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One important tidbit left out of the initial Motorola i1 announcement was what version of Android the phone runs. Now we know thanks to an official Sprint Fact sheet that gives us the bad news – the i1 runs Android 1.5 – a pretty darn old version of Android compared to what everyone else will soon have.
If you want the Motorola i1 it’ll have to be because of its PTT features: it’s the only Android phone that has the capability. In terms of specs and OS version, the i1 is easily outclassed by the competition, but for many people the Push-To-Talk functionality could outweigh any edge in hardware and software advantages.
Will Android 1.5 be an anchor that holds the i1 down or will its PTT functionality be the helium that helps it rise to the top?
I wonder who the lucky bastard is that gets to pick up this android 1.5 phone from the future!
I don’t have high hopes for this phone. The people who need the PTT function aren’t going to be great Android fans, so I don’t see many of them spending the money for a smart phone. Those who do will probably be satisfied with 1.5. If the phone sells at all, it will be because of its PTT feature. Otherwise, Sprint users will just get the HTC Hero.
i don’t get PTT. I think people just look stupid talking to their phone like that.
To be perfectly honest, the kinds of people who use PTT, at least in Florida, would give you a tilted-head-confused look as soon as you mentioned Android.
I would have to agree, The consumer this phone targets, I think will not care what OS is installed
Lol!!!!!!! You have got to be kidding me right? New phone being released with 1.5?
Bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!
Android is going no where fast.
Great job Motorola!
….idiots.
I’m going to go ahead and assume the guy in charge of this is the CEOs daughter’s husband.
boooooooooooo
wait, people still use PTT?
I remember when NEXTEL was the phone to get, everyone was using PTT, the infamous beep-beep drove me nuts..and of course the loud speakerphone talk about senseless things kills me.
soon it faded way for texting..which is 180 from parading your senseless convo in broken English to a very personal convo typed in misspelled words disguised with txt language
Damn didn’t realized we were so ignorant here in Florida.
Duh…. how do I talk into this….it’s not plugged up to a phone line
lol at post above.
i think 1.5 won’t matter, the people who use PTT are the americans out there in construction, just like the comercials and yes, it actually is that way lol. i don’t think they will care too much what version it runs but i can tell you it is way more bad freakin ass than ANY other PTT phone they can choose from…
I’d guess that it took them a long time to get PTT working. So long that they started way back when 1.5 was the ‘current’ version.
Question will be if they update PTT to work with newer versions of android.
Sort of the same kind of delimma that the custom UI’s have.
is PTT even supported with 1.5 lmao cdma wasnt
I think there should be a 1.6 min rule from Google.
PTT is a constution thing, lots of guys use them in that field. However, what comes with the turf is that phones need to be tuff! No one will by this for PTT because those that need PTT will look at this thing in think “will it last 2 weeks, or 1?”.
@Kevin
good point, it looks to flimsey for any job ap but does look like a decent phone for an everyday consumer.
Pisses me off.
Nextel’s PTT is the best on the market and serves a purpose that email, text, and direct call cannot. I.e., I need it.
I also need a full qwerty keyboard. Yup. It’s got that.
But… I also need a phone that is relevant for the next few years. Android 1.5 will not be relevant a year from now. I hear they intend to upgrade the OS quickly, but to what version? 1.6?
I have been waiting and waiting for Nextel to offer a high-quality smart phone with PTT that so many people need. Blackberry exists, but I was really waiting for this, Android. But… so far, I am underwhelmed. We’ll see. I may still buy it. Why? Cuz android is at least “the future” whereas Blackberry is scurrying to catch up again.
i have used ptt talk now for only about 7 years and i think its great insted of dial ring wait ring somemore wait ohh voice mail and so on and so on it goes beep beep and either they answere or not…..anyways the only thing im looking for is somethig a little cool. tired of watching all these other phones surpass and take off on the phone my company pays for so and i think i almost deserve a smart phone that fits me needs ie: ptt even if its flinstone technology
idk i thought it looked pretty good………the screen could be a little bit bigger but hey,you cant do it all
Here’s my two cents. The new Motorola i1 is far from flimsy, the phones is military spec’d. As far as the Direct Connect feature. Those conversations you heard from other people were just as dumb as most people that talk on the phone when they are at the register when they should be paying more attention to the task at hand. Why, there is a mute button that puts the conversation in your ear piece, just like a phone. Direct Connect is the fastest way you will ever get a hold of anyone in case of an emergency. Yes their data is slow. They are new to the game. But as far as the 2-Way radio, none can compare. Besides that, Nextel was not designed originally for the consumer, it was business driven and extremely successful and that was not because they “sucked”
I have had the i1 for close to a month. While it is about time iden has a smart phone besides RIM’s offering. I feel that we (iden users) would have benefited from Motorola’s efforts with the droid, cliq, back flip and their mistakes like the i920/i930. But in typical Motorola fashion when it comes to iden, they are WAY, WAY, WAY, behind the curve. I hope they aren’t going to leave the i1 users behind like they did with the i920/930 users while they pushed ahead with thwir cdma and gsm phones….. If so I hope the android rom community pushes ahead and cooks a 2.0-2.2 rom for this phone… Other wise I may just say screw it and look at other carriers and manufacturers for my telephony solutions.
