T-Mobile G1 Reviews

1. My T-Mobile & G1 Experience

13 Oct 2009 by Will.I.Am82

60%6out of 10

It's fantastic. However, unfortunately, I allowed myself to be persuaded by my homeboy of 14 years to switch to T-Mobile shortly after I finished college because doing so would supposedly "1) save me money, 2) give me more plan perks for the money, 3) give me access to a great network that never gave him any problems, & 4) give me access to a 'revolutionary phone with a revolutionary phone operating system.'" Foolishly, after playing with his phone for 30 or so minutes, I knew I had to have something that seemed as amazing as it did. Since, at the time, I had been with Sprint for 5 years, I failed to look up current up-to-date plan offerings as well as some of their newest high-tech devices running on their network, and I somewhat reluctantly jumped ship, paying my ETF and all, to T-Mobile. I hadn't been with them since they were VoiceStream Wireless. Back then, they were consolidating and merging with other regional GSM networks nationwide to create their nationwide network to go up against what would be Cingular, Sprint, & all the companies that eventually formed Verizon, and basically, they were terrible. Dropped calls left and right. Sure, I was in the network map, but I digress...

I bought the G1. From the get-go, things, at first, seemed really awesome. It was my first smartphone, first touchscreen phone, and first slider. It's innovative approach to a mobile operating system actually taught me a lot about its initial concept, and helped me to see what many other smartphones actually lacked. It was easy to use. It had a fairly basic UI. Not too many apps, but enough to get it off the ground. Everything seemed great. Then I couldn't properly sync any other e-mail except GMail. No problem, I'll just ask around, go to T-Mobile for assistance, or contact different on-line support groups. No help. Fine, I won't have Yahoo! or Hotmail. Then I could never get album art no matter what I did. Then it started freezing. Then I started dropping calls in full bars with full 3G. I began to miss phone calls only at home. Then, the last straw was when, during a conversation, the phone would just, well, shut off. Yes. Not just drop a call, but literally shut itself down. I couldn't take it anymore. I began to see more and more that there were 3 major problems: this actual handset was likely defective, that Android just wasn't properly polished enough for primetime and that its bugs hampered and hindered too much as powerful& innovative a concept an OS as it was. I kept saying to my friends and myself all the time when I mentioned my cell phone issues with my G1 "I don't think it's particularly HTC, but Android and T-Mobile; T-Mobile's network is inferior to Sprint and this OS just isn't or wasn't ready to be released yet. However, Android has enormous potential."  Finally, I called TM and they sent me a new phone. All the problems persisted except the phone shutting down on me during calls out of nowhere. No one had answers. My G1 friends (I knew 4 people) all said it was "me." How the hell is it me? I'm just using the phone like it was built to be used: to make calls, send and receive messages, browse the web, listen to music, that's it." I didn't drop it. I didn't expose it to water. It was just a piece of crap. I sold it to a friend's brother's friend's roomate in Houston for $200, switched to AT&T for the iPhone 3G thinking it would solve my mobile problems (only causing more because AT&T is a horrible network only slightly better than T-Mobile but wholly inferior to Sprint & Verizon not to mention that the iPhone truly is an iPod Touch with an afterthough GSM network radio; seriously.). I used the money to pay my $200 ETF at T-Mobile. I spent the next 7 months with the iPhone 3G, then I sold it after it incessantly dropped calls to buy the iPhone 3GS (I only bought it because I liked many aspects of its features, but not realizing it wasn't really a smartphone but a touchscreen iPod with a phone application, really). Eventually, the $145 a month bill from AT&T was ridiculous. Dropped calls persisted, and whenever I spoke to people on the phone, they complained of horrific call quality. One friend actually thought I was always talking them doing something on the other side of a room while the phone was on speakerphone mode. Yeah, it blows.  I'll never buy another iPhone again. I'll never buy another Android phone from a GSM network operator, especially T-Mobile or AT&T. I thought I should wait until a real company with dependability brought a reliable phone to market with Android; one on a network you could depend on. Sure enough, the best Android phone ever comes out and it drops on my former network. I had to jump ship. Due to the overwhelming desire for the iPhone, I was easily able to sell it quickly, and not only has it paid for my ETF to AT&T, it paid my last month's wireless bill, too. I was home finally, with the Sprint HTC Hero. It's truly amazing, and it's reliable on a reliable network, and due to its modifications and updates from Android OS 1.0, it's superior to what was first initially introduced on the G1. I'm happy and entirely too satisfied with Android, but for a proper network experience with the speed and data transmission you need for a phone of its caliber, switch to Sprint. Case closed.

Pros

-innovative OS beats the socks off iPhone due to its level of openness and diversity of apps that have unprecedented access to all core features of the OS
-OTA updates on a regular basis that actually make a real difference
-any manufacturer can adopt and modify the UI making it available in the future from a lot of manufacturers which will increase competition and encourage improvements across the board

Cons

-G1 wasn't ready for release
-Android wasn't initially ready to be released when it debuted on G1
-T-Mobile is woefully behind the times in terms of their network expansion and technology

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2.

