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A First Look at T-Mobile’s New G1 and Android

The Android OS has been lurking in the shadows for some time, and even after the SDK was released, the project still seemed somewhat a mystery. The lurking will end as soon as T-Mobile starts shipping its new G1. It’s already listed on their Web site for pre-order here, but the Google-based phone has not grabbed the limelight—yet. How does this mobile Johnny-come-lately stack up against Windows Mobile? Let’s take a look under the hood and see if Microsoft should be concerned.

Large Touch Interface–Easy To Use

After the success of the iPhone and the newer Windows Mobile devices with enhanced “touch” interfaces, it’s clear that users want touch screen devices that allow easy access and control without a stylus. Tasks like web browsing or checking e-mail, for example, should not involve painful hunting through menus, and using vertical/horizontal scrollbars. It’s obvious that the Android OS was built with ease-of-use in mind, and the G1′s large 480X320 screen won’t hurt any in that regard.

Much like the iPhone, the G1 focuses on a solid set of mobile features, which include a Web browser, maps, messaging, etc. In addition, HTC (the manufacture of the G1) has packed in a decent range of hardware features, including a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, trackball control, 3.2 MP camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and 3G data connection. But in the end, the OS and user interface will probably be the defining difference with this phone.

Based on what I’ve seen, the crisp, large GUI will appeal to users who don’t want to spend a lot of time getting to know their phones. In addition, I expect that third-party developers will jump on board to provide enhancements to the Google based widgets and services, like the included Gmail, Google Chat and Google maps.
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