HTC's Android-driven Dream revealed in glorious spy photos
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted August 30th 2008 12:25PM
posted August 30th 2008 12:25PM
[Thanks, Michael]
posted August 30th 2008 12:25PM
HTC Dream
Google Android 4.0
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No arrow keys???
If Google wants to promote Android and make it a commonly used mobile phone OS, then they should start shipping it with good devices. This one is seriously a nightmare.
Wow this is a very poor keyboard design. They really should have put the standard QWERTY that they have on the HTC phones, with the nice large square keys and they are all connected. I think this would be a real pain to learn to type on.
No way! The sidekick keyboard is without a doubt the best mobile keyboard for typing... I hope this is the exact replica it looks to be.
This phone suffers from a severe case of mingingitis.
Is the power balance of a portable market changed into android?
The first impression of the service that starts newly is paid to attention.
Pardon?
Something tells me this isnt what we're going to pick up at pink in a few months. The fit in finish is several steps backwards for htc. Plus all the buttons look dated. IM hoping this just a knock-off.
I have to agree with the others who've been saying the same thing already... that "chin" would really interfere with your typing, wouldn't it? Or at least make it less comfortable.
The high fat "chins" on the sidekick are no problem with the keyboard... typing on that thing is the best on a mobile so far. Only worry with this design is that there is only one "chin" versus two... may be an issue, maybe not.
jw but is this fon touch?
Next device should be called "electric sheep".
if the bottom is curved, the reach of the right thumb will be farther than if it is straight...only makes sense. it should be fine.
Pleeze..................how 'bout the andromeda strain brick. I'm waiting for Sprint to release the Borg Assimilator, it will come in black and red and be able to mimic the traits of all phones, pda's and the like.
And HTC actually admitted that they make those? OMG. Ugly with probably not very comfy keyboard.
Still hoping for Android rom for Touch Pro.
LOL, all us girls know white makes you look fat. The renders posted in colors look sweet.
Has anyone considered:
1) This phone (similar to iphone) is showcasing what's on the screen, not what's around it.
2) Other phones are very slick, most (not all) with smaller screens showcasing both inside and outside -- nothing wrong with that, either.
3) Keyboard Functionality? I was hoping for no keyboard and some grafitti-like writing...but am an old palm-baby and not scared of a keyboard. For me, using keyboard will be news as I don't thumb-type on small real-estate. I think it's billed as a keyboard and not a keypad for a reason.
4) White, black and brown (seriously!) cited most as first colors. I see many sales of skins for this puppy -- maybe they didn't care so much what it looked like, but more what it would look like with a new dress on.
5) Too big for your pocket -- whatever, it's riding in my bag anyway.
6) I'm looking forward to the insides most of all.
Yeah, and I already stopped by my TMo store and teased them on the release. They were clueless and greedy for info.
Android phones will serve up diversity with time. I like this one. If they rock a purple, it'll slay me, but I think more than likely first adopters will have to front for a skin.
Here are the insides (courtesy of Androidguys.com):
# 528Mhz Qualcomm 7201 processor
# Data kit for USB connectivity in the box
# 128MB Internal RAM
# 256MB Internal ROM
# 1GB MicroSD card
# 5 Row QWERTY keypad
# Trackball
# Dedicated camera button
# 3.1MP camera (no flash) 2048 x 1536
# Video playback files - H.264, streaming, 3GPP, MPEG4, and Codec 3GP
# Dedicated YouTube Player
# Audio playback files - MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, MPEG4, WAV, MIDI, REAL AUDIO, OGG
# Wallpaper supports JPG, BMP, PNG, and GIF
# Speakerphone (mono, natch)
# Ringtones (MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA)
# HTTP, WAP Push, xHTML
# Bluetooth (class 1)
# Picture Caller ID
# SMS and MMS support (Take that Apple!)
# POP, IMAP, and SMTP, AOL, and GMAIL email
# AIM, MSN, YAHOO, and GTALK messaging
# Quad Band (850, 900, 1800, 1900)
# 3G
# aGPS
# 802.11b & 802.11g
# UMTS (1,4), HSDPA, SUPL
# 1150mAh battery
# Screen size is 3.17″ with HVGA (480 x 320)
# Handset 117 x 55 x 16mm
# 5.6 oz weight
# Sync capable with Google Calendar
# Downloadable content via Android Marketplace
# Google Streetview with built-in compass
Looks like a sharp zaurus for me
Rememer Zaurus already can take the Androir OS, so...
I think its ugly. First that color, and second that shape...
