I know this is a lot to ask for, but I really hope that's not the actual phone. I know absolutely everything point to it, but it's a really ugly phone.

mricpx

Looking forward to this coming out. The sooner it does, the sooner someone rips the Android rom out of it and the sooner I can coerce it onto my Tilt.

mhlaxp

Data plan, yeah, but that's only because they have the most immature 3G network of any carrier. Sure, the data will be cheap, but it'll be slower than its competitors.

With this hardware, and this carrier, Android will be nothing except a niche player. It probably won't even match palm's OS marketshare, let alone bother Apple.

I said it on BGR and I'll say it here; I am absolutely disgusted that Google and T-Mobile would allow such an amateurish design to be the launch vehicle for Android. It looks like it was designed by Fisher Price, and it is absolutely the wrong type of device for an interesting and potentially game-changing OS like Android to launch on. HTC knows how to design amazing phones, as the Touch Diamond/Pro, and more recently the Touch HD, have shown. Why they didn't feel Android deserved that kind of beautiful design is beyond me. This phone is anything but a dream.

JHB8000

Hmmm, how many Gigs again?

vgart

doubt it

xethanolx

Oh c'mon...put it on that other HTC please.

Kaiser-Machead on the Edge

@utube2007: @JHB8000: I was under the impression that this was the device to replace the sidekick, hence the kiddy factor in design... Although I must say it would look better in black.

Mr_Maze

@mricpx: I fully agree that phone is ugly know matter what color you throw on it; it looks like a mutilated sidekick with a fresh new os on it

utube2007

@JHB8000: Who cares if it's a little hard on the eyes. It has real qwerty and a touchscreen as well. If SSH runs on it, sign me up!

astyanax

epic.

se.blackheart

@JHB8000:

That's YOUR OPINION! Honestly, no one cares what you think. There's no reason for you to go onto 2 different blogs to bash a piece of hardware that you aren't interested in. That phone is awesome. The plans sound awesome. Android is awesome, I downloaded the 0.9 SDK beta. Hell T-Mobile is awesome. And you know what? Who cares that The Mob is last to market with 3G? If it IS in fact priced aggressively then if T-Mobile decided to raise their rates, those folks would be grandfathered in.

Leave the negative remarks for something that you're interested in.

jspeed04

if this is to be released anytime within a year, they need to do some epic marketing, cuz this smells like an epic fail.

se.blackheart

The phone does not look so good to say the least. Maybe its because the plain color and just simple circular buttons. The hardware looks too bland. I'm definitely excited to try it out, only time will tell if its worth $200.

j12

Open platforms scare me. If Google doesn't pre approve applications, what it to stop a developer from writing malicious phishing applications that could easily perform identity theft with the information one imputs on their smart phones?

I very much enjoy the idea of Iphone applications confined to a box, is this the same on Android?

SuperSan

See though, I was interested in it before it took this final form. The other device they showed, which was more of a candy-bar style (like the iPhone) looked a thousand times better and actually matched what Android has to offer.

Personally, I think Android is a brilliant idea. It is more open than the iPhone, more polished than WM, and about four generations ahead of Palm OS.

The hardware so far, though, leaves a lot to be desired. Hopefully Android will appear on unlocked versions of Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, because that would be an amazing combination.

JHB8000

Wait...are these leaked shots confirmed as the launch version? The execs would have to be crazy as a soup sandwich to use that...

Seriously, just changing the color alone would make a huge difference. Hell, make it red for all I care. Anything but that.

kangaroo

Yes, yes, that's all fine and well...but does it come with electric sheep?

Purple Dave

@JHB8000: i think the centro is much uglier than this and look how well that's doing.

@SuperSan: developers can write malicious code for any platform. windows isn't an open platform and it's targeted all the time

Weihovah

The rabid anti-Apple crowd that believes Android is going to unseat the iPhone is going to be disappointed. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty to hate about the iPhone, but Apple has done more to jolt the industry than any other company... in just 2 years. They're already on their second generation and quickly improving with monthly updates. (granted, they just fix problems that should have been fixed by launch, but at least they get fixed). Compare this to my old Treo 750 from AT&T. I got no support from either AT&T or Palm. No official updates. I had to hack the official Palm 750 ROM to get Windows Mobile 6.

Android is going to be similar to Windows Mobile. Google will not be supporting it. They will probably leave support up to the service provider, who may pass the buck to the hardware manufacturer. There are too many entities involved to guarantee a seamless rollout. With the iPhone, the buck stops at Apple.

