T-Mobile G1 video hands-on
By Paul Miller 
posted September 23rd 2008 3:17PM
posted September 23rd 2008 3:17PM
No, we're not done with this thing yet. Check out our hands-on video of the T-Mobile G1 after the break. Of note, scrolling around in the browser is a tad laggy, and everything feels very first-generation. There's an obligatory compare-o with the iPhone, but the G1 is obviously packing in a full-size keyboard, so the size doesn't seem too outlandish.
Update: We added a second, longer video after the break, concentrating more on software -- specifically Gmail. Desmond has had his phone for a while now, so we got a much better idea of what the phone is like in more capable hands. There's a tiny learning curve here, but it's a fairly rewarding one.
Update: We added a second, longer video after the break, concentrating more on software -- specifically Gmail. Desmond has had his phone for a while now, so we got a much better idea of what the phone is like in more capable hands. There's a tiny learning curve here, but it's a fairly rewarding one.
it's 399 to buy the phone with no contract and have it unlocked after 90 days. i'm in the middle of a contract with t-mobile and its 299. its 179 if you are out of contract or within 2 months of it being up. i dont get why everyone is bitching about not getting the 179 price. its standard to give someone a discount for signing up. if you're already under contract, they have you by the balls. no company is going to kiss your ass to rope you in if you're already in. 299 ain't bad if you dont qualify for the max discount by being out of contract or a new member
Here is what an actual hands on look at the device looks like.
http://gizmodo.com/5053611/hands+on-with-t+mobile-g1-android-phone
There's a KEYBOARD. YEEEEEEEEEEAH!!!!!
wait for your contract to expire, then you you're good to go i think...
@ wyze
Its funny seeing all the irate users of iphone finding every flaw possible to insult the phone to make themselves seem content for dealing witht the horrible 3G service and restrictive issue the iphone has.
I actually just pre-ordered mine today and i couldnt be happier. What you dumb fools dont realize is that THIS IS AN OPEN PLATFORM! Whatever it doesnt have now can easily be created and made to function on the G1. From UMA calling, to tethering, all can and likely will be made possibel via the joyof 3rd party apps. And this is what makes all the apple iphone fanboys so bitter.
Yes, I know its tough, but iphone fanboys NO LONGER have be best phone on the market. Hey look on the bright side, at least its only 2 years left to wait before you can cancel your contract and buy this phone........that is if apple lets you!
HAHA!
The iPhone users' responses don't seem irate to me. They're simply repeating comments made about the iPhone when it was released. Apple haters like you are more than willing to forgive missing functionality on the G1, but severely criticise the iPhone for the exact same problems (e.g. no A2DP, headphone jack etc.)
The 3G network issue seems to be a problem in the US, but not here in the UK. I have the iPhone on O2 and have strong 3G signal everywhere I go, no dropped calls issues, and the phone functions perfectly for what I need.
Personally I was looking forward to the release of the first Android phone. Decent competition is good for the consumer. If Android blew the iPhone out of the water, then Apple would have no choice but to deal with the missing functionality and broaden the scope of third party apps to compete with an 'iPhone killer'. Unfortunately this G1 isn't it. Hopefully the next Android phone will be.
You say "I actually just pre-ordered mine today and i couldnt be happier". You haven't started using the G1 yet for God's sake. So how can you possibly say how 'happy' you're going to be with it's performance? I suspect that you'll be regretting your decision once you get your hands on it, and even more so when the next Android phone is released.
Michael: You forget, the iPhone's OS is for the iPhone. As in, ONLY the iPhone.
Android, on the other hand, could reside in one, two, or several dozen handsets on the market at any given time. In fact, you can run the Beta of Android on a pretty decent list of smartphones right now. And THAT, my iPhone touting friend, is where Android, WM, Symbian, etc. have an advantage over OSX Mobile (as I like to call it). They run on devices that range from basic to flagship.
If Apple were (and here's to wating in vain, but with a glimmer of hope) to licence OSX Mobile to other hardware developers, like HTC or Palm, than I would agree that it would almost be the be-all and end-all of smartphone OSs, but instead, it's tied to a device that offers some good tech (like the multitouch display, thin, etc.), but also has some major drawbacks (no physical keyboard, absolutely useless camera, etc.).
The T-Mobile hardware was at fault for the scrolling slowdown.... not the Android software..... I'd like to see Android work on a higher spec'd phone....
