Here comes the first Android phone! Bookmark this page and come back starting at 10:30 AM ET on Tuesday morning, Sep. 23 for live coverage of the T-Mobile/Google press event to launch the first Android phone. Doug will be live at the event in New York City and I'll be watching the Webcast (media only, sorry) and liveblogging the proceedings right here for your viewing pleasure.
Will the HTC G1 "Dream" look like it does in all of those spy shots? Will it live up to the hype? What surprises do T-Mo and Google have in store for all of us phone phanatics? There's only one way to find out: Tune in for the Webcast Tuesday morning!
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11:14 ET: The Google Guys talked awhile. I'm not trying to gloss over or ignore what they said, but it wasn't all that exciting or newsworthy, to be frank. Now they're taking photos of the execs with their G1s. Now they're moving the press people downstairs to play with the phones. Go get 'em Doug!
11:10 ET: Hey, it's Larry and Sergy from Google!
11:09 ET: Works internationally? Yes. Quad-band GSM.
11:09 ET: Skype? Not at this time.
11:08 ET: Will it work with iTunes? Works with DRM-free content, supports AAC, MP3, etc. Won't work with music purchased at iTunes Store.
11:08 ET: Will GMail do anything new or different on G1? Robust GMail experience, fast, searching, etc. First implementation of online presence via Google Talk phone book.
11:07 ET: Who is the device aimed at? Business? Corporate? Personal? "Mass appeal ... aimed at everybody ... Expect it to be more of a consumer device ... but we expect you'll see a lot of enterprise workers use the device."
11:07 ET: Chrome browser? "Think of it as Chrome Lite, if you will."
11:06 ET: With no desktop sync, how does it work? Pretty much a non-answer from Andy. No Stereo Bluetooth off the bat; "We'll get to it in a future release."
11:05 ET: Marketing with Google - begins in October, biggest marketing campaign ever for a T-Mo device.
11:04 ET: Not an unlocked device b/c of all of the T-Mobile services behind the device.
11:03 ET: Available outside of 3G markets? Yes, but you have to order via Internet in non-3G networks. Device includes WiFi. "We believe it will be a good experience on 2G, but best experience will be on WiFi or T-Mobile 3G network."
11:02 ET: Desktop app for syncing information to your PC? No.
11:02 ET: Push Email? GMail - Yes. Other IMAP - No.
11:01 ET: MS Office support? Yes: Word, PDF, Excel. MS Exchange compatibiliity is a "perfect opportunity for 3rd party developer." Device will be SIM locked to T-Mobile.
11:00 ET: Laptop tethering? No. Will device require voice and data plans? Yes.
10:59 ET: G1 available in UK in early November. Available across Europe in early 2009.
10:58 ET: Talking about 3G rollout. Live in 27 markets across US by Mid-November.
10:57 ET: Pricing info: Pre-order now for T-Mobile customers. Oct 22 launch date. $179 on contract. Two data plans: $25 for unlimited Web/Net/Some Messaging; $35 for unlimited Web/Net/Messaging
10:56 ET: It's Q&A time.
10:55 ET: Talking about open source development, showing a reel highlighting developers. Talking about an app called, "Shop Savvy." Turns phone into a mobile barcode scanner connected to the Net to help you find the best prices on products while you shop.
10:51 ET: Demo reel is over. Lots of talk now about embracing 3rd party developers: "Third parties will drive innovation in the future of the mobile internet."
10:50 ET: Lots of talk about using the "long press" to trigger various actions. Showing off the application store using Pac-Man. Does anyone who uses T-Mobile even know what Pac-Man is? Seriously, all of those Sidekick-toting kids on the subways - they don't remember Pac-Man.
10:46 ET: They unveiled the phone. It's the one in the spy photos, which I still think is funny looking. $179 on two year contract, available Oct 22 in the US. Watching demo video now: Amazon partnership, multitasking, QWERTY, drag & drop, instant messaging, lots of gesture-based stuff, live searching from home screen. Looks a lot like in iPhone in terms of the way they're presenting it, but a little geekier and a little less slick than Apple's presentation.
10:40 ET: The official T-Mobile press release just showed up in my Inbox. :-)
10:39 ET: Peter's talking a lot about working with T-Mo and Google to create an "iconic design" to maximize the mobile Internet experience. "The T-Mobile G1 will appeal to a broad variety of people."
10:36 ET: So far it's kind of boring exec-speak. Now Google's Andy Rubin is talking about how Android as a platform is futureproof because it's an open platform. Andy's not the most, uh, dynamic speaker. Now he introduces Peter Chou, the head of HTC.
10:33 ET: Launched simultaneously in USA and Europe
10:33 ET: It's an exec fest, with reps from T-Mobile, Deustche Telekom, Google, and HTC on stage
10:32 ET: BTW, the phone is officially called T-Mobile G1 with Google
10:30 ET: We're gettin' started. Some cheesey rock guitars and a video of people playing with a globe means it's go-time. BTW, in case you missed it: Amazon will be powering 89 cent per song DRM-free mp3 downloads on G1. Wi-Fi only; no 3G downloading.
10:25 ET: Morning, everyone! I'm here in California watching the Webcast and Doug is in Manhattan at the event. Just spoke with him. He said there are probably a couple hundred people at the site and that he'll be the guy in the crowd, "Wearing face paint and waving a pennant, chanting, 'Android, Android, Android!'" Awesome
