HTC G1

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HTC G1 Dimensions (w/h/d): 56 x 117 x 17 Weight: 158g Talk Time: 5 hours 20m Stand By: 406 hours Camera: Camera Resolution: 3.2MP Handset Type: Slide Coverage (Band): Quad Video Camera: Bluetooth: Mp3 Player: Mp3 Ringtones: MMS: Java Games: Radio: GPRS: Email: Internet Browsing: 3G: Memory Slot: WiFi:

Dimensions (w/h/d): Weight: Talk Time: Stand By: Camera: Camera Resolution: Phone Type: Coverage (Band): Video Camera: Bluetooth: Mp3 Player: Mp3 Ringtones: MMS: Java Games: Radio: GPRS: Email: Internet Browsing: 3G: Memory Slot: WiFi:

Dimensions (w/h/d): Weight: Talk Time: Stand By: Camera: Camera Resolution: Phone Type: Coverage (Band): Video Camera: Bluetooth: Mp3 Player: Mp3 Ringtones: MMS: Java Games: Radio: GPRS: Email: Internet Browsing: 3G: Memory Slot: WiFi:

Our Review of the HTC G1

On the main menu of the G1 you can drag and drop icon shortcuts to your most frequently used applications, moving icons to pretty much anywhere you like on the screen. You can move icons from any sub menu and dump them on to the main screen for you convenience.

Not since Apple announced the iPhone has there been so much anticipation surrounding the release of a handset. The G1 marks the official debut of Google's much talked-about Android OS platform designed specifically for mobile phones. Manufactured by HTC of Taiwan, makers of the desirable Touch Diamond and Touch Pro smartphones, and available exclusively on T-Mobile, the G1 is a truly collaborative effort. Much attention to detail has gone into the design and construction of both the phone and the software which runs beneath the shiny plastic casing.

Anyone familiar with the iPhone or even Windows Mobile phone layouts will feel right at home with a phone running on Android; in fact the main menu looks more or less like an amalgamation of the two. On the main menu you can drag and drop icon shortcuts to your most frequently used applications (camera, browser, maps, etc), moving icons, including the large clock, to pretty much anywhere you like on the screen. You can move links to sites and popular online applications like YouTube and GoogleMaps, moving icons around with your fingers or a stylus is accompanied by a haptic feedback buzz. You can move icons from practically any sub menu and dump them on to the main screen for you convenience.

The G1 is geared primarily for mobile web browsing and social networking on the go, and as such, the phone comes equipped with a full physical QWERTY keypad which is tucked away under the main screen. You hold the phone in 'landscape' mode and slide the display up and then out away from the main body of the phone to reveal the keyboard underneath. The slide mechanism is reassuringly robust, a good thing seeing as the G1 is optimised for internet capabilities, composing emails and general web browsing. The accelerometer built into the G1 automatically orients the screen display for you. The keys depress nicely and definitely, and the handset is large enough for you to easily grip with two hands allowing you to type with your thumbs a la BlackBerry.

Dimensions wise, the phone is a sizeable 117 x 56 x 17 mm, and is not what you'd call strictly slimline, but then again much of the phone's chassis is taken up by the sliding touchscreen display and the keyboard, so you can't really fault HTC in terms of design. As we mentioned earlier, the size of the phone is just big enough for you to comfortably get two hands around so that typing is natural and not a fiddly ergonomic nightmare. The weightiness of the phone (158g) also lends a feeling of solidity and durability. You'll also notice that the bottom most section which contains the menu keys and the tracker ball juts out slightly, like a more acutely angled Motorola RIZR Z8.

The 3.2" 320 x 480 screen displays web pages more than adequately, and you can zoom in an out of web pages by tapping the dedicated zoom in/out keys on the Android browser or make use of the much more intuitive magnifying rectangle tool; whilst neither of these options are quite as fun as the iPhone 'pull and pinch' method, it works well enough for you to be able to view text and links legibly. You can have up to six web pages open at a time, which shrink down to little thumbnails, as opposed to more traditional tabbed browsing; this takes a bit of getting used to, but its actually more space efficient. Browsing is a pretty slick affair, with no noticeably sluggish loading times; pages rendered quickly and nicely.

The integrated Music application, signified by a glowing green treble clef icon on the desktop, helps you organise your tunes into playlists and belt out tunes in a range of formats, including MP3, AAC and WMA. Unfortunately, the G1 doesn't come with a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you'll want to purchase an adaptor if you want to make the most of the audio playback capabilities.

The biggest gripe with the G1 is its camera, although to be fair, HTC set out to make a phone which is primed for mobile web use, and it excels at that. If you're expecting imaging miracles from the G1, then you're going to be disappointed. That said, the 3.2 Megapixel camera which comes with autofocus, isn't terrible, (pictures taken on it look fine on the large display) but it's going to be seriously outclassed by other smartphones cameras in the months to come.

The G1 comes with some 2GB of memory, and can accommodate up to 16GB of additional memory via the microSD card slot. Battery life gives you an impressive 5 hours and 20 minutes of talk time and just over 400 hours of standby power.

 Pros

Customisable drag and drop desktop menu.
Large touchscreen display combined with neat keyboard.
The ultimate mobile social networking experience?

 Cons

3.2 Megapixel camera is kinda old hat in this day and age.

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Another milestone in mobile phone development; the G1 offers users an excellent mobile web experience.Tapping out emails, SMS and Facebook messages on the keyboard is simple and effortless. Google's Android has landed and it means business.

