Entertainment

The most appealing and promising feature of the G1 is the open-source Android OS and the third-party applications available for users to download from Android Market. In this sense, the G1 comes closer to the iPhone 3G because of the wide array of applications already available. The G1 and Android operating system are new and some users have found applications have bugs that still need to be worked out.

The software applications on Android Market are divided into the categories of games and applications, which then lead to subcategories.

Some of the basic applications on the G1 from T-Mobile include YouTube and the Amazon MP3 music store. To find and download music, select the Amazon MP3 icon which will bring up four options: "Top 100 Albums," "Top 100 Songs," "Browse by Genre" and "Search."

Navigation on the G1 is, of course, Google Maps and users can access most of the Google Maps functions that they normally use on their PC's, including "street view." The G1 allows users to pan around the street view by moving the phone left, right, up or down. Other Google Maps functions that work on the G1 include traffic and satellite.

One interesting Android OS software application touted by T-Mobile is ShopSavvy, which allows users to look up prices for an item online and at stores. Users access ShopSavvy by selecting the icon, then "search for a product" from the list of options. A red line will appear in the camera view, and you aim it at the bar code on a piece of merchandise until the phone beeps. Users can add the item to wish lists to share with friends and family, or look up a local store that sells the product and the G1 software will then give them the option of calling the store or viewing its location on a map.

Another example of the Android applications available is EcoRio, which helps calculate a user's carbon foot print and allows him or her buy carbon credits. Users can enter their travel routes in EcoRio, along with information on whether they travel by car or take public transit, and it calculates their carbon footprint. By selecting "inspire," you can see what other people are doing to get around.

It's difficult to compare the Android applications available right now to those for the iPhone, since the phone has only been available for a few months. The Android Developers' blog only recently announced that Android Market would being accepting paid applications.

Internet

The G1 web browser is based on Webkit, the open source web browser engine also used for Safari and Mobile Safari, and there is one-touch access to the Google search engine.

The G1 supports T-Mobile's 3G network to surf the Web and download information quickly, and the handset also has Wi-Fi. T-Mobile is currently in the process of building its 3G network in various market across the country and the new service, based on a high-speed technology known as HSDPA, will initially increase the carrier's Web speeds by about four times. As mentioned earlier, users must subscribe to T-Mobile's internet service because the phone syncs email and contacts with a Google account.

Users can subscribe to "T-Mobile Total Internet," which provides unlimited Internet access and unlimited T-Mobile HotSpot access to check email and browse the Internet. T-Mobile HotSpot access provides high-speed wireless Internet access for laptops and smart phones across the nation, including at Starbucks, FedEx Kinko's, Borders Books and Music stores, Hyatt hotels, and airports.

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