Geek blog: Diary of a G1 (Google phone) owner
Discussion
Well following on from the other thread, I thought I'd start my own for the "user experience" of the G1. I know Plotloss has one on order for example, so hopefully he and others will contribute. 
Background
I've been with Orange for 9 years, and been using WM devices for about 5 or 6 years, and I've various devices, the latest being a rebranded HTC TyTn II. I've never had a problem with Windows devices, although found the TyTn to be a tad slow at times.. that said WM6.1 is the best yet (IMO).
I'm due an upgrade, so evaluated my needs. I want a proper keyboard, so I looked at the Blackberry Bold (not a fan of BB), the HTC Touch Pro (looks like a logical next step) and was trying to find a Sony Xperia X1 when the man from T-Mobile he say "what about the Google phone?"
First Impressions - Physical
The Birmingham store had a demo G1 in store to play with. First impressions are it's not as polished as the iPhone, and looks aren't it's ace. It's slightly rubberised in feel, but feels solid and well put together - certainly more solid than the TyTn II.
The trackball feels good, and has obviously been stolen (in concept) from BlackBerry.
Buttons on the front feel solid, and it uses mini-USB, so no propriety charging rubbish. The key area at the bottom is slightly angled, and it's thinner than the TyTn II, but thicker than an iPhone (but has a hardware keyboard). Interestingly, didn't feel as bulky in my pocket.
First Impressions - OS / Operation
Well the trackball works exactly like a BlackBerry, so no surprises there. There are the obligtory red and green buttons, a home button and a back button... and a little Menu button above the trackball.
The home screen is 3 screens wide, so a drag of the finger reveals the next screen (in either direction). A small grey bar allows you access to an application menu, and then you can press menu button for further options.
If feels as slick as the iPhone, and better than WM6.1 in terms of finger operation, but somewhat spartan - certainly not as polished. It seems simple, and raw in execution, so I guess I'm banking on Android being a success.
App wise, the dialer is functional, the calendar/PIM somewhat spartan, but the contacts seems to be very light - with no obvious way to search for contacts, other than scrolling through them - but time will tell.
The browser is quick, Google maps very fluid, and unsurprisingly the mail aspect pretty slick too. Didn't spot a Notes type program thought.
Bit of research
Having got home I decided to do some research on Android, and the G1. The user guide being the first port of call - which unsurprisingly revealed that to get the most out of it, you need a Google account.
So, after years of using Yahoo, I'm dumping it and off to Google. According to the manual if you update Google mail contacts / Google calendar, then the phone updates and visa versa.
Seems that PC support is few and far between, and the core of the device is Google's products and whatever Android developers want to make (the SDK is free to download).
So, whilst you can make and receive calls, mail and manage your diary, the true success of the device is yet to be realised, and I feel like I'm taking a punt on this thing - roll on Saturday...
Day One
Right, well opened the box and you get the obligatory USB cable (see comments in the thread), charger, USB headphones, and a neoprene type slip case (bit like Blackberry's offerings).
Having just moved from Orange I had to wait 9 hours(!) for the account to be activated "due to high demand"
For anyone who doesn't have a Googlemail account, I would recommend that you set one up BEFORE setting up the phone, as it's a quicker and easier process this way round
First impressions of the real phone over the demo one, are that it's nicer in the hand, better finished and quite solidly constructed.
The interface is fluid and logical, although it takes a little familiarisation after a WM device (using finger presses, rather than a stylus/tip of your nail).
Contacts, dialer, calendar all integrated quite well, and the browser is better than expected. Maps seems quite good, although worth noting the GPS is turned off by default.
The speaker seems pretty good, and the Weather Channel app downloaded from Android Market is nice too (especially when you convert to oC). Also the "OI Notepad" app to replace "Notes" from my WM device.
Messaging works well too, no surprises there, although the camera is pretty crap. Mail app seems fluid, whether using the mail Google account or my other (Yahoo) address.
I love the screen lock (join the dots), although so far it does seem to be missing the equivalent of Word and Excel
PacMan is pretty cool too - can either use the trackball, tilt the phone, or swipe your finger across the screen.
Thus far, pretty impressed - but will be interesting to see how things develop over the next few days as I start to use it more.
Day Two
Well, done a little more playing about with the phone and I really like the fact that if you update either the phone or Google on the web, then the other syncs to reflect that. No more Activ-stink
The “join the dots” lock is neat, looks quite cool
and more importantly, works well.
I’ve sent and received a few mails now, and it seems pretty good. Mailed an Excel 2003 and Word 2003 document… and you can view them in HTML, which is useful, but as yet there doesn’t seem to be a way to edit them.
The little case works well, so you can slip it into your pocket, without the need to but a nasty case or screen protector – something of which I’ve never been a fan. It’s lighter and thinner than the TyTn II as well, so is more comfortable in the pocket.
I noticed another poster’s comment about the keyboard and the buttons getting in the way, but I’ve not had an issue with this yet. I’ve found it accurate and easy to use, and the inclusion of a row of numbers at the top is really useful.
The revelation though has been the MP3 player. On the TyTn II the sound always felt compressed and muddy, but the G1 seems pretty good. I’m not a fan of the mini-USB connector though, so you’re limited to typically nasty headphones – which seems a shame. However, the sound delivered is pretty good, and the interface as easy to use as an iPod touch – if not quite as nice looking! I’ve looked at mini USB to 3.5mm socket, and they just seem to make the whole unit even more bulky although at least you don’t have to deal with the nasty volume control thing and clip half way up the headphones… A few Android forums are talking about the SD / SDHC thing, and I’m hoping the G1 will take the 16GB cards. A friend of mine has an 8GB one, so I’m going to try that tomorrow.
