Guys Upstairs - Tech

T-Mobile is stepping into the arena with AT&T with the G1 (aka HTC Dream). The G1 is the first phone to be powered by Google’s Android operating system. The design of the G1 is unique and combines elements from various existing phones such as the slider to reveal the keyboard (similar to the Helios) and the trackball for one handed navigation (similar to Blackberry). Unlike the Apple iPhone, the operating system behind the G1 is the first complete, open, and free mobile platform. This should allow for adding apps to the phone even easier and more importantly, free.

A quick rundown of the list of features the G1 offers:

• Touch screen
• QWERTY keyboard
• 3G and wireless
• 3 MP Camera
• Music player
• Customizable home screen
• Access to Google apps
• IM/text/e-mail
• Video playback
• Android Market

From this list you can see that it shares many of the same features that the iPhone does. One of the cool apps is ShopSavvy, an application that lets you scan the UPC code of a product with the phone’s camera and compare prices with other stores. The Google Street View works with the phone’s built in compass so that the Street View will update based on the direction the phone is facing.

T-Mobile has already been taking pre-orders from existing customers. The caveat is that only pre-existing customers who are 11 months into a 12 month plan or 22 months into a 24 month plan are eligible to pre-order. It will be available in retail stores starting October 22 for $179 with a two year voice and data agreement.