At long last, the Google G1 will be released to the public, initially in New York. The handset is made by HTC (called the HTC Dream) and the mobile service by T-Mobile. All sounds great – but when will we see it in the UK and how much ?! This is a good thing as we really need a solid competitor to the Apple iPhone. I do realise that smart phones have been around for a while now, but what we really want is a competitor that can challenge Apple’s “cool” factor at the right price, and Google is the perfect candidate for that.
I’ve been playing with the idea of having a “always online” smart phone so that I can check my emails at any time, do the occasional web surfing and help sort out user issues and queries from XP-Dev.com and Duzle.com. So far, my best solution has been to grab hold of a HTC TyTN II and a sim-only deal from either O2 or Vodafone that give tons of bandwidth for internet usage. The HTC phone will set me back some £400, and the contract about £30 a month (12 months contract) (TCO: £760). An iPhone costs £45 a month on an 18 month contract (TCO: £810).
So, the HTC idea is cheaper – my only quirk: it runs Windows. 3 months down the line with the HTC, I can see myself getting frustrated with Windows Mobile. I might even try installing Linux and risk bricking the phone. However, since the Google G1 out, it just adds a different perspective to the choices that I have. Morever, its not Windows. It uses Google Andriod, which is a big bonus point in my books. Suddenly, the ideal smart phone has come about – the only thing that’s going to hold me back could be the price.
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