RSST-Mobile Android G1 phones priced at $179, launch Oct. 22
By Jacqueline Emigh | Published September 23, 2008, 11:07 AM
Google's two founders appeared on stage this morning at T-Mobile's launch event for the G1 phone, describing it as essentially a smaller laptop computer that isn't too much trouble to carry with you.
NEW YORK, NY (BetaNews) - At the T-Mobile G1 launch event, executives announced the launch date for the G1 Android-based phone in the US will be October 22. November is the scheduled month for the European launch, though a specific day has not been mentioned.
Executives revealed that the carrier will be offering two unlimited data package plans with the G1, priced at $25 and $35 per month. The $25 plan is for unlimited messaging, while the $35 plan adds the Web and other Internet-based services. These plans will be in addition to the $179 base price for the G1 phone.
T-Mobile executives confirmed Wi-Fi will be included with all G1s.
"What gives me pleasure with the launch of G1 is that I'm a bit of a geek," said Google's Sergey Brin, appearing at today's launch event (surprising absolutely no one). "It's very exciting to me as a computer geek to have a phone. I can play with and innovate with, just as I did with computers as a kid."
"This is as good a computer as you could have [just] a few years ago," added Google's other co-founder, Larry Page. "It's kind of difficult to carry your laptop with you at all times."
Cole Brodman, T-Mobile's chief technology and innovation officer, told attendees he expected the G1 to be more of a consumer device than a business device, although he was certain mobile workers would want to use it as well. He did not go further to say whether an Android-based business phone was in the works.
How will the G1's Gmail differ from Gmail on other non-Android phones, as well as from the Mail service on Apple's iPhone, one reporter asked. The two key differentiators Brodman mentioned were a much quicker search function, and the first-ever mobile implementation of Google Talk Presence -- a function which currently enables Google's Talk IM users to determine each other's availability and location.
Andy Rubin, Google's senior director of mobile platforms, told attendees that the final 1.0 release of the Android source code would be released to the open source community sometime in November, obviously several weeks after the G1 phone is already publicly available in the US. UPDATE: Despite that statement, later in the day, Android's developers officially declared the 1.0 edition of the Android SDK. Developers said this release will not remain static, of course, although it was apparently a little awkward to plan a commercial phone's final release to a time prior to its SDK's finalization.
A T-Mobile spokesperson told BetaNews this afternoon that the G1 would clearly be the first of several Android-endowed phones that the carrier will bring to market, though for now, little more is being said about those models.
FOR MORE on the T-Mobile G1:
- T-Mobile's new G1 looks promising, if lopsided by Tim Conneally
- T-Mobile plans more Android phones after G1 by Jacqueline Emigh
- Google and partners roll out first apps for Android Marketplace by Jacqueline Emigh
the ONLY reason I have a smart phone is to connect to our office exchange server.
a normal phone does email.. and internet on a 5" screen is pretty hard to deal with and will cause to to crash your car.
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|Don't forget that Android is just the platform. Meaning there will be more carriers and more brands with Android on them. Just happens that T-Mobile gets to call first.
I just ran the Android emulator included in the SDK and it's very nice (much nicer than I expected).
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|This is promising. The pricing is good and from what I have seen, the Android is Lightening fast. Also unlimited data and messaging for 35 a bux is really, really cheap.
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|Well considering my experience with Windows Mobile has been an utter EPIC FAIL and I really don't like the iPhone for usage and apps...AND unlike most I seem to have good Tmobile service.....I will give this android a try.
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|more phone options.. T-Mobile not for me..
I will wait until it's out and see how they work on the verizon network.. But my WM6 phone works pretty good and I have about 10 apps I use all the time. They are cheap and work alright..
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|This would be great news if you could only get T-Mobile service to actually work.
I live in WI and IL and I dumped their service as soon as I was able because of such spotty coverage.
They do well following the interstate, but wander off the path by 50ft and oops - no coverage - sorry.
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|Should be interesting.
I do like the pricing, but there's no telling how well it is going to function. I'd give it 3 months before even considering purchasing one, just to see what types of issues people are having.
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|its showing on the tmobile site at $299 for all 3 of my lines... fail =(
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|Yeah, the same thing happened to me too. Placed my order anyway and called in later. After talking to someone who didn't even know about the launch and offer, it was eventually revealed to me that because of upgrade eligibility (time left on contract) that I was only able to get a partial discount price of $299 instead of the $179 that was indicated. Will be eligible for full upgrade pricing shortly after October 22nd, but that wasn't enough to get the full discount pricing. Kind of screwed-up if you ask me. I cancelled my order. I can wait a couple of extra weeks to save some $$ and will get a chance to see how it works for those who do get theirs on Oct 22nd.
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|Its cool if you're looking for a cookie cutter iphone that isnt the iphone ... but I think I'll wait for Windows Mobile 7 which will be completely different and better
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|Actually there's no guarantee WM7 will be either.
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|Looks like you are going to wait for some time...
http://news.cnet.com/830...s&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
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|Which ever way you slice it up, it just don't look as good as the iPhone. It just don't and that's that.
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|ill take the ugly gadget over the shiny turd any day.
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|My God you don't half sound envious. Look, no one wants a brick to carry that's the best geek gadget around. Whether you like it or not (and you obviously don't) people do like kit that looks good as well as functions. Simple as and the G-Phone looks crap - I don't care how well it works, I would be ashamed to be seen with a phone looking like that.
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