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Ask Slashdot: Data-Only Android For Development?
UrbanaMan writes "I am about to start developing Air and Flex apps for Android and need a smartphone to use for debugging. I want to be able to carry on working in the UK as well as in the US. I don't need to use the phone, so I am looking for an unlocked phone that can be used on pay-as-you-go data plans on both sides of the Atlantic. For app testing I need Flash Player (plus a processer pwerfull enough to support flash), a reasonable amount of memory, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, camera and USB (inc charging) and Android 2.3 or later. Are there any such phones/deals available for non millionaires?"
...a Lore, too?
Dude, the Flash thing was just to annoy Jobs, you're not supposed to actually use it.
... seems data-only apps and tablets seem to go well together, since tablets aren't phones and usually have non-3G options...
If you can get by with wifi-only for your data connection, just grab whatever phone you'd like off of Craigslist. I'm currently debugging with a Hero and an Evo that aren't tied to any plan, and rarely leave my desk.
Also, the emulator works for debugging the vast majority of the time, and gives you access to whatever networks the host is connected to.
--Jeremy
Jesus was a liberal
Sounds like you're describing a Nexus S. The only part I'm not sure about is whether you can use it as a phone in the UK. In the US, it should work fine with T-mobile's pay-as-you-go plans.
"I'm too busy to research this and form an educated opinion, but I do have time to tell everyone my uninformed opinion."
Uh....Nexus One from ebay? Lots of T-Mobile users in the USA are likely to be listing them soon...
It looks like the Droid SDK has an emulator. http://www.brighthub.com/mobile/google-android/articles/66317.aspx
Just get any GSM handset with Android 2.3 and you'll be fine.. Probably cost you 400 bucks on ebay or go somewhere in eastern Europe and get one..
Two words: Developer phone.
Seriously though why do you need data from a carrier instead of just wifi?
That said, developer phones are GSM, just get a month to month plan for said phone off contract.
http://www.google.co.uk/nexus/#
Developing Flash "apps" for a phone, eh? Here's a quick set of instructions:
- buy shotgun and ammo
- load shotgun
- insert in mouth
- pull trigger, repeat as needed
Seriously, I can't think of anything more suck-tastic than Flash apps on a phone. Piss-poor battery life, miserable performance and a UI that'll probably still think there's a mouse around...
What do you mean by non-millionaires? I get the whole populist concept that you should be able to get anything you want for free just because you want it, but there are costs involved in producing high end phone hardware that don't just vanish because of the ethics of those who don't like paying for stuff.
Personally, I bought my HTC Desire from e2save since I worked out it would cost about the same as buying the phone and using pay-as-you-go (£20/month × 24 = £480, but the phone alone cost about £380 at the time).
The phone doesn't matter just make sure its GSM... You can use Cricket Wireless or Virgin in the US.. not sure about Europe. You might need 2 sim cards / providers to avoid paying "roaming" .. but Virgin and Cricket both offer unlimited data plans in the US. I know Virgin is in the UK too their "unlimited" data plans start at only $25/ month .. it'd probably be your best bet.
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Trying to fix or change something only guarantees and perpetuates it's existence
Have you looked at virgin or cricket? .. i KNOW virgin has coverage in Seattle.. not sure about cricket
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Trying to fix or change something only guarantees and perpetuates it's existence
I'd recommend the T-Mobile G2X, it works world-wide since it supports UMTS 850/1700/1900/2100 and GSM 850/900/1800/1900. If you buy it for the full price, you can get it unlocked immediately. It's a powerful dual core phone that runs near-stock Android, which is perfect for development!
There are almost no phones that are affordable running 2.3.
I do development and use a unlocked Incredible on Verizon, but it's not activated, I just have it using WiFI.
On the road my kids can use it as a portable game device, i have a hotspot 3g card so the phone works as a phone, even when roaming.
I paid less than $200 in a local paper to get the phone, it was in perfect condition and runs fine. I actually enjoy that phone so much with Cyanogen i'm tempted to use it in place of my iPhone (also on Verizon).
I personally would never buy any Android phone that wasn't supported by the Cyanogen developers. (I'm looking at you boot-locked Motorola!) :)
Needing flash means you need a current phone and / or tablet. $$$
deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
In the UK, get a PAYG Orange San Francisco (ZTE Blade) for 99 pounds, unlock it, install Cyanogenmod version of Android 2.3, pop in a SIM from giffgaff for 10 pounds a month. That's the UK part done.
Comments above mention Cricket Wireless or Virgin for a US SIM.
In the Uk all the cheap people get orange san francisco phones. A rebranded zte blade. Then you flash it with a generic android rom to remove all the orange stuff and you have an unlocked android phone with the latest software. Low resolution but large 3.5" capacitive screen and all the gadgets if only 600mhz. But at £90 on payg what do you expect? Basically it ticks all the boxes of the more expensive phones.
For data in the uk t-mobile will do six months of internet access for £20 on payg, or you can get a three months/3gb sim card on three for about £7 on ebay.