Did some surfing on the PC last night and it seems that there is an extended battery available in the US, that’s the same size as the existing one. Comments on the web haven’t been favourable yet about the battery life, but I’ve had a day out of mine with plenty of messing about… will be interesting to see how it pans out with “real world” usage.
Tomorrow I’ll try and give some detailed thoughts on the Dialer, Contacts, Calendar and Maps
Day Three
Home screen
Simple, effective and works well. You can add and remove icons… move the clock and Google search bar to your liking. Effectively 3 screens wide, you can easily navigate by swiping your finger over the screen. Works just like the iPhone TBH, although has more of a Palm OS feel to it.
Notifications appear in the top bar (along with signal, clock, battery indicator) so you can see if you have a new mail or text message. Drag the bar down to go directly to the notifications. The MP3 player status also appears here too.
There’s a menu that can be accessed by dragging a grey bar up from the bottom, and this contacts links to all your programs (including those installed from Android Market). You can easily make a link to these on the home screen too, by dragging them.
Dialer
Well… pretty much like the iPhone and WM offerings really. Call log is quick and easy to access, as are contacts and “favorites” – and as usual, you can access it via a link or by pressing the call button. Simple, tidy and functional.
Browser
Well, it was always going to be pretty good coming from Google…. Looks like a cut down Google web page, but has all the functionality. Calendar adds to… er, the calendar, photos lets you browse your online photos etc, no great surprises there. You can set iGoogle as your main page, but I’d advise against it since the formating is a little suspect at present. Search is quick, easy, and you can navigate via swiping your fingers, or by using the trackball. All seems pretty neat and fluid. Status (progress) bar is at the top and seems to give a fair indication of time to load. Rendering seems pretty good too, even with complex pages. If you press the menu button on the keyboard and click “window” to open a new window – so you have multiple panes to swap between.
Messaging
Threaded, easy to use, touch the conversation and type away. Nothing out of the ordinary here. As with most phones you can access it via the Contacts screen.
Contacts
The look depends on how you’ve entered your contact details. I’ve gone for the [surname, first name] approach as that’s what I’m used to using. Additionally you can group contacts by friends, family or your own tag… complete with the specific ringtone. One annoying factor I spotted was that the Googlemail has one name for Work colleagues, and the phone uses another – so need some sorting out there. Amusingly, seems you can divert calls from individual users direct to voicemail 
Calendar
The calendar works well, and you can either add appointments via the web, or via the phone… using the calendar link, or through the browser link. Appointments follow the usual Google protocol, and you can add to other people’s calendars if you have permissions set appropriately. Reminders are a little on the quiet side, but work well enough. There are multiple views for day, week, month, agenda etc and it’s easy to navigate.
Maps
Brilliant, and works well. Need to be aware that GPS is off by default, but other than that, you’ve seen it all before. What is handy, is that you can click on a contact’s address and it’ll bring it up – and even do directions from where you currently are. Neat in concept, but most people know where their friends live…
MP3 player
Surprised actually. Expected it to be like the TyTn II’s muted, horrid sounding affair, but it’s not. Easy to use, well laid out, can handle various other file formats and you can even set a song as a ringtone. All files played direct from the supplied 2GB Sandisk MicroSD card.
Camera
Hmm… average at best. Not really my thing, but takes a snap.
Pictures
Simple app that lets you view the junk you’ve put on the MicroSD card, or taken with the camera. W00t.
Battery life
Oooh… not great. With 3G on all the time, and using the phone as an MP3 player it’s easy to hammer it quite quickly. Thankfully the mini USB charger means there are plenty of options to charge it up, from the car to a spare charger at the office.
With the phone set to 2G, the battery life improves hugely and I easily got through the day without needing to charge, despite lots of mailing, calls and MP3 playing for a shade over an hour.
A quick surf reveals extended batteries in the US that are the same size, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for one of those on UK shores. Interestingly the phone does *seem* to charge very quickly – so I’ll do some comparison tests with it, versus my TyTn II.
Day Four
Well getting into the swing of things now
The screen and software are a joy to use. I've moved some icons about into logical groups, so have the most used stuff on the first home screen, the "toy" apps on another, and the web stuff on the third.
Got rid of the dialer icon, as you can access that by pressing the "dial" button on the bottom of the phone - so quite happy with the fact I can navigate around quickly.
Battery life still not great - and charging during the day to compensate.
Day Five
Discovered that the web ability of the G1 is better than that of the iPhone, BlackBerry and some Sony thing. 4 of us stood around, trying to find out what the England rugby score was... the G1 was there first - by some considerable margin. Not sure if it's the proper keyboard, the speed of the unit, or the fact that Google is just there, waiting. Either way, I'm happy.
Day Six
Discovered that I've had Wi-Fi network searching on... battery life went through the roof
Pretty much battered the phone with text, calls and a bit of t'internet, and still have 62% by the end of the day. Be interesting to see how it continues...
Day Seven
Finally got used to the keyboard... not hitting buttons more accurately, and found a comfy position from which to type (the buttons on the right do get in the way!) - now using thumbs to type and blanacing phone in fingers.
Have noticed that even with the ringer on full, I often don't hear it ring, or the alerts (text, mail, alerts) from within the depths of my pocket... probably not helped by the padded slip case. Vibrate not that good either. Might have to try a different ringtone...
Day Eight
Well my 8GB Class 6 Sandisk MicroSD has arrived...
Moved a whole host (about 6GB) of MP3s to the card, and not had any issues accessing the data, or speed issues - so looks like the manual's claim of 4GB max is unfounded.
If it can handle HD formats, then hopefully it'll be OK with 16 and 32GB cards...
Day Nine
Ooooh, bad battery day...
Didn't charge during the day at all, and hammered the phone with mail, texts, calls and about 60 mins of MP3 playing... not to mention constant checking of battery charge
By the time I got home (14 hours after initial charge) it was down to 32%.
