tech.gadgets.video.geekculture.gaming.kittens.
How about a T-Mobile G1 Q&A?
I’ve had a couple of weeks to play with the new T-Mobile G1 running Google’s Android, and I have to say that I’ve really enjoyed it. I’m not going to write a full review here, because I think that’s been done quite thoroughly by others in the blogosphere (see Engadget’s full review, and Ryan’s impressions).
One thing that I have noticed while using the G1 is that I hardly ever compare it in my mind to my iPhone. They feel that different. The only times I did make a direct comparison was while using the address book (much easier to scroll to a certain letter) and using the Market for apps. Even though there aren’t as many apps out there, the quality of the apps and the organization within the store was more up my alley.
Since I’ve got this phone sitting on my desk, let me know if you have any questions about the user experience! I’ll happily answer them to the best of my ability in the comments section.
No related posts.
-
What I always hated about phones other than the iPhone was how many steps it took to get things done. How is the UI on the G1?
For example: to get to the settings for the Sony Ericsson w800 you had to press the thumbstick a few times, select settings, click over a few, click down a few. After a while, it just felt like you had to walk to your destination instead of fly (so to speak) like you can with the iPhone.
-
#10 written by Veronica 3 years ago
@Joaquim and Jamel – The browser isn’t bad, and probably much better than the average phone. However, if you’re used to using the multi-touch on the iPhone to zoom in and out of sections on the page, you’ll find yourself missing that a lot.
Plus, since there’s no virtual keyboard, you need to have the slider keyboard open to type in URLs. Not as easy for one-handed browsing (which I do often on the train, for example).
@Veetrag – The G1 does have a built in audio player, and it’s very bare-bones. I like having the option to purchase music from the Amazon store, and the YouTube player is just fine too. There are a few videos apps in Market already that work decently.
-
#12 written by tlj101010 3 years ago
-
I would like to ask if you are using the Twitter app “Twitroid”. If so, how does it compare to the iPhone Twitter apps. What are the differences? Does Twitroid make maximum use if the G1′s location awareness, better use than than iPhone?
( …and “no” I don’t work for Twitroid! My local T-Mobile store manager responded with “What’s G1?” when I went to go by one and I cannot get one from T-Mo’s website – WTF T-Mo!?! )
-
#18 written by Rick Butterfield 3 years ago
-
#20 written by Veronica 3 years ago
@DieLaughing – I’m not a developer, but I imagine that it will be easier to make quality apps in Java and dig deeper than other phones. But otherwise, it’s not something the average user will really notice, IMO.
@tlj and Joshua – If my AT&T contract was up RIGHT NOW, I’d probably continue to stay with the iPhone. This is mostly because I’ve tied myself down to the iTunes library, and I’ve become very accustomed to having my music and videos sync that way. However, the geek in me really loves the Android and it’s openness, so it would be a tough call. Plus, my experiences with T-Mobile in the past have been exceptional.
@Veetrag – The sound is on par with most phone devices (which is to say, not exceptional, but not bad either) however the proprietary USB jack for the headphones would be a dealbreaker for me, if there weren’t so much else about the phone I like.
@Starman – Hmm… I don’t think you will you will bugged. Navigating is pretty quick and easy.
-
#23 written by Veronica 3 years ago
@Jude – Not one that I’ve found, unfortunately.
@Todd – I tried using it, and it kept telling me my password was incorrect. Then it worked, but wouldn’t load my contact list. It said it was trying to upload “followers,” so that might have been the issue….
@Rick – Mail and calendar are working wonderfully. Very fast. However, I’m not loving the keypad. The bulge on the right side makes it hard for me to type sometimes. It’s not horrible, but I’ve used better keyboards (like on the Sidekicks).
@Rhonmark – That’s a good question! It’s never asked me to make a choice between internal memory and the card when downloading apps. I’ll have to look into that a bit and get back to you.
@Jim – Yes, it rules. But I haven’t tried it in an actual store yet, just around home and the office!
@Jericho – Hmm, interesting! The 3G on T-Mobile has been great so far, and I’ve had nothing but trouble with the AT&T 3G these days…. not sure if the SIM will work, I don’t think it will, but it might make an interesting experiment to see what happens.
@Fraa Raz – It’s slightly longer than your typical jeejah, but if you use the proper folding technique for your bolt, it will be undetectable. Hiding behind the chord wouldn’t be easy.
-
#32 written by Tyler 3 years ago
@Jericho you can’t put an AT&T SIM in for several reasons. First and foremost, the G1 is carrier locked to T-Mobile, sure you can probably find a code to unlock, but then you run into problem 2:
AT&T and T-Mobile use different bands for 3G, and changing the SIM will not make it switch bands, it’s a hardware thing. T-Mobile uses UMTS on 1700MHz, and AT&T uses HSDPA on a different frequency. They are not compatable at all.
-
#39 written by Vin 3 years ago
Hello Veronica!
While this isn’t related to the iPhone, I thought I’d ask since it involves the Android. I am going to get a new phone for Christmas, I was thinking about getting an Instinct until I saw this post…
Which phone would you recommend (if you’ve had experience with the Instinct)?
Thank you!
-
VBel,
Q: Can you effectively unlock the G1 using this site http://davinciteam.us/newsdetail_31.html ?
Thanks in advance.
-
- Comment Feed for this Post
How does the web browsing feel? I’ve heard many saying it’s sluggish, and others saying it’s pretty smooth. What’s your take?