Configuration For Nexus One (Android) In Thailand Using Dtac Edge Data

[jhs]

The information is out there, but hopefully the title of this topic will earn some Google mojo, making it easier for others to find.

I just received my unlocked Nexus One from the U.S. It is Google's latest Android-based smartphone. It has been a while since I set up my iPhone 3GS but I thought it got on DTAC's EDGE network without needing configuration. Anyway, the Nexus One definitely requires configuration before you can use it on DTAC.

1. Go into the Settings app
   
2. Tap: Wireless & networks
   
3. Tap: Mobile networks
   
4. Tap: Access Point Names
   
5. This is where I was confused as an Android novice.. Press the Menu soft-button and tap "New APN"
   1. 
      
   2. I set the Name to DTAC
      
   3. Set the APN to www.dtac.co.th
      
   4. No other configuration is required
      

[*]Tap the Menu soft-button and tap Save

[*]Tap the newly-created radio button and make sure it is active (green)

At this point, EDGE will work. I have not tested MMS but I will update this post when I do.

[wimpy]

And how do you like the Nexus One? I have a friend bringing me the HTC Hero from the US later this month.

[jhs]

And how do you like the Nexus One? I have a friend bringing me the HTC Hero from the US later this month.

It is too early for me to say. I have only used it for 24h, and just now got EDGE working. Despite developing iPhone apps for a living, I only recently decided to carry a smartphone for daily use. But I fear losing or breaking a twelve-hundred-dollar iPhone if I carry it everywhere.

I am a list-maker and I have started my pros/cons lists vs. iPhone. I guess I would say this for now: If you know iPhone is not for you, it is probably the best or nearly-best smartphone to get.

I have learned something people should be aware of. My primary language is English. Reviews I read are from the US and UK. iPhone has lots of "spit and polish" which I figured I didn't care about. Well, in an also-ran country like Thailand, the spit and polish can make a lot of difference. For example, right off the bat, I discovered that there is no Thai keyboard, and incoming SMSes do not render properly (just squares, see attachment). I am starting to learn that more is handled via third-party apps in Android so perhaps there is a solution there.

[wimpy]

And how do you like the Nexus One? I have a friend bringing me the HTC Hero from the US later this month.

It is too early for me to say. I have only used it for 24h, and just now got EDGE working. Despite developing iPhone apps for a living, I only recently decided to carry a smartphone for daily use. But I fear losing or breaking a twelve-hundred-dollar iPhone if I carry it everywhere.

I am a list-maker and I have started my pros/cons lists vs. iPhone. I guess I would say this for now: If you know iPhone is not for you, it is probably the best or nearly-best smartphone to get.

I have learned something people should be aware of. My primary language is English. Reviews I read are from the US and UK. iPhone has lots of "spit and polish" which I figured I didn't care about. Well, in an also-ran country like Thailand, the spit and polish can make a lot of difference. For example, right off the bat, I discovered that there is no Thai keyboard, and incoming SMSes do not render properly (just squares, see attachment). I am starting to learn that more is handled via third-party apps in Android so perhaps there is a solution there.

Since the Hero is offered here by AIS, there must a Thai language app available - I would think.

[jhs]

One major thing I really like is the custom engraving when you order it. I put my email address and my wife's phone number. Hopefully it will be more likely to be returned to me if I ever lose it in a taxi or cinema.

I have never lost my phone but a friend has lost several. Apparently the Bangkok populace is pretty good about returning your lost phone. If I lost a smartphone at the movies in the U.S., with all those American teenagers (I used to be one), I wouldn't even consider the possibility that I could get the phone back.

Edited January 16, 2010 by jhs

[jhs]

Here is my current list. Things will probably occur to me later but for now this is it. Items are in no particular order. Most of these are vs. the iPhone 3GS. This is my first Android phone so some of these apply to Android generally.

Pros

• GMail is much better. It is a native app and exploits the high screen resolution
  
• Multiple GMail accounts (this is new with the Nexus One). I have a personal GMail and a couple business addresses so this is very nice. Besides GMail, you can maintain separate address books, etc. for each account.
  
• Voice search is cool
  
• Better camera. They say megapixels aren't meaningful but for whatever reason, photos are bigger and clearer than 3GS. In my opinion, this is the first smartphone that I would actually consider taking photos with and maybe leaving my camera home.
  
• Screen has great resolution and contrast. It feels ten times better to read email and use the map
  
• MiniUSB charger
  
• You can dictate anywhere you could input text. I have a clear American accent and it works great
  
• Punctuation is slightly easier to access to vs. 3GS
  

Cons

• Apps: If you care about third-party apps iPhone wins hands-down
  
• Amazingly, it sometimes stutters and jerks when swiping and typing. Considering how much newer it is vs. iPhone 3GS that was a total shock and disappointment. It feels like the old iPhone 3G
  
• Outdoors with a midday sun, the screen is almost impossible to see
  
• In pitch darkness, the screen is a little bit too bright. If you share a bed it might wake that person up
  
• No good selection of cases/protection yet. With my 3GS, I feel very safe with my Switcheasy Rebel & membrane
  
• Surprisingly inferior to iPhone for business use. Specifically, you cannot set WiFi proxy at all, nor can you configure them centrally
  
• Just not as visually pleasant as iPhone. When you change orientation, it just "pops" to portrait/landscape instead of iPhone's rotation. There are many examples. It's sad but true; that has a psychological impact and can trigger buyer's remorse if you changed from iPhone.
  
