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Mon, 29 Sep 2008 First Look: T-Mobile G1 (Google Android phone)

It's Google vs. Apple as we take a look at the Web giant's first phone

PC World Staff PC World

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1. Sizing up the G1
T-Mobile this week unveiled the first phone to use the open-source Android operating system developed by Google and its partners. The G1, based on HTC's Dream handset, will be available in the United States starting October 22. The G1 will be available in the UK at some point in November.

The T-Mobile G1 design is similar to that of the iPhone, but some differences distinguish the two. The G1 is bulkier than the iPhone, nearly 30 percent thicker, and almost 20 percent heavier. Nevertheless, it's a bit narrower than the iPhone and comes with a 320-by-480 touch screen. Below the screen, the bottom juts out slightly, with five buttons and a small BlackBerry-like trackball to aid screen navigation.

2. G1 does Google contacts
The T-Mobile G1 has a visual contact list that grabs contacts associated with your Gmail and Google Talk accounts and Google Calendar. As on the iPhone, you can flick through your contacts by moving the list up or down. The G1 also uses an "online presence" feature to let you know which contacts are available for a Google Chat or Talk session.

3. The G1 camera is better than the iPhone's
On the back of the G1 is a 3.2-megapixel still camera (no video support); it's a touch higher in quality than the iPhone's 2-megapixel camera. The improved resolution will translate into slightly better pictures that will be larger in file size. That could be bad news if you aren't on T-Mobile's unlimited data plan and you like to send pics from your phone. Having said that, the G1 still lacks a built-in flash and the quality of the lens is unlikely to be significantly better than the one featured on the iPhone.

4. It's hardwired for Google
Google has its fingerprints all over the G1. Besides coming preloaded with Google Gmail, the handset offers a one-touch search button on the pull-out keyboard that takes you straight to a Google search box. The phone also has a Google search box embedded into its desktop by default.

5. The Web browser lacks multi-touch
The G1's Web browser is based on the same open-source technology (WebKit) as the iPhone's browser. The big difference when using the G1's browser is that you can't employ finger gestures (such as pinching and double-tap for zooming) for page navigation. To zoom in to a portion of a page with the G1, you drag your finger across the screen. Once you do that, a virtual lens allows you to focus on parts of the Web page. You can also choose to view the entire page by zooming completely out.

6. The desktop is customisable
The G1's desktop may appear similar to the iPhone's, but the G1 desktop is completely customizable. It comes with four standard application icons and a clock widget. You can move the app icons around by holding one down with your finger and dragging it. By flicking to the left or right, you open up other desktops that you can customize just as easily with shortcuts to your favourite applications.

7. A Keyboard, and a black-&-white choice
The G1 has a physical keyboard that reveals itself after you slide open the screen. The keys are flat, requiring you to reach your right thumb around the bottom portion of the G1's body to press keys. People who don't care for the iPhone's virtual keyboard should appreciate this physical QWERTY keyboard.

T-Mobile is following Apple's lead and keeping colour choice for consumers simple. You'll be able to choose a black or white G1 when the models go on sale October 22 for $179 with a two-year contract. You'll have to rely on cell phone skins to liven up your device. No word yet on UK pricing.

8. Shortcuts on the desktop
T-Mobile's G1 allows for much more customization of the desktop than competitors do. On the G1 you can put application shortcut icons on the desktop along with shortcuts to a clock, a music playlist, a Web page, or a folder full of documents.

9. Google's tentacles extend deep into the phone
Google's tentacles extend beyond the G1's access to fast Google searches. Just as the iPhone is optimised for iTunes, the G1 is optimized for Google. Google has customized its services for the G1, going so far as embedding shortcuts for the Google home page, Gmail, Calendar, Reader, and other Google properties directly onto the phone's desktop.

10. It aims to make you "appy"
The ability to add third-party applications to the G1 from the Android Marketplace is one of the most appealing aspects of the phone (as it is with the iPhone). The application pictured in this slide is a special version of Google Street View for Android. With it you can view a snapshot of an entire street scene from any of several U.S. cities on your G1. When you move your phone, the Street View scene moves with you. Other Android apps, such as one called Locale, use GPS technology to switch your G1's ringer to vibrate in a movie theater. Another app, BioWallet, turns the G1's camera into an iris scanner to help you lock down any sensitive information you might put on the phone.

