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T-Mobile G1 hands-on review – Life with the Android OS

By: , IntoMobile
Monday, November 10th, 2008 at 5:44 PM

Packaging

Let’s start from the beginning.

As with many high-end devices these days, the T-Mobile G1 comes packaged in an sleek and functional box that opens to reveal the G1 nestled securely within a foam cradle. Lift the cradle and you find all the accessories and documentation that you’d expect to accompany a new cellphone.

There isn’t too much to say about the T-Mobile G1′s box, but it sure is one pretty box.

Setup / Out-of-box functionality

The T-Mobile G1 requires none of the activation procedures that the iPhone and iPhone 3G require. Setup is as simple as taking your T-Mobile G1 out of the aforementioned box,

T-Mobile G1 in its closed, portrait orientation

T-Mobile G1 in its closed, portrait orientation

turning on said G1, and entering your Gmail account information.

Entering your Gmail email address and password allows the T-Mobile G1 to synchronize all your Google Mail, Contacts, and Calendar to your Android OS mail client, addres book, and calendar. The T-Mobile G1 really emphasizes its Google-roots through its Gmail integration and hassle-free setup procedure.

Within minutes of turning on the T-Mobile G1, a little email notification icon popped up in the upper left corner, letting me know that I had just received my first Gmail email. The new Gmail email was “pushed” to the G1, so it was evident that this new email was no older than a coupe seconds (at most).

Sending the inaugural text message was just as easy as setting up the T-Mobile G1. Thanks to the Google-synchronizing feature, the G1 was already populated with a full contacts list. As long as you synchronize your Address Book with Google Contacts before turning on your T-Mobile G1 for the first time, you’ll find all your contacts conveniently pushed to your G1.

Needless to say, setting up the T-Mobile G1 was no harder than logging in to a Gmail account – literally.

Design and Phone Calls…..

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About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

  • Jessica

    HELP!!! I was all set to buy the G1 and then found out that it only has that unique mini-USB port. I can’t find anyone who is making an adapter. I want to plug my own headphones and speakers (for my desk at work) into the G1. What to do??

  • Will Park

    The G1 comes with an extUSB-to-headphone adapter in the box. You can just keep the adapter in your pocket and when you need to use your headphones or speakers, you can just plug the adapter into the extUSB port and then plug the speakers/headphones into the adapter’s 3.5mm headphone jack.

  • al ryles

    I have a I-phone with a t-mobile acct to it Y should I switch over 2 G-1?

  • TEXASMADE1978

    All I know is that my G1 ROCKS !!!!!!! I also own an iPhone 3g which I also loved, but I am overly enthusiastic about the open source of Android. The video of the Adobe Flash Player 10 running on Android also makes me even more glad I purchased the G1, Flash is ready for the iPhone if Apple would just open up a little. Right now the iPhone is the best, but the G1 has the potential (which will be fulfilled) to blow the iPhone out of the water. So just give the G1 time, at least as much time as the iphone has had to get everything together and you will see. It is a great time in the cellphone world…..

  • Sandie

    I am not sure if it is me or the phone, but I really am not impressed with this phone at all. I am so bummed! I have a few more days for the buyers remorse and it will most likely be going back. The battery life, or should I say lack there of is a disgrace. What good is having all these cool features if the phone is constantly in need of a charge? I get to work at 8 and at 11 the battery is yellow, that is ridiculous! If I am doing something wrong or if someone has the phone and actually loves it I would LOVE to hear about it.

    Sorry to be a hater, I am just really disappointed in this product.

    If you have suggestions or things that may make my life with this phone better please email me at: [email protected]

    Thanks!

  • james brown

    me and my girl have the same phone, i hear there is a feature where i can know her phones location, how do i get my G1 to locate her g1?

  • Mark

    Sounds like a good start but, for the time being, I will stick with my Blackberry, with its lousy browser, easy push email and good battery life.

    Glass screen: as a former Palm user, I caution everybody – DON'T DROP IT!

  • dlo

    Ok so what's the deal here ? I'm stuck on stupid when it comes to my g1. I'm good with p.cs I'm greatttt with any side kick an any cell phone but I guess that's the problem this is nt just any cell phone I guess . My problem is everything. It sucks as a cell phone but that's ok for 10 bucks ill cary my sk id as my phone an use this as my lil pocket p.c an text phone . But my problem is how do u download adobe? How do I work touch screen ? It worked for few days I messed with it an I don't know if u can turn that offn on an I shut off on mistake ? But I can't find manual an I've gone in setting an find no option for it ?? Or did I break it? Hellllllllp . Oh an. I agree battery life of g1 does suck but ok I'm stuck w it so atleast want to. Make it work ? … please help thanks. A j xo

  • rasheeda

    I am starting not to like the phone I do not know how to enable my javascript or it will not let me down load a flashplayer. It keep saying my phone is not supporting this download but this phone is suppsoe to be able to do every thing that is b.s

  • EARL RANDON

    how do I sync my g1 with microsoft outlook on my desktop