Google\'s G1: Better than the iPhone? - Feature

Tag : camera cell phone
Washington - Google's entry into the cell phone market is no longera rumour. The company's new G1 phone, unveiled this week, will gohead-to-head with Apple's iPhone in an effort to capture part ofthe market in cutting-edge "app" phones - wireless phones thatmarry standard wireless telephony with data-driven applications.But the G1 won't be the best wireless phone for everyone. While theG1 is clearly a direct competitor of the iPhone - in terms oflooks, feature set, and price - it's a departure from the iPhone insignificant ways. Here's what you'll get. --- Apps The G1 is designed almost from the ground up to run applications -Google's apps and those created by third-party developers. Ofcourse, Google will have the lion's share of applications readyupon the phone's release - everything from GMail to Google Maps tothe growing number of office applications that Google offers in itsGoogle Docs suite of programs. Accordingly, the G1 comes with a keyboard - with traditional keylocations - that's larger than just about any other keyboardsupplied on a wireless phone today. The slide-out keyboard ishidden under the phone's LCD when not in use. The keyboard willcome as a pleasant surprise to those who have never quite grownaccustomed to "virtual" keyboards provided on some phone, such asApple's iPhone. That keyboard could be put to good use by what very well may be thebiggest news about the G1 - its open source operating system,dubbed Android, for which any developer with the necessary know-howcan write applications. Contrast this with Apple's typicallyproprietary approach with its iPhone operating system, and you justmight be tempted to recall the thumping that Apple received fromIBM-compatible computers many years ago when Apple insisted onkeeping third parties from developing hardware and software thatwere compatible with its computers. Google's approach with Android will undoubtedly result in a floodof applications for its new G1. The downside is that, becauseGoogle has little control over third-party developers, the qualityof those applications will be variable. Nevertheless, those whoalready use Google's current applications will be pleased to seehow well they operate on the G1. Google Maps on the G1, forexample, is a wonder to behold. Making use of Google Maps' StreetView - which provides real-world, street-level views of yoursurroundings - makes finding your way to a destination particularlyeasy. --- Ergonomics and features While the G1's focus on applications suggests a device made forkeyboard mavens, fans of touch screens won't be disappointed. TheG1's LCD is a touch-screen that you can use to navigate and usemany applications. The keyboard is often entirely optional. In terms of design, the G1 is comparable in size to Apple's iPhone- although the G1 is a bit taller and thicker. The G1 feelsarguably a bit flimsier than the iPhone, more plasticky. TheAndroid interface is contemporary-looking and attractive - muchmore like a miniature Windows-style desktop than the iPhone'sunique, highly tactile interface that seeks to become an extensionof your natural ability to select drag, and adjust things with yourhands. Like the iPhone, the G1 offers a full array of features that oneexpects of a cutting-edge wireless phone today: Wi-Fi, a Webbrowser, music player, integrated digital camera, games, numerousapplications, GPS, and e-mail. The G1's digital camera, notably, is3.2 megapixels, while the iPhone's is only 2 megapixels. There are areas in which the G1 simply does not provide as much asthe iPhone, however. The G1's battery life, unfortunately, is onlyabout 130 hours standby, while the iPhone's is 300 hours, and basememory of the G1 is 1 gigabyte (1 GB), while the iPhone's is 8 GB.The G1's memory can be expanded to 8 GB, while the iPhone's can beexpanded to 16. The G1 also does not have streaming videocapabilities, unlike the iPhone, although you can get YouTube onthe G1. The G1 also has no PC synching capability. Instead, Google expectsyou to synchronise your contacts and calendars through the Web.This will be a major shortcoming to those who are tied to MicrosoftExchange servers - that is, the Outlook e-mail and contactmanagement program - at work. Apple's iPhone, by contrast, iscapable of synchronising with Outlook, with the addition of a freesoftware update. G1 users can synchronise with Google's own e-mailservice, GMail, but frankly there are not many offices that relyupon GMail as a primary e-mail carrier. Oddly, the G1 also lacks a headphone jack. Instead, you'll need touse the single USB jack on the phone to plug in either a specialUSB headset or enlist the help of a USB to 3.5mm adapter in orderto use conventional headphones. To make matters worse, the G1'sonly USB port is also used for power, audio, and USB synching.Needless to say, the G1 won't be a plug-and-play replacement foryour iPod or other mobile media player. --- Conclusion The G1's seamless tie-ins with Google's growing number ofapplications and its open source operating system will endear thephone to those already tied to Google applications. It will also beappealing to technophiles who enjoy trying out multiple add-ons andwant to have at their disposal a potentially wider array ofapplications. On the other hand, opening up the G1 to coders aroundthe world means that quality control may be an issue - and that theuser ultimately experience could suffer. The G1, in short, willappeal to gadget freaks and technology warriors. Those who want aproduct that just works might want to place their bets on Apple'stightly-controlled iPhone.