T Mobile G1

The announcement was certainly a long time coming, but we're finally going to get our hands on the hotly anticipated T-Mobile G1. What's the big deal about this new mobile phone and why is everyone so excited about it?

The actual T-Mobile G1 cell phone isn't the big story here. Instead, it is much more about what it represents. That is because it is the first commericially available cell phone to be powered by the new Google Android smartphone software. The Android platform is meant to be a direct competitor to other smartphone platforms, like Windows Mobile, Symbian, and even BlackBerry.

One of the big differences between Google Android and these other platforms is that it is an "open source" platform, meaning that the raw code is available for other developers to build upon and to expand. Furthermore, there is an Android Market where third-party developers can create and distribute a wide range of applications for Android phones, not unlike the iPhone App Store.

With Google Android, the possibilities truly are limitless, because its development is not bound a single company. Instead, a large consortium of companies are working together to push it along, as well as anyone else who is interested in developing it. In this way, Google Android is like Linux, but with more corporate support.

Among the most notable members of the Open Handset Alliance, which is the consortium responsible for Google Android and its development, are Sprint Nextel, HTC, Motorola, Samsung, LG Electronics, NTT DoCoMo (Japan), China Mobile, KDDI Japan, eBay, Intel, Marvell Semiconductor, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Texas Instruments, and, of course, Google.

The T-Mobile G1 only represents the beginning for Android phones, but its features and specifications are already really impressive. Many of these features are similar to the Apple iPhone, but it also has a lot in common with other HTC smartphones. That's because the T-Mobile G1 is actually a branded version of the HTC Dream G1.

In terms of wireless connectivity, the T-Mobile G1 gets loaded with quad-bad GSM, high-speed 3G (up to 7.2Mbps), 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, and a built-in GPS receiver.

Some other features include the 3.2-inch HVGA (320 x 480 pixels) touchscreen display, full QWERTY keyboard, trackball navigation, microSD expansion slot, miniUSB port, accelerometer, handwriting recognition, 3.15 megapixel camera, digital compass, and a Qualcomm MSM201A 528Mhz processor, as well as the aforementioned Google Android operating system.

Strangely, the included Bluetooth is not a fully-functional version of Bluetooth. It can only be used for pairing with wireless headsets and not for any file transfers (OBEX profile) or for wireless tethering. It should also be noted that the included camera is not capable of recording video nor is the T-Mobile G1 able to play video right out of the box. When asked about this, the developers said that the Android community will take care of those functions in the form of third-party applications.

Perhaps the greatest advantage that the G1 has over the iPhone is the presence of a physical QWERTY keyboard. The touchscreen portion slides to the right to reveal this keyboard, making text messages and mobile emails a lot easier. Some people may prefer virtual keyboards, like those found on the Samsung Instinct and HTC Touch Diamond, but traditional users prefer physical keyboards.

Corporate users may not be as pleased with the T-Mobile G1, at least initially, because there is no support for Microsoft Exchange. This means that the G1 cannot handle corporate e-mail accounts. Instead, everything -- including the synchronization of appointments and contacts -- is handled through the online Google "cloud" (Gmail, Google Calendar, etc.). There is no desktop synchronization.

Seeing how the T-Mobile G1 will launch initially through T-Mobile and seeing how it has such a similar form factor, there have been many comparisons drawn between it and the Sidekick line of mobile phones. The QWERTY keybord is similar and both phones are geared toward messaging enthusiasts. The T-Mobile G1, powered by Google Android, is much more powerful than the Danger OS-powered Sidekick though. Welcome to the future of smartphones.

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