Interestingly though, the little icon in the taskbar looked about 50% full...
Day Ten
Nothing of interest...
Day Eleven
Looked at the phone this morning and it said there was an update available, did I want to proceed? - oh, and there was a warning that it would reboot and I wouldn't be able to make calls during the process.
Pressed OK, the G1 rebooted, and then got a picture of a box with an arrow coming out of it and pointing to the phone. Little bar went across (took about 2 mins) the bottom of the screen, then rebooted.
Then got a picture of an arrow pointing at a ROM chip... then rebooted. Got the first picture back up.. no more updates, so rebooted a final time and went back through. Android logo came up and phone live.
All my downloaded apps seem to work, and the only thing I've spotted is the build number has moved from RC7 to RC8.
[bTwo month update[/b]
Well, I’ve been using the phone every day for over two months now… so how does it handle everyday life..?
Pros
Battery Life
OK, let’s be honest – it isn’t good. Surfing hammers the battery.. and MP3 playback doesn’t help. I’ve resorted to using a charger at my desk in the office and charging it before I leave the office if I’m going to hammer it on the train commute home. That said, if you don’t use it (so it’s just on and “waiting”) then it’s acceptable.
However, download “Power Manager” and let it monitor settings / performance for you and things improve drastically. I’ve got two days out of the G1 with this switched on and would recommend it to all G1 users. Handily, it means you can turn off 3G / Wifi / GPS etc etc from one toggle as well. Needless to say, if you restrict the phone to 2G access, then battery life improves again, but I can live with the limitations of the battery.
I’ve recently discovered there are higher capacity batteries now available in the UK (some are physically larger, some have a great mAh rating), so I’m going to try one of these and will report in due course…!
Android Market
These are my favourite apps…
Background
I've been with Orange for 9 years, and been using WM devices for about 5 or 6 years, and I've various devices, the latest being a rebranded HTC TyTn II. I've never had a problem with Windows devices, although found the TyTn to be a tad slow at times.. that said WM6.1 is the best yet (IMO).
I'm due an upgrade, so evaluated my needs. I want a proper keyboard, so I looked at the Blackberry Bold (not a fan of BB), the HTC Touch Pro (looks like a logical next step) and was trying to find a Sony Xperia X1 when the man from T-Mobile he say "what about the Google phone?"
First Impressions - Physical
The Birmingham store had a demo G1 in store to play with. First impressions are it's not as polished as the iPhone, and looks aren't it's ace. It's slightly rubberised in feel, but feels solid and well put together - certainly more solid than the TyTn II.
The trackball feels good, and has obviously been stolen (in concept) from BlackBerry.
Buttons on the front feel solid, and it uses mini-USB, so no propriety charging rubbish. The key area at the bottom is slightly angled, and it's thinner than the TyTn II, but thicker than an iPhone (but has a hardware keyboard). Interestingly, didn't feel as bulky in my pocket.
First Impressions - OS / Operation
Well the trackball works exactly like a BlackBerry, so no surprises there. There are the obligtory red and green buttons, a home button and a back button... and a little Menu button above the trackball.
The home screen is 3 screens wide, so a drag of the finger reveals the next screen (in either direction). A small grey bar allows you access to an application menu, and then you can press menu button for further options.
If feels as slick as the iPhone, and better than WM6.1 in terms of finger operation, but somewhat spartan - certainly not as polished. It seems simple, and raw in execution, so I guess I'm banking on Android being a success.
App wise, the dialer is functional, the calendar/PIM somewhat spartan, but the contacts seems to be very light - with no obvious way to search for contacts, other than scrolling through them - but time will tell.
The browser is quick, Google maps very fluid, and unsurprisingly the mail aspect pretty slick too. Didn't spot a Notes type program thought.
Bit of research
Having got home I decided to do some research on Android, and the G1. The user guide being the first port of call - which unsurprisingly revealed that to get the most out of it, you need a Google account.
So, after years of using Yahoo, I'm dumping it and off to Google. According to the manual if you update Google mail contacts / Google calendar, then the phone updates and visa versa.
Seems that PC support is few and far between, and the core of the device is Google's products and whatever Android developers want to make (the SDK is free to download).
So, whilst you can make and receive calls, mail and manage your diary, the true success of the device is yet to be realised, and I feel like I'm taking a punt on this thing - roll on Saturday...
Day One
Right, well opened the box and you get the obligatory USB cable (see comments in the thread), charger, USB headphones, and a neoprene type slip case (bit like Blackberry's offerings).
Having just moved from Orange I had to wait 9 hours(!) for the account to be activated "due to high demand"
For anyone who doesn't have a Googlemail account, I would recommend that you set one up BEFORE setting up the phone, as it's a quicker and easier process this way round
First impressions of the real phone over the demo one, are that it's nicer in the hand, better finished and quite solidly constructed.
The interface is fluid and logical, although it takes a little familiarisation after a WM device (using finger presses, rather than a stylus/tip of your nail).
Contacts, dialer, calendar all integrated quite well, and the browser is better than expected. Maps seems quite good, although worth noting the GPS is turned off by default.
The speaker seems pretty good, and the Weather Channel app downloaded from Android Market is nice too (especially when you convert to oC). Also the "OI Notepad" app to replace "Notes" from my WM device.
Messaging works well too, no surprises there, although the camera is pretty crap. Mail app seems fluid, whether using the mail Google account or my other (Yahoo) address.
I love the screen lock (join the dots), although so far it does seem to be missing the equivalent of Word and Excel
PacMan is pretty cool too - can either use the trackball, tilt the phone, or swipe your finger across the screen.
Thus far, pretty impressed - but will be interesting to see how things develop over the next few days as I start to use it more.