I think the black one looks slick, the black G1, not the iPhone, the iPhone looks like a turd (IMHO). Too bad the tilt pro won't be an android phone though, that would be a lsick device
I feel obliged ask: Because it's Google, should I assume that it's still beta? :->
Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/user/androiddevelopers - great videos here!
Some of those apps are amazing.
how terrible. poor g1 fails at life.
I don't know, what that guy in the first video is talking about. He must be apple fan or drunk.
The browser is faster on G1. The recensent just doesn't know to use zoom.
It looks very funny, to use a 2 fingers to zoom in on the iphone.
It's like to open pu-c. Sorry I couldn't help myself. It always remind me that.
This phone is going to be huge. Considering it's "open source" theme, it's ironic they have it locked down for T-Mobil. I need either this phone or a similar phone with the same features for use on AT&T network. I currently don't pay my own phone bill. I don't mind buying the phone, but I will not pay a monthly phone bill or enter into any sort of contract.
Just need the phone. Or a phone just like it so I can have google in my pocket(pants?). Talk about useful. Now I can fulfill my net addiction even better.
Yes, I have had an iphone for more than a year, and I'm not looking to switch, but I think this phone will not make anyone want to switch. If you're already on Tmobile, this looks like a good approximation of the iphone experience. Tmobile users will upgrade when they're elligible. ATT subscribers are not going to switch to get this phone. Verizon subscribers waiting for a great phone are not going to switch for this. In fact, now that we see just what Android can do, I think you're going to see holdouts finally take the plunge for the Jesus phone! Expect iphone sales to rise as a result of this release! Of course, some will still hold out for the next Android phone, which might be nice, too.
google on, man!
Who brings a book to a phone unveiling event? Don't they know magic interferes with electricity?
im' sorry...but that compass integrated google maps apps is one of the coolest things i've ever seen
Nice avatar. That's the new toy that I really want.
This seems rather pointless to say with this crowd here but I love FREE software, I have had multiple phones and i don't think it's worth it to have to pay for some piddly app on a glorified cell phone. No matter what you all want to say i've looked over the software API and the open source documents that google is using and android will lead to lots of free innovative software, whatever problems there are with it, they will most likely be quickly attended to by either google, free lance programmers or a combination of both.
Uh,
Did anyone think to make a voice call??
I though I was in to see a vid of something new. But Nooooo I had to god damm stumble with a puzzzy that likes the "iphone" oooooo you millions and millions of herds. Get something descent, your ugly phone is Outdated and cant multi task nor Cut and Paste.
Any how I would love to test some Android on the Diamond.
Greetings all.
Well, I was sorta interested in what Android could/would do, but as I suspected from the get go, the hardware doesn't cut it. Besides the fact that it looks childish, it is in no way a departure from the usual TMO phone reference design (sidekick). Sigh...as others have noted, another victory for iPhone.
Engadget gets some love on HTC's product tour:
http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx?id=65950
Engagdet, have you had a chance to make a phonecall with G1? How does it work/respond?
I'd just like to comment on the video regarding nifty iea to turn the phone around that it may not be useful but it is!
People who have no good directional sense of north and sound might find that easier specially when you're asked to go inbound or outbound from and to the city or doing northbound or southbound on a street.
How many times have you enjoyed emailing your friends with GMail, only to realize upon the next log-in that all the ads around directly reference content of email you have sent to your friends previously?
And this phone requires the use of GMail?!
Wait it gets better...
Now imagine the same "service" from Google which can tap your location, your instant availability, entire address book, email history and internet searches?
I prefer lint in my pocket.
THE PHONE IS GREAT BUT T-MOBILE, WHAT THE HECK??? 1GIG CAP, NO TETHERING? I would get one in a sec but because of these two issues I may wait for Sprints Android offering.
HEY HTC - Even though I will eventually get a pair of bluetooth headphones, no standard headphone jack is just about as the dumbest thing I have ever seen.
Don't get me wrong, but I think the phone is just a bit...dated...Make the interface better and faster and I might try it out... But for now I am gonna keep with my iPhone.
One thing I do really like about it though is the way the programs menu is done...With the drawer with all your apps and then you can drag em onto the home screen. I would really like that on the iPhone because there are a lot of applications I want but don't use that often.. and I don't wanna scroll 5 pages to get to them when I need them. That drawer seems like a really good solution to the home screen organization issues on the iPhone..
