When we first held the T-Mobile G1 phone, feeling its bulk with up-turned noses, we were reminded of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The iPhone looked like the iconic Monolith…and the G1 resembled an ape’s club.

But after experiencing its integrated touch screen and keyboard, Bluetooth and Wifi, and a light-as-air trackball, we were surprised to enjoy the G1-phone and its open source operating system, Android, as much as we did. The G1, known colloquially as the “G-phone,” has been touted as a potential “iPhone killer.” But with a music and app store, as well as a checklist of nifty features, it’s the first phone to challenge the iPhone with any degree of success.

But we’re Mac users, and so we’re very particular (some would say obsessive) about our tech. So the real question for us is this: is the G1 phone a real contender for our affections?

There’s a great deal to like about the G1 phone. It has a swappable battery, a 3.2 megapixel camera, a full keyboard that is revealed by sliding aside the screen, and because it’s offered on T-Mobile, a refreshing lack of AT&T. In New York City, in a test of download and rendering speed, we observed the G1’s browser—based on WebKit, the same underlying technology as mobile Safari—outperformed the iPhone 3G in a side-by-side comparison.

The Amazon MP3 store also earns a thumbs-up. It works like the iTunes store, if only for music, with 30-second preview clips of songs and some free-to-download tracks; music is downloaded directly to the phone, but you’ll need an Amazon.com account in order to make purchases. The store has a competitive selection, 5 million and counting, compared to iTunes’ 8 million. Many songs cost between $0.89 and $0.99, cheaper than iTunes’ average price point of $0.99; most albums cost between $5.99 and $9.99.

All of the Amazon MP3 store’s music is DRM-free…but now so is iTunes. The fact that the Apple is following Google’s lead is possibly the biggest evidence the G1 phone is muscling in on Apple’s turf.

Then there’s the Android Market, the G1’s equivalent to the App Store. It works approximately the same way, complete with categories and ratings. However, there are no restrictions on submitting applications, which is both a plus and a minus: lack of quality control means Android Market apps are often more frustrating than entertaining (for example, every Sudoku game in the Market). But there’s absolute freedom for developers to publish what they want. Take Ringdroid, which allows users to create ringtones directly on the G1 phone. A ringtone based on your spouse’s “I wuv you, cuddle-wuddles”? Obnoxious? Yeah. Doable? Absolutely, on a G-phone.

Because there’s no prohibition on apps that compete with built-in features, there are also multiple music players to choose from, like the versatile TuneWiki (also available for the jailbroken iPhone). All applications are currently free, although Google plans to support pay-for apps in the Market in an upcoming Android update.




We’re Mac users, and as such, we’ve been spoiled by Apple’s seamless integration of computer and handset (MobileMe‘s launch troubles not withstanding). But you can merge your address book, calendar, and email with some initial setup. After a few minutes, your Mac will be chilling with a G rather than an I.

Here’s a quick guide: You can access your .Mac or .Me email, or any other email service, through the G1 phone’s email app. (There’s also a separate Gmail app.) You can sync your Address Book to your G1 via Google Contacts through the “Synchronize with Google” feature, found in Address Book’s Preferences. As for iCal, Google provides a setup tool, “Calaboration” (http://code.google.com/p/calaboration/downloads/list) that will integrate your .Mac or .Me (or any other) account with Google Calendar in a few short steps.

Now that iTunes is DRM-free, your iTunes downloads have no restrictions where they can be played, and that includes a G1 phone. But iTunes is still strictly monogamous, so you’ll need to use third-party solutions to transfer tunes.




Despite approximate feature parity, Mac users will find the G1 phone lacks Apple’s signature polish. Coming from an iPhone, each function of the G1 phone requires a few moments of thought. How do we navigate the web browser: with the menu button or the scroll wheel? Where are our apps? Why are there three home screens? These niggling questions were easily answered with a few minutes hands-on time… but with an iPhone, we never had to ask them.

Even with its accelerometer, the G1 doesn’t automatically flip to landscape mode if you hold it sideways, one of the standout party tricks of the iPhone, and one an iPhone challenger should get right. Exposing the keyboard sends the view to landscape mode, but close the keyboard, and the view goes right back to the standard portrait. This is particularly frustrating in the web browser, which gives you no option to browse in landscape mode without the keyboard exposed. On the plus side, the transition between portrait and landscape is instantaneous, and the font size scales up and down smoothly with a touch of a button.

Typing and texting were actually not the best experiences despite the physical keyboard, due to the G1’s button bezel; with the phone in portrait mode, the sloping bezel kept getting in the way of our right hand. Android developers are currently creating on-screen keyboard for use in portrait mode, which will solve that problem, but it essentially negates the advantage of a physical keyboard. And let’s not talk about the G1’s battery life—except to say that it was gawdawful. At least you can swap the battery out for a fresh one.

Also missing-in-action on the G1 is a headphone jack, which is surprising for a media-oriented smartphone. Instead, your headphones need an ExtUSB adaptor. Strangely this hasn’t caused as much media fuss as the incompatibly shaped headphone jack on Apple’s first-generation iPhone.




Most of us won’t be chucking our iPhones in favor of the G1. But the open nature of Android, including upcoming release of the operating system—dubbed “Cupcake”—promises several new features. This includes better support for more Bluetooth devices (especially A2DP and AVRCP), an area in which the iPhone lacks. Plus, the unfettered nature of the Market will give the App Store serious challenges in the innovation department. If you don’t like AT&T, or someone else gatekeeping your applications, the G1 is the logical choice for your next phone.

Of all the many smartphones on the market, the T-Mobile G1 is currently the iPhone’s only serious competition for a Mac user and is worthy of your consideration. That won’t stay true for long, as Android will be appearing in many other devices (residents of China are already eyeing up Lenovo’s new OPhone, due this quarter). So if the G1 phone doesn’t quite fit the bill, there’s a good chance another Android-powered handset will.