Day Two
Well, done a little more playing about with the phone and I really like the fact that if you update either the phone or Google on the web, then the other syncs to reflect that. No more Activ-stink
The “join the dots” lock is neat, looks quite cool
and more importantly, works well.I’ve sent and received a few mails now, and it seems pretty good. Mailed an Excel 2003 and Word 2003 document… and you can view them in HTML, which is useful, but as yet there doesn’t seem to be a way to edit them.
The little case works well, so you can slip it into your pocket, without the need to but a nasty case or screen protector – something of which I’ve never been a fan. It’s lighter and thinner than the TyTn II as well, so is more comfortable in the pocket.
I noticed another poster’s comment about the keyboard and the buttons getting in the way, but I’ve not had an issue with this yet. I’ve found it accurate and easy to use, and the inclusion of a row of numbers at the top is really useful.
The revelation though has been the MP3 player. On the TyTn II the sound always felt compressed and muddy, but the G1 seems pretty good. I’m not a fan of the mini-USB connector though, so you’re limited to typically nasty headphones – which seems a shame. However, the sound delivered is pretty good, and the interface as easy to use as an iPod touch – if not quite as nice looking! I’ve looked at mini USB to 3.5mm socket, and they just seem to make the whole unit even more bulky
although at least you don’t have to deal with the nasty volume control thing and clip half way up the headphones… A few Android forums are talking about the SD / SDHC thing, and I’m hoping the G1 will take the 16GB cards. A friend of mine has an 8GB one, so I’m going to try that tomorrow. Did some surfing on the PC last night and it seems that there is an extended battery available in the US, that’s the same size as the existing one. Comments on the web haven’t been favourable yet about the battery life, but I’ve had a day out of mine with plenty of messing about… will be interesting to see how it pans out with “real world” usage.
Tomorrow I’ll try and give some detailed thoughts on the Dialer, Contacts, Calendar and Maps
Day Three
Home screen
Simple, effective and works well. You can add and remove icons… move the clock and Google search bar to your liking. Effectively 3 screens wide, you can easily navigate by swiping your finger over the screen. Works just like the iPhone TBH, although has more of a Palm OS feel to it.
Notifications appear in the top bar (along with signal, clock, battery indicator) so you can see if you have a new mail or text message. Drag the bar down to go directly to the notifications. The MP3 player status also appears here too.
There’s a menu that can be accessed by dragging a grey bar up from the bottom, and this contacts links to all your programs (including those installed from Android Market). You can easily make a link to these on the home screen too, by dragging them.
Dialer
Well… pretty much like the iPhone and WM offerings really. Call log is quick and easy to access, as are contacts and “favorites” – and as usual, you can access it via a link or by pressing the call button. Simple, tidy and functional.
Browser
Well, it was always going to be pretty good coming from Google…. Looks like a cut down Google web page, but has all the functionality. Calendar adds to… er, the calendar, photos lets you browse your online photos etc, no great surprises there. You can set iGoogle as your main page, but I’d advise against it since the formating is a little suspect at present. Search is quick, easy, and you can navigate via swiping your fingers, or by using the trackball. All seems pretty neat and fluid. Status (progress) bar is at the top and seems to give a fair indication of time to load. Rendering seems pretty good too, even with complex pages. If you press the menu button on the keyboard and click “window” to open a new window – so you have multiple panes to swap between.
Messaging
Threaded, easy to use, touch the conversation and type away. Nothing out of the ordinary here. As with most phones you can access it via the Contacts screen.
Contacts
The look depends on how you’ve entered your contact details. I’ve gone for the [surname, first name] approach as that’s what I’m used to using. Additionally you can group contacts by friends, family or your own tag… complete with the specific ringtone. One annoying factor I spotted was that the Googlemail has one name for Work colleagues, and the phone uses another – so need some sorting out there.
Amusingly, seems you can divert calls from individual users direct to voicemail Calendar
The calendar works well, and you can either add appointments via the web, or via the phone… using the calendar link, or through the browser link. Appointments follow the usual Google protocol, and you can add to other people’s calendars if you have permissions set appropriately. Reminders are a little on the quiet side, but work well enough. There are multiple views for day, week, month, agenda etc and it’s easy to navigate.
Maps
Brilliant, and works well. Need to be aware that GPS is off by default, but other than that, you’ve seen it all before. What is handy, is that you can click on a contact’s address and it’ll bring it up – and even do directions from where you currently are. Neat in concept, but most people know where their friends live…
MP3 player
Surprised actually. Expected it to be like the TyTn II’s muted, horrid sounding affair, but it’s not. Easy to use, well laid out, can handle various other file formats and you can even set a song as a ringtone. All files played direct from the supplied 2GB Sandisk MicroSD card.
Camera
Hmm… average at best. Not really my thing, but takes a snap.
Pictures
Simple app that lets you view the junk you’ve put on the MicroSD card, or taken with the camera. W00t.
Battery life
Oooh… not great. With 3G on all the time, and using the phone as an MP3 player it’s easy to hammer it quite quickly. Thankfully the mini USB charger means there are plenty of options to charge it up, from the car to a spare charger at the office.
With the phone set to 2G, the battery life improves hugely and I easily got through the day without needing to charge, despite lots of mailing, calls and MP3 playing for a shade over an hour.
A quick surf reveals extended batteries in the US that are the same size, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for one of those on UK shores. Interestingly the phone does *seem* to charge very quickly – so I’ll do some comparison tests with it, versus my TyTn II.
Day Four
Well getting into the swing of things now
The screen and software are a joy to use. I've moved some icons about into logical groups, so have the most used stuff on the first home screen, the "toy" apps on another, and the web stuff on the third.
Got rid of the dialer icon, as you can access that by pressing the "dial" button on the bottom of the phone - so quite happy with the fact I can navigate around quickly.
