T-Mobile / Google Android HTC phone announcement

[JFB]

Here is the official video of the T-Mobile / Google Android HTC device announcement.

http://www.t-mobileg1.com/g1-announcement.aspx

Fast forward to the 3:10 mark ... it is just a static screen and bongo drum music until that point.
Go to 16:00 to skip the corporate speak and get to the phone.
49 minutes total. The Google guys rollerblade on stage near the end.

[SteveW]

Here is the official video of the T-Mobile / Google Android HTC device announcement.

T-Mobile G1 with Google Press Conference in New York

Fast forward to the 3:10 mark ... it is just a static screen and bongo drum music until that point.
Go to 16:00 to skip the corporate speak and get to the phone.

There is also a handy "Conference Index" to the right of the video that let's you skip around. The "G1 Demonstration Video" about 3/4 of the way down, is the meat of it.

One interesting quote from the "corporate speak" part:

"... Deutcshe Telekom, T-Mobile International, is committed to open industry platforms as they bring the necessary freedom to our customers, to the developer community and also, of course, content providers. T-mobile G1 is a milestone in bringing the open mobile Internet to the mass market."
- Christopher Schlaffer, DT


I hope this turns out to be true. If so, I am rooting for them.


SW

[Charlyee]

Android Gets Legs
By Brad Smith
WirelessWeek - September 23, 2008



T-Mobile USA’s Android phone, branded as the G1 and priced at $179, as expected will have several tightly integrated Google applications, including Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube, but also will come with access to Amazon’s music store.

The much-anticipated handset, unveiled officially at a New York City press event that featured Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, will go on sale Oct. 22. Current T-Mobile USA subscribers also can pre-order the phone, which will be sold as a locked device. The quad-band G1, which also has Wi-Fi, will go on sale in the United Kingdom in November and the rest of Europe in early 2009.

The HTC-made G1 has a touchscreen that makes navigation possible with the finger, including zooming in on Web pages and photos. It also has a camera, Bluetooth for hands-free calling, and a full QWERTY keyboard.


More:

[SteveW]

My issue with the announcement and associated info is that there are no real specs. On T-Mo's dedicated G1 website, there is a slick Flash movie with loud rock soundtrack, but nothing like specs until you click on the Learn button, and then on a Features tab. The resulting page lists some features in marketing speak, but not geeky specs like we are used to seeing (no size, weight, frequency bands, memory capacity or the like).

PhoneScoop does not have a real entry for this phone yet, so no specs there. They do have a "Hands On" article from today's event, complete with some nice videos of them playing with both the hardware and software that are less glitzy but more informative than T-Mobile's video.

From this I learned:

* 3.17" display with the same resolution as the iPhone
* true capacitive touch screen
* WiFi
* 3G data (for T-Mobile USA, Europe, and Asia)
* full QWERTY keyboard
* GPS
* 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, no video, no flash
* microSD memory card slot (1GB included, up to 8GB)
* trackball



SW

[Ddeere2]

The G1 looks awesome, but did you see how Tmobile will not be selling the unit between 2-5 miles outside of a 3G city and are limiting data to 1GB a month.

If your total data usage in any billing cycle is more than 1GB, your data throughput for the remainder of that cycle may be reduced to 50 kbps or less. Your data session, plan, or service may be suspended, terminated, or restricted for significant roaming or if you use your service in a way that interferes with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users.

T-Mobile G1: 1GB Monthly Cap? - New $25, $35 plans come with some fine print - dslreports.com

I found some other specs besides the ones you found Steve and the size specs on both Engadget and Engadget Mobile.

• HSDPA 1700 / 2100 plus quadband EDGE
• 3D graphics acceleration
• 1GB integrated storage plus microSD expansion
• Android Market for on-device app purchases
• Amazon MP3 app for on-device music purchases
• Push Gmail support with full HTML client
• Bluetooth (but no A2DP)
• Google Maps with Street View
• No Microsoft Exchange support
• No desktop synchronization -- it all happens over the air
• 4.6 x 2.16 x 0.63 inches
• 5.6 ounces
• 480 x 320 HVGA display
• 5 hours of talktime with 130 hours of standby
• Will require a Gmail account

The T-Mobile G1 - Engadget
Meet the T-Mobile G1 - Engadget Mobile

Don't know why it would require a Gmail account though.

[SteveW]

The G1 looks awesome, but did you see how Tmobile will not be selling the unit between 2-5 miles outside of a 3G city and are limiting data to 1GB a month.

I found some other specs besides the ones you found Steve and the size specs on both Engadget and Engadget Mobile.

Don't know why it would require a Gmail account though.

Thanks for the specs. While perusing the Engadget links you provided, I saw some late breaking news on the data cap:

T-Mobile kills the 1GB data cap, takes a more friendly approach

My understanding of the requirement for a Gmail account is that that's the core of their "cloud" strategy for this phone. Remember, there is no desktop sync, so all syncing of email, calendar, tasks, files, applications, etc., have to happen through a user account. I think of it as Google's equivalent to Apple's MobileMe.



SW

[Ddeere2]

Yeah, I was about to post it, but you be me too it lol I guess they realized that 1GB is to small of a cap yet they're going to cap heavy users. Seems like they're pulling a comcast with the invisible cap? Yeah, after posting that, I re-read the specs and saw that there was no desktop app for syncing. I like the Gmail interface, but I wouldn't use it for syncing or anything. If they came out with a unlocked version with the bands need for AT&T, i would get one, its a nice phone, except for not having A2DP.

[danny boi]

I consider this device a work in progress. With an open OS and a platform available to developers, things can be added fairly easily.

I'm glad that DT decided to soften the 1 GB verbiage and acknowledge that they won't prohibit tethering. I am disappointed that Stereo BT is not available out of the box, but it can be added which is a good thing.

This will be a really cheap wireless broadband option for those of us fortunate enough to live in a well built 3G area. $ 35 for 3G/EDGE data and unlimited messaging isn't too bad compared to paying $ 59.99 per month for data plus an additional $ 20 for unlimited messaging.

We still have another month before this baby gets launched so hopefully we'll get much more clarity on new apps ready for use.