Engadget reviews first Android handset

by Christina Warren Oct 16th 2008

While the rest of us have to wait until October 22 to get the first Android phone (though rumors are that users that pre-ordered for mail delivery might get them early), our lucky colleagues over at Engadget have been using and evaluating the G1 for several days. The hardware portion of the review is here, but since this is Download Squad, we're really intereste in the software.

Here are the highlights:

Interface is slick and usable. Engadget describes the set-up process as "utterly painless" -- just enter in your Google account username and password and go! If you don't have a Google account, you can create one on the phone.
Google Contacts still suck, but at least they try to suck less on Android. Seriously Google, create a better address book!
The built-in GMail client totally rocks. Our own Grant Robertson said the same thing to me earlier this week (he got to play with one at a T-Mo store). It does real GMail push that seems to be as fast as what BlackBerry has cooked up (and BlackBerry is FAST).
If you don't use a Google e-mail account, the experience is less awesome. Here's a tip -- if you are considering getting an Android phone and you use a personal domain for e-mail, go ahead and set-up a free Google Apps account for that domain. You can still use a regular mail program (Exchange, Outlook, Mail.app, Thunderbird), but you can take advantage of the awesome Google web interface on your phone. If you use a corporate e-mail account, forwarding to a GMail set-up might be your best bet.
The Amazon.com MP3 Store is cool, but it isn't the "killer" app. You can also only purchase/download files over Wi-Fi, not over 3G. I'm absolutely positive this was because downloading the music over the 3G network would cut into T-Mo's ringtone sales and add another pricing layer.
The YouTube app is about the same as the iPhone app, for good and for bad.
When you flip the phone to display stuff in landscape mode and then flip back to portrait, the phone will reposition everything automatically. So if you are using the built-in QWERTY keyboard and then decide to slide the keyboard back in and use the phone vertically, everything is automatically adjusted.
Copy and paste exists!
The notification system is top-notch

Read the whole review here! While Download Squad wasn't able to get early review devices, we will be doing a full software and Android Marketplace run-down as soon as the G1 officially launches next week.

Tags: android, gmail, gmail-push, google, t-mobile g1, T-mobileG1

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

whiskey said 1:53PM on 10-16-2008

If you don't want Google Apps (and trust me, you DO want it) you can make your Gmail retrieve email from other accounts using the settings to configure it to do so.

Christina Warren said 3:04PM on 10-16-2008

Good call Whiskey!

I almost never use the web interface, but Google Apps is my lifeline.

poopy_pants said 3:24PM on 10-16-2008

I read the entire 2-part review this morning while on the crapper. Good job Engadget on breaking down some of the down and dirty. The photos were a nice touch as well as the video showing web page d/l times between the G1 and the Crapple iPhone.

By far the most comprehensive review of the G1 to date.

I pre-ordered the day it was announced and I cannot wait for Oct 22nd (a shiny black one). Long live Google and long live Android!!!!!!!

KarlW said 1:27AM on 10-17-2008

The lack of an MP3 store over 3G is due to licensing agreements with record labels, not any carrier agreements.

James said 12:29PM on 10-17-2008

Why did they base the browser on WebKit, rather than trying to mobile-ize Chrome? I mean, it sounds like it worked out for them and all, but I'd love to see V8 running on a cell phone...

ryaninc said 9:40AM on 10-19-2008

Chrome is based on Webkit, too...so the Android browser sort of is a mobile version of Chrome.

-=Ben=- said 12:38PM on 10-18-2008

Okay, Hello
please stop editing the posts, every day I read your RSS then I have to read it all again cause you edit every article!
Please stop

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