Battery life still not great - and charging during the day to compensate.
Day Five
Discovered that the web ability of the G1 is better than that of the iPhone, BlackBerry and some Sony thing. 4 of us stood around, trying to find out what the England rugby score was... the G1 was there first - by some considerable margin. Not sure if it's the proper keyboard, the speed of the unit, or the fact that Google is just there, waiting. Either way, I'm happy.
Day Six
Discovered that I've had Wi-Fi network searching on... battery life went through the roof
Pretty much battered the phone with text, calls and a bit of t'internet, and still have 62% by the end of the day. Be interesting to see how it continues...Day Seven
Finally got used to the keyboard... not hitting buttons more accurately, and found a comfy position from which to type (the buttons on the right do get in the way!) - now using thumbs to type and blanacing phone in fingers.
Have noticed that even with the ringer on full, I often don't hear it ring, or the alerts (text, mail, alerts) from within the depths of my pocket... probably not helped by the padded slip case. Vibrate not that good either. Might have to try a different ringtone...
Day Eight
Well my 8GB Class 6 Sandisk MicroSD has arrived...
Moved a whole host (about 6GB) of MP3s to the card, and not had any issues accessing the data, or speed issues - so looks like the manual's claim of 4GB max is unfounded.
If it can handle HD formats, then hopefully it'll be OK with 16 and 32GB cards...
Day Nine
Ooooh, bad battery day...
Didn't charge during the day at all, and hammered the phone with mail, texts, calls and about 60 mins of MP3 playing... not to mention constant checking of battery charge
By the time I got home (14 hours after initial charge) it was down to 32%.
Interestingly though, the little icon in the taskbar looked about 50% full...
Day Ten
Nothing of interest...
Day Eleven
Looked at the phone this morning and it said there was an update available, did I want to proceed? - oh, and there was a warning that it would reboot and I wouldn't be able to make calls during the process.
Pressed OK, the G1 rebooted, and then got a picture of a box with an arrow coming out of it and pointing to the phone. Little bar went across (took about 2 mins) the bottom of the screen, then rebooted.
Then got a picture of an arrow pointing at a ROM chip... then rebooted. Got the first picture back up.. no more updates, so rebooted a final time and went back through. Android logo came up and phone live.
All my downloaded apps seem to work, and the only thing I've spotted is the build number has moved from RC7 to RC8.
[bTwo month update[/b]
Well, I’ve been using the phone every day for over two months now… so how does it handle everyday life..?
Pros
- It’s not as bulky as my old WM devices
- The keyboard is pretty quick once you get used to it (takes a few weeks)
- Web access is pretty quick
- The MP3 player isn’t bad
- Android market allows you to get the most out of the phone
- I love not having to use ActivStink
- The screen is quick and, IMO just as good as the iPhone
- Battery life is poor (more on that in a moment)
- It’s a pain having to delete mails individually
- No 3.5mm socket means using supplied headphones, or buying an adaptor (£7.50 + P&P from www.mobilefun.co.uk )
- No SatNav yet…
- Can’t edit MS Office docs… yet….
- It ain’t pretty…
Battery Life
OK, let’s be honest – it isn’t good. Surfing hammers the battery.. and MP3 playback doesn’t help. I’ve resorted to using a charger at my desk in the office and charging it before I leave the office if I’m going to hammer it on the train commute home. That said, if you don’t use it (so it’s just on and “waiting”) then it’s acceptable.
However, download “Power Manager” and let it monitor settings / performance for you and things improve drastically. I’ve got two days out of the G1 with this switched on and would recommend it to all G1 users. Handily, it means you can turn off 3G / Wifi / GPS etc etc from one toggle as well. Needless to say, if you restrict the phone to 2G access, then battery life improves again, but I can live with the limitations of the battery.
I’ve recently discovered there are higher capacity batteries now available in the UK (some are physically larger, some have a great mAh rating), so I’m going to try one of these and will report in due course…!
Android Market
These are my favourite apps…
- Android File Manager (now Linda file manager) – it’s a file manager…
- AnyCut – Create a shortcut for anything… allows one touch dialing / texting from the home screen
- aTrackDog – Checks current versions of installs apps and lets you know it a new one is out there
- iTubeStatus – Current status on the Tube… every Londoner needs this.
- ConvertDroid – Conversion utility. Not great, but works.
- Bubble – spirit level using the built in accelerometers
- Power Manager – As above.
- Missed Call – Allows you to change the LED colours for missed calls / texts
- The Weather Channel – Guess. Covers multiple locations and hourly / daily forecasts
- UK Traffic – Current traffic issues in the UK
- WifiScan – one for the wardrivers…
- OI Notepad - Useful little notepad app
- ShopSavvy – Scan a barcode, find it cheaper (saved us hundreds already!)
Edited by Podie on Monday 12th January 12:04
Nice overview mate, thanks for taking the time to write it:
1. How do you think you'll survive without Exchange Support for the moment?
2. Does it have DUN Bluetooth support?
3. Whats the battery life looking like with the usual settings turned on?
4. What is the PC connectivity software like if any?
All of these are a concern for me on any phone I choose: I'm being swayed heavily back to Symbian phones, most notably the excellent E51...
1. How do you think you'll survive without Exchange Support for the moment?
2. Does it have DUN Bluetooth support?
3. Whats the battery life looking like with the usual settings turned on?
4. What is the PC connectivity software like if any?
All of these are a concern for me on any phone I choose: I'm being swayed heavily back to Symbian phones, most notably the excellent E51...
This sounds interesting 
What's the SDK? What language / platform? Is the device locked, and if not, are they available anywhere other than T-mobile outlets?
