Basic features that should be addressed...

I bought my wife a blackberry bold this past weekend and all I can say is WOW. That thing has WAAAY more features (and settings) than my G1. And don't worry, I unlocked the phone so my wife can use it with our T-mobile accounts. In setting up this device, I've come to realize that a LOT of these features should be implemented into other devices, namely, the G1.

Here's a short list
1. Power-based settings (i.e. brightness changes when plugged in and on battery). A very BASIC feature.
2. Hiding folders in the music player. Blackberry gives the options to NOT include certain folders when searching for music. When I listen to music, I don't want to hear 50 ringtones.
3. User Customizable Profiles. Silent, Vibrate, Work, Home...Why not?
4. Alarm based auto-power on. If i set an alarm, and my phone is powered, but not on, it should be able to power on and wake me up. This is a GREAT feature for people that rely on alarms.(like myself)
5. Bluetooth profiles. I'm not new to mobile devices, so I know this is something they're currently working on. But come on...all we have is the headset profile. What come of lame-o **** is that? a2dp and wireless file access would be great, as well as phonebook access and callid and sms info for car kits...


There's more that I'm forgetting, but that's the gist of it. I realize that we're all technically beta testers at this point, but they should have released a more polished product to the masses. It would have helped their word-of-mouth sales greatly. Look at all the vista negativity. I've been using it without any problems since it was RTM, but people hate it because 'they heard' it has tons of problems. The average joe isn't going to want the g1 because 'they heard' it can't do this, or it can't do that. I personally love the device, and it has great potential, but t-mo and google may have shot themselves in the foot on that front.

I just downloaded the battery program and it does address some of my concerns. It just sucks that all of these features have to be added as apps. Not having root access on an opensource device seems really stupid. It's like going to a ferrari dealership giving away free cars. Free cars! BUT....we took the engines out of them. Enjoy! What the hell are you supposed to do with that?

We've got an awesome platform to work with, almost all the source to create anything we want, but no access. It's beyond lame.

And far as the blackberry thing goes, I'm in NO WAY a BB fanboy. I've never owned one, and I they're a pain in my ass because my clients buy them thinking 'they just work' with MS exchange, when they need the enterprise client which my company doesn't want to shell out the cash for. So they get pissed at me when I tell them it doesn't 'fully' integrate. My frustrations aside, I merely used BB as an example of a device that had features that should be available on the G1.


And I think the whole alarm thing got misread. I realize that the phone will 'wake up' when the alarm activates. But if my phone is completely powered off, it will not turn itself on to activate the alarm. While this is not a totally necessary feature, and will probably be rarely used, it's very important for someone who RELIES on their alarms for scheduling purposes. I usually shut my phone off at night (I have customers in several distant timezones), but I can't do that if I want to use the alarm. I could obviously buy an alarm clock, but I don't see why the g1 can't do what another phone can.

I have no problem with the actual integration process, the company just doesn't want to pay for it. We have people using windows mobile devices with no problems. I give the device recommendations, but they always come back with blackberries thinking it's the same thing. It's just frustrating. I'm venting. Sorry.