In the USA I think you are stuffed, there are not any cheap data options. Or at least I could not find any when I visited. But it is triband so should in theory work.
What about the Galaxy Player?
It's pretty much a Galaxy S without the phone guts. Sadly, it hasn't come out yet, and it will come out with FroYo (although they have stated that, just as the Galaxy S, it will get Gingerbread).
That's what I did. I bought a super dinky POS tablet for $82 off of newegg just to have something to develop on since I could care less about actually using the thing. Since I'm primary an iPhone developer and user, it was a good way to get my feet wet. Personally I find it a horrible platform, but if my client's want a version of their mobile app I'll just slap something together with a cross platform API.
If you want to do fancy apps you need the V7 (aka Cortex) processor, and most of the cheap stuff (like the phones from Virgin Mobile & Cricket) are the V6 processor (Arm 11). Anyone know a cheap V7 device?
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
I'm sorry; but you just reduced your mobile device purchasing options to ZERO with that one spec.
Why don't you try learning to really code, instead.
Yeah, but isn't it the V6 processor? There's tons of stuff that won't run on that :(. You need the V7 (Cortex) processor to do cool stuff. I want to port my Firefox Plugin, but I can't afford a $200 phone + $100/mo + 2 year lease (I don't care what they call it, with those cancellation fees it's basically a lease).
The ARM tablets I've seen are either really, really expensive ($500+), or they're running the V6. I don't think there is a cheap alternative for Android hobbyist dev.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
I posted this above, but I'll post again:
I've played around with the Samsung Galaxy S GT-i9000 a lot, and have tried a few different firmware options (both stock as well as homebrew/hybrids).
I noticed a few weeks ago SamFirmware.com shows 2.3.2 in the European firmware section..
I9000XWJV1 ## 512.PIT Version 2.3.2 2011 February DOWNLOAD 1 file select NO .PIT
I haven't tried it yet myself, as I"m using a hybrid with a US (Rogers Canada) based modem since it covers the frequencies I need, but I'm curious what the 2.3.2 holds. If it's an option, you could most likely pick up a GT-i9000(x) phone and use Odin to dump the 2.3.2 Euro firmware on and roll from there.
The (x) is because there's a few variants.. mine is actually the GT-i9000T which is a latin america based version that Immix Wireless sells (front facing camera instead of a flash on the rear facing camera). There's also a 9000B in the Mexico area, straight 9000's, 9000M's, and I'm not sure which others exist.
Link with some info:
http://www.samfirmware.com/apps/blog/entries/show/6282349-android-2-3-2-leaks-for-galaxy-s- [samfirmware.com]
The market has been hit and miss for some people after the update.. but according to that post if you root the phone the market works fine if it hadn't before.
DARG! I hate replying to my own posts, but I should have mentioned, if you're in the United States Virgin Mobile has a $25/mo + Tax Android with a V6 process here. The Freescale A Pad has all the specs you could ask for and a bargin price, but I've heard bad, bad things about the build quality...
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
Agreed
I dropped my Verizon contract and went back to Sprint because I couldn't afford the data plan any more. (Yes, I saved money even after paying the $150 contract breaking fee.) Ever since, I've been using my Droid doing all the same things I used to do before - except talking on the phone - as long as I can get a Wi-Fi connection, which is just about everywhere I go. Heck, I could never use the thing outside anyway because the screen is awful for reading in sunlight. So, in the end, I am getting just about the same functionality without paying for a data plan.
Remember the days of Microsoft Halo 2 and "standbying"? You can simulate a dropout by hitting the standby button.
T-Mobile and ATT both have prepaid data.
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
You might find something reasonably priced at Swappa
But I thought I would offer up this link: /. post :)
http://www.mobilexweb.com/emulators
HTH
FWIW - 1st
I have an almost unused Nexus One that is unlocked. It is tuned for T-Mobile. I had to get one tuned for AT&T, but still have the original that Google gave me at last year's Linux Collaboration Summit. I only used it for about 2 months. You can send me a private message about this if you are interested.
Sometimes, real fast is almost as good as real-time.
Nexus One. Get a used one if you want it cheap.
Guns don't kill people, "with glowing hearts" kills people.
I'd go with an unlocked Samsung Nexus S.
Brian Fundakowski Feldman
There are a lot of free Android phones given out at Google conferences, and people sell their old ones. Just check eBay, and if you're buying international, check with the seller to make sure he or she is okay with shipping overseas.
No, I will not work for your startup
Buy a G2, root/unlock, install Cyanogenmod 7.0 (Gingerbread/2.3), or any one of the other Gingerbread ROMs. You can buy a G2 from here: http://swappa.com/buy/htc-g2-t-mobile - there's currently six listings, from $335 to $410, and all of them are rooted. The phone should work in the UK, too.
I have the same phone, running CM 7.0 (nightly 38), and I love it. I had the original G1 until recently, and it's a night and day difference. I firmly believe the G2 will suit your needs and more.
