Why I'm excited about the G2

Those of you that have been reading this for a while probably remember my "excited about the G1" post. I wrote that on October 1, 2008, nearly two years ago, when the G1 was nearing launch. Since then, the Android landscape has exploded. Things have changed so much since the G1 launched that it's almost mind boggling to think that it all started a mere two years ago.

And now, T-Mobile and Google are poised to release the G2, a next generation Android device. (We covered the G2 twice already over at HisAndHersAndroid.com). Exact specs for the G2 are unknown (though it's rumored to have a new, very fast chipset), so it's difficult to speculate how it stacks up against other Android superphones like the Evo or Droid X.

Quick update: Facebook Places privacy settings

Facebook launched their much anticipated Places feature yesterday, and with it comes new privacy concerns. Thankfully, Facebook seems to have learned from previous privacy mistakes and made some good decisions regarding places.

With only one exception, all the newly added privacy settings default to Only Friends, which is excellent. People should start off with privacy settings on, and then they can decide on their own whether they want to turn them off. That one exception is a big one, however, and it's one everyone should be aware of.

A quick recap: Facebook Places is a location-based service similar to Foursquare or Gowalla that allows users to "check in" to physical locations. You can check in at a restaurant, or a store and then let your friends know that you're there. If they're nearby, they can join you, or simply see where you've checked in. You can also view a newsfeed of where your friends have been and what they had to say while they were there. With Facebook's existing userbase of 500 million users, this has the potential to be huge and millions of people are already using it.

Introducing His And Hers Android!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very happy to announce HisAndHersAndroid.com, a new Android blog written by Shelsy and me, that we hope will take a unique approach to Android related news and stories.

I consider myself to be a computer aficionado (or geek, if you prefer), and I have a particular interest in mobile phones. Over the past two years, I've grown particularly fond of Android, having owned the very first Android phone since launch day. Shelsy and I have both been using our G1s for the past two years and I rooted them both several months ago.

Android has grown by ridiculously huge margins over the past year, even outselling the iPhone this year. As a result, there are now millions of people using Android phones on a daily basis, most of whom are probably not geeks, nerds, or even technically inclined. But there are also huge numbers of hardcore Android fans who know what rooting means, know lists of specs, and always pine after the latest and greatest device.

Both of these groups are potentially interested in reading Android related news, reviews, articles, etc. But it's difficult to find websites that cater to both groups. And so, His And Hers Android was born.

I'm the hard core Android geek, Shelsy is the mainstream Android user. Together, we will be able to discuss Android stories from both angles, presenting information that is useful to "nerds and normals" alike.

We have a lot of great plans for the site, so I encourage you to check it out. Whether you're a hard-core, rooting, overclocking, Android fan, or a mainstream Android user, we hope the new site will appeal to everyone. Tell your friends, and stay tuned for more cool stuff down the road.

Android 2.2 Froyo first impressions

This past weekend, I took the plunge and installed Android 2.2 on my G1. Those of you in the Android community know that this involves much rooting, hacking, etc. and is not for the faint of heart. I've had my G1 rooted since March, and have been using and enjoying 2.1, Eclair, since then.

About a month ago, the Cyanogen team released their modded version of Froyo for the G1. I held off trying it myself until some of the initial issues were fixed, but that didn't take long and I am now up and running with the latest version of everyone's favorite green robot. Keep reading for my first impressions of the new OS.