16 Sep 2009 by Anonymous

86.7%8.7out of 10

This phone is way better with the software update. keeps up with the iphone and touch pro 2!

Pros

screen resolution
apps
colors
unlock pattern
responsive touch screen(just like iphone)
touch screen keyboards
feeling
camera is good durring the day
speakers

Cons

battery life
no flash
android crashes
glass screen
trackball
buttons and keyboard are flat
call quality

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3. G1

31 Jul 2009 by kristen25821

93.3%9.3out of 10

I love my G1. the only thing the battery is really bad so i turn off my wifi and gps (i dont use it anyway) plus it helps if you charge the phone turned off. also the camera is really bad so i would not get this phone if your a big camera person.

Other then that i love my phone.soooo many free apps and games.plus i love how its touchscreen and has a keyboard!

Pros

free apps and games
touch screen and has a keyboard
nice big bright screen
durable

Cons

bad battery and camera!

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4. Msjazz79's review on the T-Mobile G1

20 Jul 2009 by msjazz79

80%8out of 10

Ive had my Tmobile G1 phone since January 2009. When I first received it within a week, I had to call Tmobile because the battery in the unit was overheating. So they promptly sent me out a replacement but unfortunately THAT one was defective and wouldn't even turn on. So by the third time, it was finally a charm, but still was having a battery overheating issue even by the third one, so when I called back Tmobile for a 4th time they offered to exchange it out again but I told them to just send me a battery replacement, because I didn't want to go through all the trouble again to download all the apps I had on it. So since I changed out the battery I have had better success.

Some great things about the phone are the different applications that are made for it to allow you to make your phone completely unique to you. One of my favorite apps is called OPEN HOME, it allows you to change your background screens, icon looks to such a degree that at first glance it makes you take a double take at the screen. I highly recommend the program another program I use is called BETTER KEYBOARD that allows you to change the look of the keyboard. Very nice. The Android Market is great for direct download of apps but I do wish that it had a software system connection for PC such as the Application store for the Apple Itouch and IPhone. I own an Apple Itouch and must say I do enjoy the convenience of going online checking reviews and seeing screenshots of the software before I decide to download an app. I think if this option was made available it would help customers out and not clog the network so badly with delayed downloads. Last but certainly not least is the keyboard, I enjoy a physical keyboard, I have a bit of a heavy hand when it comes to my phones and I type very quickly so being able to touch actually keys versus a touchscreen keyboard is a plus. Yet I know that it does add to the bulk of the phone I do think for myself it is a necessity.

 

The biggest gripes I have had with the phone have been the accessories, camera, battery life, and internal memory. Also another issue that comes to mind is finding accessories, especially cases for the phone. I guess this can be attested to the keyboard but still even with different cases that are out there and for the phone to almost to have been out for a year, it still is very lacking. With the camera I will say compared to other phones I've had in the past such as LG and Motorola, the camera is simply horrible. Yet I have seen some improvements with the cupcake update but that is only through an application I downloaded called SnapPhoto Pro. I recommend it over the camera software that came with the phone. The battery life definitely will drain big if you are on the internet, but I find it even drains quickly when I'm on phone calls that last about 10 minutes or so, not for hours at a time. The internal memory is a reallly big issue. For all the apps on Android Market it becomes a game of playing which apps to keep on your phone. I think the phone really was a big disapointment in that aspect.

Overall I've been happy with the phone but it is far from perfect.

 

Pros

Operating system- Like the freedom Google has given to the OS system in regards to development and user friendly to understand features

Android Market- great pipeline to new software

Keyboard- I type so fast that Im not a big fan of the touchscreen keyboards, I prefer a physical one.

Cons

Battery Life- To me drains fully within under 4 hours of regular not extreme usage

Camera- pictures are grainy even after auto-focus

Weight- it's a bit of a brick

Internal Memory- too little especially if you want to take advantage of Android Market

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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

5. just got better!!!

4 Jun 2009 by David441

96.7%9.7out of 10

this new update on this phone just got better finaly a good camrecorder and more features now i love it more nice job android has improve.

Pros

good key board
big screen
good apps

Cons

battery life
slow sometimes

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6. Good, as long as you don't need to use it to talk to anyone

2 Jun 2009 by Abby

63.3%6.3out of 10

Love the sync with my Google calendar and Gmail. Good texting. Nice Internet browsing. However, if you want to be able to speak with someone, you'll be disappointed. I can rarely complete a conversation in one call. I can hear about 50% of what the person is saying to me, and that's after asking them to repeat several times. I understand about 33% of the voice mails I receive. As others have said, the camera is terrible. It takes FOREVER to capture the picture, and it's often blurry.

The only thing that makes the phone worthwhile is everything except for actual phone use, so if you want to use the phone for talking, find something else. Also, if you are trying to cut costs and want to do without the data capability for a while, can't do it with this phone. You must have the G1 data plan for the phone to work - or so I was told by customer service.

Pros

Calendar and Gmail sync
Good texting
Large screen
Recent software upgrade gave video capture ability (haven't used it yet) and the ability to save dialed or received numbers to contacts (why it wasn't created with that makes me wonder if the designers ever actually used a cell phone)

Cons

Huge and bad battery life
Lots of butt-dials
While on the phone, if you need to press keys, it takes a few keystrokes to get there
Terrible for phone calls

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7.