11. The accelerometer isn't fully implemented
Just like the iPhone, the G1 has an accelerometer that detects the phone's movement and changes the display accordingly when you're using apps such as Street View. Curiously, the G1 does not rotate the display from portrait to landscape when you're viewing Web pages or the desktop. You have to flip out the keyboard to get the screen to switch into landscape mode.

12. It's short on built-in video support
The G1 does not natively support video playback; you'll have to download a third-party video player from the Android Marketplace. And as mentioned before, the G1 will not capture video with its camera.

13. There's a virtual drawer system
Besides the applications that you can launch directly from your desktop, the bulk of your apps reside in a "virtual drawer" that you slide open via a swipe of your finger. Either flick it open with your finger or tap the bottom tab, and it expands to reveal your programs.

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Comments received


Stephen North said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

It looks pretty ugly? Is this a good thing when playing catch up?

Tony said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

It can be installed on many types of phones - not locked in and I bet you can change the battery!!

Mark Wastling said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

Twitch, murmur, drool...

Greendave said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

It is not designed to sync with my music library, my photos or my video/tv progs. I can't plug my headphones into it. The web browser doesn't support multi-touch zoom making it close to unusable like most others.

It had better have an amazing phone because it doesn't seem to do much else particularly well.

Jenny said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

Anything is better than my iPhone 3g. Total xxxx.

Ynda said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

Hi Jenny: your iPhone is xxxx? How? Why? My iPhone 3G is the best gadget I've ever bought: sync with music, email, photos, calendars. The timer and alarm have become one of my new favorites. The games and the podcasts mean that boredom has been banished. It's the best investment I've ever made!

Ben McBanky said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

It's reeeeealy fugly! Did they get the buttons from a bunch of recycled '80's mobiles? It looks like they went for subtle minimalistic but missed by a million miles. The kids won't want to be seen with one, which is all that matters these days.

Dragonfly said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

It's not about what the phone can do, it's also about how easily it can be done on the move. I'm sure if Apple wanted to they could come up with something with full size roll out keyboard etc.... but that's not what you want on a phone. Something as simple as using shift on one of these phones looks as though it involves 2 fingers. and they have to make a different model for different countries. Qwertz keyboards for Germany for example. It's ugly when closed and even uglier when open, the interface doesn't look as easy as the iPhone.

It isn't until you see the competition's attempts after having the benefit of seeing the iPhone to realise how far ahead the iPhone actually was and still is. Apple's guess of 5 years last year is probably about right.

Jason said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

I ordered mine already. I've even looked over the user manual and quick start guide.
Unlike the iphone, there's more than one way to do something on the G1.
You just can't beat a real, physical keyboard. Just ask apple, they added text correction because their onscreen keyboard is so poorly designed they needed that band-aid to make it worthwhile.

I don't see why people say it's ugly, or why that matters. Is that all mac-heads care about, impressing other people? What a bunch of scenesters.

Victor said on Mon, 29 Sep 2008

Dragonfly, why the hell would you need a different keyboard for Germany... The alphabet is the same everywhere...

IMHO, it has huge potential but that thing is quite ugly compared to the iPhone

Ross said on Tue, 30 Sep 2008

Victor - you need to get out more.
Germany (and many other countries) have an extra couple characters that are on their keyboards.

Lenny said on Tue, 30 Sep 2008

I have to agree with Jenny,
I'm changing my iphone soon. I thought it was the best technology then the malfuntions came and to say the least AT&T has not been helpful. I want out!

KenC said on Tue, 30 Sep 2008

There's no way to know whether a 3.2MP camera is any better than a 2MP one, until we look at the images. More megapixels is no guarantee of better images. It's like the megahertz myth.

richy said on Tue, 30 Sep 2008

did i miss this? how do you get your songs onto it? and itunes playlists?

Revels said on Tue, 30 Sep 2008

@ KenC Well it's one way that you can make a camera better. It's not the be all and end all but a bigger MP results in bigger images with more pixels and better definition. Of course, without a decent lens or flash or image stabilisation etc the images will still be pretty poor. Probably marginally better than the iPhone but not enough to care about.

daniel said on Tue, 30 Sep 2008

apple will always come up with many more great products and new designs this is just the beginning for the iphone..so bring on the competition lets see what apple will create next

ZABAMAN said on Tue, 30 Sep 2008

The second word is off. iphone is the ultimate piece of kit, why bother with inferior products, unless of course your skint, then save up boy.

