Google's Shaky Smartphone Debut

摘要

In the software world, a "developers' release" is a preliminary, unfinished version of a program that lets engineers kick the tires and gauge its potential. Think of T-Mobile's new G1 phone as a kind of developers' release, a chance for ordinary customers to test Google's much trumpeted Android software for smartphones.rnThis iPhone wannabe is an intriguing but flawed effort -worth a look for early adopters but probably not what you want to carry as your everyday phone. The G1 will be available on Oct. 22 for $180 with a two-year contract; data plans start at $25 a month.rnThe design of the Wi-Fi-ready G1 handset from HTC makes assessing Android harder than it should be. With its awkward slide-out keyboard, the phone is difficult to type on. It also lacks features we are coming to regard as standard on contemporary smartphones. Unlike other big-display, touchscreen phones, the screen orientation does not change when you rotate the handset, and the display can only be used horizontally when the keyboard has been slid out. You can use a BlackBerry-like trackball instead of touch to navigate the screen, but I found this hard to use with precision. There's no stereo Bluetooth, and using a wired headset requires an adapter.