The g1 Google phone is out, on T mobile. This is nice because if you use Google maps, and can use the Street View function you may have network coverage! It is by HTC and not really a looker, well not compared to the iphone, but the g1 is only $180 so that helps. I think it only has a 3g network and wifi (lame). I am going to see if I can hunt one down to play with.
I don’t really get excited by mobile phones, mainly due to having to sign your life away getting ripped off in the process. But I use google services a lot, and it makes my life on the internet so much easier, if they can do the same with phones; I’m sold.
A lot of people have been saying it’s ugly. But I can’t really see Google with their logo on anything else. Googles simplicity is what it’s known for, I’d even say the iPhone is too flashy for google to slap their logo on. To me this phone is a breath of fresh air, I’m going to reserve full judgement until I’ve held it in my hand though, it seems a hard product to photo. Thankfully it’s not another iphone knock off.
I think it looks like it could have been designed at any point in the last twenty years. Maybe more so in 1993-ish.
lol, yeah super neat…
Just seems Overly safe, overly plain. Google is simple, but has some personality, and this product is sorely lacking in personality.
the hardware is from HTC.
Same guys who brought us the Diamond Touch designed by One & Co.
curious who designed the G1 and why HTC dropped the ball on this one. Probably a speed to market thing, how long ago was android anounced? Less than a year?
I picked one up yesterday. The design is funny, reminds me of the Newton as far as styling. It does feel very nice in the hand, the attention to ergonomics HUI is excellent and I think this is the deeper level people aren’t getting.
I’d expect the design of the housing to be bashed here on Core and I don’t disagree, however, products like this function on levels way far beyond their physical form. The G1, iPhone, Blackberry all enable the user to do a great many things. Consider if all any of these could do was make phone calls, that’s it, would their physical design cut it for just that funcion?
how’s the size? seems big but I haven’t seen it in the flesh.
Not bad, and my hands are on the smaller side. The matte rubber surface makes it feel lighter/softer.
Never underestimate plain. Plain is hard to do right. Making something super flashy is not that hard, making something tacky is easy. But subdued and plain (in a good way) is hard. However I also think it is a little 1993-ish. But I bet with a gel skin or something that will spice it up a bit.
Ammunition, Robert Brunner’s firm, designed it. I find it ironic being that he was the former Director of ID at Apple and it is now his job to design the iPhone killer.
I’m not an iphone owner, but as a designer it easily (hands down) beats the G1 anyday of the week in style, form factor, material choice/finishes. I’ve seen the stuff on HTC’s website, and besides the diamond touch (to me a form that is SOOO far to the trend driven side of form language/design-3 yrs ago all the trend reports said facet stuff), they just aren’t doing much for me. Just my 2cents. How bout them nokia designers, yikes - same damn rectangle every week. At least there phones have a certain “finished design” look, and not a 3 wk form study.
I don’t see how this could possibly be an iphone killer when it doesn’t even have a headphone jack. This phone was just a way to get the android platform out to the public in a hurry. Manufacturers will hopefully see the potential of an open source OS and design some good phones with it. IMO the current cell phones are just the same garbage over and over again.
wait. there’s no 3.5mm audio jack? wtf? that is silly.
You mean you would expect people that deal with design to critique the design of a poorly or even non-designed generic looking piece of electronics? Well you expect correctly.
I’m sorry that HTC thought that what was inside was so great that they could ignore the outside. You know what makes a great product? great outside, great inside, great packaging and great brand image. Not mediocre outside, great inside, and unknown brand image. I cannot comment on packaging as I have not experienced it. How am I supposed to find out that it is a great piece of technology if I never pick it up because it looks like something from the late nineties?
wait. there’s no 3.5mm audio jack? wtf? that is silly.
It’s a phone…
…and a camera 
Something inside me died a bit when I saw the backside with the Google-logo, tiny, light grey on dark grey, very minimalistic and “stylish”. Which isn’t what Google is supposed to be, it’s supposed to be a bit quirky and “welcoming”. At least IMO.
um, hardly. It just so happens to be able to make phone calls.
went to the store to check it out. The design is actually pretty well thought out and does much better in person. The photos don’t do it much justice.
um, hardly. It just so happens to be able to make phone calls.
True. But you put a headphone jack in and it turns this to a phone with internet access to a multimedia phone with internet access. I don’t think this phone is targeting people that want to fill their phone with mp3s and videos… Though it does have an mp3 player, but still, the headphone jack changes everything.
I’m tempted to get one, mainly because of Google and how much i use it, but it’s doubtful due to the price plan. Why do phone companies insist on price plans??! Will there ever been an honest phone internet/company where you don’t feel like your getting ripped off?