This is a test post using my G1. I found a new app called PostBot. Is it working? One way to find out.
Additional note: Postbot seems okay for quick new posts. It cannot edit pre-existing posts on the blog and it doesn’t have the ability to add tags to the post, so you have to fire up a browser eventually. Oh well, the search continues…
I have had the T-Mobile G1 Android phone for a week. I still love it. As much as I like the phone (it seems really odd at this point to call the G1 or the iPhone, among others, a phone because they are so far beyond a mere verbal communication device) it is not a flawless device. I feel I should say that I have never used an iPhone so I can’t do any kind of comparison between the two. What I am going to do is provide my own opinion of the device as well as some of the things that my wife has pointed out to me, we both have a G1.
My first gripe with the G1 was that it is completely unusable until the data service is activated and you are then prompted to connect the phone to your Google account. I thought they could have at least let me make phone calls with it but no such luck. I did end up missing a couple of phone calls but I already had service with T-Mobile so the calls just went to voice mail. The one nice thing was that if I had an emergency during this initial setup I could have just hit the “emergency call” button so I found that a cool little detail. Since I’m griping I might as well get them all out of the way.
The keyboard is a bit odd to me. This probably has more to do with the fact that I have used a Blackberry for the past 4 years rather than any actual issue with the G1 keyboard itself. My issue is more with the size of the part of the phone that holds the trackball and the home, back and phone buttons. It makes me reach a bit with my thumb to get to the keyboard. My hands are a bit large so it’s a minor issue at best but my wife thinks it’s a pain, she has small hands (it is not a deal breaker for her though). The battery life is crap. If you like to play games, watch video or use the expanded functionality of having GPS, Blue-tooth etc. then you should carry a charger with you. There are programs available in the Market Place that help to conserve battery by turning off extra bells and whistles. <rant> So, until we ditch the ancient battery technology that we have been using for the past hundred years or so for something far more efficient like a super cap (google it…) we are going to be heavily limited in the form and function of our electronic devices. </rant> The fact that the phones charger and headset both connect to the same mini-usb port is kinda dumb to me. I like to listen to music while I write or check various news aggregaters or check on what my friends are doing on-line and I don’t want to end up with a drained battery when I’m done. If someone could develop an adapter that would accept both the charger and headphones, they would have my money. It is a real PITA to use the keyboard when the charger or headset is plugged in so I end up pulling the plug while I type.
Out with the bad in with the good. The trackball works surprisingly well. I wasn’t sure about how well it would work when I first heard about it. The keyboard doesn’t have some completely bazaar layout that makes me relearn where everything is every time I use it. The phone is smaller than I thought it would be although it is kind of thick. The touch screen works really well although it seems like some programs work better than others using the touch interface. the fit and finish of the units we have is very good. Everything feels really solid and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to snap in half in my meaty paws. I like the HTC mini-usb to headphone cable. It has the microphone in it so if you don’t like the supplied headphones you can swap in another set or even use a straight through cable to plug it into a line-in on whatever audio equipment you may have that you want to play your G1 audio through. I am in an area that does not yet have 3G and the data stuff is still usable. I am pretty happy about that. It is not blazing speed but it works and is usable. There are a bunch of applications in the Android Market already and it is strictly free stuff right now. Let’s all say it together “I love free”. The phone can easily pay for itself if you make good use of programs like Shop Savvy. You use the G1’s camera to scan bar codes and it will compare prices for the item online and locally. I scanned a book I bought not to long ago and found it used on Amazon for $2. I paid $15 for it new and would have been more than happy to save $10 for a used book. Easy money. One thing I’ve noticed is that the program does not find matches for store brand stuff that you might be buying in your local grocery store. I like the camera on the G1 but the pictures are not of great quality. Now it is true that it is only a 3mp camera so you won’t be sending these beautties off to National Geographic but for a phone the camera works pretty well.
I am probably leaving out one of two details but this post is getting a bit wordy, so I will end with this…
G1 phone = $179
T-Mobile Data Service = $25/month
Being able to watch Monty Python on Youtube while standing in the line at the grocery store…
Priceless!
