Meet the T-Mobile G1

Uh, c'mon guys -- this is a little ridiculous. Now typically, you want to keep this sort of thing under wraps until the day of your event, but it seems like the cats and kittens at T-Mobile can't contain themselves. Yes, you're looking at the first official product shot of the G1 Android phone ever. Enjoy it.

Update: TmoNews has just uncovered new specs and info on the phone. Here's what they've got so far: the phone is 4.6 x 2.16 x 0.63 inches, weighs 5.6 ounces, features a 480 x 320 HVGA display, sports 3G (obviously), GPS, has a 3.1-megapixel camera, supports up to 8GB of memory (though no format is mentioned), and will feature 5 hours of talktime with 130 hours of standby. Strangely, the phone won't do video capture (what?), won't have stereo Bluetooth, will require a Gmail account, and won't be sold at stores outside of a 2-5 mile radius of T-Mobile's 3G coverage areas. That last bit sounds a little odd to us, but we're guessing a lot of the functionality of this device will be shot in non-3G regions.

Gallery: Meet the T-Mobile G1

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[Thanks, Luis; Via, TmoNews]

[RC @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:49PM]

Bleh.

[redringofdeath @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:18AM]

I'll wait until everything comes out in the wash tomorrow before casting final judgment. Still, I kind of agree right now. Everything I've seen on this phone so far has left me underwhelmed. Compare the pics on TmoNews to some of the Touch Pro. Both the hardware and the Android UI look cheap and poorly designed compared to the Pro and TouchFlo 3D.

Right now my only real hope for this phone is that Android will be vastly superior to WinMo. Of course that doesn't help this phone more than anything else that'll run Android. And I'm not sure how much better an open source OS will be anyway. As we've seen from the Sprint version of the Touch Pro, WinMo isn't much of a handicap if you've got a solid rom, custom UI, and plenty of processing power. I
also think Google is overrated and a lot of the hype for this phone is due to that. Most of their products really haven't been that great. They're all solid, but what besides their search engine has really been an incredible success? Gmail is great, so is Maps, but neither really blows away the competition. So why does everyone think Android will revolutionize the way we use phones? Most of the touted advantages aren't actually unique to Android.

Also, no stereo bluetooth? Pathetic.

[loosely_coupled @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:31AM]

@redringofdeath

You've got to be kidding me. "Touchflo"? That's just a slick-looking graphics layer on top of same-old windows mobile. It doesn't actually improve the usability and intuitiveness of the interface or the applications. Even basic tasks on Windows Mobile like Emailing, Texting, Web Browsing, Media playing are a total joke compared to decent software like the iPhone or Android. Android will no doubt have some rough edges for the first few revisions, but I can guarantee that it will be much better than WinMo even out of the gate.

The real problem with this is that TMobile hardly even has a 3G network! Is it even up and running ANYWHERE in the country? and What cities will have 3G for the launch? For all the bitching, moaning, and even ridiculous lawsuits regarding AT&T's 3G coverage with the iPhone, I can only imagine what people will think with this!

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:09AM]

"It doesn't actually improve the usability and intuitiveness of the interface or the applications."

...isn't that... exactly what it does?

[bjsguess @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:15AM]

I'm guessing you have never used Touchflo. The UI sits on top of the WinMo UI. It makes accessing all the functions finger friendly. If you don't like Touchflo there are plenty of other options out there. Right now I run mine with SPB Shell. Works like a dream. I can email, text, and perform any other common feature without ever having to use the WinMo interface.

As for web browsing I'll take Skyfire or Opera 9.5 over Safari any day.

[Dakota (.Mac) @ Sep 23rd 2008 6:14AM]

@redringofdeath

Stereo Bluetooth wasn't added due to the developers, which made a reasonable decision. They couldn't write the code for A2DP in time, so they didn't release their half-finished code.

"The Android Bluetooth API was pretty far along, but needs some clean-up before we can commit to it for the SDK. Keep in mind that putting it in the 1.0 SDK would have locked us into that API for years to come."

Google Talk wasn't included because it needed to be fixed up for security concerns.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2328885,00.asp?kc=PCRSS03069TX1K0001121

[SPOKE @ Sep 23rd 2008 6:55AM]

bjsguess @

So basically its like you are using windows 3.11 on top of DOS? Makes plenty of sense. The software is bloated as it it, and you have compounded it to make is usable. Congrats!

[shaundennis @ Oct 17th 2008 5:16AM]

With regards to having no video capture software or Bluetooth etc, HTC, T-mobile and Google have done this deliberately. The hardware is there but this is an open source OS it is simply awaiting some clever soul to create an app for free download on the android marketplace!!! I had some training on the device last night and my god i love it.

