Android @ NYC MobileCamp 2

Probably the most anticipated presentation at MobileCamp 2 was on Google’s Android‘s barcode reader, named ZXing (short for Zebra Crossing). Despite the presentation , there wasn’t much to show since Android’s SDK was under wraps until the following Monday. The presentation was pretty much a call to open-source developers to help with Google’s barcode reader.

Google’s decision to use the open-source Webkit was clearly a smart move. It’s already used by Nokia’s S60 and Apple’s iPhone. I am keeping my fingers crossed that:

1. Google and supporting carriers will be smart enough to include ZXing in factory installs. There’s no way that technology will pick up on this side of the Atlantic unless the learning curve/pain of software installation is removed for the basic user.
2. That the continued use of Webkit by phone software developers will eventually phase out WAP sites, mobile CSS, and that .mobi domain.

Based on video of Android, it looks more user-friendly than Symbian OS, but lacks the integration of hardware to software celebrated on the iPhone (so far). Will it revolutionize the smart phone industry since developers can openly develop for the OS? Possibly, however, this is something that’s been offered on Symbian for years, so it’s not really anything new.

An attendee at barcamp also posed a good question–how will one upgrade versions of Android? Apple does have a tightly-integrated and easy-to-approach process through iTunes (albeit locked down to developers). Perhaps Google should next consider creating a desktop application that syncs and manages cell phone content with the desktop.

iPhone vs. Nokia N95 thanks to NYC MobileCamp 2

This past weekend I attended NYC’s MobileCamp 2 and just happened to win a Nokia N95. It’s kind of weird to have a $700 backup phone, but my N95 is going to replace my old Nokia 6682 (sorry, already gave that one away).

I know this comparison has been exhausted, but I have to do it since I now own both phones.

So, why does the iPhone remain my primary phone? It comes down to the user experience. The touch-screen keyboard makes it infinitely faster to type out e-mails or text messages, and using applications on the iPhone feels intuitive. On the N95, I actually had to consult the manual just to figure out how to turn it on.

Transferring media to the iPhone is simple since Apple controls the process through iTunes. Using HandBrake, I’ve been happily enjoying my DVD collection on my iPhone, and since I use iTunes for music it’s easy to transfer my songs. While I know the N95 works as an MP3 player, I’ve never taken the time to figure out how to get songs on it since it’s not spelled out for me. The N95 uses RealPlayer, which I’ve never been a fan of, however, both media players seem to work fine (though I’ve no idea how to get my Handbrake cocktails onto my N95).

There is little difference with general syncing though, since iSync works just as well with the N95–in fact, it can do so wirelessly via Bluetooth, something Apple should have considered offering.

I’m not complaining too much about battery, although the N95 allows for swapping batteries, a definite plus. It also has a swappable Micro SD card vs. the iPhone’s stationary hard drive, but I never have the need to remove my media, so it doesn’t really matter.

As far as interface responsiveness goes, the iPhone responds quickly and performs simple animation transitions between apps. The iPhone has a 620 Mhz ARM processor versus the N95′s 330 Mhz, and while the performance difference is subtle, it’s definitely apparent. Whether the iPhone is doing these transitions for aesthetic purposes or to stall while something’s loading in the background doesn’t matter since it feels quick to the user.

On Web browsing experience, well, this is just the iPhone’s bread and butter. It’s super easy to access information on the Web, especially since you can zoom in-and-out with your fingers. Otherwise, the N95′s browser is easily the best mobile rendering I’ve seen, although it takes longer to type and panning around via the multi-directional button isn’t quite as fast. I also wish the N95 had an equivalent to tabbing.

So why didn’t I just unload my N95 on eBay, you ask? After all, who needs multiple smart phones? Well, for one thing, the N95 sports a 5-megapixel Carl Zeiss lens with DV video recording. While I love my iPhone, its camera is DOWNRIGHT AWFUL, and carting my SLR around gets old quick (if you know me and how often I like to take pictures, this is a big deal). Furthermore, the N95, besides being open to tooling with thanks to Symbian OS, has a preinstalled barcode reader. Granted, this isn’t an often-used feature, but philosophically, the only way America’s going to catch up on using this technology is by preinstalling semacode software.

Lastly, did I mention I got the 3G N95? The other day I attended a seminar where there was no wireless and I needed to get an e-mail out from my laptop. While my iPhone sat there looking at me I was thinking about how my N95 (which was at home) could have been used as a wireless high-speed modem. Sigh.