2. ATT is getting a bad rap. I had Verizon and now ATT and find the service comparable (actually, ATT is better in some areas). Even Consumer Reports did not find much difference between VZW and ATT (7/10 for Verizon vs. 6.5/10 for ATT).

3. Android is a nice device but still not near as slick as the iPhone, especially in the user interface. It has a way to go to catch up with the iPhone, which has been greatly refined over the last 2-3 years.

4. Presently, there is no comparison in Apps. For example, I am going to Venice, Italy next week and downloaded several really nice Apps (just search Venice on iTunes to see the list). The difference in medical Apps is legion.

5. Android is still an unknown at this point. There are multiple versions coming out (even Google, which may cause problems with its partners) with different interfaces and requirements, making programming problematic (maybe impossible).

6. The iTunes App store is getting much better with updates and approvals. Most get approved within a week. Personally, I think it is nice that you have at least some assurance the App is compatible and reasonably well programmed.

7. If you want to multi-task on the iPhone or need ‘unapproved’ Apps or if you want to use your phone with another carrier, please note that it is very easy to ‘jailbreak’ – takes less than 30 seconds! MultiFl0w and Backgrounder allow true multitasking (if you must) although even the standard iPhone will multi-task phone and iPod functions with most other programs.

Link with Jailbreak Instructions:
http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=5885

If an application has a critical flaw in it, its very easy to “suspend” the app, until the new update goes through. This has been done with many other application sin the app store.

Although many in the IT business think the reason Android will not be popular in the medical world is because of it’s dismal batter life (ability to run multiple applications in background is a killer to batter life), I think the main problem is what the prior commenter said.

Android has many different iterations and on different phones. HTC has it’s own spin off of the android platform that has applications that are not compatible with applications like the Droid. These android phones all have different screen sizes, causing incompatibility right there. Why would I buy an application that is only good for the version of software available for a HTC android phone for the screen size of that particular phone?

The previous commenter made a great point, except they failed to realize that is the main problem with Android, not the iPhone.

I’ve talked to multiple medical developers because of the reviews we do for medical applications (www.iMedicalApps.com) and almost all refuse to bring their applications to the Android platform because of the incompatibility issues caused by multiple phones and multiple versions of software. The iPhone is unique because they know they will not lose compatibility with new phone releases.

In terms of reception and unreliable network, I completely agree. At&T is absolutely horrendous, but luckily very few medical applications need dedicated connections to the internet. Thats also the purpose of Wi-Fi.

As I get lousy AT&T service I was thinking of getting a Verizon Droid or other Android 2.0 device, then using the iPod touch and running apps over WiFi in the office or home.

There is no disadvantage for the Android based system, but the inability to update a flaw quickly on the iPhone is an absolutely huge disadvantage.

As to differing hardware, the iPhone happens to come in 3 different versions also. It will be 4 by. mid year, and that 4th version is extremely likely to have a higher, and incompatible screen resolution from the 3 previous generations. (or risk being left in the dust by future Android phones.

I realize that to the author, it won’t matter if apple does not increase the screen resolution, I’m sure he will still be at the store, koolaid glass in hand, to pick up his new phone.

If an Android application needs an update it can be issued by its publisher at once.

Even a very small patch to an iPhone application requires an unpredictable amount of time, probably weeks or months, to be approved by Apple.

The very slow iPhone approval process makes it dangerous to use an iPhone for any mission critical application that might require a software update.

I don’t think Android has the width and breadth of versatility as the iPhone.

Well written rebuttal to the original post, which is a typical example of “FUD”