I've followed the Android thing fairly haphazardly since I've been more focused on the iPhone, until the product launch video where it appeared that the devices were definitely locked to T-mobile's network and would NOT be an 'open platform' whatsoever - so the vision of an open Linux phone (as per the OpenMoko project) was dashed with the usual mobile network bully-boy tactics, so I lost interest.
Is there anything in there (like an open SDK, baseband and unlocked device) that would get me interested again or is it closed-source baseband and locked down to T-mobile?
(much the same questions I asked Plotloss a while back, but this was before the devices were actually available for demo...)
What's the SDK? What language / platform? Is the device locked, and if not, are they available anywhere other than T-mobile outlets?
I've followed the Android thing fairly haphazardly since I've been more focused on the iPhone, until the product launch video where it appeared that the devices were definitely locked to T-mobile's network and would NOT be an 'open platform' whatsoever - so the vision of an open Linux phone (as per the OpenMoko project) was dashed with the usual mobile network bully-boy tactics, so I lost interest.
Is there anything in there (like an open SDK, baseband and unlocked device) that would get me interested again or is it closed-source baseband and locked down to T-mobile?
(much the same questions I asked Plotloss a while back, but this was before the devices were actually available for demo...)
neil_bolton said:
Nice overview mate, thanks for taking the time to write it:
1. How do you think you'll survive without Exchange Support for the moment?
2. Does it have DUN Bluetooth support?
3. Whats the battery life looking like with the usual settings turned on?
4. What is the PC connectivity software like if any?
All of these are a concern for me on any phone I choose: I'm being swayed heavily back to Symbian phones, most notably the excellent E51...
Well, since Google announced their alliance with various partners, Nokia have bought Symbian and are talking about making it open source... when California makes noises, MS and Apple listen - as do others.1. How do you think you'll survive without Exchange Support for the moment?
2. Does it have DUN Bluetooth support?
3. Whats the battery life looking like with the usual settings turned on?
4. What is the PC connectivity software like if any?
All of these are a concern for me on any phone I choose: I'm being swayed heavily back to Symbian phones, most notably the excellent E51...
I've not got the phone yet, I've only had 30-40 mins with a demo one in store. Call quality was good mind.
1) Not too bothered, as it's a personal phone. I guess the point of Android is someone can code it...
2) Not sure, but unlike the iPhone is does support a variety of bluetooth protocols. Headset is currently mono, but I've read that stereo is a firmware upgrade away...
3) I expect iPhone 3G levels TBH
4) Zero from what I've seen - it's as if the phone is a thin client to the world of Google... but then, that's their approach anyway. Take Google Chrome, and Google Docs as an example.
cyberface said:
This sounds interesting
What's the SDK? What language / platform? Is the device locked, and if not, are they available anywhere other than T-mobile outlets?
I've followed the Android thing fairly haphazardly since I've been more focused on the iPhone, until the product launch video where it appeared that the devices were definitely locked to T-mobile's network and would NOT be an 'open platform' whatsoever - so the vision of an open Linux phone (as per the OpenMoko project) was dashed with the usual mobile network bully-boy tactics, so I lost interest.
Is there anything in there (like an open SDK, baseband and unlocked device) that would get me interested again or is it closed-source baseband and locked down to T-mobile?
(much the same questions I asked Plotloss a while back, but this was before the devices were actually available for demo...)
Proper open source, have a look - http://code.google.com/android/What's the SDK? What language / platform? Is the device locked, and if not, are they available anywhere other than T-mobile outlets?
I've followed the Android thing fairly haphazardly since I've been more focused on the iPhone, until the product launch video where it appeared that the devices were definitely locked to T-mobile's network and would NOT be an 'open platform' whatsoever - so the vision of an open Linux phone (as per the OpenMoko project) was dashed with the usual mobile network bully-boy tactics, so I lost interest.
Is there anything in there (like an open SDK, baseband and unlocked device) that would get me interested again or is it closed-source baseband and locked down to T-mobile?
(much the same questions I asked Plotloss a while back, but this was before the devices were actually available for demo...)
The whole thing had bypassed me TBH. I'd seen the Google phone being touted, but not paid much attention. I love the iPhone interface, but really like having a proper keyboard.
The success of the whole thing depends on the uptake of Android...
Tycho said:
Nice write up. Looking forward to your actual impressions when you get it.
The only thing that worries me is the syncing between PC and the Google web apps. Contacts are meant to be a pain as is calendar.
Well opened up a Google account... and importing my existing yahoo mail accounts into that.The only thing that worries me is the syncing between PC and the Google web apps. Contacts are meant to be a pain as is calendar.
In terms of getting contacts in, I exported from Outlook to a CSV, then imported into Google Mail.
Will keep you posted...
Thanks for the review Podie.
I'm very interested in this phone but am lost as to why google launched the OS on what is a naff looking phone.
Right now the Blackberry Bold will be my next phone, I really haven't been able to get to grip with the Iphones virtual keyboard which is quite frankly rubbish.
I'm very interested in this phone but am lost as to why google launched the OS on what is a naff looking phone.
Right now the Blackberry Bold will be my next phone, I really haven't been able to get to grip with the Iphones virtual keyboard which is quite frankly rubbish.
Thanks for the first impressions,
As a regular user Google mail and associate products I am looking forward to this device.
Since the 22nd of this month Google contacts has changed. Within your mail/contacts you now have a 'my contacts' section for primary contacts, I can only assume this has something to do with regular and prefered contacts as Google naturally keeps all contacts within your Google account, why the sudden change?
My main query is the battery life on this unit. Stories form the US state that if, as a user, you receive regular Gmails/use Apps the battery is not quite what we expect from this type of device.
I called my local T-Mobile shop today to establish accessibility. The person I spoke with said that the first contact the staff will be getting with the unit is Friday evening after the shop has closed and before Saturday morning. He also mentioned that the stock they believe they are due to receive is limited and if I am to stand any chance (as a non T-mobile user) of receiving one on Saturday I need to be there for opening.