[Lucas @ Oct 22nd 2008 8:59PM]

Hummm, the design? It looks like a cheap Chinese copy of the iPhone with something weirdly attached to the bottom, like a microphone for the iPod classic dock.

The main difference is on the operational system. I wonder what this cellphone is gonna have in 3 months being Android an open-source OS.

I just think that Google should try to impress a little more on their debut. It shows how powerful the company is though. 1,5 million sold in a pre-sale is quite impressive. If Google did the Woot's box of crap they would solve our economy problems ;)

Can I put here a link for my website about G1 Accessories?

[mario @ Nov 10th 2008 12:29PM]

honestly i wait so long for this phone and now that i got it, im returning it. why? u cant receive hotmail emails unless u pay the premium hotmail and u can get emails from microsoft exchange, what is really importand for me.. plus the battery life mmm bad, really bad for me, size and weight, better not talk about it, plus the google map street view doesnt work as is supposed to, the scanner, when u scan something it tells u something totally diferent, can keep talking about it all day. honestly im really dissapointed

[boss @ Nov 23rd 2008 7:58PM]

i really think this phone should have been thought out more......compared to my t- wing this phone does nothing.....for example.....3mp camera is great....but u cant brighten,zoom,or anything like that....also when someone sends u a pic in a text message...u cant save the contect of pic.."what if i wanted to save that pic to a contact?...i cant.....its also impossible to jus acces all files on mem card....the phone doesnt have a video playback,nor does it have record.....i really dont think the developers took enough time to notice what the people relly wanted.....also there isnt any separate in-out...saved-sent...or deleted files for text messaging.....this phone was really disigned for just the web use only.....and on that note.....im really disappointed...i purchased phone with no knowledge that 3g wasnt in my area...and dont know when it will be.....also the keys on keyboard are little and slippery.....shouldve used rubber keys.....also the 4 front keys couldve been raised as well as rubber.......the phone is sleek... screen is nice....but over all not people friendly........also why is it that when u want to add pic to wallpaper u can only get a small landscape view which cuts the whole pic in question off....so u cant have the whole pic as wallpaper..that sucks.......i really hope all these things can be improved.......if u have any info. or any apps that will help me with these issues....please contact me at [e-mail]...thanx

[boss @ Nov 23rd 2008 8:05PM]

i ve actually found that the G1 does do video play back.....u have to download "SUPER" to your pc....then encode all vids u wanna watch into mp4 then save to a location on your pc ...then save from there to your sd mem card....then they will play.....i like it...vids come out crisp and sound is great!

[bbrim @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:49PM]

even closer...

[billy bob thorton @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:45PM]

http://announcement.t-mobileg1.com/g1_images/google_g1_phone_group.jpg
http://announcement.t-mobileg1.com/g1_images/google_g1_phone_maps.jpg
http://announcement.t-mobileg1.com/g1_images/google_g1_phone_desktop.jpg

[billy bob thorton @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:19AM]

stream url: cp50008.live.edgefcs.net
stream name: g1_primary@918
http://tpn.edgeboss.net/flash/tpn/g1press/tmobile_globe.flv

doesn't appear to be live yet on the akamai servers yet

[Knives_Out @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:47AM]

I'm waiting in line tomorrow morning. Who's going to bring me food?

[Windzilla @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:04AM]

Is that a pointing stick below your screen or are you just happy to see me?

[Todd @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:49PM]

Nice URL hack!

[Backlin @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:51PM]

How is img src a hack?

But it's looking kind of "meh" for me.

[Wes Steele @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:50PM]

Trackball? Ugly buttons? I'll still buy it.

[Ben @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:50PM]

Nicer in black than white!

But gee agreed why couldnt they just wait untill tomorrow?

[T.J. @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:19PM]

Dude, if you're buying a hooker, at least keep your standards a little higher than that...

[Mehul @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:50PM]

Android platform looked good but this is just terrible hardware. Its big, bulky and ugly in my opnion.

[Diego @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:18AM]

It looks like the G1 has an "outtie".

[Mic2000 @ Sep 23rd 2008 5:57AM]

It looks like it has an Add-On attached, just like the Wii-mote Plus

[holycow @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:50PM]

Too bad its not coming to Canada anytime soon :(

[wako @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:12PM]

with Android being open source, who cares if the G1 is coming to Canada or not. Just find another HTC phone and install it :P

[holycow @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:22PM]

Well yea you're right... still I'm gonna wait for the Touch Pro or Touch HD!