Ok OK this phone is not as fast but for a boost phone its hot just having a touch screen now if they were to upgrade to a OS that could support watching movies like all the other andriods it would be comparable but it is the best boost has to offer
We arent all dumb hicks here in Florida, alot of us have come to enjoy PTT. Its Faster than waiting in a ring, also your employees cant say I didnt get the call, alert them. If some of the other carriers were as affordable as Boost,5o bucks unlimited everything and there ya go! Price point, maybee not the lightning fast but for unlimited internet,texting,and talk? This is a no brainer! I myself would like to see an upgraded operating system for the i1 such as froyo but 1.5 is rock solid, 2.2 has so many issues they need to sell subscriptions! Now when Verizone and motorola get on the same page and design the X to do verizone PTT we will all migrate that way!
its easy to bash ptt if youve never needed it,im originaly from boston but live in florida. when those 3 hurricanes hit us a few years back the only phones that worked were ptt, all towers were shut down so that emergency personnel could communicate via ptt and not have to rely on normal cells which were loaded with people trying to complain about one thing or another.I travel a great deal and have yet to have service issuses with any nextel/boost phones.as far as having outdated os the i1 is not bad for the money,all other carriers require min.2 year contract to get your phone cheaper. iden users be patient, where theres a will theres a way. ill agree that people who dont turn off speaker on ptt are both ignorant and annoying but nothing beats instant communication via ptt. new ptt phones can transmit photos and such via ptt. been loyal to moto. and nextel/boost for many years. who cares if os is out of date, all i have to do is load what I want from laptop to phone and im good..
ptt better than texting and driving, there are no laws that keep us from beeping eachother. hang up the brick and drive…
If they (Motorola) would release a froyo upgrade for the I1 Id jump all over it, but as of now I will stick with the Blackberry 8350i as in a side by side test, the Blackberry will load a web page about 40 seconds faster than an I1(test page was ebay) there were several other test pages, and the I1 had an advantage of opera mini which compresses the pages 90 percent, so the blackberry os screams compared to android 1.5!!!!!!!
It was dumb on Motorola part to use the 1.5 version.
All it does is ruin the Android experience and very sadly targeted at the pay per month boost mobile customers. Here you spend all this money $395 worth and get smacked with the whole 1.5 out dated software while everybody else is wowing about what their phone can do who is 1.6 and up. I mean really who was the brain child of this? At least up it at 1.6. Seriously would that hurt any?
The only people i know that use ptt are the drug smuglers and criminals cuz the ptt caint be traced.. at least that’s how it is in south texas/ northern mexico and yes these people have money so yes i think this phone will sell pretty well down here
ok people like me that use ptt are not stupid like some of you guys comments say. i live in mexico because i play soccer and dont use ptt because im a smugler or drug dealer whatever, i use it because my family lives in california and its the cheapest way to talk to them and txt my friends for only 20 dollars a month. Yes it sucks the phone is using 1.5 it really sucks i dont know alot about phones so i didnt know i wasnt gonna be able to use or download the apps i wanted=(
Actually I like the i1 it is the best iden out there. It really doesn’t matter Nextel won’t exist after 2014 anyway.
The sprint people are trying now to match the coverage so when they turn it over to the Gov’t ,which purchased it,we all will have to switch to the Sprint side. No more PTT.
The Direct Connect function is the best and fast way to talk nationwide and worldwide. For international business, is one click, and unlimited. Sorry but I think any telecom company can beat that. Peace out. Straight from Brasil!
I’ve only read a few posts, but im in Florida too, and let me tell you, I need PTT to keep up w/my drivers and other coworkers, but, on the flip side of keeping tabs on them, i want Android as it has infinite possibilities for me!
When it comes to needing something or finding something, I need a phone that lets me have the flexibility to do what I need it to do. I do the maps from the phone, use the gps often, pics, texting, video, web surfing, games when im bored and waiting in the car, you tube, email etc.
I had the Instinct, it was a good phone, but didnt offer Android, not to mention the $100 plus for a stupid plan that I can get for half the price on boost. I wish there was a way to get an updated android on the i1. I know the OS is old, but im going to be getting the phone anyways. I cant stand fat phones, and i love the touch screen w/PTT and android (never played with android, but it looks worthwhile for me) so, as much as im probably going to be hindered by not being able to update the phone, I’m at least hoping it will be useful for now, and i’m keeping my fingers crossed that it gets an update… sooner rather then later, if ever.
Interesting post…love the I1, my big bitch is that part of the apps I have paid for and downloaded now won’t run because they require at least 1.6. The phone does everything I require, just makes you want to throw a hissy fit that as technology advances, soon I will have a boat anchor and the service provider does not seem to care. Guess it is time to find somebody else I can give money to every month, because Nextel doesn’t seem to need mine anymore.