The Google Android T Mobile G1 phone. Kinda long huh? Whatever they end up calling it, I hope they make it short and catchy. Some have started to call it the gPhone (as opposed to the iPhone)! He he. Everybody in the tech world was waiting for its launch, and gadget geeks around the world, like myself, were no different. The hype was incredible. Leaks and rumors about the new gadget that would rival Apple's iPhone started circulating months ago. It is, after all, Google's first foray into the highly lucrative mobile phone business, never mind that it didn't exactly build the phone, just the platform.

First impressions last, as they say. And from what I have seen in the numerous pictures of the Google Android phone plastered all over cyberspace, I'm not a bit impressed. Okay, that's an
understatement. I'm actually disappointed. Highly touted before its release as the iPhone's direct competitor, one can't help but compare the two gadgets. And from what I've seen so far, no comparison. The Google T Mobile G1 phone isn't as sleek, polished and elegant as the iPhone. It looks bulkier, with a style somewhat outdated compared to the other mobile phones coming out lately. Comparing photos of the gPhone and the 3G iPhone, it's like looking at shots of Cinderella next to her ~~evil~~ step~~sister~~mother! Ha ha.

Features-wise though, I have read that the Google Android phone packs more punch than the iPhone - a full-sized QWERTY keypad (perfect for those who don't want to deal with a touchscreen keyboard), a trackball, a Home key, and Call and End buttons. The software part of the T-Mobile G1 is even more interesting as it makes use of all Google online services such as Gmail, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Maps with Street View, AmazonMP3 marketplace and finally, Google's own Android Market, which would supply the handset with third-party applications over-the-air. Another unique feature to the G1 that some early reviewers are raving about is the embedded compass, which syncs with Maps Street View allowing live 360-degree cityscape browsing just by turning the handset around.

Will the Google Android phone be the gadget to topple Apple's iPhone from the pedestal? We'll just have to wait to find out. In the end, though, it will be a question of buyer preference. Will mobile phone buyers choose its features and open-source capability over it's clearly deficient looks? Or will many be more like me, preferring a balance of aesthetics and features for their gadgets?

The Google Android T Mobile G1 phone (whew!) will reportedly be available for $179 starting next month in the US, and in Europe before the year ends. I wonder when it will reach Asia? Hopefully, it would be upgraded by then.