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T-Mobile G1 Google Phone versus the pack

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The T-mobile G1, aka the HTC Dream, is the first phone that will operate on Google's Android open source mobile platform. How does it stack up against the current crop of handsets?

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Comments (28)

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C.K. Sample III external link (12:32 PM on Thu Sep 25, 2008)

This is really cool! I think the G1 kills all the non-iPhone 3G phones on here. I wish it had more storage, though. I wonder how it compares with the original iPhone (which is what I currently have). Can't wait until other Google Android phones are released and we can see a comparison like this of all the different Android phones. That will be amazing.

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Judith Meskill external link (2:53 PM on Thu Sep 25, 2008)

yeah, what's with the skimpy storage? android phones comparator - ummmm ...

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (1:39 PM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)

as to storage the microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible) see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital_card#SDHC should mean that it can accept microSDHC cards witch you can get for around $50 and boast 8 Gb at Class 6 speeds. and the theoretical max for the standard is 2 TB (2048 GB) although the SD association imposed a artificial 32GB max.

Also being open source with the inclusion of HTC ExtUSB™ (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one) you may be able to hook up an external hard drive or usb hub and a few hdd's (more externally powered unless its one laptophdd even them best to use external power to not kill your battery life)

I personally think that the G1 will destroy your iPhone by just sitting on the table next to it. 3G on a nicer new network with better customer support. it also has the keyboard that saves you from always having to use the touchscreen. Plus many features not on the expensive and limiting iPhone that you have to become an outlaw to just enjoy. However remember this is just my opinion.

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C.K. Sample III external link (1:44 PM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)

Good points about the storage and open source-ness of the G1 is definitely cool.

As for vs the iPhone, I don't think Google gang are 1/4th as good at marketing as Steve Jobs and co., so I doubt it will win. Google's great at building great things that eventually market themselves. Unfortunately, mobile phones aren't free web technologies and won't market themselves.

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (2:14 PM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)

Yes you can cut,copy and past, very easily, you press the menu button and x, c, or v respectively. You must also remember like a computer phones running the Andriod OS may have many ways to do things some more efficient than others. I will always try to note the most efficient way. Most other phones there is only one way their way.

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (2:19 PM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)

oops I posted the last comment to the wrong comment. Can I or anyone fix this? also to your points C.K. Sample III you are very right I have said for a long time the iPhone didn't really do much amazing, some small innovations that if you looked hard enough were in a few different phones/devices, what they did do was make it seem soooo amazing for the sheep. Ahem I mean people. They really did some amazing magic, people spent absurd amounts of money and got legally locked to a carrier to use the phone. If I spend that much on the phone it needs to be as flexible as I am. Hopefully do some unmentionable things also. I think however that word of mouth and everyday usage will marked the G1 yes Google HTC and T-Mobile could do a bit more but they have managed to keep the cost on the phone down by not doing that and well with a good product comes customer reviews and I think one of the best marketing strategies is to make a product so good and integral to someones life/happiness that they tell all their friends. IMNSHO

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Barb Dybwad external link (6:34 PM on Fri Oct 3, 2008)

i'm not sure wanting a device that's relatively simple and reliable makes people "sheep" -- i think folks have all levels of interest in technology and some people just want something that works and that they feel comfortable with and don't really need or frankly care about all the extra bells and whistles. nor is the iPhone really a "simple" device -- it does a lot of stuff extremely well -- and yet it's very simple and painless to use. I've owned a bajillion phones in my day and very much still love my iPhone.

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (3:29 PM on Sat Oct 4, 2008)

I feel the fact you own one makes you bias to defend it. You point about not wanting the bells and whistles is void because you got the iPhone for its bells and whistles. Are you telling me that you would have gotten the iPhone with no touchscreen? About it doing alot of stuff extremely well you are mistaken again. It has poor image quality, there have been quality assurance issues, and many people I know who have gotten them complain of bad reception and call quality. I am not saying that they don't have a niche in the market place however, I am saying that Its time is up because an affordable phone for the people has emerged. So the elitist iPhone can continue to restrain and confine their users by keeping a closed proprietary system, but in a day and age where people want the power to control and shape their technology to suit them, the our way or the highway view of elitists is outdated. (ok maybe some people want to be told that they can't do what they want with their phone) Not me. If you think I am one of the few people that feel this way try looking at this site.
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/06/26/iphone-facts-fro...

Better yet, you may say well they gave you geeks a SDK ... yes but with huge restrictions that limit options that you can give the user check this site out... http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/03/07/iphone-sdk-some-of-t...

Is your argument that I am just talking about the original iPhone.. (which i might add is what you said you had) however here is a list of why the iPhone 3G needs work. http://www.retrevo.com/content/node/502

I am not trying to bash iPhone, but merely show why I call people sheep, because blindly use it thinking its "sexy" . The corporation that made it for them wants them to do everything their way. Yes if you might have guessed I was and rebellious kid, however only when something seemed out of whack, and then I would get data to prove it.

Last of all somethings in my argument are some of the same things that the G1 lacks, however the difference is developers and the community have a say to work on and fix the deficiencies in the G1. So as a community we can shape the product to our needs.

I am also the type of person that believes that you have a right to free speech and to a uncensored Internet. I served our country because I believe that fighting for our freedoms is important, and the goes all the way down to the programs that I put on my cell phone.