• This could change but I prefer the iPhone's simplicity where every app is just listed out on the screen. You can rearrange but there is no need to add or remove apps
  
• No multi-touch. I don't use it with the browser but it is nice for maps
  
• No Thai support out-of-the-box
  

Neither

• On the whole the Android keyboard is a wash vs. iPhone
  
• Multitasking: What you get in convenience you lose in battery life and having to keep track of what apps are running, kill them, etc.
  
• Voice commands
  
• SMS
  
• iPhone's browser is slightly nicer but the poorer resolution makes this a wash
  

I have attached a couple of photos of Nexus One vs. iPhone 3GS. For the detail one, I held them in my hand (no tripod) so forgive the motion blur, but you can still compare photo quality.

Edited January 16, 2010 by jhs

[emil]

And how do you like the Nexus One? I have a friend bringing me the HTC Hero from the US later this month.

It is too early for me to say. I have only used it for 24h, and just now got EDGE working. Despite developing iPhone apps for a living, I only recently decided to carry a smartphone for daily use. But I fear losing or breaking a twelve-hundred-dollar iPhone if I carry it everywhere.

I am a list-maker and I have started my pros/cons lists vs. iPhone. I guess I would say this for now: If you know iPhone is not for you, it is probably the best or nearly-best smartphone to get.

I have learned something people should be aware of. My primary language is English. Reviews I read are from the US and UK. iPhone has lots of "spit and polish" which I figured I didn't care about. Well, in an also-ran country like Thailand, the spit and polish can make a lot of difference. For example, right off the bat, I discovered that there is no Thai keyboard, and incoming SMSes do not render properly (just squares, see attachment). I am starting to learn that more is handled via third-party apps in Android so perhaps there is a solution there.

Would you sell me your nexus 1 ? thanks...Emil

[emil]

would you PLEASE sell your NEXUS to me???

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Nexus one in Thailand, is it a dream ?

[jhs]

Nexus one in Thailand, is it a dream ?

I buy all my electronics from the U.S. Except authorized Thai distributors of major brands, I am not interested local dealers.

[jhs]

Only one major update to my pro/con list since I posted it:

From a foreign country, the iTunes store is easier to use vs. Android Marketplace. Marketplace will not let me even view paid apps while my DTAC SIM card is in the phone. I have to shut the phone down and insert a T-Mobile or AT&T SIM. That is stupid. I pay with a US credit card with a US billing address. On iTunes with the same billing information, I can get any app available in the US.

[coalminer]

would you PLEASE sell your NEXUS to me???

The HTC running on Android is now on sale in Thailand 10,000 Baht.

http://www.htc.com/th/product/tattoo/specification.html

And I-Mobile has now also a mobile phone running on Andriod for a similar price.

No need to spend 1,500 US$ for an Android phone.

[ozymandious]

I just brought my Nexus One Back from the States and I am looking for the APN settings to use in on the AIS network.

Anyone know the AIS settings??

[ozymandious]

Thanks jhs for the link that solved my problem

For others that want to use their Nexus One on AIS the APN info is as follows; using jhs's format

1. Go into the Settings app

2. Tap: Wireless & networks

3. Tap: Mobile networks

4. Tap: Access Point Names

5. Press the Menu soft-button and tap "New APN"

1. I set the Name to:

AIS

2. Set the APN to:

ais

3. No other configuration is required

6. Tap the Menu soft-button and tap Save

7. Tap the newly-created radio button and make sure it is active (green)

Edited January 25, 2010 by ozymandious

[ozymandious]

OK follow up, anyone know the MMS settings for AIS on Android?

[wimpy]

OK follow up, anyone know the MMS settings for AIS on Android?

Did you ever find the MMS settings?

[Maestro]

The Nexus One user’s guide can be read online here:

www.google.com/support/android/bin/static.py?page=guide.cs&guide=27201&topic=27215#1086477

or you can download it from the Google server here as a PDF file (12.4 MB, but shows as 14.9 MB on my hard disk):

www.google.com/googlephone/nexusone-userguide.pdf

A larger PDF file (18.7 MB) is available for download here:

www.scribd.com/doc/24990658/Google-Nexus-One-Manual

and a still larger PDF file (22.5 MB) is linked to here:

www.wayneschulz.com/2010/01/google-nexus-one-manual-online/

Then there is of course Google's Nexus One Help Forum and a plethora of private forums on the web.