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HTC G1 Review

Review by: anon2836 from , 21st February 2009

In a word, superb. It operates quickly, the software is generally very intuiative, downloads like Chomp or Handcent give you an screen keyboard for texting if you want it (a la famous "Cupcake" development), GPS accurate, tons of applications which are readily and quickly downloaded, very clear screen, capacitive screen (not no hard presses required), good internet browser, WiFi, 3.2mp camera is ok. Threaded text messaging. Physical keyboard there for the new to touch screens or those that have large emails to write.

What's bad - battery life, charging every day, but it is being used a lot for things like GPS and WiFi on top of normal phone usage. No flash with the camera. Bit big/heavy but not too bad. The Chomp/Handcent features should have been built in from day one - and predictive is still in development for Handcent when using t9 keyboard it seems (predictive not really required when using qwerty anyway).

To summarise - I bought the Nokia 5800 first (see review), but quickly changed my mind as screen and software issues bugged me amongst other things. This phone is leagues better for most things compared to the 5800 - the only thing the 5800 is better at is music I'd say. View Full Review

anon2836 from gave the HTC G1 a

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G1 mobile phone review

Review by: anon6959 from , 13th January 2009

This phone is so fast! I had an Iphone but this is way quicker and a great buy if you love gadgets. It's not the prettiest phone out there admittedly, they could've spent more time on the design and giving its look more of the 'ooooo' factor. But once you get it going, it's awesome! I'm still trying to get used to copying and pasting on my phone. Its like having a mini-laptop, it even has a qwerty keypad. The touch screen is nothing new if you've had an iphone but if you haven't its defo a novelty and makes life so much easier, esp if you're on the go. Loving the zoom in facility on web pages and being able to write emails and texts that are more than 10 words long. Would defo recommend this phone, by far the best out there at the mo (yes, even including the iphone!). View Full Review

anon6959 from gave the HTC G1 a

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Google Android Phone

Review by: anon84 from , 13th January 2009

Took me a while to get used to it. Have a blackberry and a normal mobile but this is gr8 cos it does both in one pretty much. Was getting a bit sick of carryng loads of gadgets round with me but think it's good that you can email, browse and take calls really quickly and easily. Can be a bit tricky if you've got big hands but persevere - it's worth it. View Full Review

anon84 from gave the HTC G1 a

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HTC G1 Review

Review by: anon1418 from , 13th January 2009

I really like the T Mobile G1 because of what it has to offer. Being a commuter, I'm often stuck on the underground or trains, and its great being able to access the internet while I'm travelling as it saves so much time; I then don't have to spend an hour on the computer when I'm home. The internet connection is quick and the keyboard and trackball mean that I can use it easily even though technology is a bit beyond me! View Full Review

anon1418 from gave the HTC G1 a

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HTC G1 Review

Review by: anon535 from , 13th January 2009

The G1 is really stylish and has a lot of great features. I find that the camera picture is really clear and it's easy to use to upload, and the internet is really quick. The touch-screen element is really cool and the phone can hold a lot of data. My only grumble is the battery-life which can sometimes wear down when on the internet, but overall it's a great phone and very reliable. View Full Review

anon535 from gave the HTC G1 a

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HTC G1 Review

Review by: anon255 from , 13th January 2009

The phone is good with lots of gadgets and programs like all of the in-built Google stuff, but I find that the battery life can be a bit slow if I use the internet a lot. Having said that, the internet speed is quick and the touch-screen, trackball and keyboard are really easy to use and very reliable, as is the camera function. View Full Review

anon255 from gave the HTC G1 a

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HTC G1 Review

Review by: anon4900 from , 13th January 2009

I really wanted a phone with good music programs because I use my mobile for that more than texting and other stuff. Because the phone has good internet I can download songs and then listen to them straight away on my phone, or just upload them from my computer at home. I really like the phone because its quick and the music quality is really good. View Full Review

anon4900 from gave the HTC G1 a

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HTC G1 Review

Review by: anon5806 from , 13th January 2009

Being a technology addict, I got my T-mobile G1 as soon as it came out because of all the gadgets. The phone has high-speed internet and a proper keyboard which makes it easy to use. It's also really quick to use because of the touch-screen and trackball functions so the whole surfing experience is really good. Although I don't like the sliding aspect of it, the phone itself is really smart and swish. It also has a really long battery life which is good when you need to use the internet for long periods of time. View Full Review

anon5806 from gave the HTC G1 a

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T-Mobile G1???

Review by: anonymous3623 from , 13th January 2009

I chose this phone because it fits my needs exactly. As I am a businessman dealing with high profile clients I wanted something that really looks the business and I'm pleased with the aesthetics of this model. It comes in black and white, but I chose black as it looks professional and gives off a good impression when I am in meetings or working with clients. It's also got a long battery life and a built in GPS which is useful when I am working long hours and travelling to meetings. A good all-round phone. But isnt it called the T-Mobile G1? View Full Review

anonymous3623 from gave the HTC G1 a

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HTC G1 Review

Review by: zain from , 15th December 2008

I think the HTC G1 is a great phone (in fact I think that along with the N95, this is one of the best phones I've owned)! Its touchscreen feature is a huge asset, and the fact that you can use the internet so easily and so quickly is another advantage. The only problem I have with this phone is that it's camera is only 3.2 megapixels which is pretty meagre and since I love taking pictures it would not appeal to me as much as the N96 would. However, overall, this phone is excellent and I would recommend this phone to anyone as it is easy to use and it is stylish so you can show it off to your friends! View Full Review

zain from gave the HTC G1 a

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