While most of us have the ability to surf the Web from our mobile phones and hand-held devices, it’s believed that only a fraction of us actually do. The way I’ve always seen it: painfully slow loading times + tiny screens = why bother?
But after a week of testing the T-Mobile G1 with Google, I’ve reversed my position. iPhone users have often proclaimed their devices to be akin to a mini computer. I could say the same about the G1. Available only to T-Mobile users (take that, AT & T), the G1 combines full touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with
a mobile Web experience that includes the popular Google products you know and love including Google Maps Street
View, Gmail, and YouTube. You can also use the G1′s Wi-Fi connection to attach
and share pictures over email and MMS, download music, and coming soon, upload and post pictures to your
personal blog.
I really liked the G1′s clean, colorful and intuitive user interface
with one-touch access to Google Search. I was able to link my Gmail account in a matter of seconds. For apps the G1 features Android Market, where you will find a growing number of mobile apps like Last.fm for streaming music, mobile banking, and ShopSavvy. The Android Market has a long way to go before it reaches the variety and sheer volume of apps available for the iPhone, but it’s still relatively new. Give those developers time.
As you can see in the photo, the touch screen on the G1 flips up to reveal the QWERTY keyboard. This is the one drawback in my opinion. The device feels a bit clunky when using two thumbs to type. It’s not as sleek as I’d like my phone to be and it would never fit into the pocket of any pants. A small purse, yes. There is also a trackball for simple, one-handed, Blackberry-like navigation.
The G1 sells for $179 with a two-year voice and data agreement through T-Mobile. There are two data plan options: $35 and $25. The first plan offers unlimited Web, e-mail and messaging and T-Mobile hot spot data access. The cheaper plan offers 400 mobile messages. You will, of course, still have to select a voice plan for the phone.
If you’re already hooked on everything Google, you might want to consider the G1. It’s the best of what you know for when you’re on the go.
I bought one on eBay and it came with “unlocking” instructions so you can use it on any network…just use your sim card from your old phone.
My G1 works well for internet use and email, however, it is a miserable phone. The calls drop after 6 to 60 seconds. The voicemail is inaccessible, does not recognize the connection, starts to speak, then clicks off, never reaching the mailbox. Numerous attempts to get this phone fixed have all failed. Now T-Mobile refuses to take the phone back and let me out of the contract for this service, saying I am beyond my ‘remorse’ time. Yet, in the three weeks of ownership, I have not been able to get them to make the phone work. I now use the old phone with the sim card, the replacement one, as they thought that was my problem. I use the G1 only for web access because I cannot end the contract.
Do not buy this thing for use as a phone. It does not work reliably. The company does not support the customer or back up their product.
I have been a loyal T-Mobile customer for many years…NOT ANYMORE.
Susanne
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