T-Mobile’s G1 will be the first mobile phone that Google is producing and will hopefully give Apple’s iPhone a run for their money.
Starting at $179 (with 2-yr contract) or $399 unlocked (contract free), Google with partners with T-Mobile and High Tech Computer (HTC) hopes that their simple design and new operating system (OS) will make customers think twice before buying from Apple. It’ll be the first phone T-Mobile will roll out using their 3G network.
Unveiled on Sept. 24 in New York, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are banking on new users loving their new OS. Called the Android, it looks to take the simplicity of the Google browser and make it functional on the small screen.
One of the biggest things is that the G1, along with other Android phones to come, is the idea of an open platform. There are many applications that come along with the iPhone but not that many for the G1. What Page and Brin will be hoping is that third party personnel will make different apps, which will then be accessed through the Android Market.
This is a risky idea by Google. On one hand, different developers might be able to make killer apps that would enhance the phone. On the other hand, those third parties might recycle past apps and not bring anything new to the phone.
Unlike the iPhone though, you can customize your desktop. Even though the phone will include a Google search bar and display clock, you will be able to click and drag any apps onto your desktop. Basically you can have over 40 apps or only two, it’s up to the user.
The multimedia function looks decent. Accessing music isn’t as simplistic like the iPhone. When listening to a song, with a touch of a button, you can bring up lyrics, get a Google search of the artist or YouTube the song over 3G. You’ll be able to access the Amazon MP3 store if wanting to buy any favorite song. A drawback to this is it won’t be downloaded over the 3G network, which makes buying seem pointless.
Other than the YouTube application, there is no video player on the phone. It can be downloaded for free through the Android Market but for a phone of this caliber, it should already have one in place. There is no talk of whether podcasts will be available yet.
Both the G1 and iPhone have the Google Maps function. Unlike the iPhone, G1 has the street view option, where you can pick your destination and it’ll literally give you a 360 look at that particular destination, similar to using your computer.
The touch screen is 3.17″, a little smaller compared to the iPhone’s 3.5″. Unlike the iPhone, G1 will have a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. It will also include a tracking ball, similar to that of a Blackberry. There’s a camera with 3.1 megapixels but no video recorder.
Installed with a 256MB memory, it also comes with a 1GB microSD card. The iPhone has a built-in 8GB worth of storage but there are 8GB microSD cards out there. The phone might also support microSDHC, which can hold about 32 GB worth of capacity for now.
Using the 3G, there is 350 minutes worth of talk time minutes and 402 hours of phone standby. These numbers don’t take into account when one is using apps on the G1.
This is a guinea pig of a device. Looking to be the anti-Apple, Google believes G1 can be the start of something better for the Android OS. Maybe this will be the start of a competition against Apple.
The G1 is available for pre-order for existing T-Mobile customers through their website at http://www.t-mobileg1.com. Phones will hit the T-Mobile stores on Oct. 22.