HTC's Dream a super skinny QWERTY bananaphone?

Yesterday we got the height and width, today it's the full wireframe model with scale measurements. While we can't confirm the authenticity, several details including that arcing base certainly dovetail nicely with the images found in the original FCC filing. It's also a near-perfect match to that early reference design seen kicking around the Googleplex courtesy of Andy Rubin. While not obvious before, we can clearly see that the arc belongs to the handset's rigid, non-sliding "chin" with lots of logos from HTC, T-Mobile, and Google fighting for visibility.

Notably, the right-most image contains measurements which can be applied to the rest of scale model as well. This confirms the 115 x 55-mm height and width shown by the FCC yesterday as well as a new, approximate, 16.35-mm depth after applying the calipers. That would make it fatter (as expected) than the 12.3-mm iPhone but skinnier (and a hair wider) than the 18.1-mm HTC Touch Pro and 17-mm Xperia X1. Not bad. Now let's get to it boys, else there won't be much left to announce in September.

[Via Android Community]

[Zorque @ Aug 26th 2008 2:20AM]

If I ever get one, I'll be sure to call for pizza, call my cat, and call the White House to have a chat.

[brickwood @ Aug 26th 2008 2:27AM]

ya-nana-phone

[dBs @ Aug 26th 2008 2:24AM]

That's probably what took so long, logo placement!

[joshky @ Aug 26th 2008 12:39PM]

well im glad they got that right, google deserves the big backside. hey if its ever gonna defeat apple everyone needs to know andriod as a entity, not as seperate companies who uses similar interfaces

[Rex @ Aug 26th 2008 2:29AM]

I like the orthographics.

[Bean989 @ Aug 26th 2008 1:08PM]

what the hell purpose could that curve have?!?!
hope they flatten that shit out

[Kao @ Aug 26th 2008 5:35PM]

Im guessing the akwardness of typing on it, theres been alot of talk bout how the non-moving chin would make it uncomfortable to type on so I'm guessing thats the reason its kind of bent so you can get your hand and thumb in a better position.

I don't know if it will work, but theres only one way to find out.

[Allister @ Aug 26th 2008 2:29AM]

I sure hope the finished unit looks more refined than in those videos...

Which I would presume it will, being that they are only 'reference designs' in the videos. (Right? Right?)

[thequinox @ Aug 26th 2008 3:02AM]

I hope so, I didn't much like the design he was showing off. That being said, I don't really like what HTC is doing with their current handhelds. While the HTC Touch Pro is probably the nicest phone I have ever seen, I think it would have been a lot better if they cut off the bulky bottom and put a bigger screen on. I mean they seem to really like bulky bottoms for the buttons.

[Paul @ Aug 26th 2008 2:32AM]

If the rumors are true about the $150 existing-customer price in the week before launch I'm so there.

I'd take Android over Apple any day.

[cayton @ Aug 26th 2008 7:35AM]

No joke! That Phone would be mine! I really like the way it looks, especially the 'nana phone angle at the bottom.

[maxzlol @ Aug 26th 2008 2:37AM]

Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, banana phone!
Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, banana phone!
It grows in bunches, I've got my hunches,
it's the best, beats the rest, cellular, modular, interactive-odular

[AshR @ Aug 26th 2008 3:18AM]

hahahahhahaha I love that song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ4j-MBnLQo

:) for all you uneducated about the banana phone.

[AshR @ Aug 26th 2008 3:24AM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ4j-MBnLQo

for all the uneducated :)

love bananaphone :)

[kyle allen @ Aug 26th 2008 2:49AM]

when engadget posts become relivent

[=glu @ Aug 26th 2008 3:04AM]

It appears to as well designed (taking taper cues from Apple) and feature packed (qwerty, touch, dedicated keys) as one could have hoped. Has HTC been stockpiling all its best tricks for the Android debut?

[)law( @ Aug 26th 2008 3:26AM]

it's just me or is htc been kicking ass lately ;-)

[Johan S @ Aug 26th 2008 3:41AM]

Too bad for me the resolution is going to suck (require VGA or better .. ideally WVGA and higher).. so I guess I'm still waiting on the Xperia X1.