--

Maestro

[aegdawson]

And how do you like the Nexus One? I have a friend bringing me the HTC Hero from the US later this month.

There are a few thoughts here regarding the Nexus One http://javamecca.thelasis.com. BTW the US HERO is unlikely to have the Thai character set in it so every time you hit a Thai web page o receive a Thai SMS you will have to live with little white blocks.

There is a way to hack the phone (I did one some time back) and insert the character set if you wish but it can be a bit tricky if you're not tehcnically inclined.

Rgds,

AD

[wimpy]

OK follow up, anyone know the MMS settings for AIS on Android?

Did you ever find the MMS settings?

From the deafening silence, I guess not...

[netarchie]

Is the nexus one available in bkk yet?

[Kirkaiya]

Is the nexus one available in bkk yet?

Not officially, but in MBK there are some shops that will sell you a gray-market (eg, imported from the U.S., or HK or SG) unlocked Nexus One for around 24,000 baht, as of two weeks ago. I expect that the price will drop when HTC's "Desire" becomes available in a couple more months - the Desire is essentially the same phone as the Nexus One (which is also made by HTC), but with a small round track-pad instead of the mechanical trackball, and with HTC's "Sense" user-interface on top of the stock Android (of course, you can always remove "Sense" if you don't like it). I've read that one other change will be that HTC is only including one microphone on the Desire, to save costs - the Nexus One has two of them, for better noise cancellation.

Otherwise, the Desire will be the same: 1 GHz Snapdragon SoC CPU, same AMOLED screen, same RAM/ROM configuration, same size, weight, etc.

For the person who said something about a $1,500 Android on HTC: the Legend is a lower-spec'd phone; it has a slower CPU, the screen resolution is 1/2 of the Nexus One/Desire, less RAM, and inferior camera. With that said - I still think the Legend (and the Hero, for that matter) is a good Android phone, just not quite as top-end as the Nexus One (which at it's most expensive in Bangkok is advertised for 30,000 baht, about $900, which is not $1,500, and which you can pick up at MBK for 24,000 THB which is ~ $795. overpriced, but only 1/2 of what you said)

[PaulUSA302]

Nexus One is doing some great things! I am loving some of the updates to the Android software and now the magor phone makers have agreed to come together to create a mega app store to support the android software.

And for those of you that don't know, the Nexus one now supports Multi Touch.

I hear the next update of the nexus one will be a world phone that runs on both CDMA as well as GSM!

To stay up with this crap you may want to do a google search for the boygeniusreport website.

[NanLaew]

I just liked having the ability to check email, SMS and call while passing through Narita with my new Nexus One. That was on my AT&T SIM and now here in Thailand, it's all functioning with my AIS SIM.

[NanLaew]

After the Nexus 'ate' 300 baht of AIS pay time overnight with the EDGE/GPRS left enabled (but not surfing or using), I downloaded and installed a widget from the Market called APNdroid that allows you to turn on/off the APN access with just 2 clicks instead of digging up the network setup menus. Handy!

[RedCardinal]

Get the lookout app which provides AV, data backup, and a location tool that allows you make your phone "scream".

You can get it to locate your phone (to within about 1km using phone masts) or a couple of meters using GPS.

As for Nexus One - great phone, but as mentioned you want to make sure you have a data plan as it tends to talk to the network a lot.

I've had mine about a week now and it's the best phone I've ever used.

Nexus One unlikely to ever make it officially to Thailand, but desire should appear shortly.

[niller74]

I have a friend going to Singapore this weekend to buy one. Is there anything to watch out for, besides getting an unlocked version? Network compatibility?

[NanLaew]

^ What will your friend be buying in Singapore and how much will you be paying? As far as I know, they are still only available online via Google in the US and can't be purchased online if your IP address isn't in the US... and can only be delivered in the US.

As soon as I work out a Thai language interface, the wife says she's taking mine!

[tominbkk]

...I discovered that there is no Thai keyboard, and incoming SMSes do not render properly....

Strange, I use AIS with my Iphone and the Thai messages come in perfectly. I can't write Thai on my phone, but there is an app or two I could download if I wanted or ever needed to.

[RedCardinal]

^ What will your friend be buying in Singapore and how much will you be paying? As far as I know, they are still only available online via Google in the US and can't be purchased online if your IP address isn't in the US... and can only be delivered in the US.

Available in US, UK, HK, and SG intially, but AFAIK it is shipped from US for all purchases right now. The store page is using IP detection to block purchases from outside those countries.

There's nothing to watch out for currently - there's only one version of the N1 available, but apart from lack of 3g it should work fine in LOS. Don't think it will work with True 3g as the N1 doesn't support that band (also AFAIK). Mine came with US charger, but you can either use the USB lead (included) or buy a HTC micro-USB charger locally.

[aegdawson]

DTAC Thailand

APN: www.dtac.co.th

MMSC: http://mms.dtac.co.th:8002

MMS Proxy: 203.155.200.133

MMS Port: 9201

Here is a more complete one for DTAC which works for me.