31 May 2009 by campbellxx14

83.3%8.3out of 10

i was at a toss up between the sidekick, a bb, and the g1. i'm very phone savy, and in about 3 years total i've had 11 cellphones, 90% of them top of the line. i really wasn't sure that i was going to like the g1 from day 1, i've had it for a little over a month now, and i still dont like it. the phone freezes a all the time, the on screen keyboard is way to tiny. you cannot get very many good games at all. and it's just horrible. i should've gone with the sidekick.

Pros

-big screen.
-good touch screen.
-comfortable letters
-good camera

Cons

-horrible battery life.
-phone freezes
-no good games.
-slow internet.
-trackballs to small.

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8. Love the Phone

16 Mar 2009 by Ron

93.3%9.3out of 10

I have had the phone for a few months now. Theres so much you can do with it. You'll never be bored with this phone.

Pros

All the Apps
Unlimited possibilites of the phone can do
Large Touch screen
3 colors to choose from

Cons

Battery life
internal memory very small
Sometimes can be slow

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9. love it!!

27 Feb 2009 by J520

93.3%9.3out of 10

i have been back and forth about getting this phone since before it came out and i finally got it.. and to get to the point i love the phone.. my cousin got this phone and i was skeptical at first but i liked how it worked and the 3G in california was really fast.. my friend here at home got it and her battery sucked!! we work 8 to 5 and by 330 it was plugged into the wall.. i got it and its midnight right now and my battery is still at 30 percent and i text heavilly and talk on it also.. i love how the phone notifies you of everything.. i also love the keyboard its really spacious.. the track ball works with some applications and others it requires your finger to smudge up the screen :S there are two things i dont like with the phone. the first its super bulky.. so much for a sexy sleek phone huh.. and two you need an UBER steady hand to get the pictures to come out clear.. and they will come out.. :D i tried using the samsun behold before this one and with my fingers i needed keys and this is perfect for me i highly recommed this phone :D

Pros

-good phone
-great keyboard
-pretty good battery life
-many applications
-very customizable home screen
-good email service

Cons

-bulky
-camera needs a steady hand
-camera features could be added

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10. 50-50

24 Feb 2009 by Ranjan Maitra

76.7%7.7out of 10

There are a lot of positive reviews for this phone out there, but if they still are saying the same thing today than they were when they first bought it, they're lying.

Only when the phone is working does it work well.  And it needs to be backed by a hoard of aftermarket applications to be considered for this.

Hello AIM is a very good application for messaging--works like the real thing, cept it disconnects maybe 100-200 times a day.  An auto-sign in has fixed this, and soon there will be a setting for vibrating alerts only when a message comes, not when it signs in and out.

aTrackDog must be downloaded to keep up with the updates.

Close Everything is a must, it lenthens battery life.

The stock camera is beyond terrible, and the phone must be placed on a stable surface to work.  Otherwise, SnapPhoto can be used, but it is an aftermarket application.

ChompSMS, combined with <dg>Alert Prefs and SMS Popup are to die for.  IPhone cloned messaging with an IPhone cloned alert popup.

MyBackUp is a good application, but it seems annoying sometimes, and isnt polished.  The video recorder is made by someone in another country, and thus is not asthetically or grammatically pleasing at all.  It's amazing when it works--if it ever loads or doesnt crash the phone.

QuickCalender tells you a few of your upcoming events in the pulldown bar.

The pictures app continously crashes when browsing pictures.

SMSBackup is amazing--immediately and automatically backs up your texts to email.

The WeatherBug application always shows the temperature in the status bar, something i sorely missed from my Sidekick.

 

Once you get used to the phone, you can type like no tomorrow.  AK notepad is amazing, and can stick individual notes onto your home screen for quick access.

 

But the horrible downsides:

CONTINOUSLY crashes and restarts unexpectly in the middle of messages or randomly without being touched.  Multiple times a day.  The phone freezes constantly and the camera is horrible.  SnapPhoto does the best it can, and still the camera is beyond repair.  The video recorder is pretty amazing, at full resolosution, but currently you cannot save videos to a memory card.

 

Those are my complaints and many others according to forums as of 2/24/09.  Hopefully things will improve.

 

OY!

I tried an Epix while using this phone, returned the Epix (hate Windows Mobile) and now will try a BlackBold.  But remember, with the combination mentioned above, IM'ing, texting, and Gmailing are at the very best out there.

Pros

quick keyboard,
status light changes colours,
good touchscreen,
google chrome browser,
pull-down status bar,
amazing screen,
suports multitouch but not used due to apple patent,
root users can use phone for tethering without paying fees,
force close,
push snychronisation

Cons

lags,
bad trackball (nothing like the bb's or the sk's),
force closes too often,
crashes and randomly restarts,
bulky on right side when typing,
no cut or paste,
terrible camera stability or video recording (if downloaded),
difficult access to sd card (requires a sharp object)..

it goes on..

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5 out of 8 people found this review helpful.