[Scott @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:51PM]

i liked it in white.

[Jon Nelson @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:05AM]

You may have been the only one.

Was it lonely?

[Lucas @ Dec 3rd 2008 12:06AM]

The white is better because you can snap on whatever cover color you want and it will look pretty like these ones:

http://coolors.com/cool-new-colorful-g1-cases/

[Eric @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:51PM]

better than white, but still eh. hope android phones start living up more to the software behind them.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:10PM]

How do you know the software doesn't suck? If Chrome is any indication, it really might be crap.

[Tony @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:18PM]

chrome kicks a$$ though!

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:23PM]

@Tony

No, it really doesn't. I used it for about a week before I finally gave up. The final straw was waiting to speak to a Dell representative online, only to have Chrome fail at properly loading the simple chat window when it was my turn in "line." Screw Chrome. Everyone needs to stop pushing it like it's more than what it really is: a subpar first effort. And a pretty ugly one at that.

[allislost @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:30PM]

@Serial 8-Ball Mouse

I guess you have no idea what beta software is...

[porath @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:35PM]

@ Serial 8-Ball Mouse

there is an android emulator freely available for anyone who wants to see how the software will work.

oh yeah and you can learn how to develop for the platform with it too :p

[uk @ Sep 22nd 2008 11:37PM]

Shut the hell up because you've already negated all your legibility by being in an online chat room with a Dell representative.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:24AM]

@allislost
You mean beta software like IE8? That doesn't suck? Or even Firefox 3's beta back a while ago, that was also good? Chrome is worse than both. Much worse.

@uk
I think you may have lost your legibility with that comment, too, man. And get over yourself, you elitist jackass. Would you prefer I wrote them a letter and mailed it at the post office to cancel my order?

[Andrew @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:46AM]

IE8 better than Chrome? Have you been smoking e-cigaretes? The bloody thing did not even render properly the very first web site I tried (my favourite online computer store)! IE8 may be promising but beta SUCKS. While Chrome mostly works.

[Riley @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:48AM]

How can you compare betas of the new versions of software that has been around for years to something that's still version 0.2 or something? IE8 is building on IE and Firefox 3 was the next step after Firefox 2.5. Chrome is brand new.

[Valicore @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:53AM]

Shit I know dude, I totally couldn't make out the words he said once he said he was with online Dell support. Fricken disappearing n00b wurdz...

[YOYO @ Sep 23rd 2008 2:26AM]

the only reason any one would defended that crap know as chrome

is becuz it built off from webkit apple crap safari sucks y would chrome be any better


the point being this guy right chrome had way to may issues being beta

and no Firefox nor did ie8 have as many issues when it was in beta make a note of that cuz that what this guys was saying he was comparing the beta version of firefox and ie8 to chrome

chrome felt like it more still in the alpha stage then beta


and to prove a point i am actually using Firefox new beta as my default browser r all u going to to ditch your current browser for chrome maybe 1 or 2 of r dumb enough but i doubt u all r

i don't even have Firefox 3 installed as a backup any more

[allislost @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:31AM]

Riley's is right.

@Serial 8-Ball Mouse

And who the hell uses a beta browser to purchase anything! It's beta! Get something secure you nincompoop

[absurdio @ Sep 23rd 2008 5:20AM]

Y'know, uk's comment about negating one's own "legibility" seems a lot more prescient now that we have YOYO's comment as an example of what the hell that means.

[kccboy2004 @ Sep 23rd 2008 7:21AM]

serial 8 ball,

chrome is crap yeah ? you say ?

can you have a read of the "tech report" article:

http://techreport.com/discussions.x/15434

entitled "why chrome is already a great browser", can you please re-buff point by point with detailed explanations.

thanks.

[Serial 8-Ball Mouse @ Sep 23rd 2008 8:45AM]

@Riley

"Oh boo-hoo, it's Google's first try! Cut them some slack!"

I'm sorry, I thought this was a competetive field in which Google had to be as good as the others to stay relevant. I didn't know we gave points for effort. I can compare one beta product to another no matter how many previous versions have existed. Didn't Firefox put on a serious show with its first beta? No?

[gweilo8888 @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:51PM]

This photo and three others were found by the users at TmoNews.com.

Please give credit where it is due, or better yet link to their item.

[peakaboo @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:51PM]

no way, haha worst secret ever... I'm still going to order this phone though.

[ron @ Sep 22nd 2008 10:52PM]

haha..... awesome..... the girls at t-mob cant keep their pants on..... eh.... :)