T-Mobile launches Google powered G1 mobile phone

September 23rd, 2008 | Product Review

By: Miles Kincaid @ 9:51 PM - EST

At first glance it looks a bit like Apple’s iPhone … looks can be deceiving as the G1 runs on Google Inc.’s mobile software, with an expected large touch screen the G1 also has a track ball for quicker navigation. Physical differences don’t stop there as you can slide open the phone revealing a keyboard and voila you have a mini-computer making it much easier to navigate full web pages.

The G1 is a great multi-tasker with music player, alerts, instant messaging, google maps with traffic/street view, no need to ever ask for directions again.

In“compass mode” the screen perspective will move as you do - completely outrages, check it out in the video at 2:15m. And as far as browsing the web it performs just as you would expect a phone powered by Google software.

Photo: In Compass Mode the view changes with your movement.

Perhaps the most revolutionary part of the G1 experience is the ability to download software from third party developers who can create their own content. Google refers to this as the “Android market” this will be open source and free to users of the G1, eventually there will be a for profit market developed and Google will allow developers to sell their apps with a cut going to Google.

G1 apps will be able to run in the background allowing you to use the G1’s other features, unlike the iPhone which cannot run back ground apps.

Google debuted its G1 cell phone today at an event where wireless carrier T-Mobile said it will begin selling the G1 phone for $179 with a two-year contract. The device hits U.S. stores Oct. 22 and heads to Britain in November and other European countries early next year.

The phone will be sold in T-Mobile stores only in the U.S. cities where the company has rolled out its faster, third-generation wireless data network. By launch, that will be 21 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Miami.

The data plan for the phone will cost $25 per month on top of the calling service, at the low end of the range for data plans at U.S. wireless carriers. And at $179, the G1 is $20 less than the least expensive iPhone in the U.S.

There is no doubt the G1 will be the market leader in no time with such a wide range of usable features and open source programming. Oh, yeah look for Google to take advantage of the G1’s abilities also - can you say “google ads?”