Ignore new phones and get just about any Samsung Galaxy-S/I9000 phone off eBay. The Cyanogenmod guys have a quite usable port of Gingerbread 2.3.3 ported from the Nexus S now. It isn't quite mainline yet, but it works great:
http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/17020-all-models-cyanogenmod-7-for-samsung-galaxy-s-phones-build-20110303/
My hope is that since the Nexus S is so new, and the Galaxy-S phones are nearly identical hardware, I'm now good for another couple years of Android versions. I've never been happier with my Captivate. Best phone I've ever had!
- Necron69
Any international GSM phone will work on pretty much any prepaid plain in most EU countries. You can get really cheap plans and pay by day or month.
In the US, that's a different story. AT&T has a prepaid GSM plan, but you pay $20 for 100 Mbytes and 30 days limit. For that to work, you need a phone that's compatible with AT&T's frequencies. T-Mobile has no usable prepaid data plan. Sprint, Verizon, MetroPCS, and Virgin Mobile use networks that only work in the US.
Your best bet is to get a European Android phone (whichever you like, you can get a cheap one starting at around EU 150), use it in Europe with a prepaid plan, and in the US over WiFi.
Or just get two phones. Virgin Mobile has a decent prepaid plan, but the Android phone is Virgin Mobile only (it's also cheap: $150 unlocked, no contract).
I've got two Dreams, both running 2.2.1, and that means no Flash. And the chipset won't do Flash. So if the OP wants Flash, he don't want a Dream.
I'm not sure I can run 2.3 well at all, so I haven't really tried. Maybe a MT3G would be a cheap play, but again no Flash.
deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
I know the original post said GPS and Camera, but apart from those two the perfect bet would be a hacked Nook Color :) List price of USD 249 but was sold on eBay for 199 and it runs Android 2.1 (eclair), 2.2 (Froyo) and 2.3 (Gingerbread) just fine and flash 10.2 in the last two of these.
Device anywhere allows you to rent time on basically any phone you want, and they have data center in different countries on different carriers. You might consider testing your app out first on an emulator, then when it is pretty much working, rent some time on DeviceAnywhere's phone system, to easily try different configurations of carriers/models/countries. Here is the link, it may or may not be something that works out for you, but you should be aware of it anyway.
Disclaimer: I am currently doing some work for DeviceAnywhere.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
The GSM Nexus S comes to mind. It has Android 2.3, GMS support (should work in both the US and UK), and one of the fastest ARM A8s available. It costs $529.99 at Best Buy. I don't think that is millionaire class spending, but I guess the definition might vary a bit. GSM pre-paid data should be available in much of the world.
"I don't need to use the phone, so I am looking for an unlocked phone"
Well, there's your problem right there.
Also, the android SDK has emulators for all of their phone API levels. If you're planning to get a phone, "but not a phone", it would obviously be cheaper to use that, especially if you aren't planning to use any sort of advanced features (like for 'flash'). You could then just ask someone you know to test things on their phone to make sure it looks like what you see on the SDK.
Otherwise, if you're looking for a phone...that can make phone calls, I hear that Android and iPhone are actually pretty bad at it!
"A Goddess rarely smiles for she is forced by others to be an island unto herself." - Zephiris
Archos have a range of tablets at good prices. Just be careful if you're doing UI work, because the smaller models have a resistive touch screen. But pretty much all Android devices can function without a SIM anyway.
The Zii devices look interesting to me: http://www.zii.com/Technology/HardwarePlatform/ZiiTrinity
However I think they may be more focused on low level development when it sounds like you are more after app development. Also I haven't looked much into them but I don't know what networks they will run on if any...
I don't know why you'd want to have 3G in the US and in Europe, but there are zero pay-as-you-go 3G data only plans. Perhaps there are in Europe, but nobody will sell one in the US. If you want 3G you have to pay for voice and text as well; however, T-Mobile will probably sell you that without a contract at least. Secondly, I'm fairly certain that the frequency for 3G is different in Europe than in the US. T-Mobile and AT&T have incompatible 3G frequencies, and both are incompatible with what's used in Europe. Just save yourself the trouble and use Wifi.
Get an Orange San Francisco PayG phone (circa £99), pay $5 to get it unlocked online and then use ROM Manager to install the Cyanogen 7 RC2.
total cost to you: approx £120 tops.
When all is said and done, nothing changes...
This company will let you remote into android phones and other devices to run and test your software. http://www.deviceanywhere.com/
you know you can fry stuff putting things into things that dont like the things you put into it...
I got an old G1 online for less than $100 (including shipping). It is a bit slow, but still quite functional, unless you want to be running processor intensive games like Angry Birds. I have around 100 apps installed that run fine. The thing is jail broken, and has a cyanogen mod installed (SparksMod currently). And I actually use it for my primary mobile phone -- with no data plan (because I refuse to be gouged any further by our Canadian oligopolies)... wifi is good enough for me. And I'm loving the 4 row physical keyboard.