Lets see what tomorrows pre-register e-mail has to say.
As a regular user Google mail and associate products I am looking forward to this device.
Since the 22nd of this month Google contacts has changed. Within your mail/contacts you now have a 'my contacts' section for primary contacts, I can only assume this has something to do with regular and prefered contacts as Google naturally keeps all contacts within your Google account, why the sudden change?
My main query is the battery life on this unit. Stories form the US state that if, as a user, you receive regular Gmails/use Apps the battery is not quite what we expect from this type of device.
I called my local T-Mobile shop today to establish accessibility. The person I spoke with said that the first contact the staff will be getting with the unit is Friday evening after the shop has closed and before Saturday morning. He also mentioned that the stock they believe they are due to receive is limited and if I am to stand any chance (as a non T-mobile user) of receiving one on Saturday I need to be there for opening.
Lets see what tomorrows pre-register e-mail has to say.
riwiho said:
Since the 22nd of this month Google contacts has changed. Within your mail/contacts you now have a 'my contacts' section for primary contacts, I can only assume this has something to do with regular and prefered contacts as Google naturally keeps all contacts within your Google account, why the sudden change?
Something to do with the fact that if you previously mailed someone 5 times, it added them to your contacts list automatically... that's now been dropped and they come up as "suggested contacts" I believe.There may be a menu / filter function on the G1..?
riwiho said:
My main query is the battery life on this unit. Stories form the US state that if, as a user, you receive regular Gmails/use Apps the battery is not quite what we expect from this type of device.
Battery life varies on everything. I have a mini-USB at the office, so it's not a big deal... but will be interesting to see what it's really like.riwiho said:
I called my local T-Mobile shop today to establish accessibility. The person I spoke with said that the first contact the staff will be getting with the unit is Friday evening after the shop has closed and before Saturday morning. He also mentioned that the stock they believe they are due to receive is limited and if I am to stand any chance (as a non T-mobile user) of receiving one on Saturday I need to be there for opening.
Well I pre-ordered at the T-Mobile store in Birmingham Bullring. Bloke there called Raj really seemed to know his onions too.Checked out the store opposite Liverpool Street and they're taking names of interested parties, and will have them available on Monday.
riwiho said:
Lets see what tomorrows pre-register e-mail has to say.
Could be interesting...Getting a Googlemail account and moving contacts
Right, well the next stage of preparation has been completed. (Activ)sync’d the TyTn II with the Outlook to make sure my contacts are all up to date. Then exported the contacts folder to a CSV, and then went into my newly opened Googlemail account and imported them. Whole process was fairly neat to be honest, although I can see that I’m going to want to do some pruning / tidying – but think I’ll wait for the phone to arrive for that. Not really sure how the contacts thing will work, but we’ll find out soon.
I’ve also configured the Googlemail account to retrieve my Yahoo mail via POP3. Works fairly well, and although the G1 can apparently still access other clients, it seems being a Google-w
e is the best plan of action. Apparently you can still send as Yahoo mail from the web version of Googlemail… be interesting to see if the phone supports this.
Looking again at Neil Bolton’s question, I’m not sure how exchange will fit in… or even if it will fit in. Google’s model seems to be that they want to “own” everything their end, and you have access to it. Be interesting to see if someone writes an app for it… but at the moment I’m wondering if they’ve alienated the Corporate world as a result? I do, however, like the fact that I wont have to sync with a PC, and mess around will multiple Activsync profiles…
Edited for speeeling.
Right, well the next stage of preparation has been completed. (Activ)sync’d the TyTn II with the Outlook to make sure my contacts are all up to date. Then exported the contacts folder to a CSV, and then went into my newly opened Googlemail account and imported them. Whole process was fairly neat to be honest, although I can see that I’m going to want to do some pruning / tidying – but think I’ll wait for the phone to arrive for that. Not really sure how the contacts thing will work, but we’ll find out soon.
I’ve also configured the Googlemail account to retrieve my Yahoo mail via POP3. Works fairly well, and although the G1 can apparently still access other clients, it seems being a Google-w
e is the best plan of action. Apparently you can still send as Yahoo mail from the web version of Googlemail… be interesting to see if the phone supports this.Looking again at Neil Bolton’s question, I’m not sure how exchange will fit in… or even if it will fit in. Google’s model seems to be that they want to “own” everything their end, and you have access to it. Be interesting to see if someone writes an app for it… but at the moment I’m wondering if they’ve alienated the Corporate world as a result? I do, however, like the fact that I wont have to sync with a PC, and mess around will multiple Activsync profiles…
Edited for speeeling.
Edited by Podie on Wednesday 29th October 11:30
Just had a mail from a friend of mine who has been told that the following applications will be availble free from Android Market when the phone is launched (which probably means it's been copy and pasted from t'internet 
).
