The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

The title was taken directly from the linked article. Quite an interesting read, explaining how Google took the negotiations for 700Mhz auctions in it's own hands.

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=5855

Re: The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

It is not Google handing the power back to the telcos, but the customers. Unless people realize that it is against their own interest to buy subsidized crippled devices, the telcos will be omnipotent. All economic reasoning that one may provide to support the current ridiculous situation in the US would disappear if only enough people would choose to break from the popular "plans" and "upgrades".

Re: The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

lol us mobile market

Re: The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

Economics says they won't :(

Re: The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

Interesting article. The funny thing is, high-end phones in the US aren't even free, they come with some laughable $250 subsidy and the user still pays more than half of the full price, while signing up for 2 years of steep monthly charges. In contrast, in some European countries you get the phone for a symbolic price when you sign a subscription, but you also are informed of the minimal cumulative price that you are going to pay during the period of said subscription.

Re: The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

Why I went back to T-Mobile. Atleast I can buy an unlocked phone and pop any sim in it. I got my N900 and am just going to sell the phone they gave me, lol. Just like every other business in the US, all about GREED! (talking to you Gordan Gecko!).

Re: The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

Well, for me, as a European, there were a couple of things mentioned I did not know about. I may add that I am also a brand new smartphone/tablet user that used to hate mobile phones and would only buy/get phones that had no other functions than phoning and the ability to send text messages. As such I never looked closer to the market and the way things stand. Hence the link to the article.

It also brought me a new link I did not know, thanks to jnwi :)

Re: The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

That reminds me of an article I read about how Americans insist on paying more for their cell phone plans. Basically it's apparently preferable to pay a constant $40 per month for 400 minutes (of which they use, say 200), than to pay $30 month 1, $41 month 2, $28 month 3, etc.

Economists are quite confused.

Re: The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

Boom. Especially posts that are on large sites.

Re: The dirty little secret about Google Android
 

Not much choice in the USA... I got the cheapest plan possible for my Samsung Captivate, and its still $55 a month! Sadly this is cheaper than buying a phone unlocked (Galaxy S or N900 are basically the only choices in the category) and using it on T-Mobile as I got the phone subsidized for $50.

I do not need 450 freaking minutes! I mostly use Skype and stuff like that for my chatting, and my family all has At&t so its free mobile to mobile. However I half applaud them for creating tiered data. Its so much cheaper for me ($15 a month less) as my campus has blanket WiFi. 200mb is more than enough for when I am off campus...

I did not like the article too much, I did not understand why it blamed Google and the manufactures and even Apple and the carriers. You do what works and makes the most money, not what is some random persons ideal situation...