Google/HTC G1 vs. Apple iPhone

[smoseley]

I got a G1 today. I have a 3g iPhone, too, so I will offer a bit of a comparo between the two when I can.

My initial opinion is that while the G1 is definitely better in some ways, it's probably not the iPhone killer people are predicting it to be. It specifically lacks some of the fluidity, intuitiveness, and consistency in the interface that makes the iPhone so unique. Also, I think it tries to do too much, with a touch-screen, navigation buttons, rollerball pointer device, and flip-out keyboard, it's a bit overwhelming.

I'll try using it for a week and let you guys in on more insight.

I was really surprised that there wasn't a long wait list for the device, though! I guess Google is going for a slower market penetration. They probably don't want to over-hype the device.

[Randy Chase]

Looking forward to more comments Steve, I am leaning to waiting for the Blackberry Storm as of right now.

[Bavarian Motorist]

Right now, the iphone can't be beat. It is the best. F&#king Verizon ....

[serpent]

maybe i'm just behind on new phones....but google phone? this is the first time i'm hearing about a google phone.

I currently have a blackjack which so far works for my needs.

Any pics of the google phone? maybe google phone next to iphone.

[Bavarian Motorist]

I've been using Palm Treo 700s and now Palm Centro (not worth the extra $$ for a Treo) and the iphone makes it look flat out SILLY. Palm is way behind... I am boycotting Palm and about to start boycotting Verizon.

[Allan Gibbs]

Unless you don't like touch keys interfaces, Palm's come out with the Treo Pro but it's a bit pricey as it comes unlocked. They need to make the Treo competitive with current pricing trends.

Treo™ Pro smartphone by Palm - Specifications

[FLuXeXigeS]

g1

YouTube - T-Mobile Google G1

[JnC]

Android G1, iPhone share little in common

"T-Mobile's new G1 smartphone based on Google's Android platform has been positioned against Apple's iPhone by the media, but that attempt to set up a dramatic showdown has fizzled as details show the two products aren't very similar."

"In hardware, the G1 is clearly aiming at people who might be interested in a Windows Mobile phone, not a slick integrated product like the iPhone. It caters to people who buy hardware based on specification numbers and feature checklists rather than overall suitability for a task, elegant usability, and strong industrial design."

"Apart from hardware and software differences, the G1 and iPhone also have significantly different services; while the iPhone integrates with iTunes for mobile apps, music, video, podcasts, cloud sync, and desktop integration, the G1 connects to Android Market for software, Amazon for music sales, and syncs data directly with Google. The G1 currently provides no desktop PC sync nor any Exchange Server sync support, but does offer Google's own cloud as an alternative service to push email, contacts, and calendar updates to the phone."

The above article has a few factual errors due to when it was written, but essentially Android is a software platform. As such, it's true competition is the mobile software markets represented by BlackBerry, Palm, Linux, Windows Mobile, and Symbian. The G1 sold by T-mobile only is available in the 27 cities that has their 3G network, with more to come in the following year.

[def]

Seems the iphone can't be beat. And thats coming from a guy who hasn't used a mac since OS8 days.

I'd get an iphone if I actually would use data. I have a blackberry curve and actually deactivated data because I simply wasn't using it. Keyboard is nice for all the texting I do, though

[smoseley]

One thing I'll say that was really cool about the G1 is when I logged into my Google account, it downloaded and synched all of my contacts... while still in the T-Mobile store!!!

I was pretty darn impressed with that! The iPhone "syncs" with Outlook, but my when my iPhone broke last week, I had to get a new one and all my data was lost!!!

Another awesome thing about the G1 is that you don't have to put up with Apple's Starbucksian marketing lingo. I don't know about you, but I feel like a total nitwit when I go into an Apple store and have to go to their "genius bar" to talk to a "genius" or try not to act annoyed when their overly cheery neon-clad consultants give me their schpeel.

My 2 cents.