As much as I want Android to succeed, I don't see it as a blockbuster success. It will be a niche product, at best.

SwapMeet

@SwapMeet:
It doesn't have to try too hard to unseat the iPhone, as long as it is comparable to the iPhone, since it will be out for many phones. I don't think it will be the same situation as your Treo given that OS isn't open and Palm isn't exactly at its best. Given Google has the resources for things like gmail, google docs, chrome, and all the miscellaneous betas, I don't see why you expect there to be no support by Google for Android. And again being an open platform, the update process shouldn't be harder than the iPhone's, unlike WinMo. Every indication is that Google views Android as one of their important projects, given it is going to be in consumer hands.

stopcrazypp

I almost think I will drop my verizon phone I have 1 year left with for this.

myotheralt

@SuperSan: Its possible NOW with Windoes, palm and symbian. OR did you not know this?

Stacky Botrus

@JHB8000:

If you saw the final hardware, you would be pulling that bat out of your ass and realizing the finalized hardware model is similar to a black diamond. Silly bastard.

Stacky Botrus

@RobotVampire: Well, since the whole Android GUI can be changed in appearance all one needs is for a new skin to be created.

SgtToastie

The first thing Andriod needs to be successful is a new GUI skin. I really don't like the way the OS looks, too Mac-y. But I am looking forward to the guys at xda-devs or PPC geeks getting a sweet Android rom working for the HTC titan. It kinda works now, but it's not ready for primetime yet. Google has won me over with gmail, gcal, blogger and gmaps so I have to give this a try. But I'm on VZW so a-flashing I will go.

RobotVampire

That phone is so very ugly... design looks really really 20th century, lol.

andthepickles

it's looks functional, it has a qwerty. In the next year I'm sure android will be on 5-10 different peices of hardware. And yes, Google will update the software like apple does. You will be able to run multiple apps concurrently. Android will have gps navigation before the iphone (not to mention copy and paste).

kevininstereo

You guys are aware that T-Mobile HSDPA is going to be faster on release and onwards than ATT HSDPA?

Besides, given what I've seen with iPhone users around here, I sincerely doubt ATT actually has overall better coverage. More cities, yes, but their definition of coverage is sketchy at best.

sdf632

Screw T Mobile and Bring me my Google on At&T

Go Team Venture

@jspeed04: um, if he was interested in a phone don't you think that his comments would be positive? Are we going to some rule about "if you've got nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all?" Cuz if so, we probably wouldn't have comments on Gizmodo. Or articles for that matter.

I agree with JHB8000 - well, maybe I wouldn't use the word "disgusted" but disappointed. The OS can be great but for a launch device the hardware has got to be super slick too. Hopefully it'll see some improvements in design before hitting the streets, because right now it's just a little too utilitarian. The keyboard is nice, the screen is nice, but just it doesn't come together nicely.

That said, I am sure that the OS is going to get a lot of developer support, especially after Apple started pissing off so many developers by excluding apps from the store arbitrarily. It'll be interesting to see where the OS goes and how open the platform will actually be.

weatherman

@JHB8000: I take it you are an iPhone owner?

Scott

wow really good price
better put in extra hours at work though
cant wait for this phone!!!!

ArakniD

I honestly can't figure out why everyone is saying the Dream is ugly. Is it because it's the popular thing to do? It may not be the best looking phone out there (my personal favorite is my current phone, the iPhone) but as people mentioned there are some truly ugly phones out there (the Centro, for instance).

Methinks a lot of it is jealousy from Verizon and AT&T customers who won't be getting an Android phone for a long time--if ever. But as an iPhone-owning T-Mobile customer, well, I can't wait for the 23rd.

jopari

I don't think that phone is ugly, but I do think it's definitely not a top notch design..looks like a sidekick met toys r us and went to work. I don't like it.

Also, where are my official high res renders?

nachobel

@sdf632: Is this reliable information? Because I find it difficult ro believe.

Substance_D

@weatherman:

No, that's not what I mean at all. I'm saying let him leave negative comments about something that HE is interested/dissapointed about.

For example, what's the point of Giz doing an article hypothetically stating, "New Sony Bravia Line being announced tomorrow." And then some asshat comes in here and says, I hate Sony.

