Released on October 22, 2008, the T-Mobile G1 has been referred to as the Googlephone since rumors of its existence surfaced in 2006. Being the first commercially available phone to run Google's Android operating system, the handset was originally shipped with Android 1.0. The handset features a physical keyboard and was launched contract-free at $399 or for a subsidized price of $129.99.
"The T-Mobile G1 made quite a start and had us impressed on quite a few counts. It's far from the perfect package but it gets the things that matter done and gets them done right. The interface is not only up and running, it has purpose and direction. What would've been another average smart QWERTY messenger is the herald of Google OS."
"Most of Android's basic features are there, and they work very well. But there are enough extra features either missing or so poorly handled to make this smartphone seem unfinished. Fortunately, I'm sure Google is going to keep plugging away at improving the software, and third-party developers will help fill in the holes. It will take a while, but eventually I expect Android to be an impressive mobile platform."
"The G1 isn't going to blow anyone's mind right out of the gate. Looking only at the hardware, there's nothing here that's particularly impressive, yet nothing that's particularly bad (though the GPS needs some work). At the end of the day, however, this isn't about the hardware, and really never was. The story here is Android and what it promises... though doesn't necessarily deliver on at first."
"The most exciting thing about the G1 isn't what you get in the box. It's Google's aforementioned App Market. The App Market added new programs every day of my review period, and the phone isn't even on the shelves yet. If the G1 takes off and LG, Motorola, and Samsung follow quickly with their own Android devices, this could be the start of something big."
"While we're not in love with the design and would have liked some additional features, the real beauty of the T-Mobile G1 is the Google Android platform, as it has the potential to make smartphones more personal and powerful. That said, it's not quite there yet, so for now, the G1 is best suited for early adopters and gadget hounds, rather than consumers and business users."