I respect that you feel that way however I do think that the facts illustrate my point a bit better. If you want a no whistles cell phone I think WalMart sells some great prepaid ones for under $60. If you are spending upwards of 150 dollars on a cell phone chances are you want something nice and that will allow you to do much more with your time. You might check out the http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=6457881 I think it will get the job done. (don't get mad its called humor )

Anyways I hope that you have a great day, and that you join the freedom that we hope will be the G1 (1st official Android OS cell phone) Until then Ciao.


--
"I am a computer psychiatrist, I help computers with user problems." ~D4RK_4NG3L~

My tips
For good free automatic backup program go to https://mozy.com/?ref=XDG77C use my link and get some extra space.

P.S. I still like you Barb. :)

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (3:31 PM on Sat Oct 4, 2008)

I don't know why it put my reply to the main article however I think you might have realized it was in response to the point you were making.

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Anonymous (11:10 AM on Mon Feb 2, 2009)

I think what your saying is right because phones do nees more storage and that they should come up with more phones like this onw

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Brian Alvey external link (1:13 PM on Thu Sep 25, 2008)

But can you sort them by "ability to do copy and paste"?

Neat comparator. I'm looking forward to the eventual "All Android Phones" comparator myself.

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (2:20 PM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)

D4RK_4NG3L (2:14 PM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)
Yes you can cut,copy and past, very easily, you press the menu button and x, c, or v respectively. You must also remember like a computer phones running the Andriod OS may have many ways to do things some more efficient than others. I will always try to note the most efficient way. Most other phones there is only one way their way.

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rednikki external link (1:36 PM on Thu Sep 25, 2008)

Awesome! This is exactly what I was looking for. Before this I was leaning toward the G1, but the information here puts me back in iPhone territory.

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chris ullrich (1:46 PM on Thu Sep 25, 2008)

nice comparison. however, under "short range wireless data" the iPhone is listed as only having bluetooth but it also has wifi (802.11 b/g) as well.

on a related note, i can't wait to check out the G1 when it hits t-mo shelves.

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Barb Dybwad external link (3:07 PM on Thu Sep 25, 2008)

thanks for the feedback -- fixed this field and "data standard" to make these more clear and iPhone 3g is now listed correctly.

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srcasm external link (1:56 PM on Thu Sep 25, 2008)

Great comparison of the phones. It really helps to see it all in one place. In addition, awesome comparator feature at Obsessable.

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Dorie P. (1:46 AM on Fri Sep 26, 2008)

I'm digging the interactive quality of the Comparator. When you see one of these elsewhere on a website or in print, you can't easily ask for clarification or get additional info. The *sort by* feature is really slick; it allows me to arrange the products by features that matter to me, not just the editor. The Add a Spec Group will keep the list from getting too cumbersome to read through.

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (9:25 PM on Mon Sep 29, 2008)

Well some of your specs are slightly incomplete, however pretty cool over all.. if you want me to let you know which specs you can contact me :)I will receive notifications on this topic

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (9:47 PM on Mon Sep 29, 2008)

Corrected features for G1

3.2-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with 320 x 480 (HVGA) resolution

microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)

Wi-Fi (802.11 b / g)

Internal Memory: ROM:256 MB / RAM:192 MB

Ring tone formats:
AAC, AAC+, AMR-NB, MIDI, MP3, WMA, WMV
40 polyphonic and standard MIDI format 0 and 1 (SMF)/SP MIDI

microSD: 1GB included

Special Features: Digital Compass, Motion Sensor (accelerometer)

Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate

HTC ExtUSB™ (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one)

HSDPA/WCDMA:
Europe: 2100 MHz
US:1700/2100 MHz
Up to 7.2 Mbps down-link (HSDPA) and 2 Mbps up-link (HSUPA) speeds
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:
850/900/1800/1900 MHz

There may be more corrections however I am tired of comparing, and don't get me wrong nice tool, just slightly off in many areas, and slightly can make the difference with this type of technology.

http://www.htc.com/www/product/g1/specification.html is the best place to get your information.

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Randall Bennett external link (10:47 AM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)

Thanks for the link! We've updated the specs. When we originally put this live, we didn't have any other specs to go on, other than what was announced at the press conference. We appreciate you helping us out!

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Brian Alvey external link (2:35 PM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)

Wouldn't it be great if someone did that every time we had incomplete data? ;-)

Thanks!

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (9:48 PM on Mon Sep 29, 2008)

and it has a trackball =-P

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Evan Blass (10:30 AM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)

Thanks for the updates! We'll be sure to correct our database as soon as possible.

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D4RK_4NG3L external link (1:26 PM on Tue Sep 30, 2008)

Your welcome. I really like the idea you have here with the way you can add and subtract what you compare and how. I just wish that more of the data was filled it. because you really have a cool technology.

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Anonymous (5:58 AM on Mon Nov 24, 2008)

um... the g1 does not even have a headphone jack....

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andrea (10:55 PM on Tue Dec 23, 2008)

This might be a really dumb question, and for that I apologize in advance, but if I am not mistaken I saw a tv commercial where they showed how you can dictate to the phone and then your dictation will turn into a text. Am I right? If so, can someone help me? Please please please :o)

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Anonymous (11:53 AM on Wed Dec 24, 2008)

Quick question. I love the G1 and agree that it marks a huge step forward for mobile phone freedom D4rk_4NG3L. However, I am finding the internal memory to be very limiting. Is there a way to use the SD card for apps storage yet. If not, do you think it will ever happen?

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Anonymous (5:13 AM on Mon Jul 6, 2009)

G1s now come with a 1 gigabyte micro SD card and yes, many developers do use the SD card for apps storage

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