It's kinda like that.

jspeed04

@Mr_Maze: Have u seen all the video demos? They are all shown on this exact phone but in Black. But on the videos, u cant tell its the same phone because the black makes that mutilated bottom section less defined.@Stacky Botrus: Have YOU seen the final version? Because if it looks like the Touch HD or Diamond that would be awsome. The phone right now is on the ugly side, but that full QWERTY keyboard looks amazing. I havnt seen a touch screen keyboard that has come close to apples. And even iphones touch keyboard is still a little delayed/ annoying because its touch. But if they could put Android on the Touch HD that would be awsome. I could take or leave the QWERTY. It doesnt neccesarily make or break the phone.

tkohrs2002

Also i will be buying what ever touch screen android model that comes out on Sprint. I hope it looks nicer than this one, although i dont car too much.

tkohrs2002

@JHB8000: I totally agree with you. But i think that they didnt want to go all extravagent because they arent totally friendly with the google platform. After all this is basically a prototype still even though they're going to be releasing the product on the 23d of this month this phone wont be killing anything anytime soon. Especially the iphone. I have been using an iphone for the past few days and im convinced the only thing that may have a chance is that HTC touch HD which i saw yesterday so im not even sure the Touch HD may even have the specs to kick the iphones ass basically because of the slow OS that it relies on. If HTC got together to make a phone with google they'd make one gorgeous phone but they'd have to do it with the developers and not with the people for the product specs because HTC is very innovative and is constantly briniging new things to the table like the TOUCH FLO UI and they've basically mastered WM6 even though it lags sometimes that happens on the iphone as well.

I think we can all agree this phone is relatively ugly but im sure that we can all agree as well that HTC is probably the best company to tackle this OS. And looking at the T-Mobile Wing im sure this thing will have low specs which makes the phone even less appealing and this is coming from a man who loves his t-mo Wing.

SneakerFiend

@mricpx: Agreed, but I would really like to play with one, that'd be tight... like my ass.

danatoth

I wonder if they will let you have it without any data plan? What I really want is all voice functionality to be via GSM or UMA when there is no signal. But I really want all data to be wifi no matter what is happening with voice. Roger

SarupraniAlectrona

To all the haters out there, there have been some people (like me) waiting for something like this to come along. Something between the pretty though proprietary iPhone and the crappy Win Mo. As a smartphone user I have gotten increasingly demanding of my phone over the last 2 years. I want it to be my mobile computer in my pocket, in fact I want it to do more than a computer because I carry it with me all the time....and that's why iPhone does not cut it for me. The system is too closed (even with Apps) and Apple-centric...additionally however hard I try, the touchscreen keyboard does not work for me. It was a good reality (distortion) to believe till a more viable alternative came along. I believe that alternative is the Android! It's not for everyone (esp the iPhone lovers) because it is not as pretty but it does all the iPhone does and more and faster. By the next-gen, the Android is going to take over the world.

metalsahu

in response to JHB8000, Google/T-Mobile don't seem to need the same kind of chic/pop/perfection that's become standard with every new Apple product launch. it's less about style and more about practical features. since this is 1st gen, a softer launch will allow an open platform like Android to evolve, while enabling future handsets to evolve along with it. I'll probably buy the Dream, but mostly b/c I'm stuck in T-Mobile land for 6 more months and so don't have many other exciting options (besides the Dash which I have). I am a fan only of T-Mobile support - the network coverage, call dropping sucks even in NYC - but I'm rooting for them like underdogs.

I've also heard mention of a barcode scanner feature for instant price comparisons, both geographically through google maps and on the Web. not that it would be useful since we'll all be broke/unemployed/homeless and/or Chinese citizens by the end of the week thanks to footloose traders, i-bankers and Mr. Hankie P, but it's a novel feature.

J

JamesPTP

in response to JHB8000, Google / T-Mobile don't seem to need the kind of chic/pop that's become standard with every new Apple product launch. it's less about style and more about practical features. since this is 1st gen, a softer launch will allow an open platform like Android to evolve, while enabling future handsets to evolve alongside it. I'll probably buy the Dream, but mostly b/c I'm stuck in T-Mobile land for 6 more months and don't have many other exciting options (besides the Sidekick ; ). I can say good things only about T-Mobile support - the network coverage, call dropping sucks even in NYC - but I'm rooting for them like underdogs.

I've also heard mention of a barcode scanner feature for instant price comparisons, both geographically through google maps and on the Web. not that it would be useful since we'll all be broke/unemployed/homeless and/or Chinese citizens by the end of the week thanks to footloose trading desks, i-bankers and Mr. Hankie P. but it's a novel feature.

J

JamesPTP