The G1 (aka HTC Dream) is out and there’s a lot about it. The Dream is a sleek competitor to the iPhone weighing only 20% more and being only 30% thicker. The shape of the phone makes typing on the physical keys a little awkward but you’ll soon learn new muscle memory to get around that.
The G1 also only comes with a 1 GB memory card so once bought you’re going to have to supplement it’s internal memory with a different card. It supports up to 8 GB cards so you’ll not be plagued with trying to fill a 16 GB phone like you are with the high end iPhone.
In terms of software, you can download some apps from Google’s Android Market which is an analogue to Apple’s App Store though you can be assured that it won’t have the same annoying constraints that have kept the App Store free of low utility apps. At the moment, due to the e-commerce section being unavailable, the applications downloaded will be free but we’re assured this will change in the near future. This is useful because the music player is very basic and there’s no built-in video player so replacements for these apps make the Android Market necessary rather than a nice addition.
Similarly the web browser and photos applications are much more basic than their iPhone comparison but we’re not to consider the 18 months notice that Google had on “how to build a cool mobile phone OS” as wasted.
Android also eschews common proprietary email systems such as Exchange in favour of promoting Google’s own Gmail, Calendar and Contacts services so you’ll be saved from having to configure non-Google services on this device at least until someone else develops a mail program for the operating system.
Like the iPhone, the G1 doesn’t record video or have a complete bluetooth stack which means less features or need for accessories.
Where others, like Walt Mossberg, might consider the G1 to be “less polished and complete than the iPhone“, Gizmodo considers the interface to be “a bit dated and mixed“.
That’s gotta be good, right?
P.S. It does copy/paste.
I can’t help but be disappointed. It looks like a Linux version of Windows Mobile, and no, that’s not good.
Oh well, better luck next time.
That said – how many people are wondering about hedging their bets now that Apple has shown to be a poor gatekeeper.
Tear those walls down!
Welcome to the open plan office.
>>>It supports up to 8 GB cards so you’ll not be plagued with trying to fill a 16 GB phone like you are with the high end iPhone.
Damn you. I never play the Understatement Card and am always surprised when it:
a) exists
and
b) is played so well!