T-Mobile and Google Introduce First Android Phone

[MacRumors]

Image from Engadget
Google and T-Mobile have introduced the first Android-based mobile phone today called the T-Mobile G1. T-Mobile held a press conference which is available for online streaming. T-Mobile's press conference provided quick overviews of the device and seemed to position the device directly against the Apple iPhone with developers discussing the openness of the platform without any approval process. The phone will be commercially launched on October 22nd alongside a large marketing campaign. Features discussed:

- Amazon mobile music store (press release) preloaded on the G1.
- Built in keyboard
- Google Maps
- Android Market
- Launch on October 22nd
- No tethering option
- SIM-locked to T-Mobile
- Read Word, PDF, Excel files. No exchange compatibility, but 3rd parties could bring it.
- GMail is push, IMAP is pull
- No desktop application to sync
- Wi-Fi and 3G
- $179 with 2 year contract

Walt Mossberg provides first impressions of the new device and describes it as a "versatile device which will offer users a real alternative in the new handheld computing category the iPhone has occupied alone." Other notes:

- Physical keyboard. Typing "OK"
- Tied to Google web email, contacts, calendar. Support for 3rd party email too.
- "Won't win any beauty contests" but feels good in hand when closed
- Software slick, responsive
- Copy, paste
- Instant Messaging
- Very basic music player, Amazon MP3 downloads
- No built in video player, but you can download one from the Market
- Only comes with 1GB memory. Upgradable to 8GB.
- Removable battery.

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[princealfie]

I can dig it!

 

[Mindflux]

Copy and Paste! What a kick in the pants.

 

[mrblack927]

a good start... i'd like to see it on better hardware though

 

[IlliniDude]

so why can't gmail on the iphone be push?

 

[tkidBOSTON]

- GMail is push, IMAP is pull

Gmail push. I want.

 

[jnc]

lol@removable battery and copy/paste - take that, iPhone!

Seriously though, competition is good.

 

[TheNorthWaves]

nice, but until it has flawless integrated exchange support, it's a 100% no-go for me. What's good about this phone is that it will finally push apple into including important features on my ipod touch 2g (cut/paste, etc).

 

[Daremo]

Page one news on a macrumors site? I mean, I understand it's iphone competition, but damn...

 

[7on]

I like it. If I didn't already have an unlocked iPhone on T-mobile then I'd get it. Seamless Mac syncing means more to me than this Android phone, but options are good

Also,

$25 - Unlimited Data and 400 SMS
$35 - Umlimited Data and Unlimited SMS

 

[zedsdead]

The only advantage I see is the Amazon mp3 store. This is really becoming a thorn in Apple's side. They need to mandate that all music is drm-free, period. They are the #1 music retailer in the US, time to start throwing that weight around.

While this is probably the best platform and device outside of Apple's, it is still not an iPhone, nor is it OS-X. Makes me appreciate mine even more for how truly unique it is.

 

[nos]

They just have no style!

 

[plumbingandtech]

Oh goodie.

SideKick™ for adults.

I'm glad it's out now all the iphone whiners can either go to that platform, or go to that platform and come back after they realize how good they had it with the iphone.

 

[retroneo]

this is good, will keep apple on their toes

next iphone needs a hardware compass to do that awesome street view VR thing

 

[Newbi]

Copy & Paste Apple get it sorted!!!

Oh and while your at it get MMS working aswell.

Geeez

 

[HiRez]

Yawn except for the copy/paste, Apple really needs to move their glacial ass on this now. Removable battery is nice to but that has nothing to do with Android. I still think their open app store is going to be a big mess.

Question: does anyone know the details of how they are implementing the copy/paste?

 

[Fidgetyrat]

Copy & Paste Apple get it sorted!!!

Oh and while your at it get MMS working aswell.

Geeez

I still think their open app store is going to be a big mess.[/QUOTE]

I think this is one of the opportunities that "**** Storm" is a better description.

 

[bassproguy07]

still fugly!! Don't think it will be much competition for the iPhone, looks like a new sidekick if you ask me

 

[deannnnn]

I wish it wasn't so ugly =/

 

[papiti]

They say this is competition for iPhone?, c'mon, Ja, Ja, really, just because it has push & copy & paste. big deal. We iPhoners can sync to computer with contacts and everything, its upgradable, they have 1GB upgradable to 8GB, we already have 8GB or 16GB. We can have as many e-mail accounts as we can almost have, iPhone is prettier, and Oh yeah, its an IPHONE!!!!!!!!

 

[Voidness]

No desktop application to sync? I'm not impressed.

 

[stealthboy]

Copy & Paste Apple get it sorted!!!

Maybe I'm just using it wrong, but I've never had the need for copy/paste on my iPhone. I find all the vitriol thrown around about its nonexistence a bit disproportionate with its potential actual use in real-life.

/my humble opinion

 

[emulator]

They just have no style!

fanboys are also very objective.

 

[mcnicks]

MMS is yesterday's technology. It will go the same way as WAP.

 

[nickXedge]

A major player against the iPhone can only help the situation at this point. Lets get working on some of those less important features, Apple. You know the ones, they're on every other phone that is trying to combat the iPhone.