It's funny how no one has brought up the fact that this is the beginning. I have an Iphone and correct me if I'm wrong but they have updates consistently. Whether it's fixing the lag on the keyboard or adding some cool features they do it. What makes you think that a company like Google would just release something and say...hmm I think it's perfect. LOL!!! Wake up guys, that lag on the web browser is an update away.
um.
the Xperia totally
blows this phone away.
and thts why im being patient for it.
the G1 is good
but Xperia=Face of Greatness
Man that looks awesome. I can't wait for decent hardware to run this on! That THC phone just looks clumsy and fat... And I want an on-screen keyboard, no moving parts please.
"Full-size keyboard"? I think they need to measure that again, unless that thing has a rollled-up folded keyboard in there somewhere.
I actually looked up SE. X1. thought it was one of those Japanese phones that majority never heard about, maybe even that tech journalist in yahoo that posted about the g1 some days ago? kinda like the casio w53ca with a 5.0 megapixel cam and with 9-point Auto-Focus, 28mm lens, color correction and anti-shake technology(which we wont be getting for 10 more years or so, because US is behind on the networks (japan is pre 5g already). as for htc, in the future htc will flourish, and they should just brand them "htc" instead of "tmobile g1" maybe "htc g1" sounds better. I didnt even know my 8125 was a htc phone till i actually called support some 3-4 years ago, thought it was sanyo because the battery says sanyo. as for the iphone 3g, FAIL. almost everyone is getting the iphone 3g now, (theres some good features like the 8gb/16 gb built in hdd, and the multi touch is fun to play around with, along with the "semi responsive" accelarometer) I havent even figured out how to pair a blackberry phone with the iphone yet, and I have been having mine for 3 weeks :|. But hell I would get this g1 phone just to stand out in the crowd of "apple users". and as for the data plan, I wouldnt care less, because I dont use the web 24/7 or anywhere I want to, anytime i would use the web is if there is some wifi hotspot around, Just to IM my friends let them know where I am, but mostly I am talkative person so I like to call and talk instead of texting, emailing, etc,,,
1gb+8gb exandable? no its just the retail box comes with a micro sd 1 gb memory card. and in the near future (2009) we will see upto 32 gb micro sds (priced around $450 or so), take dat iphone users!
I don't look at this as a "me too" device at all. If you look at HTC's phone lineup, it is obvious that they could have produced a phone that is more iPhone-like if T-Mobile and Google had requested them to. They obviously want consumers to be able to tell, at first glance, that this phone is NOT an iPhone.
The G1 isn't an iClone- it is the anti-iPhone... a phone for those of us unwilling to bow down and pray in the direction of Cupertino five times a day. The G1 is not perfect, but it is a huge step in the right direction.
Obviously, after reading some of the comments, a few of you have never heard of a software update or upgrade on a phone. It's a piece of hardware. The software can be upgraded to include things like MMS.
i like
hoovey.cn
Its funny seeing people talk down about the g1. I was going to get the I phone because my contract expired with T-Mobile, and they convinced me to check out the new g1. I thought it would be nice because I was able to pre order it and recieve my phone before most of the public. I decided to get this phone because I had the sidekick 3 and I love the keyboard, it makes life easier! On the other hand, I wanted to try something new!!! Everyone one has an I phone, why be like everything, take a chance and get the g1.
I am completely!!!!! satisfied with this product...There is no 3g coverage in my area, but the 2g/Edge coverage that it uses in replacement is so fast it doesnt even bother me. The Andriod Market is one of the best things this phone has to offer...Being able to download the most amazing/ridiculous applications! This phone clearly makes peoples head move when they here "its with Google"
Google has been known to do great things.....I promise you give this phone a shot its unbelieveable...
PS I have never ever written down my feedback on things, such as my DELL XPS computer, or any other technology that I have bought off the internet...but this phone is truely worth my time to write down that everything it has to offer is great. Its a great piece at such an affordable price. I also bought an 8 gb stick to just load it with stuff....!
ITS AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING GO G1!!
Great. I also found a third part media software for G1 (gphne) video.
one is free video to gphone converter, which can convert any video to g1 support format. you can check this free converter at below:
http://www.dvd-ripper-copy.com/video-to-gphone.html#116
Another is dvd to gphone converter, which can rip and dvd to gphone support format, so you can watch your dvd on your gphone, more details at below:
http://www.dvd-ripper-copy.com/dvd-to-gphone.html#116