Curtis said on Tue, 30 Sep 2008

They G1 lacks style. It looks like a updated sidekick. To me a flip screen is so high school. The phone is already bulky and when it flips it even bulkier. What is the point of having a touch screen and a keyboard. If you can't use the keyboard on the touch screen how are you going to use the internet and other things you have to select on it.

MANDO1 said on Wed, 01 Oct 2008

I HAVE THE IPHONE 3G ITS A GREAT PHONE BUT AT&T AS A PROVIDER SUX IN MY AREA AND I LIVE IN LAS VEGAS ITS A MAJOR CITY THE G1 HAS A MAJOR APEAL COMMING OUT ON TMOBILE AND ALL THE LITTLE SKWEEKS IT HAS THE IPHONE HAD TOO WHEN IT CAME OUT TILL PEOPLE STARTED UNLOCKING THEM AND FIXING IT WITH THIRD PARTY APP. SO WHY NOT GET A GREAT PROVIDER AND A APP. STORE THATS ACTUALY RUN BY US NOT APPLE I HAVE MY IPHONE UNLOCKED WITH ALL THE NEW SOFTWARE AND I HAVE ALL THE UPGRADES VIDEO BACKGROUNDS ON MY HOME SCREEN VOLUME BOOST SO APP. STORE ON THE G1 MEANS MUCH MORE POTENTIOL

Unclesam said on Wed, 01 Oct 2008

Retro, old fashioned, ugly, bitty, looks cumbersome, over complicated keyboard etc etc. I'm surprised at Google and it just goes to show why Apple are making money. How can one company be so many light years ahead of the game - I know- it's because they are lead by designers and visionaries, not just people who can code.

Cristiano said on Wed, 01 Oct 2008

This device is very unattractive! My iPhone is still the best handheld on the market.

Adstero said on Wed, 01 Oct 2008

It lacks multi-touch, I looks ugly, It has a keyboard (what's the point when you have a touch screen???) and it LACKS VIDEO SUPPORT. Oh my God. Any music player does video nowadays, let alone smart phones. It's made worse by the fact that it doesn't have anything the iPhone doesn't have. These things are talked about being "iPod killers" and "iPhone killers", but they simply can't hope to compete. Even if the iPhone was rubbish, it's the way that it syncs seamlessly with movies, music photos etc that is so amazing.

James said on Thu, 02 Oct 2008

wow, those apple fan boys really have something to say when they're being threatened. is 2 finger zoom that important? you guys say that like its a hit and miss for the phone. grow up you guys, and recognize the truth in what is better and what isn't

I'm not picking sides (well, i am, but i didnt say anything bad or good) its just that you guys are really getting defensive over nothing. TYPICAL APPLE PEOPLE.

NyC said on Thu, 02 Oct 2008

I think the G1 is gonna be a good phone. And you can download a third party app for video playback. And the headphones jack thing does suck a bit but I guess they're tryin to make more need for bluetooth headphones. Plus the Android apps seem pretty interesting.

Ascylto said on Wed, 08 Oct 2008

James ... in my use, the two finger zoom is really useful. I don't particularly like the styling of the G1, preferring the iPhone. Having used the iPhone keypad and trusting the auto-correct I am happy with it. It's good to see some competition, though as there are some glaring omissions on the iPhone (cut & paste and video) but these will come along in time. This is Apple's first phone and, for a first phone it's absolutely brilliant.

As for your comments about growing up, James ... you haven't even tried the G1 yet so how do you know what is better? I don't!

g_zero said on Fri, 10 Oct 2008

I just ordered my G1 and I can't wait to get it!!! I'm satisfied with T-Mobile's Coverage in my area and that's one of the reason's why I don't want to switch to AT&T just to have the iphone! There's no sense having a phone where the coverage is bad. My cousin has an iphone and I think it's a great device. But it just isn't my style. SO BOTTOM LINE... If you don't like either or then stick to what you like... nobody ever said you had to switch over!

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