T-Mobile G1 Cell Phone Review - Intro
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Marianne Schultz Published on November 05, 2008 Comment on this |
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Here it is - our detailed of the hotly anticipated T-Mobile G1, the first phone running the open-source Android operating system created by Google. The G1 costs $179 with a 2-year contract with T-Mobile, and is now available for sale online and in T-Mobile stores in the U.S. With a QWERTY keyboard and large touchscreen, the G1 offers the best of both worlds to those who want the tactile feedback a keyboard offers that a touchscreen can't provide. It's also 3G-capable, operating on T-Mobile's expanding 3G network, and includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The G1 includes a link to the Android Market, a virtual store through which users can find and download 3rd-party applications.
Considered by many to be competitor to the iPhone 3G, how does the G1 stack up against it and other capable feature phones and smartphones? Read the full review to find out...
| Section | The Good | The Bad |
| Tour & Design | Expansive screen and spacious keyboard | Chunky and plain |
| Audio Quality | No major problems sending and receiving sound | Sidetone is too high |
| Imaging | Drop dead simple interface | No video recording |
| Making/Receiving Calls | Virtual dial pad is very responsive | Noisy vibrate function |
| Messaging | Outstanding SMS and MMS integration | Separate email applications with different functionality |
| Organizer | Easy-as-pie synchronization | Synchronizes with online Google applications only |
| Multimedia | Straightforward music playback app with good playlist support | No video playback out of the box |
| Software | Android OS shows a lot of potential | ... but is also young and unproven |
| Battery Life | Decent call time battery life | Music playback battery life less than expected |
| Connectivity | Thumbs up on 3G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth | Thumbs down on only 2 Bluetooth profiles |
| Hardware | Vivid and responsive touch screen | We have concerns about the trackball's durability |
| Other Features | GPS works well with maps application | No tethering via USB or Bluetooth |
| Value & Comparisons | Priced well to comparable devices | A bit of a gamble with its new OS |
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