[smoseley]

With that, here are some side-by-side photos. The G1 has a slightly smaller footprint, and also a smaller screen, but it's also a little thicker than the iPhone (due to the slide-out keyboard). It has a matte finish vs. the iPhone's glossy (bling) look. I have a matte screen-protector on my iPhone, which is why it looks the way it does in these photos.

[smoseley]

.The biggest benefit of the G1 is the slide-out keyboard, which allows tactile-response typing. You know where the keys are when you hit them. The iPhone's keyboard is my biggest annoyance with the device. Even with the "smart" dictionary-corrections, i find myself retyping A LOT. G1 also has cut-and-paste, which is a big time-saver in some situations.

[smoseley]

While most apps look similar in appearance (e.g. calculator), the iPhone's interface is really a lot smoother. For example, you just turn the phone sideways, and the accelerometer switches the calculator to "scientific" mode. The G1 requires selection from a menu.

Using maps, you can see that while the iPhone has the two-finger "stretch" zoom-in, the G1 requires you first tap the map, then press the zoom in/out keys to zoom. Again, kudos to to Apple for thinking outside the box in interface development. Theirs is definitely more user-friendly once you get used to it.

[smoseley]

While the iPhone starts with all of your app icons on a sideways-scrollable page, the G1 requires that you pull up a tab containing your icons. Then, you have to scroll vertically through them. A little less intuitive, because the iPhone allows you to organize your icons by page, which means you can have all your default programs on one page, your games on another, etc. etc., whereas the G1 is just an ever-growing amorphous list of apps.

[kaiynne]

I have an iphone but i am waiting on the G1 for now, but i will tell you if they had android on the HTC HD which is essentiall the bigger brother of the G1 i would be in the store right now...

HTC – Touch Phone, PDA Phone, Smartphone, Mobile Computer: Products – HTC Touch 3G: Photo Gallery There is your iphone killer

[FLuXeXigeS]

the G1 is not too shabby for an iPhone clone, my friend is a long time Tmobile user and she is looking forward to this phone, ill also share some insights once she gets hers

but on a recent article on MacLife, the best iPhone clone was the Sprint Samsung Instinct, but the article went on newstands before the release of the G1...

[delise]

It is getting pretty "meh" reviews - lots of bugs - ugly clunky soviet hardware feel - not intuitive - seems like they just put it out on the market as an experiment at this point....

[smoseley]

Originally Posted by FLuXeXigeS

the G1 is not too shabby for an iPhone clone

I wouldn't call it an iPhone clone at all.... It's WAY more like the HTC / T-Mobile Wing, which runs Windows Mobile 6, except with the Android OS and add'l new technology (touch-screen, gps, accelerometer), none of which are Apple inventions (despite what their marketing may have you believe).

[ZAMMY1]

thanks for answering many questions i had.
as far as operating systems, every time i've tried a windows mobile os, it has really stunk.
i've been using the palm "C", then the treo 650 and now the centro.
the documents to go is necessary, but does a full job.
always hoping for a real killer phone/pda to come along, at a decent price.
the iphone is just too expensive per month.
sam

[smoseley]

I think Android has a lot of potential. We do Android development, and I find the platform, although extremely nascent, has a solid basis, and I think once Google irons out all of their kinks, they'll have a slick OS ready for some killer devices.

The major killer for me was that the G1 doesn't do video recording... AT ALL. This was a HUGE surprise for me, because the Android Emulator we were developing on DID have video recording. I can only assume that T-Mobile forced their hand in removing it, due to fears of G1s running around consuming all their bandwidth sending videos from device to device.

This is more of a network frustration than a device frustration, though. In Europe, they have video streaming, video calls, etc. etc... When the hell will American mobile phone companies get on track??

One nice thing about Android is that they released the source, which allows you to "hack" the phone nicely to make it do what you want. I'm gonna post some of our work up when we have something running on it!