”Lifestyle”
Mandelbrot Map: Map viewer
Krystle II: Turns your phone into a virtual pet
Pocket Seismograph: Monitors the phone's motion-sensitive accelerometer
Translate: Translation tool
Pro Football Live!: Football news and the latest scores
BreadCrumbz: Navigation tool that allows users to overlay maps with photos and voice notes about local landmarks or amenities
E-ventr: Event organiser and friend finder iMap
Weather: The latest weather forecasts on your phone
Ecorio: Track and reduce your carbon footprint
Cocktail!: Learn how to mix the perfect Martini or Cosmopolitan Cooking
Capsules Taster: Cooking guide and recipe book
Wikitude/AR Travel: Mobile travel guide
AccuWeather.com: Global weather forecasts
Productivity
QuickList: Create to-do lists
WikiMobile Encyclopedia: Wikipedia for mobile devices
Maverick: Instant-messaging program for your phone
Multimedia
Shazam: Identify songs and buy the track
PicSay: Personalise your pictures with text
Panoramio: Finds pictures of interesting places in your area
TuneWiki: Next-generation social media player
BlueBrush: Draw with your friends by sharing the same canvas
Video Player: Plays video files stored on the G1's SD memory card
Photostream: Photo browser for Flickr
Ringdroid: Create ringtones for your phone
SplashPlay: Music application
Tools
Radar: Draw a bearing between the user's current location and latitude/longitude
Task Switcher: Flick quickly between applications
Spare Parts: Tool for Android software developers Text-To-Speech
Translator: Translates words into speech
Any Cut: Create your own shortcuts for your favourite applications
Locale: Manage your phone settings based on your location
Contacts De-Duper: De-duplicate your contacts to streamline your contacts folder
Shutter Speed: Detailed camera settings to make the most of the G1's in-built three-megapixel camera and web access
DiskUsage: Manage the data stored on your phone
Rings Extended: Replaces standard ringtones with jazzier tunes
Shopping
Barcode Scanner: Scans and recognises the barcode of any product to help users find the cheapest place to buy it
ShopSavvy: Compares prices online and on the high street
CompareEverywhere: Scans barcodes and gives directions to local stores selling that item using Google maps to navigate
Games & Puzzles
PAC-MAN
Metamath Solitaire
MisMisMatch
Anagrams v0.2
Slide Puzzle
Divide and Conquer!
CB Blackjack
Bubble Bash
Bonsai
Balls 2 The Wall
Tetris
Android Says
... oooh free stuff!
).”Lifestyle”
Mandelbrot Map: Map viewer
Krystle II: Turns your phone into a virtual pet
Pocket Seismograph: Monitors the phone's motion-sensitive accelerometer
Translate: Translation tool
Pro Football Live!: Football news and the latest scores
BreadCrumbz: Navigation tool that allows users to overlay maps with photos and voice notes about local landmarks or amenities
E-ventr: Event organiser and friend finder iMap
Weather: The latest weather forecasts on your phone
Ecorio: Track and reduce your carbon footprint
Cocktail!: Learn how to mix the perfect Martini or Cosmopolitan Cooking
Capsules Taster: Cooking guide and recipe book
Wikitude/AR Travel: Mobile travel guide
AccuWeather.com: Global weather forecasts
Productivity
QuickList: Create to-do lists
WikiMobile Encyclopedia: Wikipedia for mobile devices
Maverick: Instant-messaging program for your phone
Multimedia
Shazam: Identify songs and buy the track
PicSay: Personalise your pictures with text
Panoramio: Finds pictures of interesting places in your area
TuneWiki: Next-generation social media player
BlueBrush: Draw with your friends by sharing the same canvas
Video Player: Plays video files stored on the G1's SD memory card
Photostream: Photo browser for Flickr
Ringdroid: Create ringtones for your phone
SplashPlay: Music application
Tools
Radar: Draw a bearing between the user's current location and latitude/longitude
Task Switcher: Flick quickly between applications
Spare Parts: Tool for Android software developers Text-To-Speech
Translator: Translates words into speech
Any Cut: Create your own shortcuts for your favourite applications
Locale: Manage your phone settings based on your location
Contacts De-Duper: De-duplicate your contacts to streamline your contacts folder
Shutter Speed: Detailed camera settings to make the most of the G1's in-built three-megapixel camera and web access
DiskUsage: Manage the data stored on your phone
Rings Extended: Replaces standard ringtones with jazzier tunes
Shopping
Barcode Scanner: Scans and recognises the barcode of any product to help users find the cheapest place to buy it
ShopSavvy: Compares prices online and on the high street
CompareEverywhere: Scans barcodes and gives directions to local stores selling that item using Google maps to navigate
Games & Puzzles
PAC-MAN
Metamath Solitaire
MisMisMatch
Anagrams v0.2
Slide Puzzle
Divide and Conquer!
CB Blackjack
Bubble Bash
Bonsai
Balls 2 The Wall
Tetris
Android Says
... oooh free stuff!
xiphias said:
As long as bubblebash = frozen bubble I'm happy 
That would almost be a selling point for me.Am I right in assuming that this handset is only the first one. Any manufacturer could make one and just need to stick to the android's standards?
If so, what will be the advantages of waiting for another handset bar quicker processor, etc?
[Edit: Oh and I guess it won't be coming to O2 as they hold the iPhone's rights in the UK]
Edited by Xenocide on Wednesday 29th October 13:48
Xenocide said:
xiphias said:
As long as bubblebash = frozen bubble I'm happy
That would almost be a selling point for me.Am I right in assuming that this handset is only the first one. Any manufacturer could make one and just need to stick to the android's standards?
If so, what will be the advantages of waiting for another handset bar quicker processor, etc?
[Edit: Oh and I guess it won't be coming to O2 as they hold the iPhone's rights in the UK]
Edited by Xenocide on Wednesday 29th October 13:48
Advantages of waiting? Might be better looking, might have a 3.5mm headphone socket...?
Plotloss said:
andy_s said:
How does it scan barcodes..?
I don't know what the advantage of having Android is for the normal bloke in the street?
Does it via the camera.I don't know what the advantage of having Android is for the normal bloke in the street?
Podie said:
riwiho said:
Lets see what tomorrows pre-register e-mail has to say.
Could be interesting...I spoke to a very knowledgeable chap at another T-Mobile shop earlier today. He told me that their allocation of units for the first week has arrived (4 units!) and that there was already one with a name next to it.
I have got my name on another one (white or black, white or black, I just dont know which way to go) and shall be pickig it up at 09:00 tomorrow.
Really excited now.
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