Shanghai Tech WriterTechnical Writing, Technology, Web2.0, Google, Shanghai, China

Around Christmas time last year, all the Google employees in the U.S. and several other countries received a Nexus One Android phone to dogfood prior to the official release. China employees had to wait for all the official paperwork and channel (strict regulations in China) to clear, which was estimated to be anywhere from several months to an unforeseeable future.

Well, management decided that the wait was too long and wanted China employees to have something to play with. So instead of waiting for the Nexus One, we all got a MOTO XT800 during our annual kick-off meeting in Beijing last month! I love working at Google! 

MOTO XT800 is the latest Android device from Motorola, and the only Android phone sold officially in China in partnership with China Telecom. The device is pretty good looking and comes with some serious hardware!

• Android 2.0
• 3.7” WVGA display
• 480 x 854 resolution
• 720p HD video capture/playback/output
• 5 megapixel camera with flash
• Dual mode (GSM and CDMA) support
• Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR
• GPS
• 550 MHz processor with 256MB
• 32GB MicroSD memory card
• … and more

Unfortunately, because this device is sold in partnership with China Telecom, some features and apps have been disabled or removed in compliance with China’s telecommunication regulations. Most of the Google apps are gone, including Gmail, Google Voice, Google Goggles, and Google Sky. Without the Gmail app, there’s no way to sync phone contacts with an online account. Android Market is also not there, which is a real tragedy since downloading and trying new apps is part of the Android experience! The radio app didn’t work. Voice search didn’t work. I also suspect that the GPS was replaced with a censored/restricted version. Then there’s a bunch of Chinese apps that I couldn’t figure out how to get rid of. Essentially, MOTO XT800 is more a China Telecom phone than an Android phone. 

I have since downloaded some third-party apps to hack the phone replace the missing apps and features. However, since they are third-party apps, I can’t use the phone as a corporate device. I’m back to using my iPhone 3GS for the time being since I need to be able to check my work email / calendar on the go. I passed the MOTO XT800 to my technologically-challenged husband who has never bought a mobile phone, computer, laptop, digital camera, or for the matter, any electronic gadgets in his lifetime. What an upgrade!  He’s still trying to figure out how to type out an email on what he considers a tiny little screen and a “stupid” keyboard. I guess I shouldn’t mention that he graduated from MIT.  =P   (Okay, he’s a chemist, not a technology junkie and a geek like me.)

Well, I don’t want to sound like the MOTO XT800 is a disappointment. I think the MOTO XT800 is a great, powerful, and solid mobile device. It certainly has a much better hardware and faster processor than the iPhone. It also costs much more than the iPhone or the Nexus One. The built-in flash plus the 5 megapixel camera and HD quality video capture definitely outperform the iPhone (and all other phones with camera). The MOTO’s usability however is not as friendly as the iPhone. Then again, it’s like comparing apples and oranges (two very different operating systems!). The iPhone is great for its simplicity and usability, but has limited capabilities and is not for everyone. Neither is the Android. The number of available Android apps is still limited compared to the number of iPhone apps.

From what I hear, there’s going to be a wave of Android devices coming out in the coming months/years. That means we’ll also be seeing a lot more Android apps as well. I have yet to play with the Nexus One or other Android-powered devices, so I’d like to check out other Android phones before making further comments about the Android OS.

In any case, I want to end by saying that if only the MOTO XT800 wasn’t packaged with China Telecom, my experience with the phone would have been much more positive.