T-Mobile G1 review: The whole cagoogle

The T-Mobile G1 is the Googlephone. Did we really need to say that? Well, there's more Google in this story than there is phone, so we guess we did. We've got a new contender on the race track but we're talking no rookie here. If you thought Apple made the phone game breathtaking, think of where it's all heading with Google keen to play along. Unlike the iPhone Mac OS X, the Android is the joint effort of the whole Open Handset Alliance, which brings together makers that sure know the drill. So much for the rookie, as long as Google is siding with Asus, HTC, LG, Garmin, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba.

But well, that's the bigger story. We have the first chapter right here, and it's called the T-Mobile G1 or HTC Dream if you prefer. The first impression sure is important. So, there we go.

 

T-Mobile G1 or to be also released as HTC Dream might not have the specs to make a geek's heart melt but we guess the Android OS was still gonna draw drool even if it came tossed in a plastic bag or wrapped in newspaper. So, forget about the peculiar form factor, the full QWERTY keyboard, the large and crisp touchscreen and the anti-utopian design. Android's inside and google is the limit.
Key features:
Android OS 
3.2" capacitive touchscreen display of HVGA resolution 
Slide-out five-row full QWERTY keyboard 
Qualcomm MSM 7201A 528 MHz CPU, 192 MB RAM 
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support 
3G with HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA 2Mbps 
3.15 megapixel autofocus camera 
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g 
GPS 
Trackball 
Accelerometer sensor 
Digital compass 
Main disadvantages:
Quite unassuming looks 
Pretty bulky and heavy 
The slider mechanism rattles 
No video-call camera 
No video recording 
No flash support in the web browser 
No file transfers or A2DP over Bluetooth 
No FM radio 
No screen auto rotation 
No smart dialing 

G1 does look like a rather wary and conservative approach to introducing a new OS to the mobile world. While the T-Mobile G1 isn't by any means low-end it kind of deliberately falls short of what the current multimedia monsters have to offer, both in terms of styling and mind-boggling high-tech feats. This gives the G1 two quite important advantages. Firstly the main focus of the device remains on the OS, though this doesn't exactly relieve the pressure. Secondly, keeping a low profile allows the G1 to get away with its juvenile weaknesses more easily.