[mphayvanh @ Aug 26th 2008 4:17AM]

How are you getting screen resolutions from those dimensions?! If anything, the size and screen pictured may suggest it's 3.5 and it would be nonsense to gimp on a large display like that.

For me, it's this or the Pro. Xperia is out due to odd (but nice) pixel dimension and poor keyboard. The panel interface is old already (Dynamo rehash). The keyboard on the Dream looks like it'll be harder to type on due to the "chin" area and your thumb may need to stretch further to touch the keys. I'll wait....

[mphayvanh @ Aug 26th 2008 3:14PM]

Correction: Updated (leaked) specs from http://androidguys.com/2008/08/26/more-g1-specs-than-you-can-shake-a-stick-at/

You may be right with the screen resolution at 480x320 but the screen is 3.17-inch. If this is true, then it's a waste of a big screen. Not that resolution is everything but you're use to VGA---everything else is pale. Sorry Johan, I'm with you on this one!

[Ronald @ Aug 26th 2008 3:44AM]

LMAO, funnies song i ever heard. I am so putting this as my ringtone now

[linuxamp @ Aug 26th 2008 4:36AM]

Interesting, the right image has what appears to be the screen slider rail only it's not straight but semi-circular. I guess the screen will slide out in a ( parentheses movement.

[nxtiak @ Aug 26th 2008 4:52AM]

Wow the curved bottom is gonna be really weird. It's gonna be weird in the pants.
Guess you gotta put it in so it curves into your leg so it digs into your leg, otherwise you'd have a bulge sticking out of your leg.

[BerNasty @ Aug 26th 2008 9:48AM]

Isnt the bulge what makes it even more awesome? "Are you happy to see me or is that a Dream in your pants?"

[Chris @ Aug 26th 2008 11:26PM]

"both."

[David @ Aug 26th 2008 5:16AM]

Is anyone else concerned how if the bottom of the phone doesn't move that it might not be comfortable for the right hand when typing on the keyboard? Has anyone been able to test the ergonomics of this design?

[dennis @ Aug 26th 2008 6:28AM]

I see what you're talking about, but I think the bottom of the phone that would be sticking out from the right side of the keyboard is narrow enough to not make a difference. Most people's hands are big enough to hold the sides and have enough clearance to use the keyboard, from what I can tell.

[TareX @ Aug 26th 2008 6:25AM]

Hmmm so this is the final look?

I don't like the banana chin. No way around that. It makes the phone less proportionate and less elegant.
I'm concerned about the lack of a tilting screen (so far).

The decreased thickness was expected, and is good to confirm.

But I'm really disappointed, as I wanted an Android phone that looked as elegant as the iPhone and the Diamond. And both were FLAT, with no bulging disproportionate body parts.

[TareX @ Aug 26th 2008 6:56AM]

http://www.tmoworld.com/2008/08/overhead-view-of-dream.html

Based on everything this is how the Final product will look.

[Crazylink @ Aug 26th 2008 7:05AM]

Is that a banana phone in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?

[Rogue_Genius @ Aug 26th 2008 9:51AM]

No, I'm not happy to see you. It's the phone.

[mattworldwide @ Aug 26th 2008 7:15AM]

I stopped at T Mobile store the other day and asked about the Dream and the $150 price point for current T mobile customers. The employee said that price is only if your contract is almost up. Is this true? Anyone know for sure? Thanks

[Beastage @ Aug 26th 2008 7:33AM]

to be honest I think anyone who will buy android phone straight ahead is taking a big risk and should handle it carefully without storing any important info on it.

[robotlove @ Aug 26th 2008 8:35AM]

That's unfortuante news for most in contracts beastage, I just skimmed over this in my readings today:
http://androidcommunity.com/t-mobile-g1-preorder-details-leak-htc-dream-launch-october-13th-20080821/

"Only postpaid customers will be eligible to preorder; FlexPay, Prepaid or T-Mobile employees will have to wait for the Dream to go to general availability. Existing customers must be at least 22 months into a 2-year contract, or 11 months into a 1-year contract, in order to upgrade. The preorder period will end on October 3rd at 5pm, and buyers will receive their HTC Dream (aka G1) on October 13th."

