Should Anandtech start reviewing phones?

[alkemyst]

Hi Anand!

thanks care,

Å

 

[rudeguy]

Thanks for popping into our (your?) little neck of the forums. I would love to have a excuse to try the latest and greatest phones, apps and the like. I know there are a ton of websites to get phone reviews, but we could add the nerd angle!

 

[GTaudiophile]

Yes or be left in the dust.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Anand has the money...how about just buy out GSMarena.com?

 

[Rottie]

no bother to review phones because Anand is not an addicted to phones.

 

[Brian Klug]

Hey all, it's Brian Klug. I'm a relatively recent addition and very very long time reader/forum lurker, so go easy on me

We're definitely working on and getting serious about smartphone reviews. I know Anand is already hard at work on his Nexus One review, and I'm getting some hardware in my hands shortly as well, so coverage is ramping up. Until then, I've got some other things I'm working on. We just wrapped up our MIX10/WP7S coverage, which was just the start.

Just wanted to come by, say hi, and note that I'll definitely be reading and commenting in here more frequently (and stop being such a lurker) to see what hardware you're most interested in.

Cheers!

 

[DivideBYZero]

Please don't ignore BlackBerry, that's all I ask. I cannot offer to review units, even though I get them pre-production, due to NDA's, etc, so please don't ignore the market leader!

 

[Pliablemoose]

Hey all, it's Brian Klug.

Just wanted to come by, say hi...

Cheers!

Cool to hear from you Bryan, the posters in this thread pretty much summed it up, we want to know about the hardware behind current phones, and see some objective tests and data.

I know its difficult since the US market is so fragmented by the different carriers and technology, CDMA VS GSM, 4G, HSPA, etc.

Its an exciting time for those of us that are into tech and smart phones, welcome aboard, and please post often, god knows, evidenced by my posts there doesn't need to be much content.

What phone are you currently using?

 

[Brian Klug]

we want to know about the hardware behind current phones, and see some objective tests and data.

That's definitely what I want to see as well - some real objective testing and some real hard data. There's a very qualitative feel to the way some smartphone reviews are done, and I think it is (at least my personal goal) a definite objective to get some hard data and benchmarks in there.

I know its difficult since the US market is so fragmented by the different carriers and technology, CDMA VS GSM, 4G, HSPA, etc.

True, but we're also seeing some consolidation and the same hardware slowly migrating across the carriers (eg. Nexus One, Palm Pre). That will make our job a lot easier. I know we're going to try leveraging that eventually.

Its an exciting time for those of us that are into tech and smart phones, welcome aboard, and please post often, god knows, evidenced by my posts there doesn't need to be much content.

What phone are you currently using?

It definitely is, and I'm excited to be onboard!

I was a longtime WinMo fan and used to own, use and play with a huge number of HTC phones, though right I'm using an iPhone 3GS as my day-to-day phone. Don't let that fool you though, I'm not a fanboy or close-minded about it, it just happens to be what I've got right now.

 

[dguy6789]

Good to hear from ya Brian. We're all looking forward to reading more phone articles from you guys!

 

[rudeguy]

Hi there Brian! Good to see that phones are getting some attention.

 

[Pliablemoose]

That's definitely what I want to see as well - some real objective testing and some real hard data. There's a very qualitative feel to the way some smartphone reviews are done, and I think it is (at least my personal goal) a definite objective to get some hard data and benchmarks in there.

True, but we're also seeing some consolidation and the same hardware slowly migrating across the carriers (eg. Nexus One, Palm Pre). That will make our job a lot easier. I know we're going to try leveraging that eventually.

It definitely is, and I'm excited to be onboard!

I was a longtime WinMo fan and used to own, use and play with a huge number of HTC phones, though right I'm using an iPhone 3GS as my day-to-day phone. Don't let that fool you though, I'm not a fanboy or close-minded about it, it just happens to be what I've got right now.

Sweet, I have a couple of gen1 iPhones a Nexus One, and a couple of HD2's coming all on a grandfathered TMobile plan. Have a couple of other phones laying around too, and an iPad pre ordered...

It's all good..

 

[Pliablemoose]

I would like to read a good article about what we're doing whenjailbreaking, unlocking and rooting our phones...

 

[rudeguy]

I would like to read a good article about what we're doing whenjailbreaking, unlocking and rooting our phones...

I thought AT frowned on that?

 

[Pliablemoose]

I thought AT frowned on that?

The Supreme Court says its legal for now...

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2006/11/8280.ars

I dont want a how to article, Id like to know WTF is going on when I do it software wise, ie no links to unlocking sites like yellowsnow etc... but a breakdown on what exactly a baseband is or rooting does...

 

[preslove]

I'd also like to see physical breakdowns of the phones. I love how anandtech will break open a device to show the public its innards. I want to see what an ARM chip, cdma radio, and digitizer look like in the device.

C'mon Anandtech writers, start disassembling

 

[Pliablemoose]

I'd also like to see physical breakdowns of the phones. I love how anandtech will break open a device to show the public its innards. I want to see what an ARM chip, cdma radio, and digitizer look like in the device.

C'mon Anandtech writers, start disassembling

Now, theres an unboxing I would like to see...

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Anand has the money...how about just buy out GSMarena.com?

Cuz GSM Arena has hardcore people around the world who get their hands on the latest phones. Anand doesn't seem to care or know enough about the unlocked phones out there. It's a heavy iPhone, Palm, Android bias here, and by Android, really just the Android phones that make it big in the US. So cross out the Hero, Tattoo, etc. Probably the Legend and Desire too

 

[deputc26]

heck yes.

Review Blackberries when their OS stops sucking. They should buy palm.

 

[Brian Klug]

I'd also like to see physical breakdowns of the phones. I love how anandtech will break open a device to show the public its innards. I want to see what an ARM chip, cdma radio, and digitizer look like in the device.

C'mon Anandtech writers, start disassembling

That's something I'm right with you guys on - I want to take these things apart.

I'm still relatively new to what manufacturers smile or frown upon, but I think the intention is to do that whenever possible. I don't have any problems with it, and I'm sure I can get things disassembled and back together (working too), it's just a matter of not creating friction between manufacturers and us

 

[Pliablemoose]

That's something I'm right with you guys on - I want to take these things apart.

I'm still relatively new to what manufacturers smile or frown upon, but I think the intention is to do that whenever possible. I don't have any problems with it, and I'm sure I can get things disassembled and back together (working too), it's just a matter of not creating friction between manufacturers and us

Honestly, the increased page hits (since no one else does it) would perhaps pay for you-all to just buy the phones, then give them to the moderators or something as a tax write off...

Or sell them when youre done, be like the consumer reports of phones...

There are already enough industry shills...