, outdoor readability via high-contrast outdoor modes, system wide automation to change how the device operates based on time of day, location, or other parameters, and advanced tools to assist support teams in getting support to end users are only a small fraction of the total functionality. Complete sync features such as integrated SyncML and the easiest vcard/vcal importing of any devices today enables seamless integration with existing systems sometimes without making any changes to existing configurations. In addition, a fully configured device can easily be backed up and even imaged for quick reload if necessary. Our last update to the S60 devices we support, for example, included 97 new programs and could be deployed by a single FTP download that could simply be copied to the handheld requiring only a few minutes in total.
Being designed for devices with limited batteries, S60 provides the most efficient power use without compromising functionality. Power drain, for example, is hardly noticeable, even with 15-20 applications running that may be doing everything from CID call routing to various mailboxes and third-party phone numbers, monitoring location for location-prompted settings, downloading files, listening for instant messages, providing turn-by-turn navigation via on-device maps (no network support needed), and other applications that one may want to keep open for easy access such as the contact list, alarm clock, displaying e-mails, spreadsheet program, word processor, file browser, and a couple of web browsers.
All of this ability is accessed via the most efficient and thorough interface available that never lags even with all of those apps running. The interface is, at times, so intuitive that one can accomplish their task without giving any though to actual operation; the option or feature one is generally seeking in a particular area is usually right there waiting for you. For those times when you can't look at the screen the entire interface is switched to voice-prompt mode that allows control over the primary functions (including basic things like getting the time) without having to look at the display. Making an internet call requires no additional application; simply dial the number and press select and your prompted to choose voice, internet, or video-call. If you know someone's SIP address simply add it to your contact list list and direct SIP calls are as easily as making a cell call.
S60 devices are more than phones and possibly most appropriately referred to as palmtop computers. For the most robust, useful, and efficient pocketable computing device available today, S60 is the best choice.
Member since:
2006-02-17
Well if I hold down on this iPod touch screen over a key long enough it times out and no key is selected. If I choose a special key by holding down the applicable key it's hidden under then decide not to choose any of the specials it also doesn't select anything. But if I do happen to select something erroneously it takes no effort to fix it, so the whole argument is moronic.
Browser: Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5H11a Safari/525.20
Member since:
2008-10-23
"Since it's built atop OS X, which in turn is built atop Unix, it tends to be fairly sophisticated and stable"
I should have stopped reading there. This article is an iPhone advert.
Later on, it talks about the app store and hints that there are more apps for the iPhone (28000 or so) than for S60. The iPhone doesn't even run J2ME applications. Ridiculous.