...However would could call in to question the accuracy of this site, they did misprint the date of pre-sale release as October 17th, as opposed to Sept. 17th

[jon @ Aug 26th 2008 7:37AM]

It's all about the chin!!

This is a mobile first, and a web browser second (or the other way round) - turn the device 90 degrees, tilted roller ball - fits nicely on the thumb and you're off - no dirty marks on the screen - see blog post - http://bit.ly/W6rTX

PS great for gaming?

PPS the logo on the back - let me suggest Google pay HTC $50 a handset for the PR - direct subsidy to get the google phone in the market cheap.

[tallgrave @ Aug 26th 2008 7:39AM]

Rival of iPhone appeared at length www !

[TareX @ Aug 26th 2008 7:46AM]

If Andy Rubin was so dying for a chin, why didn't he make it with an elegant curve, instead of an angular chin? It was so easy and would have made the phone a lot more attractive, while maintaining the function of the chin, whatever that is.

[cayton @ Aug 26th 2008 8:51AM]

I think a sharper angle looks much better that a rounded edge. For the same reason, I liked the look of the first iPhone over the 3G model.


So is this a T-Mobile exclusive, or do other providers get any love (ATT for me). Can anyone enlighten me?

[TareX @ Aug 26th 2008 10:33AM]

I see what you mean, but unlike the iPhone 3G, this phone would have had a straight back, but the transition to the chin would have been with a curve instead of an angle.

It would have been stable, without any wiggling, yet still elegant AND with an end looking upwards like the designers wanted.

[Biggy Smalls @ Aug 26th 2008 9:12AM]

This reminds me of the Imate 9502 but less bulky. Hope it has a xenon flash so I don't need a compact camera anymore.

[TareX @ Aug 26th 2008 10:12AM]

No xenon flash. It's a phone geared for mobile internet. I'm sure down the line there will be a 8-megapixal omnilens camera phone running Android.

[AlexNC @ Aug 26th 2008 10:24AM]

This is the phone I have been waiting for. It will basically have all the functionality of an iPhone, but with a physical QWERTY keyboard. Let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope that Tmobile keeps the phone open source. If so, I can see sales skyrocket.

[HalfJoey @ Aug 26th 2008 12:17PM]

I want this to be my next phone, which would involve me switching carriers.

I'm not a big can of that "chin" I wish they would have shrunk that part.

[AlexL @ Aug 26th 2008 1:38PM]

If this is the final version, it's not nearly as elegant or stylish as I'd hoped. Certainly not at the same level as the Touch Diamond or Touch Pro. Oh well, if Android is as good as I hope it is, I can probably ignore any shortcomings of the hardware and just enjoy the software.

I really hope Google gets media on Android right. A lot of people come to the iPhone from iPods and enjoy it because of the iPhone's media capabilities. Android will have to match those capabilities to be a viable alternative.

[Jon Doe. @ Aug 26th 2008 2:54PM]

Sold. I'm going to preorder that thing as soon as I can. Screw the damn iHype. This thing is going to end up being 100x more useful. The only concern I have is that there have been suggestions that the T Mob version will ship without GPS. While not a deal killer for me, I would have to soap the closest T Mobile store's windows with "No GPS on Dream? WTF T Mobile?"

[eric N. @ Aug 26th 2008 4:32PM]

Hey found a piece of information overlooked here!
It is in fact going to have a memory card.
i found it inside the FCC documents for the SAR report 2
:)

[Josh @ Aug 27th 2008 2:38AM]

I just thought I'd mention something interesting that I noticed. Check out the pic of the back with the slider portion out. Instead of it sliding out straight, it slides out in sort of a half-moon motion. That's kinda different.

[nikescar @ Aug 28th 2008 4:36PM]

That "half-moon" is just a simple way to give each slide (up and down) that snap that holds it in each position. I'll gladly draw a sketch if it needs more explanation.

[John @ Aug 27th 2008 11:56AM]

I think I found a video with the device.

Isn't this it?

http://www.markpascua.com/2008/02/28/googles-android-os-demo-plays-quake/

[nikescar @ Aug 28th 2008 4:36PM]

Some HTC Dream renders

http://picasaweb.google.com/nikescar1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYEQ-5DUzOM

My first project using Inventor. It should be pretty dead on.