And the worst part is that the same company is able to create nice looking devices like those (i like those boxy shapes in black)...
http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/30/htc-wars-touch-pro-touch-diamond-and-s740-go-head-to-head/
Ew, I at least expected something as good looking as an 8525 or Dash when I thought "OMG ANDROID." Combine that Sidekick wannabe with T-Mobile's horrible network and you've got........well, they certainly don't have my money. Here's to buying a Touch Pro on eBay and using it on AT&T (as originally planned...)
Definitely would've been a looker 10 years ago, right about when Google's plain white page was fresh, and right about when Apple hit big with making everything white. There's no reason for that damn chin to be that big, I'm not going to be able to squeeze my right hand in there. They should've made the chin narrower, and the keyboard a little wider, so that when you slide it open for the keyboard *gasp* the buttons on the "chin" actually move up with the screen like *OH EM GEE* EVERY OTHER PHONE HTC HAS EVER MADE.
If memory serves blackberries sold well, now history repeats itself quite often so this can only mean this phone could get quite addictive. Especially when the photos look shocking however I think it could look like a very sexy phone in real life.
not impressed
AT ALL
OMG, that looks hideous to me. I mean look at the buttons on the front....they look like something you would find on a cheap, lead infested toy from China. The touch pro and htc diamond look 10x better
I would call it's aesthetics glorious. You would have to know what Android was about to appreciate it and these photos do it no justice.
OOPS! Meant to say, "I wouldn't call it's aesthetics glorious. You would have to know what Android was about to appreciate it and these photos do it no justice."
I hate to say it, but i think this is their so called dream phone. I was hoping it wasn't but i was going through the FCC filing documents for the phone, and their test report clearly says it's a "Production Unit".
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=986142&native_or_pdf=pdf
Something was left out What Colors Will Be Available??????
I can't believe how many posts knock nothing about the device but its looks. Are you going to sit there staring at your phone or are you going to use it? I have wanted a smartphone with a nice qwerty keyboard AND a nice big touchscreen AND 3G AND WiFi that lets me run 3rd party apps for so long now, and for a while there it seemed like the day was never coming. Just failure after expensive, over-hyped failure from everyone who promised something great... until Android. I'd say this project has unrolled faster than most big plans I see companies outlining, especially when you take into account the fact that most of the planning had to be done out in the open instead of behind closed doors due to the open-source nature.
It's ugly? Come on now... it's packed with features, forgive them if they didn't put quite as much work into making the external design shinier. With the speed of an open-source project that's creating this big of a stir, I'll bet there will be at least three upcoming Android-ready models announced by the time this one actually hits stores. So all you narcissistic sheep can probably relax. Even though patience is a virtue and silly narcissism shouldn't be rewarded, you probably won't be waiting long for something you like to look at in admiration. Too bad, too. It would have been fun to have a phone that outperforms yours all day long just because none of you thought it was pretty enough.
And all that aside, I don't see anything wrong with the way it looks anyway, especially in black. It's got the same big, pretty screen as the iPhone, the wonderful addition of an actual keyboard, and not much else cluttering it up physically. Is it just because it's missing the fake chrome of your precious iPhone? It's not jewelry!
so randomly going home from a show last night, saw a couple who worked for google obviously, and the girl was def using this device.
there was no mistaking the form factor and design, but she didnt slide the keyboard out to 100% confirm it. i shouldve just asked to play with it.
Why does it have to go to crappy T-mo. It shouldn't be that hard to get the phone to work with AT&T though, the only other GSM phone provider that I know of.
No Touch Screen??
This must be the lamest phone I've seen. It looks like a 10th grader designed it and built it in his parent's garage. If this is the version that gets released, I will be very very disappointed.
Every one, suck it up, seriously, if you like to choose phones based on looks than thats your mistake, i for one will choose a phone based on its performance and usability, the things that really matter.
why could you possibly want a keyboard on a cell phone... please give us an on screen keyboard or handwriting recognition.... keyboards are lame on a small device.
For more news about the first gphone and adroid software visit:
http://www.atelier-us.com/mobile-wireless/article/the-first-google-android-phone-t-mobile%E2%80%99s-dream-to-release-september-23
Cannot wait for this release in the UK. But here we pay a a hefty price, probably around $70 per month, with a 18 mth tie in. I think this software will totally change how we use our phones, thats if Google make it truely Open-Source.
Looking for the best new free Android Downloads. Please post here or let me know or email me gareth@googlephone.me.
Thanks
Too many annoying flaws. Maybe the next gen will be worth getting.